Finalizing a piece to their 2020 season program, Copeland Motorsports is expanding their full-time efforts in the SRO Motorsports Group TC America program. After acquiring a Hyundai Veloster N TCR during the current 2019 season and topping the podium blocks in their very first event weekend, Copeland Motorsports is expanding again within the series in an all Hyundai program with support from Bryan Herta Autosport.
Included in their 2020 TC America Hyundai branded race team will be a minimum of a pair of Hyundai Veloster Ns competing in TCR, as well as two cars in the competitive TCA ranks with a completely new Hyundai race car built for the North American market. With two drivers already signed to compete in 2020, Copeland Motorsports has at least two seats available for the 2020 season.
Rejoining the Copeland Motorsports program in 2020 will be young guns and the future of sportscar racing, Tyler Gonzalez and Tyler Maxson. The pair of multi-time karting champions exploded onto the scene in 2019 taking multiple different series by storm. Looking forward to their 2020 campaigns, Maxson will level up and pilot a Hyundai Veloster N in the TCR ranks, the same car that has proven success in the past two seasons of competition. Competing in TCA in 2019 and set to claim the TC America Rookie of the Year honors, Maxson will advance to TCR within the all new Hyundai only program. Tyler Gonzalez will be behind the wheel of the all new TCA Hyundai and will be a major threat for race wins, podium results and the series championship in his rookie season after showing great pace at his first test this past week at Putnam Park in Indiana.
“It is always exciting to see our program continue to expand,” said team owner Dean Copeland. “We have had great success this season in TC America, so to be growing within the series and having the ability to run more cars is a huge accomplishment for the team. Also, a big thank you to both the Maxson and Gonzalez family for believing in us, but also to Bryan Herta and his Bryan Herta Autosport program for all of the help and support that they have provided and will continue to provide in the quest for race wins and podiums in 2020.”
“It has been a pretty good venture into the car racing world, and I learned a ton this season,” expressed Maxson. “After moving to the TC America TCA class mid-season, and seeing the TCR cars on track, I knew that is where I wanted to be. The Hyundai Veloster N is the premier car on the grid, and I can’t wait to race one next season and start testing in the very near future.”
Tyler Gonzalez added, “I had the opportunity to test the first ever Hyundai Veloster TCA car last week in Indiana. It was meant to be a shake down test, but we were able to get after it. It was great to be invited out by Bryan Herta Autosport to test the car and confirm our direction for 2020.”
“Dean and his team at Copeland Motorsports have been super to work with this year. Their record speaks for itself, and we are thrilled that already they are our first team in TCR competition with the Veloster N TCR, and now will be the first team to commit to running the all new Veloster Turbo R-Spec in TCA competition,” explained Bryan Herta from Bryan Herta Autosport. “We look forward to continuing our close relationship with the team and giving all their drivers all the tools and information we can as they chase more wins and podiums next season.”
To round out their program, Copeland Motorsports is still looking to sign at least two more drivers to their lineup and invites anyone with an interest to contact the team to inquire.
Photo: Red Case Photography