As the calendar nears the end of the twelfth month of the year, sports car driver Robby Foley reflects on a season of highs and lows. Competing in three major series including the Pirelli World Challenge, IMSA Prototype Challenge and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the 22-year-old was blessed with the opportunity to not only get behind the wheel, but to compete at the highest level of sports car competition in the United States.
“2018 was a dream year in many ways, and an important one for my young career,” explained Foley. “As I reflect on the season, I feel very thankful for the great people I have in my corner and without them I wouldn’t be where I am today. The season was filled with ups and downs, with a full spectrum of emotions, but I’m happy with the experience I’ve gained, a solid foundation to help me build towards the future.”
Way back in January, Foley was presented a pair of opportunities. Joining P1 Motorsports for the IMSA Prototype Challenge season, the New Jersey native was also part of the iconic Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in a GTD effort with Mercedes and drivers such as JC Perez, Kenton Koch and Loris Spinelli.
Foley continued, “The Rolex 24 was a bucket list event for me and I am very thankful to be able to take part in it. As a kid, I grew up trying to stay up all night to watch on TV or trackside, and to actually compete in the event was a dream come true. Since the checkered flag in January, I have been working hard to make sure I have many more Rolex 24 opportunities in the future.”
Throughout the LMP3 season, Foley was teamed with Jim Garrett as they managed to secure third in the IMSA Prototype Challenge Masters Championship. On the strength of multiple podiums and valiant efforts, Foley and Garrett garnered enough points to just miss out on the overall series title chase. Not without adversity, Foley continued to grow as a driver and take each and every opportunity and scenario in stride and not only better his driving abilities and gain experience, but to better himself as a racer too.
With his success behind the wheel in multiple categories, Robby Foley was presented with more driving opportunities as the 2018 season progressed. In May, Foley joined Turner Motorsport in their BMW M6 GT3 car for a test at Watkins Glen. With the test going well, Foley was invited to join legendary driver Bill Auberlen in some sprint style races. While luck was not on their side, the race pace was there as they showed speed to compete for race wins and podium results through the remainder of the 2018 season.
Moving onwards through the year, Foley joined Flying Lizard Motorsports for a one off event to fill in for a driver that was forced to miss a race due to prior obligations.
Foley continued, “I was able to drive an Audi R8 GT4 LMS with my buddy Michael Dinan in the PWC GTS-X Pro/Am category against some stout competition. We had some BOP adjustments made to the car throughout the weekend, but once the series settled on our package, we had solid pace. The car in that configuration was very fast through the corners, but lacked top speed, which made racing an exciting challenge.”
“There are a ton of people I need to thank for a successful 2018. My coaching clients for allowing me to do what I love as well as providing me with a revenue stream in my dream industry. To all the team owners, partners, supporters, family and friends that keep pushing me to do what I love, thank you,” Foley expressed, “A huge shout out to these guys for trusting me with their equipment: Jim Garret of P1 Motorsports, JC Perez, and Kathy Perez, Will Turner of Turner Motorsport and Partners, and Michael Dinan from the Flying Lizard Motorsports stable. Again, thank you to all.”
With the year now over, more than fifty flights behind him and countless stays in hotels, Robby Foley has shifted his focus to the 2019 racing season. Announced just last week that he will rejoin Turner Motorsports in a full season effort, Foley will see competition in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD division as well as a part-time effort in the GS ranks. Stay tuned for even more announcements from Foley as he looks to put the finishing touches on a few additional programs for the 2019 season.
With an updated website now launched and further announcements on the horizon, be sure to follow Robby Foley Racing via his social media channels and visit him online at www.RobbyFoleyRacing.com.