CB Motorsports Takes Step Up to GS with Mercedes for Road America

ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. (4 August 2021) – CB Motorsports will take a big step forward midway through its inaugural season in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (IMPC), switching to racing a Mercedes-AMG in the GS class beginning with the August 7 race at Road America.

After running a Hyundai Veloster N in TCR since the 2021 IMPC opener at Daytona International Speedway, the team recently leased a Mercedes-AMG for its move to the series’ premier category, to be driven by team regulars Mark Kvamme and Trenton Estep.

“Our clients wanted to make the jump to GS, so we leased the new Mercedes,” said team owner Chad Bacon. “It’s a big jump and a lot of work ahead, but we got a lot accomplished in our limited amount of time with the car. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough time to take it to a track, so Road America will be the test.”

Bacon is excited to head back to a track that he has plenty of experience at.

“I drove my first IMSA race at Road America in 1986, so I’ve got a lot of experience there,” Bacon said. “Road America is a great track, and we look forward to going back.”

Based in a new 9,000-square foot shop in Mooresville, N.C., CB Motorsports returned to IMSA after competing in the SRO TC America ranks. Following in the footsteps of his father, four-time Rolex 24 At Daytona GTU class winner Dr. Al Bacon, Chad Bacon began his racing career in the late 1980s driving his father’s Mazda MX-6 in GTU. His career highlights include finishing second in the SCCA National Championship Runoffs in GT3 in both 2015 and 2019. He’s now overseeing the career of his son Caleb, who turned 16 a few days before hitting the high banks of Daytona for the 2021 IMSA opener.

While the team will concentrate on the new Mercedes for Road America, Bacon hopes to field cars in both classes for the final three races of the season, beginning at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Sept. 11.

“We had our struggles with some reliability issues, but now we have the Hyundai pretty much figured out,” Chad Bacon said. “We’ve been in the top three, speed-wise, every weekend, only to have parts failures take us out. Now I think we’re in a pretty good spot with the TCR car, we have been in negotiations with a driver to join my son Caleb for the final three races of the season. I hope to make the announcement next week”

The team’s long-term goal is to compete in IMSA’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

“I’d love to work our way back to WeatherTech so we could get that fifth Rolex,” he said. “it would be amazing to bring my father his fifth Rolex win, but we’ve got some steps to get there.”