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Johnathan Hoggard claims Sunoco Whelen Challenge and drive at Daytona

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After a thrilling season-long battle, Johnathan Hoggard has secured the Sunoco Whelen Challenge and with it a dream drive in the 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona, courtesy of Whelen Engineering Inc and the Anglo American Oil Company Ltd.

Consistently quick throughout the year in the competitive BRDC British Formula 3 Championship, Johnathan not only took seven victories – more than anyone else – but also seven pole positions and eight fastest laps, all of which propelled him to Challenge success.

The 18-year old not only follows Linus Lundqvist, who won the Sunoco Whelen Challenge in 2018 after racing in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship, but also joins names such as Jonny Adam, Felipe Nasr, Seb Morris, and Phil Keen in a funded seat at the prestigious race.

It will be Johnathan’s first drive in endurance racing, but he will no doubt prove himself quick around the 5.73km sports car configuration of the famous Daytona International Speedway.

The prize drive is courtesy of the generosity of Sonny Whelen, who has helped a number of European racers make a name for themselves in the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

While Johnathan becomes the 11th Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner, it is all still to play for in the Sunoco 240 Challenge, where a number of competitors are in contention for a drive in the BMW Endurance Challenge contest, held before the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The Anglo American Oil Company donates the entry fee from all Challenge hopefuls, as well as donations from members of the public, to Team Fox for Parkinson’s Research, a worthy cause.

Final Sunoco Whelen Challenge standings (average points per race):

Johnathan Hoggard: 91.56
Clement Novalak: 79.38
Ayrton Simmonds: 74.06
Jonny Cocker: 71.00
Seb Priaulx: 61.65

Johnathan Hoggard, 2019 Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner

“I’ve watched the Rolex 24 for many years with drivers like Fernando Alonso and Felipe Nasr racing, so to be in it is a great opportunity and I am really thankful for it.

“I enjoy watching endurance racing; it’s a completely different style of competing. It isn’t just about outright speed it’s also about calculations, strategy, and things like that. It’s going to be a great experience.

“I wasn’t expecting to win the Challenge to be honest. Halfway through the season I was fourth or fifth, so those pole positions and fastest laps really can change the whole challenge around.

“It’s great what Whelen Engineering and the Anglo American Oil Company are doing with this drive they give away. I can’t thank them enough. It is great they are donating the prize.”

Anders Hildebrand, Anglo American Oil Company Ltd

“What has been impressive about Johnathan this year is that he is always quick. When he is on song, he gets fastest laps, pole positions, and wins, and that is how the Challenge points system is built; You have to be consistent to win, but you get a boost for the fastest laps and poles.

“If you are going to be a top-notch racer you have to be able to qualify and put in fast laps when needed, so I think he will be a very good ambassador for the Sunoco Whelen Challenge.

“He follows in the footsteps of Felipe Nasr and Linus Lundqvist, who won the prize last year. It is nice to see how a Formula 3 driver can jump into a GT3 or DPi and be on the pace straight away and I think Johnathan will show us what he is made of at Daytona.”

To find out more about Team Fox, is the grassroots community fundraising program of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, please visit: https://www.michaeljfox.org/teamfox

What are the Sunoco Challenges?

The Sunoco Challenges provide an accurate assessment and comparison of performances across multiple championships during any given season. Points are awarded for qualifying and race results, including fastest lap, which are then converted into an individual average score for each competing driver over the course of a full campaign.

That means each race weekend offers drivers an equal chance to climb and drop down their respective Sunoco Challenge table. It also ensures that performances are taken into consideration across an entire season while placing less emphasis on one-off or unfair results.

This year’s Sunoco Whelen Challenge champion will win a fully funded race seat at the 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona, courtesy of Whelen. Sunoco’s 240 Challenge champion will contest Daytona’s 240-minute BMW Endurance Challenge support race held over the same January weekend at the wheel of a Sunoco-supported GT4 car.

The Sunoco Challenges are organised by Sunoco Racing Fuels’ official European distributor, Anglo American Oil Company Ltd.

Sunoco Whelen Challenge-eligible series:

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
British GT Championship – GT3 Pro and GT4 Pro

Sunoco 240 Challenge-eligible series:

British GT Championship – GT3 Am and GT4 Am
F3 Cup
GT Cup Championship
Mini Challenge – JCW and Cooper Pro
Radical UK Challenge
Ginetta GT5 Challenge
Ginetta G40 Cup
Touring Car Trophy / TCR UK

Thrilling season-long battle for once-in-a-lifetime Daytona drive comes down to Donington Decider

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The Sunoco Whelen Challenge will come down to the wire at Donington Park in two weeks’ time (September 14/15), as a three-way battle to race at the 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona will finally be settled.

Clement Novalak and Johnathan Hoggard, both front-runners in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship, have consistently been at the sharp end of the Challenge standings this season. However, Ayrton Simmons has been within touching distance of the top spot with a consistent run of late, coupled with outstanding weekends at Spa and Silverstone.

The three drivers are separated by just five average points heading into the final two races, so a strong or disappointing weekend could swing things one final time. Currently, with the lead, Hoggard simply has to maximise his performance to remain on top, which is exactly what the teenager will be trying to do as he attempts to overhaul a 52-point gap in the BRDC F3 standings.

Novalak, meanwhile, is in an interesting position. Needing to simply stay in touch with Hoggard to ensure he remains on top of the championship would net him the BRDC F3 title but would not be enough to vault him back into top spot in the Sunoco Whelen Challenge. Therefore, he cannot rest if he wants to compete at the Daytona International Speedway in January.

For Simmons, things are clearer. He needs to top the times in qualifying to tie Hoggard in the Jack Cavill Pole Position cup, and with a 61-point deficit to Novalak in the championship, also needs a strong weekend to cause an upset. If he can achieve this then he could just steal the Challenge title in the process.

Whatever way it pans out at Donington Park in September, it has definitely been another fantastic Sunoco Whelen Challenge with three talented young drivers aiming to emulate 2018 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship victor Linus Lundqvist in appearing in the legendary Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Johnathan Hoggard, first place, 85.36 average points

“The BRDC British Formula 3 Championship is going well and I’m currently leading the Sunoco Whelen Challenge too. I am looking forward to seeing how it is going to pan out. I have been quite good at getting pole positions and points for fastest laps in the races so I’m looking forward to the final rounds of the season at Donington Park.

“Winning would be a good opportunity. Racing at Daytona would be different to driving a single-seater and having never raced in America it would be a great experience and open up a lot of opportunities. I want to win the drive and I’m going to give it my everything.”

Clement Novalak, second place, 82.14 average points

“It would be a cracking experience to drive around Daytona and race for 24 Hours. It would mean a lot, obviously, but we have to finish the work here first. We have been very consistent this season, with a few wins and lots of podiums, so hopefully we can keep doing that.

“Finishing the year on top would make me happy. Winning the Challenge would give you lots of exposure and people look at you as a driver for the future whether in the States or Europe. Winning the championship and the Challenge would help me move forwards to next year. It puts your name on the map wherever you are.”

Ayrton Simmons, third place, 80.36 points

“The step up from Formula 4 has been good. I think I have adapted well to a new car and some new circuits, so I am looking forward to the end of the season.

“The Sunoco Whelen Challenge is something I keep an eye on every weekend because it has an important prize at the end of it. Going to the States and racing there would put your name on the map. I haven’t raced in the US before so it would be cool to see how things work out there. I’m going to be pushing to get that Daytona drive and I’ll be giving it my all.”

What are the Sunoco Challenges?

The Sunoco Challenges provide an accurate assessment and comparison of performances across multiple championships during any given season. Points are awarded for qualifying and race results, including fastest lap, which are then converted into an individual average score for each competing driver over the course of a full campaign.

That means each race weekend offers drivers an equal chance to climb and drop down their respective Sunoco Challenge table. It also ensures that performances are taken into consideration across an entire season while placing less emphasis on one-off or unfair results.

This year’s Sunoco Whelen Challenge champion will win a fully-funded race seat at the 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona, courtesy of Whelen. Sunoco’s 240 Challenge champion will contest Daytona’s 240-minute BMW Endurance Challenge support race held over the same January weekend at the wheel of a Sunoco-supported GT4 car.

The Sunoco Challenges are organised by Sunoco Racing Fuels’ official European distributor, Anglo American Oil Company Ltd.

Sunoco Whelen Challenge-eligible series:

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
British GT Championship – GT3 Pro and GT4 Pro

Sunoco 240 Challenge-eligible series:

British GT Championship – GT3 Am and GT4 Am
F3 Cup
GT Cup Championship
Mini Challenge – JCW and Cooper Pro
Radical UK Challenge
Ginetta GT5 Challenge
Ginetta G40 Cup
Touring Car Trophy / TCR UK

Dual milestone celebration for Sunoco Whelen Challenge at Daytona

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With the 2019 Rolex 24 at Daytona rapidly approaching, the Anglo American Oil Company (AAOC) is celebrating two key milestones with its successful Sunoco Whelen Challenge.

This year is not only the tenth in which the winner of the Challenge will receive a drive in the prestigious 24-Hour contest around Daytona International Speedway, but also the fifth in partnership with Whelen Engineering, which funds the seat thanks to the generosity of owner Sonny Whelen.

Derek Johnston was the first Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner, taking part in the 2010 Rolex 24 At Daytona

In recognition of the generosity of Sonny, AAOC makes annual donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, though its Team Fox fundraising platform. The Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson’s today.

“Parkinson’s is an incurable degenerative brain disease,” said Sonny Whelen. “When you have Parkinson’s, the cells in your brain that create dopamine start to die off. That dopamine is basically like a grease for your car. Without it the wheels, the hinges, are going to get tight, and not move as well. You end up a bit like the tin-man in The Wizard of Oz.

“The good news is, you die with it not from it. It’s something you can continue to live with, and still do a lot of the things you want to do. I became involved with the Michael J. Fox Foundation, because it’s devoted to finding a cure, seeking better therapies and funding the research that needs to be done.”

Felipe Nasr races past the Sunoco sign in the 2012 Rolex 24 At Daytona, en route to third place.

For 2019, AAOC has produced a very limited number of desktop calendars celebrating ten years of the Sunoco Whelen Challenge, which are available to anyone who kindly donates at least $10 to its fundraising page. If you would like to contribute, please visit the following link:

https://fundraise.michaeljfox.org/tf-2019/SunocoWhelenChallenge