- Magnus Racing announced Monday morning that the team will compete in the Rolex 24 at Daytona next January, but after that, they will go on pause. Team owner John Potter is choosing to step away from regular racing temporarily in order to focus on what is being referred to as "a one-of-a-kind opportunity in the upscale hotel sector."
"Beyond the fun of racing in IMSA, those who know my business side know that my specialty in hotel development and management has continued to build over the last 15 years," Potter stated. "In 2025, a long-time dream project will, fingers crossed, finally be rolling forward and I simply need to concentrate my time and energy in that direction for the upcoming year. It’s been an agonizing
decision, but one that ultimately seemed necessary."
Potter's time in the top flight of American sports car racing dates back to 2007, when he made a couple of starts in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series for The Racers Group. That progressed to a full-time campaign for TRG in 2009.
For 2010, Potter formed Magnus Racing and went on his own. Craig Stanton was hired as his full-time teammate and a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car was acquired. The team showed steady improvement, scoring a couple of third-place finishes in 2011.
In 2012, Andy Lally, fresh off his rookie campaign in the NASCAR Cup Series, joined the
team full-time. They took the GT class victory in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in their first race together. It was the first of six IMSA victories, including a second Daytona class win in 2016.
2017 saw the team move to then-Pirelli World Challenge to race full-time in the Sprint and SprintX races. Potter drove solo in a GTA entry for the Sprint races, while Pierre Kaffer
and Spencer Pumpelly shared the second car. The SprintX races saw Kaffer, Pumpelly and Dane Cameron share No. 4, while Potter shared No. 44 with Andrew Davis and Marco Seefried.
The team's biggest moment in Pirelli World Challenge came at Lime Rock Park. Pumpelly, sharing with Cameron in a one-off appearance, scored the overall win in Race No. 2 on the small road
course.
After returning to IMSA, the team has switched manufacturers multiple times (from Audi to Lamborghini to Aston Martin). In 2022, the team cut back to part-time racing and is only competing in the Michelin Endurance Cup races.
This season, the team has competed
in three races in their Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo. Their best finish is a third in class in their last appearance at Watkins Glen (pictured above) with the driver lineup of Lally, Potter and Pumpelly.
Photo is courtesy of our own Phil Allaway.
