24h Le Mans
Ben Keating, who has competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, is to switch classes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year, trading his Viper GTD for a Riley Multimatic Mk.30 LM P2. The American driver will continue to race with co-driver Jeroen Bleekemolen, LM P2-class winner at Le Mans in 2008, and hopes to be invited back to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Riley Multimatic is one of four constructors selected by the ACO, IMSA and FIA to design LM P2 prototypes compliant with the new technical regulations that come into force on 1 January 2017. The joint venture between Riley Technologies and Multimatic will produce the Mk.30 and Keating, owner of the largest Viper dealership in the US, has just purchased one, ready to race in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year.
Keating thoroughly enjoyed himself at the wheel of a Viper, also developed in partnership with Riley Technologies, at the French endurance classic in 2015 and was keen to come back to Le Mans. In 2016, however, the Viper, only made it to the Le Mans reserve list. The American therefore sought out other opportunities, eventually coming to an agreement with Greg Murphy to drive the Oreca 03R-Nissan for Irish outfit Murphy Prototypes. Keating/Bleekemolen/Goossens finished 15th in LM P2. For Keating, this was his first taste of prototype racing.
The ViperExchange.com team are embarking on a three-year programme and will field the Mk.30, fitted with the Gibson engine, in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the 2017 season. Keating will once again be supported by Bleekemolen, his teammate for the past three years.
Keating, ViperExchange.com team principal and driver says "Finishing Le Mans this year was a big deal, because racing for 24 Hours is extremely challenging. I now really understand how special it is to finish. To see the hundreds of marshals and support crews out there waving their flags at the end was truly special. You really engage with the fans, giving them thumbs up, amazing, like nothing I have ever experienced."
Next year, Keating will be hoping to emulate the achievements of John Pew, previous winner of the Jim Trueman award in the P class (Prototype). Like the Bob Akin Award in GT, this trophy earns the winner an automatic and much coveted invitation to the world’s greatest endurance race.
Before they can start to think about Le Mans, however, Keating and Bleekemolen have their sights on another GTD-class victory at VIRginia International Raceway next weekend, following their Road America win.
Quote courtesy of team press release
Photo: Ben Keating (right), Jeroen Bleekemolen (centre) and Marc Goossens (left) in their Murphy Prototypes colours at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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