No. 23 Aston Martin Will Be Joined by Sister No. 27 for TireRack.Com Battle on the Bricks
INDIANAPOLIS – The Heart of Racing Team has updated its plan for the upcoming TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, announcing that both of the team’s Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evos will race in the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class instead of one in GTD PRO and the other in Grand Touring Daytona (GTD).
Ross Gunn and Alex Riberas will pilot the No. 23 Aston Martin looking to take the GTD PRO championship lead. Roman De Angelis will make his GTD PRO debut, co-driving with Mario Farnbacher in the No. 27 Aston Martin that usually competes in the GTD class.
Gunn, Riberas and the No. 23 are fresh off of a third-place finish at VIRginia International Raceway. Gunn and the No. 23 head into the penultimate race weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway second in the GTD PRO standings, just 17 points out of the lead, with four podium finishes including a win at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen in June.
In 2023, IMSA made its return to the Brickyard for the first time since 2014. Gunn and Riberas made their mark on the moment in history by securing a second-place finish in the two-hour, 40-minute race. This year, the Indianapolis race has expanded to six hours as one of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup events.
“This point in the season is getting really exciting,” said Gunn. “We have just two races to go and our full focus is on the races ahead. Last year we had a strong run at Indianapolis and this year the goal is to replicate that same success. The Heart of Racing Team has done an awesome job this season to bring consistent results in the championship, and I’m very proud of the efforts they have put in up to this point. Everyone is incredibly motivated going into these next two races, and from my perspective, I have been preparing as hard as ever and I’m really excited to get back out on track.”
“I’m really looking forward to Indy,” Riberas said. “We did well last year there, finishing in second place. We head back this year with it being a six-hour race, which presents its own increase in difficulty and increased challenge for everybody. It will also be a challenge to be competitive just based on the nature of the track. I think we are going to have to be scrappy and be fighting for every inch through the whole race. I know we come to the track with good strategy, good decision-making, good pit stops and hopefully a clean race for us.”
De Angelis will be making his first start in the GTD PRO class. The Canadian was moved from Silver to Gold driver ranking after the 2023 season, making him eligible for the class move. Last year at Indianapolis, De Angelis finished fourth after leading the GTD field for 28 laps.
“I’m looking forward to another IMSA endurance race, especially with this one being the first endurance race at Indy,” said De Angelis. “It’s exciting to be joining the GTD PRO field and driving with Mario! My mindset really doesn’t change much as we always have GTD and GTD PRO cars mixed in and battling. I’m looking forward to the experience and new challenge.”
Joining De Angelis for the first time this season is Farnbacher, who has been the endurance and fill-in driver for Riberas in the No. 23 Heart of Racing entry for four races this season. Farnbacher is no stranger to the Brickyard, having competed at the 2.439-mile circuit in 2014 with team principal Ian James, securing a sixth-place finish.
“I’m really looking forward to teaming up with Roman this weekend,” said Farnbacher, the 2020 WeatherTech Championship GTD champion. “This weekend I will be working with the No. 27 team instead of the No. 23 team like I have been with. I’m looking forward to the challenge with Roman, it will be cool to team up with him; he’s a really good, fast, young guy. It’s fantastic to get a chance to get selected from the drivers to be there and a big thank you to the team. We also get to be at the famous Brickyard. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of the endurance race there.”