LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 11, 2018) – Following the recent announcement confirming Jeff Ward to Black Swan Racing’s stable for this weekend’s Grand Prix of Long Beach, the team is proud to announce the addition of a third entry, driven by long-time friend of the team, David Calvert-Jones. With two Porsche 911 GT3 R machines competing in the Pirelli World Challenge GTA class, and one Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport in the series’ GTSA category, the team will achieve a new multi-car milestone, as this will be the first-time fielding three entries.
 
“Long Beach is always an event we look forward to, and with three cars it’s a unique challenge,” stated Black Swan Racing team owner and driver Tim Pappas. “Adding David Calvert-Jones to our stable was something we were happy to do, he’s a long-time friend and we’ve enjoyed a number of cooperative runs together, so this was the next logical step. Between this program, Jeff’s, and my own, it’s a busy weekend for the guys but I’ve full faith in everyone on the team. We’re fortunate to have some great guys run our program, and they’ll do an excellent job as we scale up to a three-car program. It’s an opportunity we’ve wanted, and we’re grateful to Porsche Motorsport North America for helping us make it a reality.”

David Calvert-Jones, an Australian who spends a lot of time in nearby Los Angeles, is a long-time collaborator with Black Swan Racing. Beyond his personal relationship with Tim Pappas, the Porsche driver ran with the team to victory during October’s California 8 Hour, and similarly shared resources with Black Swan Racing through his Australian outfit during January’s 12 Hours of Bathurst, which Black Swan took victory at. Excited to take to the streets of Long Beach in the No. 12 Virgin Australia / Parmalat / Austalia Ice Break Porsche 911 GT3 R, Calvert-Jones relishes in the tricky 1.98-mile circuit.
 
“The Grand Prix of Long Beach is an event like no other,” stated Calvert-Jones. “For any sportscar driver, there’s a handful of events every driver wants to do at some point in their career, and this is definitely one of them. We literally just rolled our car out of the container from Bathurst last week. All we’ve done to it is change the oil, fit sprint brake pads on, give the car a wash and we’re ready for the next adventure. It’s a testament to the Porsche product that it can be versatile and reliable enough to switch over from ‘the Monaco of the Outback’ to ‘the Monaco of Southern California,’ without missing a beat. It’s no easy feat between the limited practice sessions and completely unforgiving nature of a street course, but I’m excited to be a part of it and look forward to the weekend. I really appreciate Tim and all the guys at Black Swan Racing for making this a reality, it’s a big undertaking to manage three cars but I’m sure they’ll handle it masterfully. I appreciate all of the supporters who’ve helped make this a reality, including multi-national dairy company Parmalat, Virgin Australia, and Australia Ice Break, an iced coffee beverage.”
 
Practice begins this Friday, April 13, with race action on Sunday, April 15 at 10AM ET. Live streaming will be available via world-challenge.com/streamvideo

BOSTON (March 23, 2018) – Continuing a 2018 season that has truly encapsulated a highlight list of racing events around the globe, Black Swan Racing is proud to return to the streets of Long Beach, California with a two-car entry at the upcoming Grand Prix of Long Beach. While Tim Pappas will return to the downtown circuit in his trademark No. 54 Porsche 911 GT3 R, the team will also welcome the entry of a Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport in the newly-announced GTS-invitational class, driven by seven-time American Motorcycle Assosication (AMA) champion and IndyCar winner Jeff Ward. 

“It’s great to return to action at Long Beach, especially being joined by a legend like Jeff Ward,” stated Black Swan Racing team owner and driver Tim Pappas. “I grew up as an avid dirt biker, and Jeff was always ‘the guy’ for any kid who looked up to motocross racing, so to have him join our group is something we’re all looking forward to. The event at Long Beach is unlike any other we go to, and we’re thrilled to add it to our global roster of events this year. While our GT3 R program is a proven one, it’s great to finally put our Cayman GT4 Clubsport to work, and with a guy like Jeff behind the wheel we know it’s in good hands.”

No stranger to success in motorsport, Jeff Ward joins as a legend of both two wheels and four. A five-time AMA Motocross Champion, two-time AMA Supercross champion, IndyCar race winner, Indy 500 runner-up, and even a two-time X-Games winner, Ward will make his sportscar debut at one of the most storied events in road racing. 

“I’m very excited to take to the streets of Long Beach,” stated Ward. “Street racing is unlike anything else in motorsports, and the nature of the Pirelli World Challenge and their sprint racing format means you have to be instantly on the pace and willing to race hard. It’s an opportunity I’ve really been looking forward to, and I couldn’t be more appreciative of everyone at Black Swan Racing and Porsche Motorsport North America for making the opportunity possible.”

The effort will mark the next step in Black Swan Racing’s 2018 adventures, part of a globe-hopping adventure that will see the team run all four rounds of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, as well as the Pirelli World Challenge SprintX championship. This will mark the third year for the team and their Porsche 911 GT3 R program, which began with a runner-up finish at the 2016 Rolex 24 at Daytona.

With two entries in two separate classes, the effort has not gone unnoticed by Daniel Armbruster, the President and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America.

“This is a natural continuation of Tim Pappas’s long history with Porsche Motorsport,” stated Armbruster. “The Black Swan entry of Jeff Ward in the Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR adds well to the Pirelli World Challenge class competing during the Long Beach Grand Prix weekend and we are very pleased to see this car competing there in addition to Tim in his traditional No. 54 Porsche 911 GT3 R in the GT class.”

The Grand Prix of Long Beach will take place in just over three weeks’ time, with practice beginning on Friday, April 13 and race action taking place on Sunday, April 15.

BOSTON (March 21, 2018) – Returning to the Pirelli World Challenge series in a very full 2018 schedule for Black Swan Racing and team owner Tim Pappas, the team is proud to announce their participation in this weekend’s season opening Grand Prix of Texas, the first round of the multi-driver SprintX championship. Continuing a pairing that has achieved some of the team’s greatest successes, Tim Pappas will once again be joined by long-time teammate Jeroen Bleekemolen, with the duo competing in the Pro-Am GT3 category.
 
“It’s great to return to SprintX competition,” stated Pappas. “This year we’re really trying to enjoy some of the most unique events around the world, and returning to a venue like Circuit of the Americas fits that well. It’s been a great year for the team so far, and with the momentum achieved in Bathurst, we’re anxious to carry that in to Texas. Having Jeroen back is a great addition, and combined with our Porsche experience, we’re confident in a good weekend.”

Running as a 60-minute, double-header weekend, the unique challenge of the SprintX championship comes in having two drivers share a car during what is effectively a sprint race. Having campaigned the same championship in 2017, the duo are no strangers to success, including a victory at VIRginia International Raceway.

This is part of a long heritage for both the team and the Pappas/Bleekemolen pairing, who in addition to winning two championsips in IMSA together, have also taken victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, and most recently the Bathurst 12 Hour in February.
 
The race will serve as part of a full season for both driver and team. As a team, Black Swan Racing will contest the full Intercontinental GT Challenge championship, Pirelli World Challenge SprintX championship, and additionally Pappas has competed as a driver during this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring.
 
Official practice begins this Thursday, March 22, with race action taking place on Saturday and Sunday, March 24 at 2:20PM ET and March 25 at 11:15AM ET. Live streaming can be found at world-challenge.com/streamvideo.  

BATHURST, Australia (February 5, 2018) – Participating in their first-ever 12 Hours of Bathurst, the first round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, Black Swan Racing would make a historic debut by winning the Pro-Am class, taking third overall and within sight of the win, and the highest ranking of any Porsche during the event. Noted as one of the toughest endurance races in one of the world’s most prolific tracks, the No. 540 Porsche 911 GT3 R of Tim Pappas, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Luca Stolz and Marc Lieb would enjoy a faultless run to take top honors.

“This was an amazing weekend,” stated Black Swan team owner and co-driver Tim Pappas. “Bathurst is a circuit unlike any other, I like to call it the ‘Monaco of the Outback,’ and something as a collective team we were really looking forward to. To walk away with a victory like this is more than we ever could have asked for. The team arrived well prepared, the guys made great decisions on pit strategy, and of course our drivers were absolutely flawless. I couldn’t be more appreciative of the effort from everyone, and of course the support from Porsche, to make this a reality. To not only win our class, but also stand on the overall podium and as the top Porsche, it’s unreal, and something we won’t forget.”

As one of the most notorious circuits in the world, Bathurst’s Mount Panorama is a venue known for high speeds and little room for error, often creating a slew of incidents and contact.

With attrition at the forefront of the team strategy, the entire weekend was dictated by a measured approach, slowly getting up to speed during each session, being careful not to make costly mistakes that could ruin the team’s weekend.

By time the green flag fell, the high attrition rate would prove true, with a number of incidents and caution periods curtailing the event, including a near miss for Tim Pappas as he barely managed to avoid a loose wheel from a crashing competitor. 

By time the halfway point was reached, it was clear the team was in a prime position to contend. With minimum drive-times all fulfilled, the team’s strategic decision to hold its most experienced drivers for the end would prove the right call, primed to fight for a podium position in class as the final hours closed in.

It was with just over one hour remaining, however, that the key strategic decision was made. When a timely yellow would fall, bunching the field up, the team elected to pit for the final time for tires and fuel, as well as putting the experienced Marc Lieb in for the end. While the timing would mean the team would be very close on fuel to the end, it would also mean that the competitors ahead, who had not stopped yet, would likely fall behind the No. 540 by time their final stops cycled through.

Maintaining pace and saving fuel at the same time, the strategy proved correct, as the team would advance to first by time everything cycled, with Lieb holding the lead and doing his best to manage his fuel to the end.

In the final minutes, and knowing they may be able to make it to the end while the overall race leaders in front may not, a red flag would ensure the victory, with the race stopped due to a heavy incident and everyone locked in their positions as the final result.

Not only would it serve as the team’s first victory in their first attempt, but it would also mean they’re two-for-two in Intercontinental GT Challenge competition, as well as adding Bathurst to their win tally that includes: Sebring, Petit Le Mans, and Long Beach. 

For Jeroen Bleekemolen, a similar feeling is shared.

“This was a fantastic result for everyone involved,” stated Bleekemolen. “It’s such a tricky circuit, and so easy to make a critical mistake, that aiming for a clean finish would have been reasonable. To end up taking the class win, third overall among some all-pro lineups, and the top Porsche finisher, is pretty unbelievable. It’s a great testament to the team and the crew, who did a great job preparing for this.”

The next round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge will move to the lone European round, the famed 24 Hours of Spa on July 26-29. With over five months until the next round of competition, the team has additional plans to race in other events, with more plans to be announced.