Rob Ferriol, Katherine Legge and Stefan Wilson Return to No. 99 GridRival/GNARLY Jerky Porsche 911 GT3 R, with Nick Galante and Sean McAllister Piloting the No. 22 Racing To End Alzheimer’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport
SEBRING, Florida (March 16, 2022) – Hardpoint returns to action this week for the first time since a 10th place finish in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona. Rob Ferriol, Katherine Legge and Stefan Wilson return in the WeatherTech GTD Class No. 99 GridRival/GNARLY Jerky Porsche 911 GT3 R at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, run on Saturday, March 19. Nick Galante and Sean McAllister make their Hardpoint debuts in the Michelin Pilot Challenge GS-class No. 22 Racing To End Alzheimer’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport in the Alan Jay 120 on Thursday, March 17.
The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring can be seen live in its entirety via streaming on Peacock beginning at 10 a.m. EDT on Saturday, March 19, and live from 3:30 p.m. EDT through the race’s conclusion on USA Network for cable and satellite subscribers. The Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 can be seen live in its entirety, also on Peacock, at 4:20 p.m. EDT on Thursday, March 17.
No. 99 GridRival/GNARLY Jerky Porsche 911 GT3 R Event Notebook
- Ferriol, Legge and Wilson will team up in the No. 99 GridRival/GNARLY Jerky Porsche 911 GT3 R for each Michelin Endurance Championship event on the 2022 calendar, with Ferriol and Legge co-driving in all Sprint Cup events. The trio, along with Nick Boulle, earned a 10th place finish at the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona.
- Ferriol and Hardpoint were recently included on the entry list for the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ferriol earned the entry as IMSA’s 2021 Bob Akin Award winner for top Bronze driver in the GTD Class.
- Ferriol is competing in his third Sebring 12-hour race, finishing fifth in the COVID-rescheduled season finale in 2020 with co-drivers Spencer Pumpelly and Andrew Davis. That finish is a career best for Ferriol in the WeatherTech Championship.
- Legge finished fifth a season ago for Hardpoint at Sebring, driving with Christina Nielsen and Bia Figueiredo. The trio were in a position for a podium finish before a late-race drive through penalty relegated them to fifth.
- Wilson is competing in each of the endurance races through a partnership with Hardpoint and Cusick Motorsports. Hardpoint is carrying GNARLY Jerky, Lohla Sport and Neptune Systems on the team’s Porsche 911 GT3 R for the season, in addition to longtime partner GridRival.
- Hardpoint is hosting a free season-long Formula One fantasy league for fans through the GridRival app. The league winner will receive a pair of tickets to a 2023 IMSA race and a behind-the-scenes tour at the track.
No. 22 Racing To End Alzheimer’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport Notebook
- Galante and McAllister will team together for the first time during the Sebring event, and race for the first time at Hardpoint.
- Galante is the 2016 and 2018 Series Champion in what was then known as the ST class. He is an eight-time race winner in the series.
- In addition to his driver duties, Galante works as a caddy at Pebble Beach.
- McAllister is the 2019 Hurley Haywood Scholarship winner and has previously competed in Porsches single-make championship series. This is his first foray into both multi-make and multi-driver competition.
- The No. 22 team tested at Sebring in February. IMSA-winning Team Manager Glenn Long, most recently of Long Road Racing, will handle similar duties for Hardpoint’s Pilot Challenge program.
- Racing to End Alzheimer’s was founded in 2017 by Philip Frengs to fund the care and fund the cure, donating 100% of proceeds to Alzheimer’s-related organizations.
- For a $250 donation, fans get to put the name and hometown of a loved one affected by Alzheimer’s on the Audi. A matching corporate donation from Legistics doubles the impact, with all donations going to the Cognitive Health Clinic at UCLA Medical Center and the Nantz National Alzheimer Center at Houston Methodist Hospital.
- More than $100,000 has been raised each year for the past five years by Racing To End Alzheimer’s. This is the organizations’ first season with Hardpoint. Donations can be made at www.R2EndAlz.org.
Hardpoint Quote Board
Rob Ferriol, Team Owner and Driver, No. 99 Porsche 911 GT3 R: “Sebring is by far one of my favorite stops on the IMSA schedule – both for the personality of the circuit and how that unique personality can turn it into anyone’s race after twelve grueling hours. While most people know that VIR was the first race track I ever set a wheel on, it was actually Sebring where I first tested a proper factory-built race car, and I fell in love with the bumps right away. For all the bumps and bruises a trip to Sebring can produce, the 12 Hours of Sebring has always given the team an opportunity to show our mettle, and this year will be no different. We’ve narrowly missed the podium two years in a row, so we’re anxious to get back out and see if the third time’s a charm.
“For a track that represents so many firsts for me as a driver and team owner, I couldn’t have picked a better venue to introduce Sean and Nick in the 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport alongside Racing to End Alzheimer’s. We’re excited to not only return to the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge paddock, but to also do it with such a talented pair of drivers and a fabulous partner. This program perfectly represents the combination of elite competition and partner activation potential that Hardpoint aims to showcase in American sports car racing.”
Katherine Legge, Driver, No. 99 Porsche 911 GT3 R: “I love racing at Sebring, it’s so challenging with all the bumps, and the track changes so much through the course of the 12 hour race. The fans here are also unique, and exploring the infield is a must-see experience for us! We were in position for a podium last year in the last five minutes and got that questionable penalty, so we are looking for redemption! We had a successful test here last month and hope that translates into some good speed this week. The team has been improving tremendously and gelling together I’m excited to see what we can achieve here.”
Stefan Wilson, Driver, No. 99 Porsche 911 GT3 R: “Daytona was my first experience in GT3 racing and it was a huge learning experience for me. The racing was intense in the GT field and I had an absolute blast out there. The Sebring 12 hour is another one of those bucket list events, a race that I’ve always wanted to compete in, and I’m just champing at the bit to get to Sebring and continue working with this amazing Hardpoint 99 crew. Once again I’ll be representing Cusick Motorsports, Gnarly Jerky, LOHLA SPORT and Neptune Systems. I am so hungry to deliver a good result for those that have supported me and helped me get this opportunity.”
Nick Galante, Driver, No. 22 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport: “Sebring has shown to be one of the toughest tracks to finally feel like I have the hang of it. On paper it looks so approachable, but she is a tricky beast with many complexities. Just when you feel like the car is going to make it to apex or perfectly track out, the surface changes, or you launch the car over a big bump and everything changes. I’ve got much respect for this beast. The Porsche has been tough to set up here. The Hardpoint team has been amazing at tackling a tough task in a short amount of time. I’m impressed with how Sean McAlister has dove into this team with his foot flat to the floor. I haven’t had the luxury of a podium here since our win in 2017. I am eager to get one here this week, in this top-level GS class.”
Sean McAllister, Driver, No. 22 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport: “As we approach Sebring, the more excited I get. I’m someone who loves the layout and uniqueness of Sebring. It’s fast, technical, and bumpy and it probably has one of the most unconventional final corners of any track. At our recent test, we learned a lot about the car and we explored setups that we both like. Now we just need to fine tune it. A podium at Sebring has eluded me for quite some time now. The goals for this week are to have a good debut in the series and hopefully secure a spot on that podium. With Hardpoint I definitely believe that is a possibility.”
About Hardpoint:
Hardpoint was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. Headquartered at VIRginia International Raceway, the team captured the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup North America Pro-Am championship in its inaugural season and competes full-time in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in the No. 99 GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 R with co-drivers Ferriol and Katherine Legge, joined by Stefan Wilson for Michelin Endurance Cup races. More information on Hardpoint can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
