Lone Star Racing has announced its full-time participation in the Daytona Grand Touring (GTD) category of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the 2027 season, leaving behind its previous limited participation in the Michelin Endurance Cup.
The Texas-based team, led by A.J. Petersen and founded by Dan Knox, will compete with the #80 Mercedes-AMG GT3 car, which will be driven by promising young Dutchman Lin Hodenius and veteran Irishman James Roe, a professional with extensive experience in sports and single-seater cars.
A Year-Round Effort
Lone Star Racing, which has been active since 2014 with 29 participations in the WeatherTech championship, will take this significant step after successfully completing the last three seasons in the Michelin Endurance Cup. This will be the first time the team attempts to contest the entire championship during a season.
Petersen has expressed enthusiasm for the new challenge: ‘We are very excited to begin our first full season in the WeatherTech Championship. We have worked for years to make this possible, and we are eager to take on the challenge with the right partners.’
A Promising 2026
The decision to expand to a full campaign comes after a standout 2026, in which the team managed to place among the top ten in all races of the Michelin Endurance Cup. Results that include a sixth place at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and a fourth place at Petit Le Mans reinforce expectations for the new season.
Driver Hodenius, who comes from the Mercedes-AMG junior program, has expressed his excitement to continue with the team: ‘I am very excited to continue at Lone Star Racing after a year full of learning and progress. I want to contribute to the growth of the group.’
Goals and Preparations
For his part, Roe, who has spent the last two years competing in various IMSA categories, sees this as a great opportunity to solidify his place in the championship. ‘I am extremely excited to race the full season with Lone Star Racing and Mercedes-AMG. Our goals for 2027 are to turn our pace into consistent podium finishes.’
With increasing expectations and a proven team, Lone Star Racing is preparing to tackle 2027 with the aim of making its mark in IMSA.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
