Tom Sargent to lead McElrea Racing USA team

Australian talent Thomas Sargent, a 20-year-old racing prodigy, is set to lead McElrea Racing's assault on the 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup North America championship. Hailing from the country town of Young in New South Wales, Sargent has emerged as a dominant force in motorsport, Winning the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series in 2022.

"We're thrilled to be supporting Tom, a talented young Australian racer again this year. We see his potential and are committed to providing him with the support he needs to excel in his racing career. We're proud to play a part of his journey as he competes in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Championship. Together, we aim to show the Americans what these Aussies can do."

Sargent will relocate to Mooresville, North Carolina, in close proximity to the team's newly-established base, to embark on the next phase of his racing journey.

Sargent's signing as the first confirmed driver for McElrea's multi-car campaign in the 2023 Carrera Cup North America Championship is a significant step towards the team's ambitious goals. Additional driver announcements are expected to follow in due course.

Thomas Sargent shared his enthusiasm about the opportunity, stating, "It's super exciting, going overseas is something I've always wanted to do, so to have this opportunity with McElrea Racing is fantastic. I was planning to follow the route to Europe, but then I had a conversation with (Jaxon's father) John Evans who put me on to Andy, who said this was something he was planning to do. We went over there, checked it out and it looked like the way to go. I'm looking forward to going over there. (Porsche Michelin Sprint challenge) has been very valuable. It's been great to get some laps in the car, get some racing and some racing experience."

Andy McElrea, the team owner, expressed his admiration for Sargent's achievements, particularly his Formula Ford background. "His performance over here was what drew me to Thomas. He's a Formula Ford champion, and I'm a huge Formula Ford fan, so that was what attracted me in the first place," McElrea explained. "He was a standout in Sprint Challenge last year. We wanted to start our team in the US with an Australian flavour and a race-winning driver, and we have managed to get all that in one guy. We want to create a pathway to the US and IMSA racing from Australia, and this is a fantastic way to launch that. I want it to be January now! We're going to hit the track testing in January with Tom and his teammate, so we're looking forward to that."