In a Racers Edge Motorsports and WTR joint operation, Ashton Harrison will make her IMSA debut next month at the upcoming 12 Hours of Sebring.
Ashton Harrison has been moving up the ranks of the American sports car racing scene for the past couple of years, with rapid progression from the Lamborghini Super Trofeo to last year's victory at the Indianapolis 8 Hours at GT3 racing debut.
The American, who is a Honda Performance Driver Academy graduate and is signed to Racers Edge Motorsports for the 2022 SRO GT World Challenge America season, has announced the participation at the upcoming IMSA 12 Hours of Sebring, in a Racers Edge Motorsports and Wayne Taylor Racing joint operation.
Ashton will thus make her IMSA debut, sharing the #93 Harrison Contracting Company Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 with Kyle Marcelli and Tom Long.
“We at HPD are very enthused to be able to support Racers Edge Motorsports and Wayne Taylor Racing’s combined effort at Sebring" - commented HPD Commercial Manager John Whiteman. "Ashton Harrison’s challenging spirit is inspiring and having Kyle Marcelli back piloting an NSX GT3 Evo22 is a welcome reunion. We are very happy to see another HPD Academy graduate make big strides forward in their career.”
Harrison made headlines in 2019 when she became the first female winner at the Lamborghini World Finals. In 2020, she finished third in the Pro-Am class, racing alongside factory driver Andrea Amici. One year later, she went solo in the Am class, and again was third - securing 2 wins and seven podiums.
She was again under the international spotlight when she won at her GT3 racing debut at the final round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge America, becoming the first woman to win overall in GT3 in a SRO-sanctioned series.
With the support of HPD Racing, Racers Edge Motorsports has helped develop and operate the HPD Driver Academy program, which has prepared several talents - including female racers - for the challenges of GT3 racing with the NSX platform.
The partnership with sportscar powerhouse Wayne Taylor Racing lays the foundations for a successful assault to the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.
“This is a really fun and exciting opportunity for Racers Edge Motorsports" - said Jon Mirachi, President and CEO of Racers Edge Motorsports. "Wayne Taylor Racing has tremendous experience and success in endurance racing and merging that with our expertise and experience with the Acura NSX GT3 is a great combination."
"Having Ashton take on this challenge gives us yet another opportunity to showcase one of our HPD Academy graduates and we believe, a future star in Sports Car Racing.", Mirachi added.
WTR, which also runs the #10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 DPi prototype, expands its program to the GTD-Pro entry of Harrison/Marcelli/Long for the second round of the season.
Kyle Marcelli - a HPD Driver Academy coach - is also racing for WTR in Lamborghini Super Trofeo and joined Infinity Autosport for the 2022 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge campaign alongside Sheena Monk. Tom Long has been Harrison's long time coach, is a former prototype factory driver and 2018 IMSA TCR champion.
The 12 Hours of Sebring will be held on Saturday 19th March at Sebring International Raceway.