Glasgow born driver Stevan McAleer is to step up with CJ Wilson Racing to a full campaign in the ST class of the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.
The 28-year-old began racing in the US in 2006 after winning a UK based scholarship to racing in a regional Skip Barber championship. In 2011 McAleer won the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup with CJ Wilson Racing, the eponymous team principal a pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels Major League Baseball team.
For 2013 he will remain within both the CJ Wilson Racing team and MAZDASPEED Motorsport families as he joins Marc Miller in one of the team’s Continental Tire series MX-5 racers.
“Stevan did a great job in the MX-5 Cup and obviously worked well with the CJ Wilson Racing team such that they are sticking together as a team, always a plus,” said director of Mazda Motorsport John Doonan. “Stevan will challenge for race wins and must be viewed as a favourite for rookie of the year honours.”
“Having Stevan grow with the team is really exciting for everyone at CJWR,” said Wilson. “For him to win the championship in an MX-5 and step into our Grand-Am MX-5 means he will hit the ground running and get up to speed quickly. Driver development is integral to the future of our team, and we are putting our full effort into continuing that program with Stevan.”
His first task in the new season comes in the form of the Roar Before the 24 test at Daytona International Speedway (January 4-6) before the first round of the 12 round championship – the Continental Tire Challenge Grand-Am 200, supporting the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
