Czabok-Simpson Motorsport Has Plans for IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and VP Racing SportsCar Challenge Competition
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Veteran IMSA racer Stephen Simpson is expanding into the role of team owner with the formation of Czabok-Simpson Motorsport.
Along with Matthias Czabok, currently the head of corporate development for JDC-Miller MotorSports, the two have created the team and purchased two Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport cars. The plan is to join IMSA competition in 2024 with the GT4-spec machines in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge.
Indianapolis-based LAP Motorsport, led by Luis Perocarpi and Rob Ridgely, will handle the race operations. The team took delivery of the first Porsche last week, with the other slated for a November arrival.
“Obviously, this is a very exciting step and a new challenge on many levels,” Simpson said. “Matthias and I have known each other for a long time from the years when I was driving for JDC-Miller and we always talked about doing something together. I have already worked with and actually raced for Luis and Rob when LAP Motorsport ran the MINI John Cooper Works team in IMSA. They run a great operation, so I am looking forward to the four of us doing this program together.”
Simpson’s IMSA top-tier series career actually began with a pair of American Le Mans Series LMP1 races in 2008. He has three career IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship victories, racing in the Prototype Challenge, Prototype, Daytona Prototype international and GT Daytona classes along the way. He also picked up one Michelin Pilot Challenge Touring Car (TCR) class win with JDC-Miller in 2018.
“Stephen and I have known each other since 2013 when we were actually spotting at (Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park) for JDC’s Road to Indy Pro Mazda program,” Czabok recalled. “Then when JDC-Miller started to run in the new IMSA WeatherTech Championship, Stephen was one of the team’s first drivers. We won many races together at JDC-Miller over a number of seasons, in DPi, LMPC and TCR.
“I think Stephen’s talent and skills behind the wheel is a big asset for our team, but he also always saw the bigger picture and the commercial side of things,” Czabok added. “He understands what it takes to make a program successful, so I am really looking forward to the opportunities of our new team.”