FARA Miami Grand Prix: DirectGraphix-Steadfast Racing’s Ligier JS51 and JS53 Evo 2 make a splash in the USA.
29-31 March 2024 - At the FARA Miami Grand Prix in the United States, the DirectGraphix-Steadfast team put the spotlight on the French manufacturer's Ligier CNs. With a Ligier JS51 and a Ligier JS53 Evo 2 entered over the weekend, the American team took several wins and podiums.
Ligier CNs: the start of the brand's revival in the 2000s
While the French manufacturer is best known for its Le Mans sports prototypes, its single-seaters and its GT revival, the Ligier JS2 R, forget that it all started again for the French marque with the CN category. In 2004, at the age of 74, Guy Ligier made his return to the world of competition. At the Magny-Cours circuit, he took over the teams and workshops of Tico Martini, his long-time friend, and set about building his first CN category sports-prototype, the Ligier JS49. Then came the JS51 and JS53.
In 2014, Ligier returned to the top of the endurance scene with the birth of an LMP2, the Ligier JS P2, under the leadership of Jacques Nicolet, to whom Guy Ligier entrusted the mission of reviving the French marque. A new version of the Ligier JS53, the Ligier JS53 Evo 2, came out of the historic Magny-Cours workshops, at the same time as the manufacturer was working on the LMP2 and LMP3.
CN Ligier: on track around the world
Present in Europe and the United States, CN Ligiers continue to win over enthusiasts. In Florida, Mac Lewis and Jesse Gröse's newly-formed racing team, DirectGraphix-Steadfast Racing, has opted for these cars for its 2024 season, with a Ligier JS51 and a Ligier JS53 Evo 2. It's a choice that has already paid off, with several victories and podium finishes for the American team at the FARA Miami Grand Prix on 29 and 31 March 2024.
Competing in the FARA Prototype 2 category, the #100 Ligier JS53 Evo 2 finished top of the meeting's sprint races in the hands of Mac Lewis (the meeting consists of four sprint races with a final ranking based on the average of the team's finishing positions in each race).
The #5 Ligier JS51, eligible for the FARA Prototype 3 category, was not to be underestimated as well. It finished second in the sprint races with Jimmy Crawford at the controls.
In the meeting's two-hour endurance race, only the #100 Ligier JS53 Evo 2 was entered. Mac Lewis and Jesse Gröse in the #100 crossed the line third overall and first in the FARA Prototype 2 class. A promising start for the team, which has no intention of stopping there.
"Both Ligiers performed beautifully all weekend,” comments Jesse Gröse, team's resident professional driver and driver coach. “We have some work to do to get the best out of both cars for the next race at Sebring, but I think we are getting close to where we want to be as drivers and team owners. I look forward to jumping back into the Ligier JS53 Evo 2 very soon."
The DirectGraphix-Steadfast Racing team will be back on track with its Ligier CNs at Sebring International Raceway for the FARA Memorial 300 on May 25-26.
More information:
- DirectGraphix-Steadfast Racing: CLICK HERE.
- CN Ligier: CLICK HERE.
- The complete results of the FARA Miami Grand Prix: CLICK HERE.