SmarTrack Series Elite announce GT Cup drivers for the 11th/12th July

The GT Cup is delighted to welcome Series Elite to the championship for the opening round of the 2020 season. This marks the team's debut in the championship and they will be fielding four Jaguar Project 8 cars in the GTA group. The Project 8 car is based on Jaguar's popular XE saloon and will be the first Jaguar to race in the series.

With an impressive driver line up in the GTA group, the four-car team expect to be on the podium in both the sprint races and the endurance pit stop races, too. And the driver lineup is as follows:

Car 22 – Immanuel Vinke from Germany. He will compete in all four races at Snetterton in his Solenal liveried Jaguar Project 8. He has competed in GT4, GT3, ELMS and VLN mainly in Europe.

Immanuel said: “I am very excited to be with Series Elite and proud to be supported by Solenal especially during these current and challenging times.”

Car 23 – James Kellett from England and Alex Stevenson from Scotland. They will pair up to race their Wheldrake Classic Cars Project 8.

In 2019, James coached Alex throughout his first year of competition whilst driving a BTCC Honda Accord and a TVR Grantura.

Kellett has won eight karting championships and four Ginetta Championships, as well as the BRDC Rising Star award.

James Kellet said: “I am so looking forward to racing again and since coaching my team-mate Alex, our aim is to go for another championship.”

 Alex Stevenson said: “Last year I learned a lot from James and I’m excited about racing the amazing Project 8 Jaguar with my multi championship team-mate!”

Car 24 – TBC

Car 25 – Ruben Del Sarte from The Netherlands and Raphael Del Sarte from France. This is a father/son pairing in the Feline Fields backed Project 8.

With Ruben progressing from Ginetta Juniors to McLaren GT3 and GT4 over the last few years, this is the first time he has his father as his team-mate.

Raphael was introduced to UK motorsport 33 years ago when he raced for Graeme Glew’s ‘Team Touraco’ in Formula First.

Since then, Raphael has contested in Formula Ford and Formula 3 whilst competing in no less than 13 Formula Ford Festivals at Brands Hatch, before hanging up his helmet.

Now Raphael has a new race license, as well as a new helmet!

Ruben said: “My future in racing is endurance so this opportunity with Series Elite and the chance to race with my father as my team-mate is awesome.”

 Raphael said: “It is a dream to be able to race with my son Ruben and we are both looking forward to racing the Project 8 Jaguar, I have known Graeme for many years, and we have always had a lot of fun!”

Team Principle Graeme Glew commented “ It looks as though we are at last up and running, the cars have all been prepared for endurance racing, we have a great driver line up and I’m hoping to announce drivers for our fourth car very soon, it will be strange to race in a new unknown environment but having Solenal as a sponsor we will be well protected from the elements!”

Snetterton will host the first four rounds of the revised GT Cup calendar for 2020. This will also be held behind closed doors, whilst operating under strict social distancing and Personal Protective Equipment [PPE] rules and guidelines.