DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Czabok-Simpson Motorsport (CSM) will transition its two IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) entries from Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS cars to Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVOs, starting with the Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix at Virginia International Raceway next week. Additionally, the team brings back its No. 3 entry for the final three races with the new pairing of Ismaeel Ellahi and Ayrton Houk.
CSM regulars Gordon Scully and Morgan Burkhard will continue together in the team’s No. 2 GS entry, giving CSM two Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO cars for the balance of the championship.
The manufacturer transition is a strategic move ahead of the 2027 season. The switch should allow the team to accelerate its technical development program across two cars while continuing to pursue results in the final three rounds.
Scully and Burkhard enter VIR ninth in the 2026 Michelin Pilot Challenge GS championship standings. Their season includes a runner-up finish at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and the continuity of the No. 2 pairing will provide an important benchmark as CSM introduces the Aston Martin to its Michelin Pilot Challenge operation.
“Moving both cars to the Aston Martin now is an important step in our preparation for 2027,” said CSM co-owner Stephen Simpson. “It gives our engineers and drivers three race weekends to build a meaningful base of knowledge in Michelin Pilot Challenge conditions.”
Ellahi has run a partial season in IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge with CSM, where he scored his first win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Grand Sport X (GSX) in its first weekend with the new Aston Martin. The 19-year-old American-Pakistani driver from Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, began sim racing only two years ago and made his first transition into car racing in 2025 after attending Skip Barber’s Formula 4 school. He has since gained GT4 experience in Europe and the United States, including the GT4 European Series and Porsche Sprint Challenge Deutschland.
Houk, meanwhile, is a 23-year-old from McCordsville, Indiana, who has tested with the team several times. A Purdue University finance student and a 2023 Team USA Scholarship recipient, Houk’s versatile background includes Formula Ford 1600, USF2000, Kenyon and Allstar midget racing, Formula 1000 and pavement sprint cars, along with experience in Porsche GT4 and GT3 Cup machinery.
“Ayrton has already tested with us several times and has consistently impressed the team with his pace, feedback and approach,” Simpson noted. “Ismaeel’s development in such a short period has been exceptional, and his CTMP victory showed that he is ready for this next challenge. Gordon and Morgan give us the experience and continuity we need, so we believe these lineups create a very strong foundation for the rest of this season and for 2027.”
Of his step up, Ellahi said, “Two years ago, I was sim racing in my basement, and after only eight car races I am now preparing to make my Michelin Pilot Challenge debut. Winning at CTMP was an unforgettable moment, but it also made me even more motivated for this next step. I am grateful to CSM, my family, my partners and everyone who has helped me progress so quickly. I am especially proud to represent my Pakistani heritage at this level, and I hope this opportunity shows other young drivers that there can be a path into professional motorsport even if they start in a simulator.”
Houk added, “The testing I have done with CSM gave me a real appreciation for how the team works and how committed everyone is to performance. To now join the Michelin Pilot Challenge program for VIR, Indianapolis and Road Atlanta is a huge opportunity. I am excited to share the No. 3 with Ismaeel, learn the Aston Martin quickly and contribute to the team’s preparation for 2027.”