McLaughlin to make Petit Le Mans debut

Scott McLaughlin will make his debut in Petit Le Mans this October.

The New Zealander has landed the start as part of a new endorsement deal with Acumatica, which bills itself as “an industry-leading business solutions provider.”

Acumatica will back his tilt at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with Tower Motorsports in what will be the finale of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, having made his prototype debut in the season-opening 24 Hours of Daytona with the squad.

While that outing was blighted by an early electrical problem, caused by a leaking water bottle fitting, he and Tower won their class in Round 2 at another of IMSA’s high-profile races, the 12 Hours of Sebring.

The three-time Supercars champion’s deal with Acumatica spans 2024 and 2025 also.

“I am thrilled to partner with Acumatica, an innovative company that shares my passion for pushing boundaries and achieving greatness,” said McLaughlin.

“Acumatica’s cutting-edge technology and forward-thinking approach perfectly align with the fast-paced worlds of IMSA and IndyCar racing, positioning us as ideal partners on and off the track.”

The brand’s chief marketing officer, Todd Wells, added, “Scott McLaughlin’s dedication to hard work and unwavering pursuit of excellence are qualities that Acumatica strives to achieve in service to our community.

“It’s an honour to have an athlete of Scott’s stature represent Acumatica, and we look forward to supporting him in his races throughout the next two years.”

McLaughlin’s Team Penske IndyCar team-mate Josef Newgarden, with whom he shared the Tower entry at Daytona, will also be competing in Petit Le Mans.

However, he has been called up to drive one of Penske’s GTP class Porsche 963s in the 10-hour race, partnering Matt Campbell and Felipe Nasr.

McLaughlin has previously identified a steer in that programme as a goal he is working towards by racing in the LMP2 class of IMSA.

Petit Le Mans takes place on October 11-14 (local time).