Double US touring Car Champion Gary Sheehan will race a third Volkswagen Golf GTi car for Liqui Moly Team Engstler in this weekend’s TCR International Series at Oschersleben, after signing a last-minute deal.
Sheehan, who is the third North American to compete in TCR International, will join regular driver Davit Kajaia, and fellow newcomer Niklas Mackshin, in the team for the German round of the International series.
The New Yorker has twice previously won the USTCC, in 2000 with a Honda Civic, and then in 2014 at the wheel of a Hyundai Genesis. He has also been runner-up four times in his extensive career in the series, in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2015.
A TCR class was planned to be added to the USTCC championship for 2015, but there has to-date been little further uptake of the concept.
“This is a dream coming true for me,” said Sheehan. “I am super-excited to be debuting in the TCR International Series this weekend and I am thankful to TCR, USTCC, Liqui Moly Team Engstler and everybody who made this possible. I also thank JBR who gave me the possibility to test for a couple of laps yesterday with one of their SEAT cars.
“It will be a great opportunity to be at the wheel of a TCR car and I look forward to the fun and to seeing where I stand with respect to great drivers racing in the series.”
USTCC promoter Ali Arsham hopes that further opportunities will come along for American racers to compete in TCR cars in the future.
“Gary is one of the top USTCC drivers and it’s nice to see him having this opportunity to show his talents to a much wider audience,” said Arsham. “This hopefully will open the doors to seeing more USTCC drivers in TCR. That would be a great promotion for the TCR concept in America, right ahead the start of the TCR Las Américas series later this year.”
Meanwhile, TCR promoter Marcello Lotti hopes that the initiative will allow the momentum of TCR in the USA to continue to grow.
“We are delighted to welcome Gary Sheehan for this event,” added Lotti. “The presence of one of the top USTCC drivers is very important to us, as it will help Ali Arsham and his team to promote the TCR concept in the US.
“I trust Gary will enjoy the experience and do well, so he can become a TCR ambassador when back home in America and contribute to raise interest among his American colleagues.”