MDK Motorsports move up a gear from GTD-to-GTD Pro for Daytona

MDK Motorsports have announced that they will switching from their entry has a GTD competitor to GTD Pro for this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The Ohio-based team qualified in GTD at last weekend’s Roar Before the Rolex 24, however the team has decided to move to the higher of the two GT3-based classes only three days before the race.

Jan Magnussen, Trenton Estep, Jason Hart and team owner Mark Kvamme continue to form the driver line-up, has to the official entry list.

Spokesperson for MDK Mororsport told the media that their reason to move up a class was the driver balance for the full season will now be all Pro’s, so it made sense to start here at Daytona.

The MDK Motorsport spokesperson went on to say “In addition, we see great opportunity as a team in the class from both a competition standpoint and for attracting partners. There may be some strategic advantages also.”

One potential “strategic advantage” of switching classes is the GTD Pro category’s more lenient drive time requirements.

In GTD, drivers must complete at least four and a half hours during the race, however the minimum race seat time for all drivers in GTD Pro is two hours.

The No. 53 Porsche’s switch increases the GTD Pro field to ten entries, while GTD has gone down to 23 cars.

MDK Motorsports is planning to contest the four-round Michelin Endurance Cup, however it is unclear if the team will enter the three other races in GTD Pro or GTD.