Henzler to lead TRG’s IMSA GTD lineup
Wolf Henzler has been signed by The Racers Group to head its Porsche 911 GT3 R driving squad for the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
Photo by: Alexander Trienitz
TRG, which last month announced a switch from Aston Martin back to Porsche for its IMSA campaign, has also revealed its full Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona lineup.
Henzler will be joined in the 911 GT3 R by Jan Heylen, Derek DeBoer, Santiago Creel and Pablo Sánchez, as TRG attempts to claim its fifth class victory at Daytona.
Henzler shared TRG’s 2011 victory at the Rolex 24, and also has a class win at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
“I was thrilled when I heard about TRG being back with a Porsche in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship,” said the 41-year-old German, “and that I will be one of the drivers in their brand-new 911 GT3 R.
“I’ve had a lot of success with the team when I raced for them at Daytona. In 2010 we finished third in GT, in 2011 we finished first in GT, and 2nd in GT the following year by only 9 seconds!
“I’m proud to be part of Kevin Buckler’s team in 2017. He is doing an amazing job and has an awesome team. TRG knows very well what it needs to have a winning car on the track.”
Former Champ Car racer Heylen joins the team for his sixth 24 Hours at Daytona race and his first with TRG. In 2015, he finished 3rd in the GTD class with a Porsche, and he commented: “I know Kevin's track record at Daytona and I'm confident that we can do well. I'll be driving next to Wolf Henzler, who I've worked with in the past and who is a very close friend of mine. The last two times I did Daytona, we finished on the podium but never on the top step - so hopefully this time around we can do just a little better and get that watch.”
DeBoer, has taken several podiums and a win with TRG’s Aston Martin and Lamborghini SuperTrofeo programs, and Creel, too, has raced for TRG in the #007 Aston Martin V12 Vantage in 2016. However, he also has Porsche experience from the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA and Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup – a category in which Sanchez, a former Italian F3 and Formula Masters race winner, also raced.
Regarding Henzler’s co-driver(s) for the remainder of the 2017 season, Buckler said: “we are in final negotiations with several drivers.”
TRG is not attending the two-day test at Daytona that’s being held today and tomorrow, but the Petaluma, Calif.-based team will roll out its 911 at the Roar Before the 24, January 6-8.
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