TORRANCE, Calif. — JD and Scion will again push the envelope by entering what is perhaps the most visible professional road racing series for production cars in North America. SPEED World Challenge has become synonymous with fierce competition, wicked cars, and some of the best drivers in the world. The team will have the distinction of becoming the first Scion ever to enter the series.
The JD Scion tC road race car will be entered this coming weekend during the season finale at historic Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. The team plunges into the newly-created Touring Car 2 (TC2) class, designed for race cars that are extremely similar to any car you can buy off the showroom floor.
The class was a perfect fit for the team and their car, and in fact very few modifications were required to become compliant with the new rule set. Indeed, in the future, TC2 looks to grow even bigger, as almost every automotive manufacturer has a car that could potentially run in the series.
In a surprise strategic move, team manager and two-time NASA national champion driver Dan Gardner has elected to put Western Endurance Racing Championship (WERC) series co-driver Scott Webb in the seat for the debut. Webb has logged many hours at Laguna Seca in both racecars and motorcycles, making him the perfect fit.
“We didn’t want to spill the beans too quickly, but putting Scott in the car just makes sense," said Gardner. “There’s a great advantage right out of the gate to having lots of seat time at a particular track. Scott has that covered in droves at Laguna, and I can’t think of anyone better to be driving for the team at this event.”
Gardner and Webb are currently leading the championship points race in the WERC endurance series in the E1 class, and have made a potent combination.
Said Webb, "It’s been great driving the Scion in the enduros. The car is just so well-developed, and I gelled great with the entire team. Opportunities like this are rare, and anyone who knows anything about pro road racing knows that World Challenge is the place to be. Thanks to Dan for making it happen. We’re proving what Scion’s made of every time we take to the track, and I’m excited to do it again on this all-new playground.”
The World Challenge series joins the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) for the season finales for both series at Laguna Seca. Tens of thousands of fans are expected trackside, but those that can’t make it can watch live timing and scoring at World Championships
