Championship-Winning Organizations To Race Under RAFA Racing Tent
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Two outstanding sports car teams are merging beginning with the 2025 season, combining the championship-winning results of Kevin Conway’s program at Smooge Racing with the up-and-coming drivers and marketing machine of RAFA Racing for a full-fledged IMSA effort.
The combined effort will race under the RAFA Racing Team banner. Standing for “Race As Family Always,” the RAFA Racing Team made its debut in 2023 with a runner-up finish in the McLaren Trophy Europe Series and expanded that footprint into other series. Conway-led race teams have been crowned SRO GT4 America team and driver champions utilizing the Toyota GR Supra GT4 platform, and multi-time race winners in Lamborghini Super Trofeo. The new-look RAFA Racing Team will continue to support the existing Toyota Gazoo Racing and Lamborghini Squadra Corsa relationships established by Conway’s team.
With driver lineups to be confirmed in the coming weeks, RAFA Racing will compete in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge in 2025 utilizing the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2. along with a Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) entry in the VP Racing Challenge. The team will also have a multi-car presence in the IMSA-sanctioned Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America paddock. An outside partnership will include RAFA Racing branding and drivers in the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin.
“This was not necessarily an opportunity we were searching for, but merging our efforts with Kevin’s makes perfect sense for the RAFA Racing team, our program and our future goals,” RAFA Racing founder Rafael Martinez said. “We’ve worked with some fantastic teams over the past couple of years, but this relationship and the existing partnerships with Toyota Gazoo Racing North America and Lamborghini Squadra Corsa are something special. It’s a logical step in our mission, and a great way to make our debut at this level here in the States.”
“I’m looking forward to pairing our efforts with the larger group at RAFA Racing,” Conway said. “The off-track activities that RAFA Racing is already involved in will not only augment our existing relationships but give them a chance to grow. It’s going to be a busy upcoming season, but we’re ready to make a difference immediately both on and off the race track.”
The new-look RAFA Racing Team will make its IMSA debut during the Roar Before the Rolex 24 from Jan. 17-19 at Daytona International Speedway with the VP Racing Challenge, followed by the Michelin Pilot Challenge four-hour race the following week in advance of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.