- George Kurtz, Colin Braun, James Allen take dramatic victory in LMP2 Pro-Am class
- First Le Mans wins for Kurtz and Braun
- First-year partnership between CrowdStrike Racing and Algarve Pro Racing
LE MANS, France (June 15, 2023) – CrowdStrike Racing is a 24 Hours of Le Mans winner in its first attempt as a part of the Algarve Pro Racing (APR) team. The victory was even more memorable as it was the centenary anniversary of the Le Mans race.
Drivers George Kurtz, Colin Braun and James Allen teamed to drive the No. 45 CrowdStrike ORECA 07-Gibson prototype to a victory in the Le Mans Prototype (LMP) 2 Pro-Am category. The trio combined to complete 322 laps for 2,727.34 miles to stand on top of the podium in one of the world’s greatest auto races.
It also was the first time CrowdStrike Racing and Kurtz contested the race with a heavy level of activation behind the effort.
More than 325,000 fans witnessed this year’s Le Mans, which featured 62 entries – 24 in LMP2 alone. The No. 45 CrowdStrike ORECA began the race ninth in class and second among the Pro-Am cars.
The driving trio made it through two periods of torrential rain early in the race that sidelined a number of cars only to experience its own set of unique challenges. Things looked bleak shortly after midnight as the No. 45 ORECA was sidelined and the APR team was forced to repair a faulty accident data recorder before returning to the race. The CrowdStrike-liveried car then moved into the Pro-Am lead only to lose track time again with a punctured tire. APR ultimately reassumed the lead with nearly nine hours left. The Kurtz/Braun/Allen trio went on to win by five laps.
In addition to the success on the track, CrowdStrike Racing made an impact off it as well. CrowdStrike welcomed a number of guests during the race week, including hosting the highly exclusive CXO Summit and offering its VIPs a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of the Le Mans’ promotional events, including hospitality at the famous Drivers Parade through the streets of Le Mans on Friday.
Held at SRO, IMSA, and Formula 1® races around the globe, the CrowdStrike CXO Summits allow CrowdStrike VIPs an opportunity to meet and discuss current trends in cloud computing and cybersecurity with industry thought. Each CXO Summit session will allow the VIP guests to learn how to best secure their businesses from breaches.
CrowdStrike Racing’s next event is at Virginia International Raceway this weekend in SRO Motorsports America competition.
For more information, visit CrowdStrikeRacing.com. Follow #CrowdStrikeRacing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates.
Driver quotes after the 24 Hours of Le Mans
George Kurtz (No. 45 Algarve Pro Racing ORECA 07 LMP2): “To be on the top step of the podium in front of thousands of people at the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is incredibly special. I couldn’t be happier to be here, and I’m just trying to soak it in and enjoy the victory. The rain made the race very tricky and it was critically important to not make any mistakes and look after the car. As always, Algarve Pro Racing gave us a great car and it all came together in the end. I feel really fortunate to be on the top step.”
Colin Braun (#45 Algarve Pro Racing ORECA 07 LMP2): “What a day! I’m super proud of James (Allen) and George (Kurtz) because they both drove really well, and it was a tough race with a lot of challenges. The most difficult was probably the weather; getting back to the pits on slicks when the early downpours came, and then driving on wet tires after the Safety Cars was really difficult, and it’s always important to just keep out of trouble and set a reasonable pace in such a chaotic race.
“We survived it all, which was key, and Algarve Pro Racing did a phenomenal job; we had to replace a data sensor in the middle of the night and they switched that out well, also executing perfect pit stops and a great strategy, and it’s super cool to stand on the 24 Hours of Le Mans podium. What more could you ask for?”
James Allen (#45 Algarve Pro Racing ORECA 07 LMP2): “This is the first time I’ve ever worked with George (Kurtz) and Colin (Braun), but I was really impressed with both of them when we first tested together at Monza, as they adapted well to the new aero kit and Goodyear tires on the LMP2 car. As a result, we hit the ground running and got everything sorted out quickly here at Le Mans, and it was soon our race to throw away.
“The 24 Hours of Le Mans is always a pretty special event, but particularly this year with it being the centenary. This is the third time I’ve been on the podium and the second time I’ve won, and it’s always amazing to see the entire pit straight full of people from the top step. It’s really impressive.”
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