Jaguar/Castrol Tie-Up in USA

Tom Walkinshaw Racing, which runs the World Sportscar Championship-winning Jaguars, is linking up with another leading British company in 1988, for its first season in American IMSA GT racing.

Having taken over Jaguar’s racing programme in the USA from Bob Tullius’ Group 44 team, TWR will campaign two new XJR-9 chassis in America’s prestigious sportscar series with substantial backing from Castrol for a three-year period.

The XJR-9 will be powered by a new 6-litre Jaguar V12 engine and run in Castrol’s familiar red and green livery on Dunlop tyres.

In addition to the ubiquitous Porsches, the Jaguar faces strong opposition from Nissans and Corvettes, which it will face for the first time at the classic Daytona 24-Hour race on January 30 next year.

Walkinshaw hopes to have his World Champion driver, Raul Boesel (who will be racing Indycars in the USA) on the payroll for the IMSA series, which will run alongside his existing WSC programme.