CrowdStrike Racing by APR Returns to Daytona with Proven Team, Powerful Lineup - Speedway Digest

CrowdStrike Racing by Algarve Pro Racing (APR) is preparing for the IMSA WeatherTech Championship’s Rolex 24 At Daytona with a strong driver lineup and proven team, now entering its second year of operation.

Toby Sowery (ENG), Malthe Jakobsen (DEN), Colin Braun (USA), and George Kurtz (USA) form a potent driver lineup for the team’s second appearance at the 24-hour race. In 2023, CrowdStrike Racing by APR was part of the closest finish in the history of the 24 Hours at Daytona, finishing a mere 0.016 seconds from victory in its first-ever race.

In the past year, the LMP2 Pro-Am team has established itself as a prime contender with IMSA wins at Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen and the Petit Le Mans, an Asian Le Mans win at Sepang, and a WEC win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Additionally, Kurtz earned the Trueman Award for leading the IMSA points for all Bronze drivers, guaranteeing him an invitation to the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The team heads to Daytona with a fresh driver lineup and the goal of securing a definitive victory in January.

Kurtz, winner of the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans Pro-Am class with APR, will race at the 24 Hours at Daytona for the fourth time. He returns with his Le Mans, Asian Le Mans and GT3 co-driver Colin Braun who holds four wins at Daytona, including an overall victory in 2023. Jakobsen, part of the winning driver lineup in Sepang, earned the 2022 European Le Mans series LMP3 class championship and runner-up in the 2023 LMP2 Pro-Am class. Sowery is new to APR but brings a wealth of closed- and open-wheel racing experience, including a third-place finish in the 2019 Indy Lights season.

Onsite at Daytona International Speedway, cybersecurity leaders, on invitation from CrowdStrike and Amazon Web Services (AWS), will experience an up-close look at the inner workings of the championship-winning team. As part of a CXO Summit, they will discuss the key topics of speed, teamwork, and winning, applicable in both cybersecurity and racing.

CrowdStrike Racing by APR will participate in the Roar Before the 24 test in January before the race starts on Saturday the 27th.

For more information, visit CrowdStrikeRacing.com. Follow CrowdStrike Racing on Facebook, X and Instagram for updates. For in-race updates from Algarve Pro Racing Team, follow the team’s Facebook page or follow @APRacingTeam on Twitter and Instagram.

DRIVER QUOTES

GEORGE KURTZ: “My overriding feeling is excitement about CrowdStrike Racing by APR and its driver line-up, particularly as Colin (Braun) has a winning pedigree at Daytona. Malthe (Jakobsen) is incredibly quick, Toby (Sowery) is a rising star for us and, having put in a lot of work during the off-season, we have an eye towards winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

“We have some unfinished business after the highs and lows of 2023. The Rolex 24 is the only North American endurance race I’m yet to win, having already had successes at Sebring, Watkins Glen and Petit Le Mans. Victory in 2024 would be a significant result for me personally, while also setting us on the road to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship titles.”

COLIN BRAUN: “I’m very excited about the CrowdStrike Racing by APR line-up for the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Malthe (Jakobsen) and Toby (Sowery) will be great additions. It was very nice to drive together in the Asian Le Mans Series, to all gel and understand our individual driving styles. The experience of the team and this driver line-up is very strong and we are fully focused on executing. This will be my 20th consecutive Daytona 24 Hours so I’m very excited!”

MALTHE JAKOBSEN: “It isn’t my first time doing the Rolex 24 at Daytona, so I know how special and challenging it is. It’s an historic event that every driver wants to win, and it’s cool that the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starts with the biggest race of the season. Of course, my partnership with CrowdStrike Racing by APR began with the opening round of the 2023-24 Asian Le Mans Series at Sepang earlier in December, and we showed we have a strong car and driver line-up. It was good preparation with both positives and negatives that we will learn from moving forwards. As always, we will arrive at Daytona with the sole aim of winning.”

TOBY SOWERY: “I’m very excited to be joining CrowdStrike Racing by APR’s driver line-up for the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona. I know Algarve Pro Racing puts very strong cars on the track and, having seen George (Kurtz), Colin (Braun) and Malthe (Jakobsen) race in the opening round of the 2023-24 Asian Le Mans Series at Sepang, I know I have some very fast teammates. They’re all great people as well as complete racing drivers. I’d like to thank APR and George for trusting me with this opportunity.”

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.