- Paraplegic racer Tim Horrell excited to pilot No. 10 BMW M4 GT4 Machine near home
- Multi-time sports car series champ Matos brings experience to the famed road course
The phrase, “There is no place like home,” rings very true for sports car racers Tim Horrell and Raphael Matos as they come to the famed Sebring International Raceway this weekend (Sept. 23-25) for the Pirelli GT4 America doubleheader races at the 17-turn, 3.74-mile track.
The two Florida-based drivers will team up in the No. 10 Fast Track Racing BMW M4 GT4 machine at Sebring, their home racetrack, as the duo seek their initial 2022 podium performance in the two 60-minute, two-driver features set for Saturday (4:05 p.m. EDT) and Sunday (11:10 a.m. EDT).
Fast Track Racing has a strong history at Sebring in recent years with a GT4 runner-up placing with Toby Grahovec and Jayson Clunie during the 12 Hours of Sebring race weekend in a BMW M4. And the Texas-based squad believes the BMW M4 can produce a strong effort for the Horrell-Matos pairing.
Horrell, the paraplegic racer from Coral Springs, FL, is driving in his rookie campaign in the Pirelli GT4 America Pro-Am division and has shown solid speed in the BMW all season. Some tough luck has hurt Tim and Raphael’s chances of reaching the podium this year.
“The team has worked hard this year to give Tim and Rafa a strong car in the tough Pro-Am class,” said Grahovec, Fast Track Racing team manager. “We learned quite bit with hand controls which Tim uses and the driver changes in the pit stops. We think we’ll bring a strong BMW M4 to Sebring as both guys know the track very well. Sebring is a tricky place, and you need to be on your game behind the wheel.”
Horrell was seriously injured in a passenger car crash in 2011 when he lost the use of his legs, but he worked his way back to race in a variety of specially prepared cars beginning in 2018. Tim has won several classes in other racing series including sports cars and karting.
“I am super excited to be racing on my home track in front of some family and friends this weekend,” said Horrell. “Fast Track Racing has a lot of experience at Sebring. My teammate, Rafa, and I will be looking for our first podium finish of the year. It should be a great racing weekend.”
Matos, the Brazil native now residing in Boca Raton, FL, has a stellar racing resume including titles in the Trans-Am 2 series, Rolex 24 Hours, Barber Series, Mazda Pro Series, Pro Atlantic and Indy Lights. Rafa was also named the Indianapolis 500 ‘Rookie of the Year’ in 2009.
"We are looking forward going to Sebring as I consider Sebring my home track since it's only 2.5 hours from my home,” said Matos. “We had a successful test day there in the beginning of the season, so the car should be close to what we need as far as the set-up is concerned. I know the Fast Track team has had previous success at Sebring and I would love to get Tim and I up on the podium this weekend.”
Action in the Pirelli GT4 America division gets underway this Friday with practice rounds at 12 p.m. EDT and 5:15 p.m. EDT. Qualifying begins Saturday at 10:40 a.m. EDT with the one-hour Race 1 scheduled for 4:05 p.m. EDT. Race 2 will start at 11:10 a.m. EDT on Sunday.
Fast Track Racing will also field three TCX BMW M2 CS cars (Jacob Rudd, Garrett Adams and Olivia Askew) in the TC America competition at Sebring International Raceway in addition to the Pirelli GT4 America entry this weekend.
The Pirelli GT4 America events at Sebring will be telecast live on www.gt4-america.com with highlights set for the CBS Sports Network in the near future.
# # #
ABOUT FAST TRACK RACING: Fast Track Racing was founded in 2005. Fast Track Racing has sold 117 BMW factory race cars to our customers in the past five years. Fast Track Racing has earned six championships in the SRO World Challenge series, and two S.C.C.A. National Championships. Fast Track Racing is the first and only United States team to win the BMW Sports Trophy. In total, Fast Track Racing has earned 26 professional wins and over 100 total wins, including 22 poles and 113 podiums, with 23 of the fastest laps in SRO competition. As BMW Motorsport experts, Fast Track Racing also races these vehicles and knows them inside and out. Fast Track Racing is tenured, with track-tested experience. Fast Track Racing has engineering expertise and provides coaching and consultation to ensure a driver’s performance is maximized.