BOSTON (July 2, 2018) – With high hopes to continue where they left at the most recent Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) race at the Bathurst 12 Hour, Black Swan Racing is proud to announce their 24 Hours of Spa debut during this month’s event, looking to add a third consecutive victory to their series’ record. Taking place at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in in Stavelot, Belgium, the famed green Porsche 911 GT3 R will take to the track with Black Swan regulars Tim Pappas and Jeroen Bleekemolen, joined by Porsche legend Marc Lieb, as well as American sportscar veteran Marc Miller. In a year that has included debut races at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as 12 Hours of Bathurst, Spa will continue an incredible “bucket list” of events in 2018.
“The 24 Hours of Spa is an event that every sportscar driver dreams of one day being a part of,” stated Black Swan Racing team owner and driver Tim Pappas. “The circuit is one of the most historic in the world, and as part of the IGTC we hope to continue the momentum we’ve achieved so far. I’m thrilled to have Jeroen back again to continue our history, Marc Lieb was an instrumental part of our race at Bathurst, and Marc Miller will be new to the team but with a strong and reliable endurance record.”
As a four-driver lineup set to conquer the 4.3-mile, 19-turn circuit with nearly six decades of heritage, the amassed experience in the team’s Spa lineup will be unmatched.
Jeroen Bleekemolen is one of the most noted drivers on the roster, having been a part of nearly every major success for the team. Beyond his two ALMS championships, Sebring victory, as well as Bathurst win with Black Swan, Jeroen has independently taken victory at Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, Dubai, and multiple sportscar and open wheel series.
“Winning at Spa is one of the last remaining milestones in my career,” stated Bleekemolen. “Growing up in the Netherlands, this is one of the closest major races to where I was raised, and it remains unfinished business for me. Our last IGTC race at Bathurst was incredible, and I’m hopeful we can continue that in to Spa.”
Part of Black Swan’s Bathurst victory, Marc Lieb joins as a legend of Porsche machinery, and a previous winner at Spa. One of the most noted drivers in the history of the Porsche marque, Lieb also has one overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, three additional class victories, a WEC overall World Championship, two class victories at Bathurst, and multiple GT category championships.
“Of course I am hoping to pick up where we left off at Bathurst,” stated Lieb. “The team at Black Swan is very good and have a great approach to their racing. Spa is unlike any other circuit we go to, and we’ll have to be very patient but also maintain a strong pace, which is a tough combination to achieve. Everyone on the team has a lot of experience and hopefully that will pay off, I’m looking forward to it.”
Finally, new to the team, as well as Spa, is American sportscar veteran Marc Miller. A winner in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, Miller joins as one of the most experience endurance specialists in the world. Known for his solid and reliable approach, Marc is a two-time competitor at Le Mans, a winner at Petit Le Mans, and has competed in ever major American endurance race including the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Marc currently competes in the full endurance championship of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship.
“I couldn’t be more appreciative of the opportunity,” stated Miller. “The 24 Hours of Spa is something I couldn’t turn down, and with a lineup like we have, we’re all very optimistic about our chances. Obviously a lot of things can happen in 24 hours, and Spa is a circuit where a lot of things can change, but we’re all very focused. I’m extremely grateful to Tim and everyone at Black Swan Racing for making this a reality.”
While the 24-hour race itself will take place on the weekend of July 28 and 29, the first day of testing is in fact right around the corner, with tomorrow, July 3 slated for the event’s official pre-season test.
LE SARTHE, France (June 17, 2018) – Overcoming several setbacks without a single driver or pit error, Black Swan Racing and drivers Tim Pappas, Spencer Pumpelly, and Patrick Long would enjoy a hard-fought 24 Hours of Le Mans to earn fourth-place honors in the GTE-Am class.
“This was an incredibly special event to be a part of, and overall I think we can all be satisfied,” stated Black Swan team owner and co-driver Tim Pappas. “Patrick and Spencer have been friends for such a long time, to compete together and have my first experience with such an experienced duo really helped make this unforgettable. Luck didn’t go our way, but I think we can all be proud of our own performance; no major driving mistakes, no major mistakes in the pits, and with some different fortune we would have been even higher in the order. I have to thank Porsche Motorsport and the entire crew at Proton Competition for helping to make this a reality, it was a one-of-a-kind opportunity.”
Making the brand debut in partnership with Proton Competition, the famous green colors of Black Swan Racing would arrive at the historicCircuit de la Sarthe with high ambitions for the No. 99 Porsche 911 RSR. With Pappas, a newcomer to the event, joining forces with the highly experienced Spencer Pumpelly and two-time winner Patrick Long, hopes were high for a strong finish.
Qualifying in 12th, limited practice time would challenge the team’s ultimate search for speed, but given the experience of all three drivers, a focus on consistent and reliable driving became the key focus.
Sticking to the plan, during the race’s early hours the team would steadily climb up the order, placing well within the top-10 by nightfall, and top-five before the sun would rise again.
Unfortunately, a series of mishaps beyond their control would malign the team’s hopes for a podium. Two punctured tires would send the Porsche crawling to the pits to avoid damage, as well as a minor mechanical gremlin that would create a third unscheduled pit stop.
With the setbacks putting the team too far behind to gain ground on pace, all focus turned in to pit strategy and hopes for attrition, eventually elevating the team to fourth where they would finish.
It was a satisfying result even if just short of a podium.
For Patrick Long, any opportunity to race at Le Mans is a good one.
“Overall I think we should be content with the weekend,” stated Long. “We were definitely on course for a podium with a change in fortune, and everyone in the whole program did their part to perfection. I’ve worked with both Black Swan and Proton Competition, and it was great to be part of a joint venture like this. Tim did an incredible job getting up to speed on such a tricky circuit, and Spencer was the fast, absolute professional we all knew he would be. We can only hope for more in the future.”
For Spencer Pumpelly, a similar sentiment is shared.
“This was a memorable weekend for everyone,” stated Pumpelly. “I’ve known Tim for a long time, and it was great to be part of Black Swan’s first-ever Le Mans experience. Tim did a great job all week, improving every session and running mistake-free, which is tough at a place like this. Patrick was excellent as expected, and the guys at Proton Competition had us well prepared. Overall this was as good a result we could have asked for given the setbacks. Hopefully we’ll all be back."
While the 24 Hours of Le Mans was a one-time race for the team’s ambitions in the World Endurance Championship, however their international exploits will continue in just one month’s time, taking to the 24 Hours of Spa on July 28 and 29.
LE SARTHE, FRANCE (June 15, 2018) – Making their historic debut at the most prestigious endurance event in the world, Black Swan Racing and drivers Tim Pappas, Spencer Pumpelly and Patrick Long will start tomorrow's endurance classic from 12th in the GTE-Am class, underscoring a steady week of progress with a primary focus on race pace.
With official practice beginning on Wednesday, followed by successive qualifying sessions, the team, in collaboration with the noted Proton Competition, ran without on-track incident, 
moving past a handful of minor technical hiccups as they worked on consistency and strong handling car. Racing against one of the most competitive entry lists in the history of the category, both drivers and team will have their work cut out for them.
For viewers in the U.S., live coverage will be available via Velcocity beginng tomorrow at 9AM ET, with web coverage available via the Motor Trend app.
BOSTON (May 25, 2018) – Continuing their efforts in the Pirelli World Challenge SprintX championship, Black Swan Racing drivers Tim Pappas and Jeroen Bleekemolen will arrive for this weekend’s Grand Prix of Lime Rock Park looking to return to form in the GT3 Pro-Am category. Following a strong showing at VIRginia International Raceway less than one month ago, the team and the No. 54 Porsche 911 GT3 R look forward to the historic Connecticut circuit during the annual Memorial Weekend classic.
“Lime Rock is always one of the most exciting events we go to,” stated Black Swan team owner and driver Tim Pappas. “Being the shortest course that we go to, attrition is always one of the biggest factors to consider, and we’re of the belief if we can be clean the results will come. The guys have done a great job getting the car together after some early season struggles, and between Jeroen and my experience we’re setting high expectations.”
Following some early season mechanical issues in their return to SprintX competition this year, the duo of Pappas and Bleekemolen look to return to their winning form of years past. The same combination that amassed two championships in the former American Le Mans Series and most recently a class-win at the Bathurst 12 Hours, the first two weekends of the SprintX have proven more challenging than expected, largely attributed to an underlying mechanical problem that has now been solved. As a 1.5-mile permanent road course, the shortest of the year, the Connecticut event is always a fan favorite due to its short lap times and constant action.
Official practice begins tomorrow, May 25, with Race One taking place at 11:45AM ET on Saturday, and Race Two at 11:25AM ET on Monday, May 28. Live streaming will be available at world-challenge.com/streamvideo
BOSTON (May 18, 2018) – Following a career-long ambition for team owner and driver Tim Pappas, Black Swan Racing is proud to announce their first venture at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, partnering with the renowned Proton Competition to carry the famous green colors. Featuring an All-American lineup in the GTE-Am category, Pappas will make his Le Mans debut with two veterans of the sport, Spencer Pumpelly and two-time winner Patrick Long.
“This has been a long sought-after opportunity, and I couldn’t be more excited to be part of such a strong program,” stated Black Swan Racing team owner and driver Tim Pappas. “Putting together an All-American lineup isn’t just something I wanted to do from a pure PR standpoint, I’m fortunate to have two teammates that are some of the best in the business, which I wouldn’t compromise on. Spencer is one of the best sportscar drivers in the U.S., and with his Le Mans experience he should slot in well, and of course Patrick Long’s reputation speaks for itself. Between the two of them, we should have a wealth of knowledge coming in, and with the support of Proton Competition we have an excellent program headed in to June. I’m really appreciative of not only everyone within the organization, but of course Porsche Motorsport as well.”
Joining forces with Proton Competition, Pappas and Black Swan will enter the famed endurance race with one of the best teams in European sportscar. Veterans of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and long-time Porsche competitors, Proton has a not only a previous win at Le Mans, but also multiple series championships, all in Porsche machinery.
Headlining the lineup, Patrick Long will join the team as a two-time class winner of the endurance classic. A Porsche factory driver currently competing full-time in IMSA, Long remains the lone American to be a contracted werks driver, which he’s backed up with not
only his Le Mans victories, but also three championships in the former American Le Mans Series, as well as two Pirelli World Challenge titles. Long last teamed with Black Swan Racing and Tim Pappas in 2016, where the team came within seconds of victory at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“It’s an honor to return to Le Mans with this program,” stated Long. “Obviously the All-American lineup is something that should be pretty unique, but it’s also a lineup that should be very competitive. I’ve had a lot of experience with Proton Competition and know the quality of their program, so I have a lot of faith in the machinery, but Tim should be solid given his experience and Spencer Pumpelly is one of the best in the business. I’m thankful to everyone for putting this together, and excited for the month of June.”
Still searching for his first Le Mans victory, Spencer Pumpelly will round out the lineup as a veteran of not only Le Mans, but also a proven winner in GT racing. One of the most diverse drivers in the paddock, Pumpelly’s résumé includes two class-wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2006 and 2011, a championship in the Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge, wins at some of the most renowned endurance races including Petit Le Mans
and the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. Known for his abilities with a Porsche, Pumpelly looks forward to his Le Mans return.
“I couldn’t be happier to be back at Le Mans,” stated Pumpelly. “This program is really strong, and while you never know what to expect, we should be very well prepared. Patrick Long is of course as good as they come, Tim brings a lot of experience, and Proton Competition is one of the highest regarded in the sport. It’s an extraordinary opportunity to be part of such a program, and I appreciate everyone for bringing me in to it.”
While the race will take place on Saturday, June 16 through Sunday, June 17, official testing actually begins in just a few weeks beginning on Sunday, June 3. The team will post continuous updates throughout.