HOLTON AND FERGUS TO CONTEST IMSA’S WEATHERTECH SPRINT CUP WITH COMPASS RACING

McLaren Factory driver Holton will be joined by seasoned sportscar pilot Fergus in McLaren 720S GT3

VISTA, CA — Compass Racing will head into its seventeenth consecutive season in IMSA competition – and its fourth with manufacturer partner McLaren – when the first round of WeatherTech’s Sprint Cup eight-race season begins at Long Beach, CA on April 17th-19th.
 

Long-time team driver and McLaren Factory pro Paul Holton, who brought the team a number of dramatic wins at the helm of a McLaren 570S GT4 – including Long Beach in 2018 and Daytona in 2019 – returns to the squad with new co-driver Corey Fergus. Fergus himself is no stranger to the brand, having competed in a McLaren in the Michelin Pilot Challenge for the past two years, finishing second in the championship last season.“We are truly excited to have Paul and Corey drive together in the Sprint Cup this season,” enthused Team Owner Jill Beck. “All of the pieces we’d hoped have come together, and we head into our second year with the McLaren 720S GT3 in a very strong position. The No. 76 car will once again feature primary sponsorship from our partner Richard Mille, with great support from US LED, AERO Paint, the Torque Show and our friends at McLaren Automotive."

The team comes off a strong end to the 2019 Sprint Cup season, which saw steady improvements in the 720S GT3 around the globe. As the only team in North America to compete with the platform, Compass Racing has proudly flown the flag for McLaren in IMSA to position the car for success.“IMSA’s GTD championship is perhaps the most competitive in the world, and last season we ‘earned the right’ to be competitive by contesting the full Sprint Cup,” remarked Holton. “For 2020, we expect to be in a position to fight for wins, podiums and the championship.”

Fergus is equally effusive. “I’ve raced against Compass for the past few seasons, and I could not be happier to join them. They are truly fierce competitors who are focussed on one goal: to bring McLaren the IMSA Sprint Cup championship.”

Compass Racing is also proud to continue the team's relationship with The Race Day Foundation, who bring children and families dealing with life-changing illnesses to the race track for a day away from their regular routine. Many other IMSA teams support the charity, which will have an expanded presence in sportscar paddocks this year. The team is busy preparing for testing at Sebring at Road Atlanta in March, which will include direct technical support from the manufacturer. “We’ll have Rob Boakes from McLaren, who was with us for the entire year in 2019, along with a number of other top engineers from England, working with us to refine what is an already very good package,” noted Beck.

The Long Beach Grand Prix will be broadcast live on April 18th at 2:00pm PT on NBCSN.

—————————————————————

About Richard Mille
The first watch to carry Richard Mille’s name, the RM 001 Tourbillon, launched the millennium: the year was 2001, and the model marked the beginning of a new era in watchmaking. Today, the collection points resolutely towards the future, while holding steadfast to the time-honored traditions of fine watchmaking. Richard Mille endeavored to apply the techniques and materials found in the most innovative sectors such as in the domains of F1 racing car development and the aerospace industry to watchmaking, with the goal of creating an extreme timepiece, without compromise, without gimmicks.

About US LED
With business roots going back to 2001, US LED has developed a strong culture of providing superior customer service, engineering leading-edge, high quality products and valuing every team member for their contribution to satisfying our customers’ needs and advancing our success.

About AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology
AERO Advanced Paint Technology™ is an environmentally sustainable paint applique that eliminates the need for harmful sprayers. AERO was initially designed for The Boeing Company as a lightweight paint film technology for the 787 Dreamliner. As such, the technology provides significant performance gains in weight reduction while enabling the finish to be a fully strippable system. AERO has proven to be successful in the motorsports industry due to the ease of install, significant weight savings, and enhanced durability.

About McLaren Automotive
McLaren Automotive is a creator of luxury, high-performance sportscars and supercars. Every vehicle is hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey, England. Launched in 2010, the company is now the largest part of the McLaren Group. The company has three defined product families: Sports Series, Super Series and Ultimate Series which are retailed through over 80 retailers in 30 markets around the world. Announced at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2018, the company’s Track25 business plan will see it invest £1.2billion in research and development to deliver 18 new cars or derivatives by the end of 2025.

About The Race Day Foundation 
The Race Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) for-good foundation, offering children and families living with life-threatening illness a "day away" from their daily challenges. By harnessing the power of the racing and automotive communities, we are able to provide a uniquely empowering, hope-filled Race Day - a positive experience shared by patients, parents and siblings alike.