In a thrilling development for motorsport enthusiasts, Gradient Racing has revealed that Robert Megennis and Jenson Altzman will be taking the wheel for the forthcoming sprint races of the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The duo’s debut will take place in the No. 66 Ford Mustang GT3 at the eagerly anticipated Grand Prix of Long Beach.
In a triumphant return to the IMSA WeatherTech series since his last appearance in the 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona, Robert Megennis is set to reignite his successful stint, which saw him secure four GTD class podiums, three of which were clinched in 2022 with CarBahn and Peregrine Racing. That same year, the talented driver clinched seventh place in the Drivers’ championship.
Megennis, who is a notable alumnus of the Indy NXT, has been showcasing his skills full-time in the Michelin Pilot Challenge series since 2023. The new season has seen him join the ranks of Czabok-Simpson Motorsports (CSM) following a two-year tenure with Turner Motorsport.
Expressing his excitement about rejoining the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Megennis stated, “I think this series has the best sports car racing in the world. I’m thrilled to be driving the Gradient Racing Mustang GT3 and working to continue developing it. The support I’ve seen from Ford Performance and Multimatic Motorsports has been amazing.” He added, “With this platform and lineup, I believe we have the potential to win races.”
Meanwhile, Altzman, a standout Ford Performance Junior Driver, will make his GT3 debut at Long Beach. He has previously demonstrated his prowess in the Mustang Challenge series and in the Ford Mustang GT4 with McCumbee McAleer Racing. He will continue to participate in the Pilot Challenge series for MMR, where he currently holds the fourth spot in the Grand Sport (GS) standings, alongside co-driver Sam Paley.
An elated Altzman shared, “This opportunity is everything that I’ve been working toward and what I’ve looked up to since racing go-karts.” He further commented on his association with Ford Performance, stating, “It’s a tremendous feeling to be involved with Ford Performance, there’s really no one else in motorsports that offers this sort of opportunity.”
The team owner of Gradient Racing, Andris Laivins, expressed his delight over the new lineup, stating, “We’re so happy to be able to announce our Sprint lineup alongside our endurance program for the year.” Laivins further added that he is eager to see both Megennis and Altzman perform, particularly as Jenson steps up into GT3 machinery for the first time.
Gradient’s Endurance Cup trio of Till Bechtolsheimer, Joey Hand, and Tatiana Calderon recently secured the 13th spot in GTD at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. With the addition of Megennis and Altzman, fans are eagerly anticipating what the new lineup might bring to the table in the coming races.
