Inaugural Grand-Am 200 Challenge winner Aaron Steele drove for Mitchum Motorsports at Daytona in January (Photo Credit: Sunoco)
After a successful first season the Sunoco Grand-Am 200 Challenge will give racers from around Europe will have the chance to win the opportunity to compete in the Continental Tire Series at Daytona International in 2013.
Running alongside the Sunoco Rolex 24 at Daytona Challenge – which offers a drive in the Daytona 24 Hours – the Grand-Am 200 Challenge is open to drivers in a number of series.
As during the 2011 season drivers in Legends, GT Cup, MSV F3 Cup and Dunlop Production Touring Cars are eligible for the prize. Drivers from classes 3 and 4 of the Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship are also eligible, as well as drivers from all classes of the Britcar Production Cup.
New to the Grand-Am 200 Challenge field for 2012 is the Dutch Supercar Challenge. The series – that races across Belgium, Germany and Holland – caters for a range of cars from GTs to more Touring Car based machinery split into four classes. The four classes will be scored separately, as will the classes in Britcar and GT Cup competition.
“The Challenge was very well received last year by both the series organisers and the drivers which has encouraged us to continue to give something back to the racers,” said Anders Hildebrand, MD of Anglo American Oil Company. “I am very pleased and delighted to have the series back for the second year of the GRAND-AM Challenge. I am also extremely pleased to be able be expanding into Europe this year with the Dutch Super Car Challenge joining us.”
MSV F3 driver Aaron Steele dominated the competition in 2011 to win his race seat at Daytona with Mitchum Motorsports in a Chevrolet Camaro. This year's winner is expected to follow Steele into a Camaro next January at Daytona.
“It was an unfortunate end to my prize drive but hey I got to drive at Daytona!,” said Steele. “I had a great time in Daytona and winning the Challenge has opened up a lot of possible new avenues to take towards a professional racing career. The Sunoco GRAND-AM 200 Challenge is a fantastic prize and to win it and be able to make the most of the opportunity that Anglo American Oil Company provide, truly is a once in a lifetime experience which I'd recommend to anyone.”
