Perera and Andrews Set for Majority of 2023’s Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) Races in No. 27 Lone Star Racing/Bluff City Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4
CRESSON, Texas (January 13, 2023) – Winning Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing team Lone Star Racing returns to IMSA competition for the first time since the 2019 season this year with a Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) program for third-year co-drivers Anton Dias Perera and Scott Andrews in the No. 27 Lone Star Racing/Bluff City Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4.
Perera and Andrews contest their first race with Lone Star in the four-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) Friday, January 27. The team also plans to compete in March’s second Pilot Challenge race of the year at the 12 Hours of Sebring to kick-off a select schedule of events that will see the Lone Star/Bluff City No. 27 compete in at least the majority of this season’s GS races.
“I am very excited for 2023,” Perera said. “Our Mercedes-AMG GT4 was a blast to drive last season and I think we have a strong package. Lone Star Racing is a top level team and Mercedes-AMG is in their DNA.”
Michelin Pilot Challenge competition is new to Lone Star Racing but the team is highly experienced with the Mercedes-AMG GT4 and GT3 platforms. The team purchased a Mercedes-AMG GT4 in its first year of availability in North America in 2018, and it is rare to not find at least one of the cars in the team’s race shop in Texas as they maintain and prepare several AMG GT4s for customers.
Lone Star has also won North American GT races with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 and amassed a solid string of victories and podium results with the cars in several series. The most recent victory came in last October’s Intercontinental GT Challenge Indianapolis 8 Hour where Lone Star provided its Mercedes-AMG GT3, technical and logistics support and all paddock and pitside support equipment for a championship-clinching victory by Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing and co-drivers Raffaele Marciello, Daniel Juncadella and Daniel Morad.
“All of us at Lone Star Racing are excited to be able to partner with Anton and Scott to continue the development of the Bluff City Racing car and drivers,” said AJ Petersen, Lone Star Racing Team Manager and Technical Director. “This is our return to IMSA competition for the fist time in a few seasons. The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series is a first for us, but we know the game and are certainly not new to firsts. We have been running in different racing series the last couple of years with successful outings, race wins and a string of podium finishes. I’ve been impressed with Anton’s and Scott’s approach and enjoy working with them. We are all pulling in the same direction and will continue to establish a strong foundation.”
After running a Mercedes-AMG GT4 in his IMSA debut three years ago, Perera returned to the “Silver Star” with Andrews for the final three races of the 2022 season and immediately impressed.
Perera drove competitive opening stints in all three rounds and joined Andrews in concluding the year with a best finish of fifth in the season-ending race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. One race earlier at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR), Andrews was leading on the last lap only to run out of fuel with the waving checkered flag in sight. The team’s first race back in the Mercedes-AMG GT4 was at Road America where Andrews was battling for a top-five and even podium-finish in the late stages before the car lost a rear wheel.
“I am really looking forward to getting back into IMSA racing, especially with the Mercedes-AMG GT4,” Andrews said. “We had some great results with the car at the end of last year. Anton seems to gel with the car, and his pace was fantastic as his development keeps skyrocketing. I am really excited to be with Lone Star Racing and have been really pleased with AJ’s attention to detail so far. I really think that we can enter the season at Daytona kind of where we left off in 2022.”
Andrews has seen some recent success at Daytona, including co-driving to the Rolex 24 LMP3 class victory in 2021. He secured another Rolex 24 podium showing with a third place GTD-class finish last year in a Mercedes-AMG GT3. Both years Andrews also raced with Perera in the four-hour GS race that is the Friday feature event of each year’s Rolex 24.
“There will be a lot more competition I think in GS racing this year with the so called ‘Pro-Pro’ driver lineups,” Andrews said. “So, it will be a big challenge for us, but I have faith in Anton, in the team and certainly the car, and we will see how we go. Overall, I am very excited.”
After previously adding a third driver to the team for the four-hour Daytona opener, Perera and Andrews compete as a duo this year.
“For me and Scott Andrews, this is our third season in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series,” Perera said. “I have full confidence in our team manager AJ Petersen’s ability to execute at a high level. The objective is always a full season campaign, but we will see how we start off in Daytona and then in Sebring.”
Lone Star Racing competes in the 2023 season with the support of ACS Manufacturing and Bluff City Racing.
About Lone Star Racing: Based at Motorsport Ranch within the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area in Cresson, Texas, Lone Star Racing is competing in the No. 27 Lone Star Racing/Bluff City Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the 2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series. Lone Star Racing and its team members have won races across North America spanning sprint and endurance racing formats. The crew has worked together on many different teams and various types of cars, developing a strong bond and proven capability that gives them a competitive and winning advantage. Lone Star Racing competes with the support of primary partner ACS Manufacturing, Inc. (www.ACSManufacturing.com). Look for Lone Star Racing and team owner/driver Dan Knox on Facebook and follow the team on YouTube at Lone Star Racing, on Twitter and Instagram at @LSRTeam and on the official team web site at www.LoneStarRacingTeam.com.
