Ben Keating, arguably the most prolific amatuer racing driver worldwide, told media that he’s ‘excited to be back’ with Corvette for 2025.
He’ll start his first race in the Corvette Z06 GT3.R, introduced last year as Corvette’s first global GT3 car, at this weekend’s Daytona 24 Hours.
“I’m very excited to be back in a Corvette, and very excited to be able to represent Keating Chevrolet on the track,” said the American when asked by Motorsport Week in a press conference about his new Corvette programme for 2025.
Keating’s ‘day job’ is running a chain of car dealerships across the United States, which include Chevrolet amongst its range of brands.
He continued: “And also be able to represent the Corvette brand, in Houston at my dealership. So there’s a lot of synergies there.”
Keating changes his mind
Keating has, in the past, not been that keen on GT3 cars. When Motorsport Week spoke to him at Sebring in 2023, the year before GT3 cars debuted in the FIA World Endurance Championship, he said he didn’t plan to return the following year after racing with Corvette in the GTE-Am class in 2023.
But, in the two years since, he’s changed his mind.
“As most of you know, I pay to be here by selling and repairing cars,” he said in a media press conference before the race.
“And I really enjoy racing what I sell. There’s nobody out there selling an Oreca or a Gibson to a retail customer.
“So I’m excited to make that connection. The way the GT3s have kind of taken over sports car racing around the world… I don’t know if there are any other options.
Keating will once again do double duty this weekend at Daytonam, racing both the #91 TrackHouse by TF Sport Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the GTD Pro class, and the #52 PR1 Mathiasen Oreca 07-Gibson in LMP2.
TF Sport, who Keating has raced and won championships with in the past, is running the TrackHouse team.. In addition, with TrackHouse’s long association with General Motors in NASCAR, the team are using Chevrolet Corvette machinery, which Keating is also familiar with thanks to his WEC campaign in 2023, Keating seems happy.
“Having won the World Endurance Championship with Corvette in [20]23, it’s kind of like putting on an old shoe or a glove or something. It just feels great. We won the world championship with TF Sport in [20]22, so everybody involved is kind of all in the family for me,” he concluded.
