Audi will have strong representation in the GT class field for the 51st Rolex 24 at Daytona (January 26-27) with line-ups for several Audi R8 GRAND-AM racers announced.
The field for the race – also the first round of the Rolex Series – will include a pair of cars for APR Motorsport – one of the teams that introduced the cat into the championship at the 2012 race at Daytona International Speedway.
Though the drivers for one of the Alabama based team’s cars is still to be announced the team confirmed a very strong quartet for the #52 car, including two drivers who helped give Audi their first overall victory at the Nurburgring 24 Hours.
Both men in question, Marc Basseng and Frank Stippler, will be making their return to APR after racing with the team at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of Glen last season. On that occasion Stippler, one of the development drivers for the R8 GT cars, drove the car to second in qualifying.
Stippler was also part of the Audi team that won the 24 Hours of Spa last season. Rene Rast, three times a Porsche Supercup champion, was also part of that line-up and joins the APR team aiming to add to his class win from the 2012 Rolex 24 with Porsche team Magnus Racing. The team will be completed by American Ian Baas.
Elsewhere in the field for January’s race Filipe Albuquerque and Edoardo Mortara – both part of Audi’s DTM team in 2012 – will drive with Oliver Jarvis for Alex Job Racing.
Christopher Haase and Markus Winkelhock, the other two drivers in the victorious team at the Nurburgring in May will join with veteran Frank Biela – five times a 24 Hours of Le Mans winner for Audi for Rum Bum Racing. Both they and the AJR team will be completed by an American driver for the race.
