BOSTON (October 11, 2017) – Just one day away from practice, Black Swan Racing is prepared and ready for the upcoming California 8 Hours at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. As previously announced, the team will be an instant contender in the GT3 Pro-Am category during Sunday’s first-ever U.S. edition of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC), serving as the third round in a four-race championship on four different continents.

“This is an event we’re really excited to be a part of,” stated Black Swan Racing team owner and driver Tim Pappas. “The concept behind the IGTC is a really strong one, and we’re very supportive of the first-ever U.S. effort. Between Jeroen and David, we have a great lineup, and returning to Porsche is something we all look forward to. Laguna Seca is one of the most storied tracks for anyone to drive at, and we hope to be strong class contenders.”

Switching to the No. 54 Black Swan Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, which the team campaigned throughout 2016, the driver lineup will feature Tim Pappas, long-time co-driver Jeroen Bleekemolen, and team newcomer David Calvert-Jones. Pappas and Bleekemolen have of course enjoyed a relationship that stems back to 2010, including two American Le Mans Series championships, wins at Sebring at Petit Le Mans, and most recently during this year’s Pirelli World Challenge series at VIRginia International Raceway. New to the team but not new to endurance racing, David Calvert-Jones  joins as a veteran of Porsche races worldwide, including a class win at the Bathurst 12 hours.

Official practice begins this Friday, October 13, with race action taking place on Sunday, October 15. CBS Sports Network will cover the first two hours of the race at 12:20PM ET, followed by the last hour at 7:20PM ET, with all eight hours streamed live via MotorTrend on Demand.