Klimas joins Skip Barber Racing for 2024 Toyota GR Cup North America
James Klimas will join the Skip Barber Racing program for the 2024 Toyota GR Cup North America season, piloting the No. 61 Middletown Toyota Toyota GR86.
Klimas made his debut with Skip Barber Racing last season with an outing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This season, he will be with the team for all 14 rounds of the championship. Toyota has been a part of the Klimas’ DNA for decades as his family has owned and operated the Middletown Toyota dealership in Connecticut since 1975, coincidentally the same state and the same year that the Skip Barber Racing School was founded.
“Since I’m from Connecticut, I’ve always known and heard of the Skip Barber name since they were originally located at Lime Rock Park,” Klimas said. “Naturally, I contacted them to enroll in their racing school. Coming from a family business, I felt right at home, even more, when I arrived at my first school at VIRginia International Raceway. I wanted to use a production GR86 since my goal was to compete in GR Cup.
“Everyone at the Skip Barber team was very supportive in making sure my car was safe to operate on a racetrack and with my specific needs due to my disability. I really felt like a part of their team, even during the beginning stages of my racing education. Because of Skip Barber’s professionalism and dedication, I already felt like a part of their team and family so naturally it felt right to ask them to support me for the GR Cup series.”
“We ran James at Indianapolis in his first-ever GR Cup race and it was nothing but an awesome experience getting to know him and watching him progress in the car,” Skip Barber Racing team manager Joe Monitto said, “Toyota’s development of the paddle-shifters combined with James’ perseverance gave us an unforgettable race last season. The entire team is excited to take what we learned last season and help James exceed his goals.”
