Archangel Motorsports to Close out the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Season with Aston Martin
ST LOUIS, MO ( October 7, 2020) - With a focus on development and testing for the 2021 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season, Archangel Motorsports has confirmed an advanced shift to the Aston Martin Vantage GT4.
The change will see drivers, Alan Brynjolfsson and Trent Hindman continue at the wheel of the new No. 7 VOLT Lighting Aston Martin Vantage GT4 for the remaining three rounds of the 2020 championship.This marks a new and exciting chapter for the Mike Johnson-led team as they prepare for their second consecutive season under the Archangel Motorsports banner.
“I think most of the paddock has had their eye on the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 all season”, said Archangel Motorsports Principal, Mike Johnson. “Then once it started getting poles and winning races, it became pretty clear that it was the car to have.”
“We didn’t intend on running it this year, but after having two unfortunate races at Mid Ohio, we figured we might as well get some running in now so we’ll be better prepared for next season. This time for development will be crucial, especially because our down time is limited between Sebring in November and Daytona in January.”
The Aston Martin Vantage GT4, which broke ground in March of 2019, is based on the production car, with a light aluminum chassis housing a 4-liter, V8 twin turbo engine. Brynjolfsson, who has proven to be a quick study, is keen to get his hands on the new VOLT Lighting-liveried machine.
“We saw how successful the Aston Martin has been across all series so it certainly piqued our interest,” said Brynjolfsson. “The Aston Martin Vantage GT4 is a newer model to the GT4 platform and still has improvements that can be done so we feel it has excellent potential. At this point I have yet to even sit in one so I am jumping into this completely blind, but time will tell.”
“Our goal in making the switch early is to use the last three races of this year as time for development and testing. This way we can come out of the gate strong for 2021 and go for another championship. It is all about winning the championship and doing whatever we can to maximize our potential of winning it.”
The St. Louis-based team will be put to the test with a short timeline to prepare the new car for next Friday’s Round 7 at Road Atlanta. Hindman is confident in the group’s expertise and ability to adapt as they take on yet another new challenge.
“I’m proud of the position the Archangel Motorsports team has put themselves in at the mid point of our 2020 IMPC season,” said Hindman. “Unfortunately we find ourselves outside of contention for the GS championship now after some bad luck at Mid-Ohio. However, it provides an excellent opportunity to prepare for the 2021 GS championship with three rounds remaining.”
“I’m confident in Alan, Mike, and the team and expect that their effort put forth with our new package will bring a more consistent performance and one that the Archangel team has deserved all year. Atlanta will be a massive learning experience for us but I think we’re all looking forward to the challenge.”
Archangel Motorsports will retake the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge field with the debut of their Aston Martin Vantage GT4, Friday October 16th at Road Atlanta. Live coverage of the event can be found on NBC TrackPass at 3:35PM ET.