DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Nielsen Racing has confirmed plans to compete in the IMSA Prototype Challenge series beginning with the season-opener in January at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

The British-based team will field the No. 17 Norma M30 LMP3 for Rob Hodes and Garett Grist in all six-rounds of the championship, starting with Daytona and concluding with Petit Le Mans in October at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.Hodes and Grist know each other well from recent stints in the Asian Le Mans Series together, first with United Autosports and currently with Nielsen Racing.

Most recently, the pairing finished sixth at Shanghai Int’l Circuit in what was the first round of the Asian Le Mans Series. For Nielsen Racing, this is a huge venture across the Atlantic, one in which the team is very much looking forward to.

“This is very exciting; we’re really looking forward to competing in the US for the first time,” stated Team Principal David Thompson. “We’re delighted to continue our relationship with Rob, Garett and Charles Crews in this exciting programme. We have plenty of experience now with the new Norma from first European Le Mans Series and then from Asia, so we can’t wait to get started in Daytona.”

The IMSA Prototype Challenge season will begin on Jan. 4 at Daytona Int’l Speedway.