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TeamTGM Switches to Mercedes AMG-GT4 for 2018 CTSC Season

On Monday afternoon, TeamTGM announced that they are setting aside their Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsports (one of which was ineligible to race in 2018), effective immediately.  In their place, TeamTGM will race two new Mercedes-AMG GT4s for the 2018 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season.

Team owner Ted Giovanis sees a lot of upside with the new Mercedes.

“This is a really exciting time for the team,” Giovanis said in a press release.  “We are focused on the big championship picture and after doing a lot of homework and research to look at all the options, we are very pleased to be moving ahead with the AMG folks.  The car itself should be dynamite to drive and we think there will be an excellent support system in place, so things are coming together well after a lot of hard work.”

Not to be confused with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 that competes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Mercedes-AMG GT4 is based on the AMG GT R street car.  In place of the 6.2-liter V8 in the Mercedes-AMG GT3, the Mercedes-AMG GT4 has a 4.0-liter biturbo V8 engine with direct fuel injection.

The Mercedes-AMG GT4 made it’s American debut in the hands of Winward Racing-HTP Motorsport and Black Falcon last month in the 24H of COTA.  Both cars had significant issues during the races.  Black Falcon’s entry failed to finish, while Winward Racing-HTP Motorsport finished sixth in class (32nd overall).  Like TeamTGM, Winward Racing-HTP Motorsport has committed to entering two Mercedes-AMG GT4s for the full 2018 CTSC season.

TeamTGM did not announce any drivers for their 2018 effort in the press release.  However, the release did note that Giovanis is back up to 100 percent.  Giovanis has been on the shelf (as a driver) since a practice crash at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park back in July.  As a result, there is a chance that Giovanis would be back in the drivers’ seat at Daytona in January.

Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the site's FREE e-mail newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the site's Sports Car racing editor.

Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.

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