KyraSage
Today three time IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Champions, Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian and Hyundai Motor North America announced that they will return to IMPC competition in 2022. They also announced their driver lineup and their expansion from four to six cars.
BHA President, Bryan Herta, had this to say, “The competition continues to rise in TCR and having our entire 2021 lineup return, while welcoming four new drivers shows that we’re not taking defending the championship title lightly. Thanks to the men and women of BHA who worked hard through the holidays and a short off season, we are ready to start 2022 stronger than ever.”
Reigning champions Taylor Hagler and Michael Lewis, who made their debut as teammates in 2021, will return as teammates to defend their title. Their 2021 season made history as Hagler became the first woman to to win the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge title and Lewis became the first two time TCR champion. In 2022 the pair will co drive the #1 Hyundai Elantra N TCR.
Returning to BHA for his third season is Ryan Norman, 2020 IMPC TCR Champion. Norman and his 2021 teammate Parker Chase were the first drivers to take an Elantra N TCR to victory lane in North America, which they did at Norman’s home race, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. For the 2022 season Norman will be co driving the #2 Hyundai Elantra N TCR with AJ Muss. Muss is coming into his second full season of racing a Hyundai and this will be his first partnership with BHA. In 2018 Muss represented the United States at the Winter Olympics in the snowboard parallel giant slalom event and is currently in the qualifying process for the 2022 Winter games.
Canadian Mark Wilkins, the 2019 co champion is returning for his fifth season driving a Hyundai with BHA. Wilkins’ success with BHA includes eight victories and one championship title. He will be co driving the #33 Elantra N TCR with recently announced co driver, fan favorite Robert Wickens.
TCR winners Michael Johnson, who is paralyzed and drives using hand controls, and Stephen Simpson are returning to co drive the #54 Universal Coating Elantra N TCR. Simpson and Johnson are longtime teammates who joined the Hyundai squad in 2021. The pair opened the 2021 season with a third place finish at Daytona, the first time Hyundai was represented at Daytona International Speedway. They went on to run inside the top ten all season long and collected another podium at VIR before finishing sixth in the series standings.
Also returning to BHA in 2022 is Mason Filippi. This will be his fourth season in IMPC racing in TCR with Hyundai. Filippi finished second in the championship in 2019 and 2020 and he will vie for the title in 2022 in the #77 Elantra N TCR with 17 year old Tyler Maxson. Though he’s only 17 years old, Maxson is already a two time sports car champion. He became the youngest champion ever in the SRO series when he won the TC America championship in 2019 at merely 15 years old. He then dominated the SRO TCR Championship as a rookie in 2020, winning 12 races in the Hyundai Veloster N TCR. Maxson competed in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge full time in 2021 and has finished on the podium three times since joining the series.
Rounding out the announced drivers are Harry Gottsacker and Parker Chase. Gottsacker and Chase, who started their sports car careers as teammates in 2016, are teaming up to co drive the #98 Elantra N TCR. Chase finished second in the IMPC championship, earning one victory and three podiums racing the Elantra N TCR. Gottsacker is coming into his fourth season representing Hyundai with BHA. IN 2021 he tied the series record for pole positions and has finished inside the top five in the championship every season since joining BHA in 2019. In 2019 and 2020, Gottsacker was the championship runner up.
The 2022 season kicked off with opening test days, the ‘Roar Before the 24’ at Daytona International Speedway. The first round of the 2022 IMPC season took place Friday January 28th, with the BMW Endurance Challenge, a four hour race.
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