INDIANAPOLIS (September 26, 2024) – Team Mercedes-AMG Lone Star Racing returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) next weekend with a powerhouse driver lineup that includes three-time and reigning NTT IndyCar Series Champion Alex Palou. The 27-year-old Spaniard makes his Mercedes-AMG competition debut on the IMS road course in next Saturday’s Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) Indianapolis 8 Hour co-driving the No. 4 Team Mercedes-AMG Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 with German Mercedes-AMG Performance Drivers Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz.
Palou has made his mark in the U.S. as the most successful NTT IndyCar driver of his generation, winning his first championship in just his second season in the series in 2021 and securing consecutive titles this year and 2023. The Indianapolis sports car racing start is his first in a Mercedes-AMG GT3, but he has previous GT racing experience the year before he made the move to American open-wheel competition. In 2019, Palou competed in Japanese Super GT, where he won the pole and secured a podium race finish in the GT300 class.
While Lone Star, which proudly carries the official “Mercedes-AMG Team” designation next weekend, makes history as the first U.S. Mercedes-AMG Performance Team to compete in the Indianapolis 8 Hour, the team has extensive and race-winning experience in the Indy race. For the last three years, Lone Star has provided the cars, technical support and all the necessary pitlane and paddock equipment for Hong Kong-based Team Mercedes-AMG Craft-Bamboo Racing.
In addition to a second place overall and Pro-class finish last year, the Lone Star-supported Craft-Bamboo effort in the 2022 Indy 8 Hour gave Mercedes-AMG its first win in the only American IGTC round with co-drivers Daniel Juncadella, Raffaele Marciello and Daniel Morad. Palou stopped by IMS during the race to support his friend and Spaniard compatriot Juncadella, a visit that ultimately led to his exclusive agreement with Mercedes-AMG to compete in the Indy 8 Hour.
“I went to cheer Dani Juncadella two years ago when he raced in Indianapolis, and I wanted to do the race if there was a chance,” Palou said. “I received this excellent opportunity through AMG with a chance to win the race.”
The No. 4 team’s main mission is to advance Stolz and Mercedes-AMG in the respective IGTC GT3 driver and team championship standings in the Indy 8 Hour, the season-finale of the IGTC season. Stolz is the highest ranked Mercedes-AMG pilot in fifth place in the driver championship while Mercedes-AMG is third in the manufacturer standings.
“We are looking forward to doing everything we can to support Mercedes-AMG and our drivers on a track and in a race that we know very well,” said Lone Star Racing Team Manager and Technical Director AJ Petersen. “A second victory in two years in our first true Lone Star Racing effort at the Indianapolis 8 Hour would be career milestone for the team and is a realistic possibility. We want to thank Mercedes-AMG and our team owner and driver Dan Knox – who also knows how it feels to win at Indy after giving the Mercedes-AMG GT2 its first major North American victory at IMS last year – and we look forward to more success and bringing Alex across the finish line for another victory alongside Fabian and Luca.”
About Lone Star Racing: Based at Motorsport Ranch within the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area in Cresson, Texas, Lone Star Racing is competing in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing/ACS Manufacturing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup in the GTD class. Lone Star Racing and its team members have won races across North America spanning sprint and endurance racing formats. The crew has worked together on many different teams and various types of cars, developing a strong bond and proven capability that gives them a competitive and winning advantage. Lone Star Racing competes with the support of primary partner ACS Manufacturing, Inc. (http://www.ACSManufacturing.com). Look for Lone Star Racing and team owner/driver Dan Knox on Facebook and follow the team on YouTube at Lone Star Racing, on Twitter and Instagram at @LSRTeam and on the official team web site at http://www.LoneStarRacingTeam.com.
