ST Racing Withdraws From GTWC Watkins Glen; Still On Course For Spa 24h Debut

Samantha Tan Racing will not take part in the upcoming GT World Challenge America round at Watkins Glen International on 20-22 July, as confirmed yesterday by team co-owner, driver, and namesake Samantha Tan yesterday.

Their #38 BMW M4 GT3 was involved in a multi-car accident in the first race at VIRginia International Raceway, and the resulting damages left them unable to start the second race. The scarcity of spare parts that has affected BMW customer racing teams in the first year of service for the new M4 GT3 means that they will not be at Watkins Glen, and may miss the following GTWC America round at Road America next month.

This will not impact her and her team’s plans to take part in the upcoming 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on the weekend of 28-31 July. After testing at the Belgian circuit for the first time, the Canadian driver reinforced that she will still be ready to race in the biggest event of the SRO Motorsports Group calendar this month.

“With a heavy heart, I have to announce that we are pulling out of GT World Challenge America Watkins Glen due to the crash at VIR and unavailability of parts,” Tan said in a post to her Instagram profile. “GTWC Road America is also in question.”

“After historic wins in both 24H Series and Ferrari Challenge, and a strong performance at GTWC Sonoma a few months ago, it hurts like hell to not be able to finish the full season and show our true pace.”

“But on the bright side as always, we are looking ahead to the 24 Hours of Spa,” said Tan. “I completed my first laps of the famous circuit today in a BMW M2CS R! NOTHING can prepare you for the feeling of going up Eau Rouge for the first time – it reminded me of my first drive through the corkscrew at Laguna Seca. I held my breath the whole way through.”

“I’m very excited to be one of the 65 GT3 cars competing in the 24H race later this month against some of the best drivers and teams in the world. I’ll be training hard until then!”

At the 24 Hours of Spa, Tan will share driving duties of their #28 BMW with GTWC America co-driver Nick Wittmer, both of whom were part of ST Racing’s crew that won the Dubai 24 Hours in January – and scored the M4 GT3’s first competitive victory. Joining them will be Harry Gottsacker, and a fourth driver to be confirmed before the weekend of 28-31 July.

In GTWC America, the duo of Tan and Wittmer finished 10th and 11th overall at Sonoma Raceway in April, for fifth and seventh place results in the Pro-Am category. But they withdrew prior to the second race meeting at NOLA Motorsports Park, again owing to a shortage of spare parts, before returning for the third meeting at VIR.