United Autosports are getting ready for round four of the Michelin Le Mans Cup – the hugely popular Road to Le Mans event.
The team head to the Circuit de La Sarthe with a two-point championship lead after Gerry Kraut and Scott Andrews won the third round at Monza last month in the #22 Ligier JS P320. Gerry and Scott will be looking to extend their points lead in the slightly different, two race set-up for this round.
The team have had previous success at the Circuit de La Sarthe, with Wayne Boyd and John Schauerman in #23 Ligier, claiming pole position for the first race in 2020. This year, John Schauerman will be joined by Duncan Tappy, who is standing in for Wayne Boyd, as he will be making his debut in the main Le Mans 24-hour race. John currently sits third in the LMP3 championship standings.
Daniel Schneider and Andy Meyrick will be returning to Le Mans, having just missed out on a podium last year, finishing fourth in the first race. They will be looking to fight back at Le Mans and get some important points back on the board heading into the last three rounds of the 2021 season.
United Autosports will also be entering a fourth car into the Road to Le Mans, with Jim McGuire and Guy Smith joining forces in the #26 AERO Ligier JS P320. Guy has had previous experience of racing at Le Mans, making his 24-hour debut in 2000, and winning outright in 2003 as a Bentley factory driver. Guy has not raced at Le Mans since 2013 but is eager to get in the LMP3 car with Jim, who he also shares a car with in this year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Jim is also no stranger to the Le Mans circuit, having raced in the Road to Le Mans four times with United Autosports.
The Road to Le Mans event will be made up of two 55-minute races. The first race will be held on Thursday 19 August at 19:30, with the second race on Saturday 21 August, starting at 12:15, just ahead of the start of the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Car 22
Gerry Kraut
“What can you say about the Road To Le Mans races? Big fields, big track, big speed. It is the pinnacle of the Michelin Le Man Cup.”
Scott Andrews
“Le Mans is a very special place and it’s always a pleasure driving there. Gerry and I have had a great year so far in the #22 as we lead the championship going into this round. The expectations stay the same and we are here to enjoy ourselves.”
Car 23
John Schauerman
“I’m so excited to be back racing at Le Mans with United, and to improve and further the momentum our team has gathered so far this season. Our engineers and mechanics always provide us with an exceptional car setup, giving us the best chance to compete on this fabulous, challenging and historic circuit. With my teammate and co-driver Wayne Boyd tapped to drive in the Le Mans 24-hour race, I’m excited to partner this weekend with Duncan Tappy who has raced here in the past with excellent results. I look forward to his help as we continue to work hard to achieve podiums and solid points towards the MLMC Championship. Thank you to Richard and Zak for providing this great opportunity.”
Duncan Tappy
“I can’t wait to get back out on the best circuit in the world. Le Mans is a truly special place and I’m excited to see what John and I can do. Big thank you to John and United for the chance to drive at Le Mans once again and good luck to Wayne in the main race.”
Car 26
Jim McGuire
“My fifth year running in the RTLM with United. WOW. What an amazing ride it has been. I really think this such an amazing race. The chance to run Le Mans in an AERO liveried LMP3 is exceptional. I would never have thought short of running the 24 Hours of Le Mans, we would be able to experience the full circuit. Lastly to pair up with Mr. Guy Smith – the 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans outright champion is amazing. I will try very hard to give Guy a clean car in a good position.”
Guy Smith
“It’s exciting to be back at Le Mans after a few years away. It’s always a special feeling driving there and it should be a lot of fun in the LMP3 car which I tried for the first time recently. The Michelin Le Mans Cup is a fantastic series and very competitive. Both Jim and I look forward to racing together again and we aim to have a lot of fun and in United Autosports we have the best team possible behind us.”
Car 32
Dan Schneider
“I’m really looking forward to Le Mans. It’s the highlight of the year. The pinnacle of the season. We didn’t start the year the way we wanted, but Le Mans has the potential to be the turning point of the championship. We’ve been working extremely hard to make it happen.”
Andy Meyrick
“To say I’m excited to be racing at Le Mans this year would be an understatement. It’s the highlight of the season to be able to drive at the special circuit. We’ve been working really hard preparing for it so we can get two strong results. With a different race format, it’s always exciting and produces some great racing. In terms of the season so far, it hasn’t really gone to plan so far and it hasn’t really felt like its begun, so getting some strong points at Le Mans would be the perfect start.”
Zak Brown
“The Road to Le Mans event is fantastic for our LMP3 team to really get the Le Mans experience, without having to race for 24 hours! We have had success at this event previously and I’m hoping this year will be no different.”
Richard Dean
“Our team and drivers love the Road to Le Mans event. What better way to experience Le Mans without entering the main race. We have four really strong line ups and getting more points on the board for the championship is definitely the aim. I’m excited to see how we get on.”
Source. United Autosports
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