Former IndyCar team Walker Racing aiming to stay in sportscars

The US arm of the Japanese Falken Tire organisation has announced that it is ending an involvement in top-line sportscar racing in North America that stretches back to 2008, as a result of changes in marketing strategy.

Indianapolis-based Walker has masterminded the Falken programme with Porsche, first in the American Le Man Series and then the Tudor United SportsCar Championship, since 2011 and is now looking at how it can remain in the discipline.

Team owner Derrick Walker, whose squad won races in CART and then Champ Car with Scott Goodyear, Robbie Gordon and Gil de Ferran, said: "We really have enjoyed sportscar racing and are now in the process of exploring other racing opportunities to utilise our experienced team in some other programme.

"While I'm disappointed that Falken Tire has changed its marketing strategy, we appreciate our time together — we've had a great five years."

Walker took over Falken's assault on the ALMS, previously run-in house from California, for the 2011 season.

It went on to claim five class victories in the GT class of the ALMS and GT Le Mans in the USC with Porsche, most famously winning the Petit Le Mans enduro in 2013 and 2014.

Falken had entered the ALMS with the Black Swan Ford team in 2008.

REMEMBER WHEN...

Gil de Ferran started third and claimed the lead after Helio Castroneves retired with a mechanical problem and Juan Pablo Montoya spun.

Montoya reclaimed the lead, but de Ferran ran an alternate strategy to come out on top, finishing 4.393 seconds clear of the eventual champion, with Dario Franchitti third.