Full-season IMSA drivers George Kurtz and Colin Braun will be joined by Malthe Jakobsen and Toby Sowery for the 24 Hours of Daytona, competing in the #04 Crowdstrike Racing by Algarve Pro Racing (APR) Oreca 07.
Kurtz and Braun are set for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaign as full-season drivers in the LMP2 category.
For the season-opener, they will also be joined by Peugeot Sport junior driver Jakobsen and Sowery for the endeavour.
All four drivers have already competed for the APR outfit at both four-hour Asian Le Mans Series races in Sepang, the latter of which was won by Kurtz, Braun and Jakobsen.
Kurtz, co-founder of Crowdstrike, said: “My overriding feeling is excitement about CrowdStrike Racing by APR and its driver line-up, particularly as Colin has a winning pedigree at Daytona.
“Malthe is incredibly quick, Toby is a rising star for us and, having put in a lot of work during the off-season, we have an eye towards winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“We have some unfinished business after the highs and low of 2023.
“The Rolex 24 is the only North American endurance race I’m yet to win, having already had successes at Sebring, Watkins Glen and Petit Le Mans.
“Victory in 2024 would be a significant result for me personally, while also setting us on the road to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship titles.”
Last year, the team narrowly missed out on the Daytona 24 class-win by 0.016 seconds to Proton Competition’s James Allen in a sprint to the chequered flag.
Against 11 other LMP2 competitors, they will attempt once more to become the winners at the first round of the 2024 schedule.
“I’m very excited about the CrowdStrike Racing by APR lineup for the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona,” added Braun, who has four Daytona 24 wins to his name, including an LMP2 win with Dragonspeed in 2020.
“Malthe and Toby will be great additions. It was very nice to drive together in the Asian Le Mans Series, to all gel and understand our individual driving styles.
“The experience of the team and this driver line-up is very strong and we are fully focused on executing.
“This will be my 20th consecutive Daytona 24 Hours (since his 2005 debut in a Porsche 996 GT3 Cup car) so I’m very excited.”
Jakobsen drove a notably successful LMP3 campaign in the European Le Mans Series, earning his step up to LMP2 competition with Cool Racing and his role as a junior driver for the Peugeot Sport Hypercar team, who compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
His first campaign with APR was recently begun at Sepang, beginning a new chapter with his second AsLMS victory.
“It isn’t my first time doing the Rolex 24 at Daytona, so I know how special and challenging it is,” said the 20-year-old Dane.
“It’s an historic event that every driver wants to win, and it’s cool that the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starts with the biggest race of the season.
“Of course, my partnership with CrowdStrike Racing by APR began with the opening round of the 2023-24 Asian Le Mans Series at Sepang earlier in December, and we showed we have a strong car and driver line-up.
“It was good preparation with both positives and negatives that we will learn from moving forwards. As always, we will arrive at Daytona with the sole aim of winning.”
Sowery will expand his commitment with APR by taking on his first Daytona 24 with the team.
The 26-year-old Briton, who has experience in American single-seater racing, commented: “I’m very excited to be joining CrowdStrike Racing by APR’s driver lineup for the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“I know Algarve Pro Racing puts very strong cars on the track and, having seen George, Colin and Malthe race in the opening round of the 2023-24 Asian Le Mans Series at Sepang, I know I have some very fast teammates.
“They’re all great people as well as complete racing drivers.
“I’d like to thank APR and George for trusting me with this opportunity.”
Crowdstrike Racing by APR won the IMSA Petit Le Mans which concluded a runner-up campaign with five podium finishes, as Kurtz and Ben Hanley finished second in the standings to Paul Loup-Chatin and Ben Keating.
The Roar Before the 24 testing will commence prior to the season-opener, which will be followed by free practice, qualifying and the race itself on 27-28 January 2024.
