SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (March 2, 2017)- Following the recent announcement to enter two cars in the Pirelli World Challenge GT and GTA categories respectively, Magnus Racing is pleased to confirm the addition of Pierre Kaffer for the majority of GT category events during the 2017 season, with Spencer Pumpelly joining as Kaffer’s teammate throughout the series’ SprintX championship. Competing in the No. 4 Audi R8 LMS, both drivers head in to the season with a clear target of overall victories and valuable points toward the Team Championship.

“We couldn’t be happier to have the addition of both Pierre and Spencer to the team,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and driver John Potter. “Pierre Kaffer’s success speaks for itself, and as an Audi Sport provided driver, he clearly has the pace and the talent to compete with the best of them. He’s already proven a good fit with us during testing, and we expect he’ll suit us well going in to the 2017 season. I’ve known Spencer for a while, including briefly driving with him, and know he’ll be a great fit with us for the SprintX races. He’s obviously a proven winner, not to mention has some great experience with Audi machinery, so we’re hoping for good things with the two of them driving together. It’s great to finally kick in to gear with the season beginning next week, we all feel very prepared and ready for St. Petersburg.”

Joining the team for the majority of the 2017 season, Pierre Kaffer comes to Magnus Racing as a proven winner and veteran of sportscar racing worldwide. No stranger to success, the German’s career includes an overall victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Petit Le Mans, Sebring, and even a championship in the former American Le Mans Series’ highly competitive GT2 category. Having driven a variety of vehicles in a number of series, including the prestigious DTM championship, the Audi Sport driver joins Magnus as a newcomer to the Pirelli World Challenge and its challenging sprint format. Unfortunately, due to his obligations at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and 24 Hours of Spa, Kaffer will miss the rounds at Lime Rock in May and Mid-Ohio in July. The team will still be entered in those events with an eye on the Team Championship, with a to-be-named replacement.

For Kaffer, the opportunity to join the most recent team to win with Audi in North America is a welcome one.

“I’m really looking forward to joining Magnus Racing in 2017,” stated Kaffer. “The team has a great reputation for results, and even though it’s their first season of the Pirelli World Challenge I think we all believe we can be competitive. I was able to meet everyone at a recent test, and it’s clearly a great group, and a very comfortable atmosphere. I’m extremely appreciative of the opportunity, and look forward to getting the season started in St. Petersburg.”

Joining Kaffer for the series’ two-driver “SprintX” rounds, Spencer Pumpelly will join the Magnus Racing No. 4 GT entry for the five-race championship. A veteran of American racing, the Georgia resident is one of the most respected drivers in the paddock, having taken two victories at The Rolex 24 at Daytona, countless wins in the IMSA and former GRAND-AM and ALMS ranks, and is the reigning IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge ST category champion. While new to the team, Pumpelly has worked with a majority of Magnus personnel over the years, including John Potter whom he drove with in 2009 before the current team was formed.

For Spencer, while technically a Magnus newcomer, the feeling within the team is already comfortable.

“I already feel right at home with everyone at Magnus Racing,” stated Pumpelly. “I’ve known almost everyone on the team for a long time, so it’s a very comfortable place to be, and the chemistry is already excellent. The SprintX format is a unique one, as both Pierre and I will be flat out for some very short stints, but it should make for some exciting races. I drove the previous generation Audi for a full season in 2014, so I know what the quality of car and support will be, and with all this in mind we’re definitely optimistic on our chances. Technically my season doesn’t begin until VIR in April, but everyone has been great, including me in all of their plans and testing, so we’re already in great shape. I really appreciate everyone bringing me on, and look forward to what the season brings." 

Magnus Racing’s 2017 season will finally start in one week’s time, with The Pirelli World Challenge taking to the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, next weekend. Running in conjunction with the Verizon IndyCar Series, official practice begins on Thursday, March 9, with a double-header series of races on Saturday, March 11 and Sunday, March 12. Coverage can be found at world-challenge.com, as well as continuous updates via the team’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (March 13, 2017)- Making their series debut in the Pirelli World Challenge, Magnus Racing would end their double-header weekend at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg having demonstrated an immediate pace and contention for race victories. Qualifying on the front-row in their series debut, drivers John Potter and Pierre Kaffer would both demonstrate a strong combination of patience and aggression, with Potter taking sixth and eighth place finishes in class, and Kaffer surviving a frought weekend to finish 15^th and 19^th.

“Overall we have a lot of things to be happy with this weekend,” stated Potter. “It’s a brand new series, brand-new tire, and at a track we’d never been to, and for the most part we had a seamless transition to the Pirelli World Challenge. Behind the scenes, every series runs a little different in the way of procedures, administrative elements, etc., and the fact that we didn’t have a single misstep all weekend long is a strong testament to the quality of everyone on the team. Our only ‘incidents’ were track related, and that’s just a byproduct of the hard racing that this series brings, and that’s what we came here to experience. A front row qualifying effort in our first try is something we should all be happy with, and had it not been for some contact Pierre would have had a great weekend. While obviously I would have liked to have finished higher, I’m happy with my own performance considering how new it all was. In general we learned a lot, which will only make us that much stronger going in to Long Beach.”

Driving the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, John Potter would take top team honors on the weekend. Arriving to not only a new series but a new track, the Utah resident knew that patience would be a virtue at the tight street-course, with the wall-lined layout providing little room for forgiveness.

Driving in the series’ GTA class, Potter would enjoy a patient run during Saturday’s Race One, familiarizing himself with the nature of the format and getting a sense of his competitors. Not putting a foot wrong for all 50-minutes, John would make steady progress as the race endured, ultimately finishing sixth in class.

For Sunday’s Race Two, a frantic opening lap would lead to a mixture of positions and incidents synonymous with the series, however Potter would manage to avoid all of it, once again demonstrating remarkable patience as he acclimates to the new format. Engaging in a number of battles throughout the 50-minute race, John would set some of his fastest laps of the weekend en route to an eighth place class finish.

Driving the No. 4 Audi R8 LMS in the series’ GT class, Pierre Kaffer would impress in his series debut, even if the ultimate finishing results didn’t demonstrate it. In both the driver and team’s first ever qualifying effort, the German did a remarkable time to set the second fastest time on the day, qualifying himself outside of the front row and setting the stage for what everyone had hoped would be a good weekend. 

When the green flag dropped for Saturday’s Race One, Kaffer would engage in a strong four-way battle for the lead, with four different drivers in four different marques constantly switching positions in the all-out sprint race. Maintaining a podium position through his run, an aggressive pass by the No. 007 Aston Martin would put Pierre in a bad spot on track, with the No. 58 Porsche making a diving move in to Turn Three as a result. This would lead to contact, ultimately cutting down the Audi’s right-rear tire as well as leading to light wall contact. While Kaffer would continue in the race, he would be forced to pit for a new tire and continue on with a slightly damaged rear suspension, finishing 19^th overall.

For Sunday’s Race Two, Kaffer’s race misfortunes would continue. Due to running much of Saturdays’ race with a damaged car, the Audi factory driver’s fastest lap would only place him 12^th fastest for the race, and with 50-minutes to move up to the field Pierre would have to move quickly. Unfortunately, due to a chaotic opening lap, Pierre would end up caught out approaching the treacherous Turn Four, being forced wide in to the corner and with no choice but to take the turn’s escape road to avoid crashing. As a result, Kaffer would lose nearly a minute trying to re-join the track, which in a sprint race creates an insurmountable gap. While Pierre would do his best to gain ground, a lack of caution periods left him helpless to do much to the field in front of him, settling for 15^th overall.

“Even though there were some disappointments, I really enjoyed my first weekend with Magnus,” stated Kaffer. “The team is extremely professional, fun, and they gave me a great car. Everything was working very well throughout practice and it showed in qualifying, the races just didn’t go our way. These things can happen and the series is incredibly competitive. Now that we have a better understanding we’ll be that much stronger headed to Long Beach I’m sure, I thank everyone for the opportunity to be here.”

With the first weekend behind, all focus now shifts to a circuit the team has visited before, albeit not in six years, at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. Taking place on the city streets of the seaside California city, the team looks forward to the next round of competition, taking place April 7-9.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (March 17, 2017)- Continuing a relationship that began with victory at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring three years ago, Marco Seefried will once again return to Magnus Racing in 2017, joining teammate John Potter for the majority of Pirelli World Challenge SprintX rounds.

“It’s great to re-team with Marco for the SprintX rounds,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “Over time he’s become an instrumental part of our program, and as teammates we have a really well established working history together. We really appreciate his willingness to re-join, and I look forward to working with him to fight for class wins.” 

Driving the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, Seefried will return to the very car with which he had tremendous success throughout the 2016 endurance season. As part of the team’s endurance line-up last year, the German went on to win The Rolex 24 at Daytona, a podium in Sebring, as well as leading much of the season-ending Petit Le Mans en route to helping the team win its second North American Endurance Championship. Prior to the team’s Audi entry, Seefried made his debut with the team at Sebring in 2014, taking a class victory, and following that up with three additional podiums during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. 

In a busy 2017 that will see Marco drive a number of big international races for a variety of teams and manufacturers, Seefried will be with the team for all of the SprintX rounds with the exception of Lime Rock, due to a schedule conflict with the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. The Pirelli World Challenge SprintX championship is a unique, five-race championship that features two-driver combinations over the course of 60 minute races.

For Seefried, it’s good to be back in his American home. 

“I’m extremely happy we were able to make this work,” stated Seefried. “Magnus has been such a great part of my career, and the SprintX races should be a unique opportunity to just drive flat out. So many of my greatest victories have been with this team, and hopefully we can continue that in the Pirelli World Challenge. While I’ve never competed in this series, it’s obviously grown in to a very strong championship, and with a very impressive roster of teams and drivers now. I’m thankful as always to John and the rest of the team for the opportunity, I look forward to helping them earn the championship.”

While the next round of The Pirelli World Challenge and Magnus Racing will come in just over two weeks’ time at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, Seefried and the series’ two-driver SprintX format will begin in six weeks’ at VIRginia International Raceway, April 28-30. 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (April 5, 2017)- Following a six-year absence from the world-famous Grand Prix of Long Beach, Magnus Racing will once again return to action this weekend, campaigning two Audi R8 LMS machines in the Pirelli World Challenge. In a packed weekend that runs in conjunction with the Verizon IndyCar series, the team will return to action at a venue they haven’t visited since 2011.

“It’s great to be back at Long Beach,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and driver John Potter. “The last time we visited in 2011 we had a really fun weekend, capped off with a podium, and it’s something we hope to repeat heading in to this year’s race. Between the scenery, the crowd, the whole atmosphere, it’s one of the best events of the year for our series, and we’re excited to be back. After our debut at St. Petersburg we walked away with a lot of lessons learned, and heading in to Long Beach I think there’s a lot we’ve learned. Of course visiting another street course, and one we haven’t been to in a while, creates a big challenge for us compared to our competitors, but obviously with the talent and experience behind this whole team we’re ready for it.”

Although the team has only competed once at the venue made of up of Long Beach’s downtown city streets, the legacy from that 2011 experience has lived on. It was during that weekend that the team debuted their partnership with Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘N Waffles, located just two blocks from the track, which created a legacy that is still talked about today. Listed as one of the top Porsche liveries in the history of the marque, the “Roscoe’s Car” can still be found on many video games and posters today.

("Roscoe's" Magnus Porsche, 2011)

Driving in the series’ GTA class, Potter will once again take to the wheel of his No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS following his series debut just one month ago on the streets of St. Petersburg. Running an error-free weekend on a circuit he’d never been to, the Utah native will arrive for the series’ second round on a track he’s at least driven before, albeit in a very different car and format.

Driving in the premier GT class, Pierre Kaffer will return in the No. 4 Audi Tire Center R8 LMS, looking for redemption after a muted weekend in St. Petersburg. During the series’ opening weekend, the German qualified on the front row and showed promise throughout practice, only for in-race contact to create a blown tire in Race One, followed by being forced wide in to an escape road during Race Two.

With the team knowing the speed of both driver and car, Long Beach presents a new opportunity on a circuit the Audi factory driver is very familiar with.

“Long Beach is a fantastic event, and one I’m excited to be a part of again,” stated Kaffer. “The whole Magnus Racing team demonstrated a lot of potential during St. Petersburg, we just had some bad luck. I’m confident we will be strong again, but it should be a very close race. The configuration of Long Beach is unlike any other, so it’s tough to say who will be strong, but we know we have a great team behind us to maximize every opportunity.”

Practice for the Grand Prix of Long Beach begins this Friday, April 7, with the race taking place on Sunday, April 9. Same-day television coverage will be available on CBS Sports Network at 2:30 PM ET.

LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 10, 2017)- Following the team’s strongest run in Pirelli World Challenge competition so far, Magnus Racing driver John Potter would take the team’s first series podium with a third-place finish in class during yesterday’s Grand Prix of Long Beach, the third round of the GT and GTA championship. Pierre Kaffer would also enjoy a solid run in their GT entry, running quietly to eighth.

“I’m extremely happy with our first podium of the year,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and driver John Potter. “This was our first time at the track in six years, and with a completely different car, so we had no idea what to expect. Luckily we rolled off competitive in our first practice, and at a venue with so little track time we were fortunate that we stayed ahead all weekend. I was very happy with my own performance, but this podium is a testament to the team effort of this whole group, as we showed up prepared and ready, and the results bared the fruit of it. It was a lot of fun racing with the other guys in class, and it’s nice to come home with some hardware!”

Driving the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, the 2017 race would serve as the first-time the team had been at the famed street circuit since 2011. As a 1.9-mile configuration literally built out of the city streets of downtown Long Beach, the challenges of the course are unlike any other, with walls on all sides and very little track time to truly get comfortable. 

Driving in the series’ GTA category, Potter wasted no time getting up to speed, immediately on pace throughout practice and consistently within the top-five. In his best qualifying performance so far, John would find himself starting third in class for Sunday’s race.

During the race, the Salt Lake City resident would do a remarkable job of staying clean throughout a chaotic first lap in which several cars around him would make heavy contact. As the race settled in, John would maintain the strong pace established in practice, comfortably in third until one of the most unique caution periods in the history of the sport would show itself. Fifteen minutes in, a nearby fire hydrant outside of the circuit was hit by a passing street car, creating a flood of water that eventually flowed on to the track, creating an unsafe situation for the race cars to pass over. As a result, the event was red flagged until the hydrant was fixed and water cleaned up.

Following the 20-minute delay, the race would resume, once again with Potter in third and now engaged in a strong defensive battle with a hard-charging McLaren. Doing an excellent job of preserving his podium position, a mistake by his competitor would lead to a crash, bringing out the final caution of the race. 

With race re-starts being the best opportunity for passing, Potter’s podium position was under threat as the race resumed, dealing with two separate cars making daring moves to overtake in to the tricky Turn One. Fighting hard, Potter did an excellent job of defending his line on the inside as they approached, forcing his competitors to move on the outside unsuccessfully. As a result, John was unchallenged through the remaining laps, with the competitors behind him unable to match the pace of the third-place No. 44.

In the team’s GT entry, the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS of Pierre Kaffer would run a fairly quiet race. Qualifying seventh, the opening-lap calamity that is notorious with the street circuit failed to disappoint, with the German avoiding major incident but nonetheless falling back slightly in the process. Within the Top-10 and setting some of the fastest times of the race, the track’s configuration unfortunately means it’s nearly impossible to pass, with Pierre doing all he could to get around his competitors but left helpless to make large gains.

As attrition and incidents continued, Kaffer would manage a couple of passes, ultimately working up to eighth by time the checkered flag fell. 

For Kaffer, the potential is definitely there for a top finish.

“We had a great car for sure, we just needed a few breaks to get the most out of the weekend,” stated Kaffer. “The team at Magnus Racing did a great job of preparing our Audi, unfortunately Long Beach is such a unique race that you can’t really predict how it will go. There were some crazy moments that we managed to avoid which was great, we just need a little better luck during the whole weekend to really see our best result. I expect our next race will be a really strong one in Virginia.”

With the third round of racing behind, the team will now focus on the first SprintX race of the year in three weeks’ time, where the team will return to the familiar territory of multi-driver racing. Continuing their two-car effort, Kaffer will be joined by co-driver Spencer Pumpelly, with Potter joined by long-time team driver Marco Seefried.

Practice begins on Friday, April 28, with racing action taking place throughout April 29 and 30.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (April 25, 2017)- Continuing their new-for-2017 venture in the Pirelli World Challenge, Magnus Racing will enjoy yet another first this weekend, making their SprintX Championship debut as part of the full-season commitment. Unlike the first two rounds of “traditional” Pirelli World Challenge competition, in which each car is campaigned by one driver, this weekend’s Grand Prix of VIR at VIRginia International Raceway marks the first of the series SprintX rounds, which will feature two drivers per car. As previously announced, Pierre Kaffer will be joined in his Audi R8 LMS by Spencer Pumpelly, with John Potter joined by long-time teammate Marco Seefried. 

“The first SprintX round in some ways is a return to familiar territory for us,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “Obviously our heritage is with multiple drivers in endurance racing, where we’ve been fortunate to have had a lot of success. Heading in to VIR, we’ll be returning to a track we’ve had a lot more experience than our first two venues this season, and with a lineup that we’re all very excited about. Spencer will be a great teammate to Pierre, and at a track he’s had a lot of success at. Marco is of course someone I’ve driven with on several occasions, and fortunately we’ve had some of our greatest wins together.”

Introduced last year, The Pirelli World Challenge’s SprintX Championship is a unique take on the series’ traditional sprint format. Combining the excitement of sprint racing with the heritage of endurance racing, SprintX races will depart from traditional rounds because all races require two drivers to share duties throughout the race, yet all races only last 60 minutes. This means no driver will race for more than 40 minutes at a time, yet still forced to conquer the challenges of pit stops, driver changes, and the compromises inherent in shared driver duties.

Joining Pierre Kaffer in the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, Spencer Pumpelly will make his team debut on a track he has had extensive experience at. A graduate of Virginia-based James Madison University, Spencer joins the team having never driven for Magnus Racing before, but with a high level of familiarity with multiple members of the team. Most notably, Pumpelly teamed with John Potter prior to the formation of Magnus Racing. 

“Racing at VIR is always something I look forward to,” stated Pumpelly. “The track is a really fun challenge, and should hopefully suit us well with the Audi R8 LMS. The first two weekends have shown the potential with the team for sure, and hopefully arriving at the first permanent road course, and one they’ve raced at several times before, should suit them well. The SprintX Championship has a really impressive roster of drivers this weekend, so Pierre and I will have to be heavily focused on getting everything out of the car that we can.”

Coming off of the team’s best result this season at Long Beach, John Potter and the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS will be joined by team veteran Marco Seefried. Having driven with the team in multiple endurance races since 2014, the combination of Potter and Seefried have amassed some of the team’s greatest highlights together, including wins at The Rolex 24 and Twelve Hours of Sebring, as well as four podiums.

For Marco Seefried, the opportunity to return to Magnus is an exciting one.

“It’s great to be back with my American family,” stated Seefried. “Magnus Racing is an exceptional team, and one I’m extremely grateful to have been with for so long. Some of the greatest moments in my career were with this team, and hopefully VIR will add to the memories. John had a great race at Long Beach, and combined with the team’s experience at VIR I’m really encouraged going in to the weekend.”

Official practice for the Grand Prix of VIR begins this Friday, April 21, with double-header race action taking place on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s Race One will take place at 3:20PM ET, with Sunday’s Race Two at 1:05PM ET. Live streaming can be found at www.world-challenge.com/streamvideo

ALTON, Virginia (May 2, 2017)- Following a hard fought double-header series of races, Magnus Racing endured a number of challenges to ultimately walk away with a top-five finish during the first “SprintX” weekend of the Pirelli World Challenge. While mechanical missteps and on-track incidents would thwart much of the weekend, Pierre Kaffer and Spencer Pumpelly would take home a fifth-place during Sunday’s second round, while John Potter and Marco Seefried would take a best finish of seventh in class.

“There were a lot of positives on the weekend,” stated team owner and co-driver John Potter. “Once again we showed a lot of promise in practice, repeatedly posting times at the top, and during the race we were podium threats for both cars, misfortune just got the better of us. I’m happy Pierre and Spencer were able to get a top-five out of today’s race, it’s actually Pierre’s best finish of the season, and gives us a good foundation to move on to the next round in Canada. Marco and I didn’t exactly have the ideal weekend, but again we made a lot of progress and I think moving forward we’ll be able to really capitalize.”

While acting as the third weekend of Pirelli World Challenge competition, this weekend’s events marked the first two rounds of the series’ “SprintX” competition. While traditional “sprint” weekends highlight one driver for 50-minute races, the SprintX championship increases the time to 60 minutes, but with two drivers covering the distance.

Driving the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, Pierre Kaffer would be joined by Spencer Pumpelly. While this would serve as Pumpelly’s first race for the team, his familiarity within the organization is long-standing having held relationships with many team members for over a decade.

During Saturday’s Race One, Kaffer would start in fourth position and was instantly on pace when the green flag fell. Setting laps on par with the leaders and maintaining his car, the German held position throughout much of his opening stint, but as the race continued an opportunity to move up the field became apparent. Fighting for third, Kaffer would seize an opportunity heading in to the tricky “esses,” moving inside of the No. 31 Ferrari in to the left-hander. While both cars were side by side, the Ferrari would turn for the same spot on the track, making contact with Kaffer and sending him spinning in to the grass. The Audi would return on track, although with suspension damage that would effectively knock them out of contention. The team would make quick repairs to get teammate Spencer Pumpelly on track for the end, but ultimately finishing 22nd. 

For Saturday’s Race Two, by series rule the driving order would be reversed, with Pumpelly taking on starting duties and then handing off to Kaffer. Serving as his first opportunity to truly go wheel-to-wheel with his competitors, Pumpelly was off to a strong start, once again holding fourth throughout his stint, setting a comfortable pace and pushing hard to challenge the third-place Cadillac. With the pit window open, the team would elect to bring Pumpelly in early, hoping to take advantage of potential cautions, with Kaffer taking the wheel for the second half of the race. Initially fighting for the podium, the car’s handling would fade over the closing laps, with Pierre doing his best to hold on, ultimately taking fifth. 

For the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS of John Potter and Marco Seefried, an unfortunate weekend of mishaps would sideline their effort.

During Saturday’s Race One, an issue with the car’s power would send Potter to the pits during the opening lap, with the team spending much of the race making repairs in order to get teammate Seefried out in time to set a qualifying lap for Sunday’s race.

During Sunday’s Race Two, Seefried would take starting duties, and during the first half of the race showed a lot of promise for the team to take another top-five result. Pushing hard with the cars in front of him, contact with the No. 77 Porsche would bring out a caution period that served well to bunch up the field. Unfortunately, Marco would end up making contact with the car in front of him while under yellow, causing damage to the front end of the car. John Potter would get in to take his Audi to the finish, however the damage to the front end would hurt all hopes of being able to run competitive times, eventually taking seventh.

For Pierre Kaffer, a challenging weekend would at least be highlighted by a strong finish.

“I’m happy we were at least able to take our best finish of the season,” stated Kaffer. “Saturday was a very frustrating day. We really had a shot, but the Ferrari turned in to me and unfortunately that just changed everything. The second race we were at least able to turn around without any incidents, and we definitely had a good car but we struggled to match the pace as the race wore on. We’ll be even stronger in Canada and I look forward to redemption.”

For Spencer Pumpelly, a debut weekend with the team was still enjoyable.

“Even if the results weren’t what we wanted, I really enjoyed the experience,” stated Pumpelly. “Magnus Racing is an excellent team, and I felt right at home. The car was really fast, and I think we proved that with what we were able to put up during practice. A little change of fortune and the races could have really had strong results, and I’m confident as we head in to Canada we’ll be even better.”

For Marco Seefried, a tough weekend is one he’ll move on from.

“It definitely was a frustrating weekend,” stated Seefried. “We had a good car, but unfortunately Saturday was over for us before it really started, and if I’m being honest I simply made a mistake during Sunday’s race. I can only accept fault for it and move on, and I’m grateful to John and the whole team for being so understanding.”

With three weeks until the next round of SprintX action, Magnus Racing and the Pirelli World Challenge will next head to the famed Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, formerly known as “Mosport.” The series will once again feature a double-header, with Race One taking place on Saturday, May 20, and Race Two on Sunday, May 21.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (May 16, 2017)- Following several races of contact and aggressive driving inherent in the sprint format, Magnus Racing heads to the famed Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in the hopes that the culture of its fans might transfer to the drivers.

“The fans at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park are the only ones we’ve ever seen line-up for a grid walk,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “When I say line-up, I literally mean forming a single-person queue in order to walk on to the grid. They’re the most polite people on Earth. Following a few races of hard contact between both cars, we’re hoping that same attitude reflects on our two SprintX races. Regardless, we’re excited about this weekend and look forward to another round of Pirelli World Challenge competition. After VIR we definitely learned a lot, and headed in to Canada I’m confident we can capitalize on everything we’ve seen.”

With this weekend of Pirelli World Challenge competition serving as the third and fourth rounds of the SprintX championship, the team will once again feature four drivers sharing two cars.

In the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, Pierre Kaffer will once again be joined by Spencer Pumpelly to conquer the all-pro category. After setting several of the fastest laps in practice, a challenging weekend at VIR would prevail for the duo after contact would send the car out of contention during the opening round, followed by a fifth-place in Round Two. Looking for redemption, the fast nature of the of 10-turn, 2.5-mile circuit should provide an interesting challenging for the Audi. 

“After the weekend at VIR, we definitely want to show our true performance,” stated Kaffer. “The team has done a great job all year, and we’ve had great cars but the final results haven’t shown our true potential. CTMP is a track that really requires you to find the maximum from everything, and we’re hoping that this could finally bring us the results we’ve been searching for. I look forward to being back with the team.”

For teammate Spencer Pumpelly, a similar feeling is shared.

“Even if the final results didn’t show it, there were a lot of positives at VIR,” stated Pumpelly. “Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is a track that really requires the most out of the car and driver to perform well, and I believe it will play to the strengths of the team. Having run a full SprintX weekend, the team has a much better understanding of what to expect and I think that will show in Canada.”

For the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, Marco Seefried will also return to the team to co-drive will full-season entrant John Potter. While the duo have teamed together on multiple occasions since 2014, their first SprintX weekend together at VIRginia did not go as well as everyone had hoped. Mechanical gremlins would prevent them from a good result in Race One, while contact would take them out of contention in Race Two. While this will be the first race for Seefried at the famed Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the German’s experience in testing should still prove fruitful.

“It’s a really exciting track to visit,” stated Seefried. “The circuit is very fast and doesn’t afford a lot of mistakes, and hopefully that should play to our advantage with a patient drive. Luckily John has raced here before and I believe that will help, and given the way the racing went at VIR, I believe a patient run will create good results for us. We’re all looking forward to it.”

Official practice will begin this Friday, May 19, with a double-header of races occurring on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s SprintX Race One will occur at 1:45PM ET with Race Two at 3:40PM ET on Sunday. Live streaming will be available at world-challenge.com/streamvideo

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada (May 22, 2017)- Following a hard-fought first race for the team at the famed Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Saturday, Magnus Racing and the entire Pirelli World Challenge SprintX championship would see their full weekend of action cut short during yesterday’s second round. With an endless deluge or rain pouring down nearly 26cm of rain during the afternoon, series officials deemed the conditions unfit for good and safe racing.

“I have no idea how much 26cm of rain is,” stated John Potter. “But it looked like a lot from where we were standing, so the series really had no choice but to stop the race from happening. It was the right move, even if the damage bill would have been better given the Canadian exchange rate, I’d still rather have no bill at all. Overall, it was a unique week for us. I think everyone on the team got the maximum out of everything, unfortunately the configuration and layout of this track isn’t one that really suited our car, so we’ll take the points and move on to the next one, eh? There’s not a lot of time between now and Lime Rock so everyone is hard at work getting us back and ready.”

Competing at the 10-turn, 3.96 km circuit nestled just 76 km from Toronto, the team came in to the event after proving competitive at the previous two rounds in Virginia, but with a series of incidents thwarting their efforts. With the track formerly known as “Mosport” featuring a long uphill run that tends to favor large-displacement vehicles, the team knew their challenge would be finding ultimate pace, and would instead have to contend via clever race craft and strategy.

During Saturday’s Race One, the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS would take top finishing honors for the team, with a fourth-place in class. Serving a penalty due to an incident from the previous race, the duo of John Potter and Marco Seefried would start from the back of the class, with Potter driving the opening stint. Behind the wheel for the opening 25 minutes with immediate pace, the Utah resident held competitive times throughout his running, matching the class leaders during every lap but struggling to be able to pass due to the configuration of the circuit.

Making a clean stop and handing the car over to teammate Marco Seefried once the pit window opened, the German would continue the strong run, with an opportune yellow flag causing the field to shuffle, and placing Seefriend in a position to contend. As the race went in to the closing minutes, Marco would push the field hard in front of him, patiently making his way up before eventually settling in to fourth in class, where they would finish.

For the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS of Pierre Kaffer and Spencer Pumpelly, a similar steady run would ensue. Starting in 10^th overall, Kaffer would once again assume the opening stint, doing his best to move up the field given the challenges of passing at the circuit. Setting times on par with the field in front of him, the German would have an incident-free run, handing the reigns over to teammate Pumpelly with 35 minutes remaining to close the race.

From there, Spencer would begin an impressive charge through the field, hounding the assortment of cars from various manufacturers in front of him, including some daring passes in to Turn One that would eventually move him in to fifth. From that point, the race would settle in for the final laps, the Atlanta resident having impressively moved the car in to the top five.

Although Sunday’s Race Two would be cancelled due to rain, the race will be resumed during a to-be-announced race weekend. With the grid set from Saturday’s fastest race laps, the No. 4 will begin in eighth, with the No. 44 beginning one spot behind in ninth overall, but third in class.

For Spencer Pumpelly, another great run demonstrated a strong resolve to move up the field.

“I think we can all be very happy with getting the most out of Saturday,” stated Pumpelly. “This is a tough track on which to pass, and our car isn’t particularly suited for long uphill straights so overall I think we did what we could. Had the weather cooperated I believe Sunday’s race could have been a really strong one for us, especially if it was wet. Unfortunately it was just too much and the series made the right call.”

For Pierre Kaffer, the potential of the team continues to show.

“This was a tough track for our car, so I think we showed well,” stated Kaffer. “Passing is incredibly tough, so it’s always a struggle if you can’t be right at the front, but we made the best of it. Sunday’s race could have been even better for us and it’s a shame it didn’t happen, but obviously safety was the priority and I think we all agree with that. I wish the team the best of luck at Lime Rock and look forward to coming back stronger.”

For Marco Seefried, setting quick times continued to prove the German’s ability.

“Obviously it’s always tough when you’re just outside of the podium, but the team should be proud,” stated Seefried. “The guys did a great job putting the car together, and I believe we were as fast as we could be, so in that sense it was a strong effort. Like everyone else has said, I agree with the decision to cancel Sunday’s race, and I look forward to coming back and going for even better results.”

With little time to prepare for the next race, the team will actually be back on track in just a few days’ time, with the fifth and sixth rounds of the Pirelli World Challenge SprintX series competing at Lime Rock Park this coming Friday and Saturday. While Pierre Kaffer and Marco Seefried will be unavailable due to a schedule conflict, the team will be making an announcement shortly on their replacements.

LAKEVILLE, CONNECTICUT (May 31, 2017) – Following an hour of hard driving and clever strategy at the historic Lime Rock Park, the Magnus Racing No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS of Spencer Pumpelly and Dane Cameron would take their debut victory during Saturday’s sixth round of the Pirelli World Challenge SprintX Championship. Following a car-best second place in Friday’s Race One, a combination of pit strategy and strong “in-laps” by Cameron would hand the team the lead by Saturday’s halfway point, with Pumpelly closing the race by building the gap further. Similarly, a strong run by the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS of John Potter and Andrew Davis would net a fourth-place finish in addition to Saturday’s sixth-place finish.

“We couldn’t be happier with the results for the No. 4 team,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “Our first win in the Pirelli World Challenge is something we’ve been chasing after all year, so to finally achieve it at a place like Lime Rock is very satisfying. Spencer and Dane proved strong all week, and it’s something everyone on the team has been striving for. For our No. 44 effort, we’re of course always after a podium, but we walked away with a clean car and continued to learn a lot. It was great having Andrew as a teammate and we all wish him the best moving forward.”

With primary teammate Pierre Kaffer unavailable due to a schedule conflict, full-season SprintX driver Spencer Pumpelly would welcome a new teammate to the No. 4 program, reigning IMSA Prototype champion Dane Cameron. While a Magnus debutante, Cameron would enter the festivities as no stranger to GT racing, including winning the IMSA GTD crown in 2014.

During Friday’s Race One, Pumpelly would put in a strong qualifying run to grid the Audi in third for the start, wasting no time in the opening laps to seize the opportunities in traffic by elevating himself to second, hounding the lead Porsche for much of his opening stint. During the series-mandated driver change, Cameron would jump in to close the race, setting strong lap times but unable to mount a significant challenge for the lead as tires faded. Still the best result in the history of the No. 4, the team would cross the line in second.

With Saturday’s Race Two having a grid set by Race One’s fastest laps, a strong lap by Pumpelly would see the No. 4 start the day on the front row, just barely off the pole-sitting Porsche of Marc Lieb. With the driver order inverted, Cameron would take on starting duties for the team, when calamity would ensue next to him as a hard charging Ferrari would send the pole-sitter spinning in to the guardrail, with Cameron lucky to avoid the mess but allowing the No. 8 Cadillac of Jordan Taylor to slip through in the process.

Doing his best to chase down Taylor, Cameron would match the Cadillac turn-for-turn, repeatedly demonstrating the strength of both driver and car, but finding the tricky nature of Lime Rock Park nearly impossible to pass on. Opting to preserve his tires, Cameron would give chase for much of the run, but it wasn’t until pit-stops would emerge that the team would mount their real challenge.

Allowing the Cadillac to pit one lap earlier, Cameron would use the clear track in front of him to push as hard as possible before he came in to the pits, meanwhile the Cadillac would re-join the field stuck in traffic, all playing in to the hands of Magnus Racing’s strategy to gain track position. With Pumpelly in the car and minimum pit-stop time fulfilled, the Georgia resident would re-join ahead of the Cadillac with less than 30 minutes remaining.

While traffic would prove difficult to keep his challenger behind him, Spencer once again proved his place among the best in the sport by managing the pace, ultimately gaining a small gap over the course of the final minutes to take victory.

This would serve as not only the first Pirelli World Challenge victory for the team, but also the first overall win in team history. 

 “I’m really happy we could deliver for all of the guys today,” stated Pumpelly. “This series is incredibly competitive, and you have to capitalize on every opportunity you can, everyone executed perfectly today. Dane had an awesome opening stint and the team played the strategy perfectly to gain the track position we needed; by time the car was given to me I knew I simply had to manage the traffic and make sure I didn’t open the door for the No. 8. I appreciate Michael Cooper racing so clean today, and similarly it’s a shame that Pat Long and I weren’t able to resume our fight from yesterday. Regardless, this one was for the whole team.”

For Dane Cameron, who currently has a 100% podium record with the team, a great experience was shared.

“I’m really happy I could be part of this experience,” stated Cameron. “Magnus Racing is a long-proven team, and this week just furthered that. It was a crazy opening lap and I’m glad the incident wasn’t more serious, it’s too bad that such a strong competitor was taken out that way. Regardless, it was great being able to fight with Jordan Taylor just like we do in prototypes. I knew it was critical to hand over a clean car to Spencer so I didn’t want to take any big risks, and when the opportunity to capitalize on a clean track came I knew we had to take advantage. Spencer proved why he’s one of the best guys out there, and similarly I was very impressed with the whole Magnus team, I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”

For the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, a quiet but competitive event was in store for Potter and new teammate Andrew Davis. With primary teammate Marco Seefried also out with a schedule conflict, the experience of long-time GT veteran Davis became the ideal replacement.

During Friday’s Race One, Potter would put together solid series of opening laps, including the fastest race lap for the No. 44, as he made work of the field in front of him. With tire wear being a serious consideration at Lime Rock, the focus would eventually turn to tire management, with John never putting a foot wrong by time his stint would come to a close. Davis would take over just before the halfway point, setting consistent laps but settled in to sixth, where the car would finish. 

For Saturday’s Race Two, Davis would take on starting duties, once again settling in to a strong rhythm in pursuit of a top-five, with the team pitting him at the final 30 minutes. From there it was back to Potter, who immediately began to gain ground on the field in front of him. While the gap to the third-place No. 54  machine would continue to shrink as the laps wore on, John simply ran out of time to be able to mount a real challenge, ultimately settling for the fourth position at the checkered flag.

For Andrew Davis, back with the team for the first time since 2010, an appreciation for the experience was evident.

“I really appreciate the opportunity to come back,” stated Davis. “While Magnus has a fun reputation, they truly are a very professional and well-run team, I’m glad I was able to witness such a great day for them first-hand. John is a great teammate and ran some really great lap times, and while of course we both wanted a podium, we were able to do the most with what we had and should be satisfied with the run. I look forward to following the team’s success and wish them the best moving forward.”

With Lime Rock serving as the fifth and sixth SprintX rounds, all series attention now returns to the traditional “sprint” format of the series, with solo-driver efforts taking over at the next round in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Once again joining the Verizon IndyCar Series, Magnus Racing and the whole of the Pirelli World Challenge will be at the scenic Road America circuit from June 23-25, with Potter driving the No. 44 and Pierre Kaffer returning to the No. 4. 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (June 22, 2017)- Following three rounds of the more endurance-oriented “SprintX” championship, Magnus Racing will return to the roots of the Pirelli World Challenge series, taking to the scenic Road America circuit for a double-header in the traditional sprint format. Arriving with a victory at the most recent round at Lime Rock Park, drivers Pierre Kaffer and John Potter will return to action in the GT and GTA categories, with an eye on continuing their podium momentum.

“It’s great to be back to the traditional sprint format,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and driver John Potter. “It’s such a unique experience, coming from our endurance background, to know that you don’t have to hand the car over; it’s definitely a different perspective. Obviously we’re coming from a good amount of momentum from Lime Rock, but Road America couldn’t be more opposite of a circuit. We’re going from one of the smallest tracks on the calendar to one of the biggest, and it definitely presents a whole new challenge for our setup. Our last sprint race at Long Beach was my first podium in the series, so hopefully we can continue where we left off.”

Heading to the 4-mile, 14-turn circuit, located in Wisconsin’s scenic Elkhart Lake. Road America will serve as the largest track that the series visits in 2017. Featuring long straights, uphill climbs, and a number of fast corners, the course requires the most from nearly every performance element of both car and driver. While always a fun event for the team, mixed results have greeted them in previous years, including everything from podium finishes to one of the first mechanical DNF’s ever experienced by the group.

Kaffer will arrive in search of his best Pirelli World Challenge result. Returning from the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the German will be in search of his first podium finish in the series despite several strong runs.

Driving the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, the German has high ambitions for Road America.

“Road America is always a favorite track for many drivers,” stated Kaffer. “It’s what we could consider a classic. Fast corners, high speed almost everywhere, you really have to be on the limit to get the maximum. It’s tough to say how we’ll do because the layout really rewards different strengths with different cars, but I know everyone at Magnus will do their best to get the maximum out of our Audi. I look forward to it and really hope we can get our best result of the season together.”

For John Potter in the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, a return to sprint competition is one to look forward to. At the last “Sprint” round in Long Beach, the Utah resident took his first series podium with third, and hopes to continue that trend in to this weekend’s festivities.

Official practice begins today, with a double-header of races in conjunction with the Verizon IndyCar Series on Saturday and Sunday. Race One will take place on Saturday, June 24 at 5:30PM ET, with Race Two on Sunday, June 25 at 10:55AM ET. All races will be streamed live at www.world-challenge.com/streamvideo/

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (July 24, 2017) – Heading in to the famed Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in search of additional podiums, Magnus Racing is pleased to announce the return of Spencer Pumpelly to the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS. Continuing their two-car campaign in the Pirelli World Challenge series, John Potter will also return in the No. 44 machine, with the duo resuming the series’ “sprint” championship this coming Saturday and Sunday. Magnus driver Pierre Kaffer, who has been in the No. 4 for the majority of races this year, will be absent due to a schedule conflict.

“It’s great to have Spencer back in the team,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and driver John Potter. “Spencer has always fit right in with us, but driving the team to our first series victory of course sealed a very special place for his legacy with us. We’re hoping Mid Ohio suits both Spencer and the No. 4, and hopefully we can repeat the same feat. On a personal level, we’re coming off of a really strong weekend in the No. 44 at the most recent round in Road America, and hopefully we can continue that in to this weekend. Three podiums in five sprint races has been a great achievement for us, and we aim to continue it in to Ohio. Of course we also wish Pierre well during this weekend’s race at Spa, and look forward to following along Stateside.”

In the No. 4 entry, Pumpelly will take to his Audi having grabbed victory the last time he drove for the team. Competing in all of this season’s “SprintX” rounds, Spencer and then co-driver Dane Cameron took a dominant victory most recently at the storied Lime Rock Park, which features a series of twists, turns, and elevation changes similar to Mid Ohio. No stranger to success, Pumpelly joined the team as a multi-time race winner in a number of series, a two-time winner of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, as well as the defending series champion in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge’s ST category.

“It’s great to return to the team,” stated Pumpelly. “Obviously our last race together went extraordinarily well, and we’re hoping that same momentum can continue in to Mid Ohio. It’s always tough to say what to expect, especially in these very frantic sprint races, but we’re optimistic that the circuit should suit us. The entire team at Magnus has done a great job putting this effort together, and we look forward to pushing for additional results.”

Driving the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, John Potter will once again resume his role in the series’ GTA category. To date, John’s efforts in the “sprint” championship have gone extremely well, having scored three consecutive podiums, most notably at the most recent round at Road America where he stayed in heavy contention for the race win throughout the entirety of his run.

Official practice for this weekend’s double header will begin on Friday, with Saturday’s Race One occurring at 4:45PM ET, and broadcast at world-challenge.com/streamvideo/ . Sunday’s Race Two will be broadcast same-day on CBS Sports Network at 2PM ET.

LEXINGTON, Ohio (July 31, 2017) – Continuing with another traditional “sprint” weekend of the Pirelli World Challenge, Magnus Racing would complete the latest round of competition at the famed Mid-Ohio Sports Car course with a relatively quiet weekend. Taking top honors for the team, John Potter would highlight his weekend with a fourth-place finish in class, while Spencer Pumpelly would endure a difficult weekend not of his doing.

“We definitely made some progress over the weekend, but definitely had our challenges,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and driver John Potter. “I actually feel our cars are running very well, setup-wise we feel like we’re right where we need to be. For a variety of reasons, we’re struggling a bit with matching our power against some of our competitors, which has less to do with Audi and more to do with series restrictions on the car. Unfortunately that deficit means we’re struggling to be able make passes on our competitors, and there’s not much you can do from that point. On the positive side, I’m relatively happy with my weekend personally. Top-five in both weekends meant solid points, in the series’ sprint championship we’re well situated in the point standings.”

Driving the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, John Potter would enjoy a solid points weekend. For Saturday’s Race One, the Utah resident would qualify fifth in the GTA class, leading to a trouble-free race where he would advance on position in the closing laps, taking fourth on the day. For Sunday’s Race Two, a similar story would follow, with John once again starting fifth in class, but engaged in a relentless nose-to-tail battle among the top-five, with Potter ultimately advancing to fourth in the final corner of the last lap.

The result would bolster John’s second-place ranking in the series GTA-class Sprint Standings, with only two races remaining.

For Spencer Pumpelly, filling in for Pierre Kaffer in the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, a challenging series of races would hamper his weekend. With a reputation as one of the best GT drivers in the country, the shortcomings of overall power would create a massive challenge for the Lime Rock winner to be able to mount a significant challenge. Qualifying 10^th overall for Saturday’s Race One, the difficulties of passing at Mid-Ohio became evident, with Spencer unable to advance on the competitors in front of him. Meanwhile, a competitor behind him would make a failed pass in to Turn Four, pushing Pumpelly wide at the exit and in to the grass, with Spencer ultimately finishing twelfth. Worth noting, the competitor would be penalized for his failed maneuver.

Sunday’s Race Two wouldn’t prove any better, with Spencer suffering a mechanical issue before the race even started, leaving him to start from the back of the pack at a track notorious for lack of passing opportunities.

“This wasn’t the weekend we were hoping for, but I’m thankful for the opportunity,” stated Pumpelly. “Mid Ohio is a tough track in which to pass, and combined with the nature of GT3 cars, and the challenges we’re having with power, it was practically impossible. The car was actually very good, and I think under different circumstances we might have shown really well, but for a number of reasons it just wasn’t our weekend. I appreciate everything the team did to make it all work, and I really enjoy driving for the team.”

While the next round of sprint competition will not be for another six weeks in Sonoma, the Pirelli World Challenge will actually be back on track in two weeks’ time for the next round of “SprintX” competition at Utah Motorsport Campus, a more endurance-focused format with two drivers in each car. Spencer Pumpelly will once again return to action for that weekend with Pierre Kaffer, while Marco Seefried will also return as a teammate to John Potter.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (August 8, 2017) – With nearly 100 guests on hand to cheer on the “home team,” Salt Lake City-based Magnus Racing will return to competition at Utah Motorsport Campus this weekend for the first time since 2010. 

“It’s great to be back in Utah, and we look forward to being the local favorite,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and driver John Potter. “Utah Motorsport Campus has been a home for me for quite a while now, having rented a garage there for nearly a decade and lived in Salt Lake City even longer. It’s a tremendous locale with a great fan base, and everyone on the team is committed to delivering a first-rate event for them.”

Returning to the Pirelli World Challenge series for the next round of “SprintX” competition, the team will bring two cars with four drivers to the event. Even though all races are only 60 minutes in length, “SprintX” is designed to reflect the endurance heritage of sportscar racing, with multiple drivers sharing the same vehicle.

Driving the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, Pierre Kaffer and Spencer Pumpelly will once again re-unite for the weekend. Pumpelly is joining the team after a difficult weekend in Mid-Ohio, while Kaffer returns to the team after missing the last round due to a schedule conflict. While the two have not driven together since May, the last SprintX race for the No. 4 car at Lime Rock Park was the most successful to date, taking victory.

For the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, long-time teammate Marco Seefried will once again join John Potter behind the wheel, continuing a partnership that began with victory at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in 2014. So far in 2017, the duo have taken part in two different SprintX weekends, driving with mixed results and taking a top finish of fourth.

Official practice begins this Friday, August 11, with the GTX category featuring a double-header race weekend. Racing will take place at 1:40PM on Saturday and 12:30PM on Sunday. Live streaming can be found at world-challenge.com/streamvideo . 

TOOELE, Utah (August 15, 2017) – Taking to the “home track” of Utah Motorsport Campus for the first time since 2010, Magnus Racing drivers John Potter and Marco Seefried would take top honors for the team with a third-place finish in class during Saturday’s SprintX round of the Pirelli World Challenge. Doing their best under difficult circumstances, Spencer Pumpelly and Pierre Kaffer would take a top finish of ninth overall on Sunday.

“Taking a podium on the weekend is as good of a result as we could have asked for,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and driver John Potter. “With so many guests on hand, we wanted to deliver, and being able to celebrate on the podium with them was a great experience. Unfortunately it’s proving more and more difficult to get results with the way the rules are working, but the team is pushing as hard as ever to get the most out of the car, and I don’t think we can be disappointed with our efforts internally.”

Driving the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS in front of nearly 100 invited guests, John Potter and Marco Seefried would enter the fourth weekend of “SprintX” competition in pursuit of their first podium together since 2016. While the three-mile “outer course” layout of Utah Motorsport Campus is extremely familiar to local hero John Potter, the current Balance of Performance rules written to try and equalize the diversity of machinery in the series seemed to really work against the normally-aspirated V10 of the Audi R8 LMS. The unique altitude and configuration of the circuit would prove difficult against the competition, with neither the team nor Audi possessing any recourse to be able to solve the disparity.

Regardless, Saturday’s Race One would prove solid for the duo. With Potter taking starting duties, a strong opening drive would take his Audi comfortably within the top-four, while strong pit work and an excellent closing stint by Seefried would take the team one additional place up to third.

Sunday’s Race Two would prove much of the same, however an extended series of caution flags and incidents, coupled with the challenges of passing, would keep Seefried and Potter in fourth throughout much of their run, where they would finish.

Driving the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS for overall honors, the Balance of Performance challenges for Spencer Pumpelly and Pierre Kaffer would prove impossible to overcome, making a tough weekend for the pairing.

With the official series’ speed reports showing their machine as much as seven miles-per-hour down on straight-line speed compared to other cars, the inability to hold pace on the straights meant that the No. 4 would be working at a deficit all weekend, creating a number of problems.

On Saturday’s Race One, Pumpelly’s opening stint would prove critical, tangling with the No. 99 Porsche only five laps in to the race as he did everything he could to fight with the field. Due to the contact, the team would retire the car.

On Saturday’s Race Two, Pumpelly and Kaffer would drive a clean race, however they were unable to better a ninth-place finish.

Magnus Racing and the Pirelli World Challenge will return to racing action in just three weeks’ time, heading to the beautiful Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, the final race of the series “SprintX” championship, and penultimate race of the championship season. Official practice will begin on Friday, September 1, with double-header race action on Saturday, September 2 and Sunday, September 3.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (August 31, 2017) – With two weekends remaining in the Pirelli World Challenge 2017 season, this weekend’s triple-header at the famed Circuit of the Americas in Texas will play a special one, hosting the last of the series’ two-driver SprintX rounds. Continuing with the same two entries that have carried them throughout the year, a focus on wins and podiums is at the forefront for the pairing of Pierre Kaffer and Spencer Pumpelly, as well as John Potter and Marco Seefried.

“We would like to finish on a high with our driver pairings, but it’s a really competitive series,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and driver John Potter. “Running in SprintX has been a unique experience, and for what has been a mixed season we’ve enjoyed a few highlights, most notably taking our first series win in Lime Rock. It will be the last race for Spencer and Marco, and we’ll be sad to see them go, but appreciate their efforts this year and hope to end on a high.”

Competing at the same circuit and layout as the Formula One World Championship, the visit to the 3.4-mile, 20-turn circuit is always a unique one. A track that features a little bit of everything, from long straights, to tight corners, fast sweepers and a series of switchbacks, the need to perfect setup and maximize the car is at a premium. Unfortunately a lack of straight-line speed due to series’ mandated Balance of Performance (BoP) rules has kept the team at a deficit throughout much of the season, with the long straights in Texas likely creating a challenge. The weekend will also be a unique one with three races taking place, with an additional race added on Friday to make up for the previously cancelled event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

In the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, Spencer Pumpelly and Pierre Kaffer will enjoy their last weekend together, looking to take their best result as a pairing. Coming off a challenging series of races where a combination of incidents and BoP compromises has kept the team struggling, hopes are high for the season to end strong. The team’s No. 4 program has held the honor of being the top performer for Magnus in 2017, having taken a convincing victory at Lime Rock. The weekend will also have some importance to Pumpelly, who currently sits sixth in the SprintX Championship but with an opportunity to break the top-five.

In the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, John Potter and Marco Seefried will also enjoy their last run together in 2017, with hopes to take their best finish of the season. In SprintX, the season has been a struggle for the pairing, who much like their teammates have fought a series of incidents and BoP challenges to stay competitive, but still with a podium to highlight the effort.

Official practice begins tomorrow, September 1, with races taking place on all three days. Race One, serving as a make-up race for a previously cancelled race in Canada, will take place Friday at 8:30PM ET, followed by Race Two on Saturday at 5:00PM ET, and Race Three on Sunday at 1:30PM ET. Live coverage will be available for all three via world-challenge.com/streamvideo . 

AUSTIN, Texas (September 5, 2017) – While one race still remains in the traditional “Sprint” championship, Magnus Racing’s adventures in the Pirelli World Challenge “SprintX” category would come to a close with a podium finish on Sunday. Enjoying a mixed season that has seen everything from victory to a series of incidents, Pierre Kaffer and Spencer Pumpelly would close the season with a solid third-place finish during Sunday’s final round, while John Potter and Marco Seefried would walk away with a pair of fourth-place results.

“I’m glad we were able to take a podium to finish out the SprintX season,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and driver John Potter. “Pierre and Spencer have done a great job all season to make the most out of what they had, and I’m glad we were able to finish on a high. The manner in which they did it is all the better as well, as the team had to really push to get the car ready for Sunday’s race, proving just what a group effort this all really is. I’m glad Marco and I were able to run relatively solid as well, and I thank both Marco and Spencer for a great season.”

In the No. 4 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS, Pierre Kaffer and Spencer Pumpelly came in to the weekend looking to end their season on a high following a mixed season together. Unique to the weekend, a previous cancellation at Candian Tire Motorsport Park in May would also mean the weekend would feature a triple-header of racing, with a Friday make-up race added to the Saturday and Sunday rounds.

During Friday’s race, mixed fortunes would beset the team, struggling to match the straightline pace of much of the field, which is critical in a place like the 3.4 mile circuit. Regardless, Pumpelly would still make excellent work of the field in front of him, eventually handing to Kaffer who would continue a solid run for the team, taking sixth at the checkered.

For Saturday’s Race Two, a seventh-place starting position would be maligned for Kaffer when he took the green flag, being cited with an infraction headed in to Turn One for violating a rule that dictated no one could cross the pit exit line in the run to the first corner. Eventually serving the penalty, the No. 4 would be set back from that point on, with Spencer Pumpelly eventually taking the reigns and doing his best to charge through the field. This would eventually lead to an incredible series of maneuvers from Spencer, who would fight hard with the No. 43 Acura to gain ground, ultimately settling for 10^th at the finish. 

Unfortunately, however, a late-race restart on Saturday would create one significant detriment to the No. 4 program. Avoiding chaos in front of him on the final lap, Pumpelly would take evasive action that would send the car pounding over an apex curb, causing the car to get slightly airborne, and more importantly bending the chassis in the process.

With the car bent in a manner that would prove impossible to fix overnight, the never-say-die attitude of the Magnus crew once again proved formidable, with the team doing a complete re-alignment and adjusting of body work to try and make up for the bent chassis, with Pumpelly and Kaffer unsure of what kind of car they’d have for Sunday.

As it turned out, however, the duo would have their best run together of the season on Sunday, with Kaffer doing an impressive job to get the car in the top-three for the closing half of the race, not putting a foot wrong and ending the SprintX season on a high.

“I’m glad we were able to finally take a podium together,” stated Kaffer. “The SprintX format is very unique, as you really don’t have a lot of drive time and have to push hard to make things happen, but I think we definitely had some positive moments. It was really impressive of the team to work on the car overnight and get it in good shape for Sunday, and I’m glad we were able to reward them with a top finish. Thank you to Spencer for being a great teammate, and I look forward to closing Sonoma on a high.”

For Spencer Pumpelly, a similar sentiment is shared.

“Ending the season on the podium is as much as we could have asked for,” stated Pumpelly. “With the damage the car took on Saturday, the fact that they were able to effectively get it back to normal working order is a testament to the quality of the program. We of course always want a chance to fight for the championship, but I’m happy to have been a part of their first series win and two additional podiums, and I thank everyone for the tremendous opportunity.”

All-in-all, the No. 4 car would take three podiums during the 2017 SprintX season, including a victory at Lime Rock.

For the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS of John Potter and Marco Seefried, a fairly quiet run would underscore a solid run for the pairing. 

On Friday’s Race One, Seefried would find himself in a four-car train throughout his stint, proving the overall pace of the car, but lacking the straight-line speed necessary to pass. Handing the car to Potter, a comfortable run would see the Utah resident fairly unchallenged to the checkered, taking fourth place honors.

Unfortunately, a failed hose would sideline the car early during Saturday’s Race Two, with the car repaired and in good shape for Sunday’s Race Three. Once again, John and Marco would enjoy a patient drive, avoiding the chaos around them to settle in for another fourth-place run.

“I think everyone on the team did the best they could,” stated Seefried. “It’s always tough to compete in a series like this when there is a straight-line deficit, but we had fast cars and as always the quality of the program was at a top level. I always enjoy the time at my favorite American home, and hope to find more opportunities together in the future.”

While the SprintX season has come to a close, the traditional sprint format of the Pirelli World Challenge will continue with one more event, taking place at the famed Sonoma Raceway in less than two-weeks’ time. John Potter will resume his normal driving duties in the solo GTA category, while Pierre Kaffer will once again resume in GT. Practice begins on Friday, September 15, with a double-header of race action on Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September 17.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (September 28, 2017) – Continuing a relationship that began with Audi Sport customer racing in 2016, and immediately paying dividends by winning their first race together at The Rolex 24 at Daytona, Magnus Racing and Audi Sport will extend their relationship further with the upcoming California 8 Hours at Laguna Seca. Campaigning under the name of Audi Sport Team Magnus, the team will enjoy their first fully factory-supported effort, campaigning their Audi R8 LMS GT3 with drivers Pierre Kaffer, Markus Winkelhock, and Kelvin van der Linde.

“This is an exciting moment for everyone at Magnus Racing,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “We’ve of course always enjoyed our relationship with Audi, and have had a number of highlights over the last two years, so entering the inaugural IGTC event in the United States with full factory support is a great testament to both the strength of the relationship and the regard with which our team is held in. It’s a big honor and one we don’t take lightly. We’re as committed as ever to results, and we’re extremely focused on delivering the best event possible for everyone involved.” 

The relationship between Magnus Racing and Audi is one that has been strong since their start together in 2016. Beyond winning The Rolex 24 at Daytona in their first attempt together, the team would also go on to a second victory in their debut season, ultimately winning the North American Endurance Cup for the team. In 2017, the history of success between the two organizations would continue, earning the distinction of being the only Audi team to win in the Pirelli World Challenge this season, and to-date is the winningest team in North America with the Audi R8 LMS GT3.

Heading to the scenic Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca from October 13-15, the team will take part in the inaugural U.S. round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. A four-race series that sees GT3 specification racing cars competing on four continents, the goal of the IGTC is to place the best manufacturers, teams, and drivers in the world against one another in pursuit of a global championship. With the car specifications being virtually identical to The Pirelli World Challenge, many of the same teams and drivers from the 2017 season will take part, going up against a number of quality teams and drivers from Europe, Asia, and beyond.

Campaigning the same Audi R8 LMS used in the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge season, the program will feature three very highly touted drivers. Returning to the team following a season of Pirelli World Challenge together, Pierre Kaffer will join his familiar home, looking to further his results with the team. New to the team but no stranger to success, Markus Winkelhock will join as a former FIA GT1 World Champion, multi-time winner in Blancpain GT competition, and even a former Formula One driver. At only 21-years old, Kelvin van der Linde joins as a star on the rise, having already won multiple ADAC GT Masters races en route to a championship in 2014. 

Official practice will begin on Friday, October 13, with the race taking place on Sunday, October 15. Live coverage will be available on CBS Sports Network in two shifts, with the race start being shown from 12PM ET to 2PM ET, and race finish from 7PM to 8:30. The team will also provide continuous updates via their social media channels.