Magnus Racing Partners with Ryan Lochte in Reaction to Team Withdrawals for VIR

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (August 25, 2016)- With a slew of recent withdrawal announcements from GTD-category teams in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Magnus Racing and Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte have announced a partnership in advance of this weekend’s Michelin GT Challenge at the famed VIRginia International Raceway to help handle the many media requests for the team’s “opinons” on the matter. Taking on a spokesman role for the team at a time when he’s found himself suddenly in search of work, the decision to hire the renowned swimmer, who is no stranger to forcibly uncomfortable public speaking, seemed a perfect fit.

“We felt Ryan would be the best person for the job in addressing the Magnus take on recent team withdrawals headed in to VIRginia International Raceway,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “As someone who, even when we weren’t competitive, has maintained all of his commitments to the series, manufacturer, and of course team personnel, I really don’t think I can say anything on the recent occurrences. That’s why Ryan is such a good fit. He clearly has no trouble going on national television, looking someone straight in the eye and developing a story to fit his need, so he’s the perfect person to handle any more “developments” like this in the coming months. It’s a shame we can’t just talk about racing, because this weekend’s race at VIR should be a great one.”

As the lone GT-only race of the season, Sunday’s Michelin GT Challenge at VIR promises to be an exciting one. With the GT Daytona (GTD) category facing competitors from Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini and three entries a lone entry from Porsche, the team behind the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS looks forward to the daunting 3.27-mile circuit. Following a strong series of runs, including a victory, during the last two races, drivers John Potter and Andy Lally are optimistic on their chances to gain on the championship-leading No. 63 Ferrari.

Unfortunately, in a 24 hour-time span, two potential competitors withdrew from the event, citing their own “reasons” for the occurrence. These were reasons which clearly did not include upholding commitments made to the series, their manufacturer, and team. 

Taking a spokesman role with immediate effect, Lochte, the 32-year old six-time gold medalist, couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to speak on Magnus Racing’s behalf.

“When the guys at Magness called me I was like, jeah!” stated Lochte. “It sounds like there’s been a lot of shady stuff going down, and I’m here to talk for the Magness guys about it. I totally understand why teams would complain about this ‘bop’ thing all the time, we’ve been trying to get the same thing in swimming for years. When we went to Brazil, we tried to petition to have Michael Phelps carry Verne Troyer on his back to make things fair, but the Olympic dudes were like ‘no, you just have to swim faster.’ That was total dank BS. I wanted to just pack up and go home too after that, but I couldn’t find my wallet so I stayed in Rio. I read the reason why those car teams couldn’t make it to Virginia, and it totally sounds legit, I don’t know why people are being so hard on them. It’s like, come on, these guys have totally legit sponsors on the side of their car, they have to show them that it’s worth the money. I’m sure there were lots of proposals, pitch meetings, and other fancy stuff to get these sponsors, right? How else would a race team find its money? From what I can tell, people don’t just hide behind their sponsors to address their own agenda. That would be totally not cool if they did.”

Unfortunately, Lochte will not be physically present at the famed Alton, Virginia circuit, as he was reportedly robbed at gun point at a gas station in nearby Danville for $20. According to sources, $20 goes a long way in Danville. 

It’s possible, however, that he may have just slipped on a floor mat.

For Andy Lally, however, a return to one of his favorite circuits is a welcome one. 

“VIR is unlike any other circuit in the country,” stated Lally. “Long straights, rolling hills, an excellent series of switchbacks, this course has it all. As a GT-only race it should be pretty interesting, and I believe we should be pretty strong there. With three races to go, every point matters, and we’ve all been very focused on achieving the maximum.” 

Practice begins this Friday, September 26, with live coverage of the race featured IMSA.tv on Sunday, August 28 at 1:30 PM ET.

Magnus Racing Impresses with Fourth at Road America

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (August 8, 2016)- Enduring a day that featured everything from starting at the back, to challenging restarts, to untimely caution periods, Magnus Racing demonstrated strong pace throughout Sunday’s Continental Tire Road Race Showcase to take top Audi honors en route to a fourth-place finish. Closing the day one position behind the championship-leading No. 63 Ferrari, the driving duo of John Potter and Andy Lally maintain second-place in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD-category standings.

“It’s actually a little bittersweet walking away with a fourth,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “With the high speeds of Road America, our position was actually something we would have been happy with coming in to the weekend, but knowing just how fast we were and giving up another position to the 63 is a tough one. Ultimately we showed a lot of strengths, from having a strong car to great pit stops, however with three races to go we know we have a lot to focus on for the championship. Regardless, we were able to put on another great show for all of our guests at U.S. Bank, and we’ll be that much more focused headed in to VIR.”

Having to start from the back due to a pre-race tire change, John Potter would take starting duties in the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS. With over 15 guests on hand from The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank, the fourth consecutive year of working in partnership, pressure was high for the entire team to perform.

Wasting no time to climb up the field, Potter would make an excellent start from the back, already making a pass by time the field made the first turn, and slowly working on the field in front of him throughout his stint. Combining an aggressive run with his trademark patience, the Salt Lake City resident would drive an excellent stint, ultimately gaining six spots and rising to eighth by time he would close out his 50-minute run.

With the team making a great stop to put teammate Andy Lally in for the the final two stints, all focus was on gaining ground to maximize positions for the remaining one-hour and fifty minutes. Immediately recognizing the pace of his Audi, Lally was on a strong climb toward the field in front of him, advancing to seventh by time all pit stops would cycle through, and setting some of the fastest laps in the category. Running a pace reminiscent of the previous race at Lime Rock, Andy would pick positions one-by-one, climbing to sixth by time the race reached halfway, and showing the strength of a top-five car as the team focused on the end.

With the team performing a flawless final stop, the pace of the No. 44 proved remarkable, with Andy advancing to fourth in the final 30 minutes with all attention on getting ahead of their championship-rival in third.

Knowing tire wear would work to the team’s benefit, a late-race yellow would actually prove detrimental to the team, with the field slowing down and allowing everyone to pack up. As the race resumed with just a few minutes remaining, an out-of-fuel BMW would end up thwarting Lally’s efforts to move up, effectively wedging an insurmountable gap to the field in front of him, leaving the New York native no choice but to settle in to fourth place until the checkered flag. 

While a strong run for the team, it was a frustrating way to end the event for the renowned driver.

“This was a tough one,” stated Lally. “I couldn’t be happier with the team and the car they gave me, we had an excellent shot at a track that we were unsure of. From the first lap of the season I’m always thinking about the championship and getting every point we can, so to see a couple points slip away like that is a tough one, but we were able to prove how strong we can be and headed to Virginia we will be ready.”

One of the more scenic tracks on the IMSA circuit, Magnus Racing and the entire IMSA GT field will take a two-week break before heading to the beautiful VIRginia International Raceway, taking part in the sole GT-only race on the calendar. Practice begins on Friday, August August 26, with the race taking place on August 28.

FULL REPORT: Magnus Racing Takes Victory at Lime Rock Park

LAKEVILLE, Connecticut (July 25, 2016)- Returning to a circuit where the team has notoriously endured challenging luck, Magnus Racing took a surprise victory during Saturday’s Northeast Grand Prix, the seventh round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Once again proving a team effort, a combination of great pit stops, car setup, and outstanding driving has put the team back in contention for the GT Daytona (GTD) category championship, now currently second in series standings.

“It was an incredible victory,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “Lime Rock has always been such a challenging place for us, so to come in and take a victory, especially the way we did, is unbelievable. As always, it was a team effort, and everyone did their part with excellence. Yesterday came down to perfect pit stops by the guys, an excellent approach to our car’s setup, I’d like to think I did my part, and Andy was incredible. We thought this race would be one of our weaknesses, so to walk away with a win is pretty amazing.”

Driving the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, John Potter would take starting duties in the 10^th position. With lap times that are typically under a minute, the shortest of any circuit during the season, Potter knew that maintaining a grip on the field in front of him was critical. Making an excellent start, the Salt Lake City resident did a remarkable job of surviving early chaos to stay with the lead pack, turning strong times and proving the team would be in contention. As the race hit the first 30 minutes, yet another caution period would cause many to come in for a pit stop, however with Potter still needing to drive his minimum time the team elected to leave him out.

This would cycle John up to second for the re-start, with a strong field that had new tires charging hard behind him. Doing an incredible job of keeping the field at bay, the team owner didn’t put a foot wrong, defending his position well and hitting his marks perfectly. As he closed in on his minimum drive-time, another opportune caution period would present itself. Unfortunately, it was declared a “short yellow” meaning the pits would be closed, forcing Potter to pit after he’d taken the green flag on a re-start.

Coming in for the first of two pit-stops, Potter would hand the car over to Andy Lally, with the team performing their usual excellent service to send him on his way. Due to the short lap times of Lime Rock, the New York native would re-enter the field a lap down, but with a fast car capable of regaining lost ground.

As the stint continued, Lally’s ability to work through the field on new tires was evident, and the driver, who grew up just two hours away in Long Island, would eventually get himself back on the lead lap. As his stint continued on, a perfectly-timed yellow with 66 minutes remaining would allow Lally to catch the back of the GTD field before the final round of pit stops began.

Following another solid stop, it was now up to Andy for the final hour of the race, sitting in seventh but with a very fast car. With a specific setup designed for the final hour, the team’s approach to have a strong vehicle for the end worked perfectly.

Wasting no time to work up to sixth, Lally would begin his march to the front, eventually gaining fifth position, then fourth, with nearly 30 minutes remaining. Following a controversial blocking maneuver from Audi counterpart Robin Liddell, Lally would slip back, but once again continued his charge and eventually found his way up even further.

With 25 minutes to go he was in a podium position, eventually making his way around the No. 33 Viper for second and finally taking the lead over the No. 23 Porsche with 20 minutes remaining.

From that point on, Lally would never look back, building his lead as the laps continued on until eventually crossing the finish line unchallenged. It would serve as the second victory for the team in 2016, and third in IMSA WeatherTech Series history.

For Lally, a win at his second “home track” is incredible.

“This was an amazing team effort,” stated Lally. “Not only has John Potter put together an incredible team, but he drove excellent yesterday. To start in second with the field he had behind him is challenging for anyone, and he was just perfect. John was incredible throughout the whole weekend to be honest. The guys performed perfect pit stops, and the approach we took with setup ended up being the right call. It’s such a joy to have a car like this, and I couldn’t be more thankful to everyone for it.”

Now 13 points out of the championship lead, Magnus Racing will head to the eighth round of the championship at the infamous Road America with a keen eye on continuing their momentum. Practice will begin on Friday, August 5, with the race taking place on August 7. Coverage will be featured on Fox Sports 1 at 4PM ET.

Magnus Racing Heads to Lime Rock in Search of Not Crashing

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (July 21, 2016)- Following a mixed season that has seen everything from winning the biggest race of the year, to most recently suffering their first DNF in over 12 months, Magnus Racing is heading to Lime Rock Park, the seventh round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, in search of simply seeing the finish of the most notorious circuit in the championship.

“Any time we go to Lime Rock, we’re often just showing up with our fingers crossed,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “The two keys to this race are: 1. Not crashing, and 2. Finishing ahead of the competition.  We failed both of those goals in in our last race. Now that we’re entering the final five races of the championship, the intensity is going to be that much higher and we just want to have a good showing.”

At 1.5 miles in length, the scenic track located in Lakeville, Connecticut is most known for its tight confines and often incident-packed racing. As the shortest track of the entire IMSA circuit, the venue notoriously provides not only close racing, but alternative strategy options due to shorter lap times and a high likelihood for caution periods.

Unfortunately for the crew of the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, the reputation of Lime Rock has preceded itself. In 2012, the team took a gamble on fuel strategy that ended up not working, forcing the team to give up a victory just two laps from the end. One year later, as the season finale, the team would return to the venue as the championship leader only to find themselves caught up in an accident on the second lap. 

For 2016, the focus is simply on running a steady race with a goal of managing attrition. 

For Andy Lally, who grew up just two hours away, the return to Lime Rock acts as his “second home track” of the 2016 season.

“Growing up in Long Island, Lime Rock is always a track I look forward to seeing many friends at,” stated Andy Lally. “While I’ve always considered Watkins Glen my home track, in many ways Lime Rock provides a similar satisfaction and it’s always an event I want to perform well at. The guys have been hard at work since our last event in Canada, and both John and I really want to reward them for their efforts.”

The Northeast Grand Prix will take place this Saturday, July 23, with coverage on FOX at 3PM ET.

Difficult Weekend for Magnus Racing Ends Early in Canada

BOWMANVILLE, ON, Canada (July 12, 2016)- Following a challenging weekend that saw limited practice time for its drivers, proceeded by a difficult qualifying session, Magnus Racing drivers John Potter and Andy Lally would actually fail to finish yesterday’s Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix after a late-race incident kept the team just short of seeing the checkered flag. Despite the premature ending, the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS would still be credited with a 10^th place finish, as well as setting the third-fastest time of the race.

“This was definitely a forgettable weekend for all of us,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “We’re all pretty disappointed, but at the same time there were many positives on the weekend. We were repeatedly the fastest car in practice, we set some of the quickest laps in the race, and I think the strategy that was played was very strong. You never want to focus on what could-have-been, but the fact we almost walked away with a top-five despite a series of obstacles is a great testament to the quality of this team.”

Following a decision to change tires before the race, the No. 44 machine would be forced to start at the back of the field, with John Potter taking on starting duties for the opening of the race. Having had extremely limited track time due to inclement weather in practice, the Salt Lake City resident would do his best to simply manage his time on track, slowly gaining speed as the race progressed and doing his best to chase the field in front of him.

Fulfilling his minimum drive-time requirement of 50 minutes, the team would elect to bring Potter in as they neared the one-hour mark, with Andy Lally stepping in to drive the remainder of the race.

For the next hour, the team would put a firm focus on using pit strategy to gain track position, which would fortunately take shape as the race continued. Following a timely caution period with one-hour, 20 minutes remaining, Lally would catch the back of the field, eventually taking advantage of a second yellow flag where he’d be able to make his final pit stop.

With pit stops complete and all strategy played, it was now up to Andy to do what he could on the track for the remaining hour. Beginning the final stint in eighth, the New York native would slowly gain ground on the field in front of him, eventually advancing to sixth for the final 20 minutes, locked firmly in a battle with the No. 73 Porsche of Joerg Bergmeister in a hard-fought battle for the top-five.

Locked nose-to-tail for much of the closing laps, the No. 44 Audi would stay in strong pursuit of the Porsche, pulling alongside on several occasions only to have the effort thwarted. As the duo came in to the final six minutes of the race, Lally would eventually make a strong run along Bergmeister headed in to the tricky Turn Three, with Lally on the outside as the duo approached the corner. Unfortunately, Bergmeister would run wide, slamming directly in to the right rear of Lally and sending him spinning.

While Andy would quickly gather his car back up and resume racing action, he was now down to seventh and with not much time to regain lost ground. Unfortunately, it was all for not as one lap later, headed in to the very fast Turn One, Lally would get caught in an abrupt spin which would send his car rear-first in to the tire barriers, where he would remain until the checkered flag.

It would serve as a brutal end to a promising day.

“We had a really good car today, and I was doing everything I could to deliver a top result,” stated Lally. “It’s a super competitive field so we have to fight for every inch that we get, but unfortunately today was one of those days that didn’t end favorably. The guys were spectacular all weekend, like they always are, and we’ll go in to the next round knowing just how well we can run. 

With the events already behind, all focus now turns to the next race, less than two weeks away at the famed Lime Rock Park. Practice for the Northeast Grand Prix begins next Friday, July 22, with the race taking place one day later at 3PM ET on Fox Sports 1.