• The Pit+Paddock FL5 Civic Type R TCR, campaigned by Montreal Motorsports Group (MMG), will be piloted by Formula DRIFT champion, Dai Yoshihara, and long-time Honda racer and Canadian National Champion, Karl Wittmer.
• Renowned automotive artist, Jon Sibal, put pen to paper and created an eye-catching design for Pit+Paddock’s latest foray into professional motorsport competition.
• As was the case for TC America, big names in the aftermarket industry — ARP, ENEOS, Mishimoto, Turn 14 Distribution, and Whiteline — are eager to support Pit+Paddock’s effort.

Be ready when the opportunity calls. It’s an important lesson that has applications well beyond the world of motorsport. Still, the call is only one part of the equation. Fortune often favors the brave, but also, crucially, the prepared. Recognizing an opportunity, having the courage to step forward, and staying ready for new challenges have been foundational in building Pit+Paddock into a full-fledged marketing agency. Those ingredients have made it possible to ascend into the world of professional racing altogether and Dai Yoshihara’s successful single-year charge in TC America’s top class with the Pit+Paddock Civic Type R TCX — especially the triumphant sweep during the series finale — helped cement our agency’s intent to keep our racing presence known. The opportunity would come knocking only a couple of months later.

THE BIG LEAGUES

As we announced last week, Pit+Paddock will be ascending the motorsport ladder to compete in IMSA, the premier sports car racing sanctioning body in North America. The Pit+Paddock FL5 Civic Type R TCR, campaigned by Montreal Motorsport Group (MMG), will be co-piloted by Pit+Paddock’s own, Dai Yoshihara, and long-time Honda faithful, Karl Wittmer. The collective aims to leverage years of motorsport experience and competitive spirit to challenge the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge field.

“I’m beyond thrilled about this new partnership with Pit+Paddock and Honda Racing Corporation,” said Benjamin Distaulo, MMG Team Manager and Co-Owner. “We are looking forward to turning our preparation and hard work into reality and are confident that our Civic Type R’s will be competitive throughout the 2024 IMPC season.”

IMSA is an authority figure in motorsport that has led a revolution in racing, helping encourage focus on diversity, sustainability, and thought leadership among each team and its participants. Like Formula 1, IMSA is also a huge supporter of the eSports movement, providing professional drivers, avid fans, and general gaming enthusiasts alike the opportunity to experience a variety of current and historical IMSA cars and racetracks.

MICHELIN PILOT CHALLENGE

The Michelin Pilot Challenge class bridges the gap between the cars we drive every day and the ones that compete for motorsport glory. Within it, there are two classes — Grand Sport (GS) and Touring Car Racing (TCR) — that run an 11-race schedule in tandem with the WeatherTech Championship events.

The Grand Sport class is comprised of 400-450 horsepower SRO GT4 homologated cars (i.e. Aston Martin Vantage GT4, Audi R8 GT4, BMW M4 GT4, Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R, Ford Mustang GT4, and more). The Touring Car class — where the Pit+Paddock FL5 Civic Type R TCR will compete — is restricted to a 300-350 horsepower range. Both classes are equalized by fuel tank capacities, ride height, power, and weight.

ART MEETS MOTORSPORT

When it came time to design a livery that would make an impression across the paddock, Jon Sibal was the first person that came to mind. The artist, automotive designer, and illustrator has been responsible for penning an impressive portfolio of work within the industry for decades. He’s helped a plethora of OE manufacturers and aftermarket entities, including our own, realize our grandest visions. This project was no exception. Having followed Pit+Paddock’s TC America campaign, Sibal thought it best to carry over design elements from the FK8 and integrate them into the new FL5 while making it his own. He comments: 

“For this livery, I wanted to make sure it evokes speed and motion taking into consideration the form and surface details of the FL5 TCR body. The lines and angles of the elements were strategically designed to highlight the sponsors as well, so it’s both effective and aesthetically pleasing.”

Sibal’s geometric style, given the Euro-esque, flowing body of the FL5, integrates with the race car’s design elements extremely well. To his point, the available white space — that naturally catches your eye at every angle of the car — serves as an uninterrupted canvas for our proud supporters. ARP, ENEOS, Mishimoto, Turn 14 Distribution, and Whiteline, a majority who’s names you’d recognize from our TC America campaign, have joined us once again to bolster this year’s effort. Between our partners’ generous support and Sibal’s artistic treatment, we’ve taken two exciting steps closer to its debut in Daytona. The Roar Before the Rolex 24 is only 10 days away, so stay tuned.

Gallery