DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 23, 2019) – Returning to the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship after missing much of the 2019 season, a further setback during Thursday’s practice for tomorrow’s Rolex 24 at the Daytona will not curtail the team’s participation, with the team successful preparing a new chassis for the race. Thanks to a concerted effort between Porsche Motorsport North America and fellow competitor Wright Motorsports, an incident in the first practice was rectified in time for today’s final practice, with the car returning to the track without issue. With Black Swan confirming new partner indiGO Auto Group for the full IMSA North American Endurance Championship, being able to deliver on the first event for the new association will provide welcome relief.
 
“I’m relieved we overcame our setback, and appreciate the efforts between Porsche Motorsport North America and Wright Motorsports to make sure our car makes the grid,” stated Black Swan Racing team owner and co-driver Tim Pappas. “For 2020, it’s great to be able to get the band back together, so to speak. Following a challenging 2019 season, we will improve each day in 2020. I appreciate the support we’ve had from everyone leading up to this point, and it will be great to see so many old friends. A new partnership with indiGO Auto Group will be an instrumental part of our 2020 commitment, and I look forward to flourishing together.”
 
During Thursday’s first practice session, on a cold and wet circuit, a small driver error on the part of one of Pappas’ teammates would cause significant damage to the chassis of the of the No. 54 Porsche 911 GT3 R. Launched in to a barrier at a high rate of speed, the damage to the tub of the chassis was beyond repair, and as part of a new production line for the marque, the limited availability of any spares put the team’s entry in jeopardy. Working closely with Porsche Motorsport North America to weigh possible options to repair the core of the team’s chassis, fellow competitor Wright Motorsports stepped up with an available spare chassis for the weekend, proving the strength of comraderie among teams. With the green flag for Saturday’s race dropping at 1:40PM ET, the the team worked hard overnight to make sure they rolled out for today’s final practice, successfully ensuring the car was put back together properly.

Looking to the larger picture, the team will take the green flag after a long and arduous 2019. Following a competitive outing at the 2019 Rolex 24 at Daytona, Black Swan Racing’s master plan for the season was curtailed one week later, when Pappas would endure a major incident in practice for the Bathurst 12 Hour. Due to Pappas’ time spent in recovery, Black Swan’s 2019 ventures would be limited to only two more events, first at the Six Hours of the Glen in June, and most recently at the growing Encore event held every November in Sebring, Florida.
 
This year, the Black Swan Team will deliver a strong stable of drivers - mixing experience with raw talent.  Dutch driver Jeroen Bleekemolen will return to Black Swan - and the USA - where his career came into prominence.  While with Black Swan Racing, the Dutchman enjoyed a fantastic run of victories and championships in the former American Le Mans Series, including wins at Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Long Beach, and a class championship. Most recently, Bleekemolen and Pappas re-united in 2018 for the Intercontinental GT Challenge, where they would take victory at the Bathurst 12 Hour.
 
New to Black Swan but not Porsche machinery, Sven Müller will join Black Swan as a factory driver whose talent is on the rise. As the 2007 Supercup champion, Müller is enjoying his sixth season in Porsche machinery since joining as a junior in 2014. This young German has competed in many classic endurance events in recent years; his resume will continue to grow with Black Swan.
 
Finally, Black Swan Racing looks forward to welcoming Trenton Estep, a young American with a burgeoning career. Beginning his career as an accomplished karter, Estep most recently made impressions in the US-based IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge series, including winning the 2018 championship on the back of multiple victories and podiums.
 
Black Swan is energized to partner with indiGO Auto Group, one of the premier luxury dealership group’s in the United States. This partnership is a natural for Pappas’ team.  IndiGO, founded by CEO Todd Blue and owned by Pon Holdings of the Netherlands, has Porsche dealerships in North Houston, St Louis, Marin County and Palm Springs, California.  Black Swan’s team, and its Porsche 911 GT3 R, are a perfect match for indiGO because of its connection to and passion for the Porsche brand. 
 
IndiGO Auto Group represents 19 franchised dealerships in six United States markets, including Houston, Texas, and St. Louis, MO,  Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Riverside, & Marin County, California. Dealership destinations include Porsche North Houston, Lamborghini Houston, McLaren Houston, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North Houston, Porsche St. Louis, Jaguar Riverside, Porsche Marin, Audi Marin, Volkswagen Marin, BMW of Palm Springs, Porsche Palm Springs, as well as Bentley, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Aston Martin, McLaren, Lamborghini, Jaguar, Land Rover and Audi of Rancho Mirage.
 
Live coverage for the Rolex 24 at Daytona will begin at 1:30PM ET on NBC, with full coverage available on a variety of NBC owned properties including NBCSN and NBC Sports Gold.