Luca Mars
American racing driver (born 2006)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Luca Mars (born March 7, 2006) is an American racing driver who competes in the 2025 Michelin Pilot Challenge for RennSport1.[1] He previously competed in the 2024 GT World Challenge America driving for Racers Edge Motorsports.[2] He is the 2024 IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge GSX champion.[3]
American| Luca Mars | |
|---|---|
Mars at Watkins Glen in 2024 | |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | March 7, 2006 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Michelin Pilot Challenge career | |
| Debut season | 2022 |
| Current team | RennSport1 |
| Racing licence |  FIA Silver |
| Car number | 28 |
| Former teams | KohR Motorsports, Van der Steur Racing |
| Starts | 29 (30 entries) |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 4 |
| Poles | 1 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Best finish | 14th in 2024 |
| Previous series | |
| 2023–24 2023 2023 2022 2021 2020 | IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge GT4 America Series IMSA SportsCar Championship Trans-Am Series Mazda MX-5 Cup F2000 Championship Series |
| Championship titles | |
| 2024 | IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge |
Career
Mazda MX-5 Cup
In 2021, Mars joined the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup driving for Copeland Motorsports. He would have a best finish of third at Mid-Ohio and finished sixth in the championship.
Michelin Pilot Challenge
2022
In 2022, Mars would move over to sportscar racing to compete in the 2022 Michelin Pilot Challenge driving the No. 60 Ford Mustang GT4 for KohR Motorsports.[4] He would be joined by Nate Stacy to drive the car. For the final two races of the season at Virginia International Raceway and Road Atlanta, Mars would join teammates Billy Johnson and Bob Michaelian in the No. 59 Ford Mustang GT4.[5] Mars finished the final race at Road Atlanta on the podium in third alongside Johnson and Michealian.[citation needed]
2023
On January 4, 2023, it was announced that Mars would return to the series to compete in the 2023 Michelin Pilot Challenge driving the No. 59 Ford Mustang GT4 for KohR Motorsports.[6] He would be joined by Bob Michaelian as his teammate. Midway through the season, Mars joined Van der Steur Racing to compete in the TCR only event at Lime Rock Park, where he finished fifth.[citation needed]
2024
Mars returned to the series for a third season once again driving the newest Ford Mustang GT4 alongside Bob Michaelian.[7] He and Michaelian would have a season best finish of third at Virginia International Raceway and the pair finished 14th in the championship.[citation needed]
IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge
2023
Alongside his Michelin Pilot Challenge campaign, Mars would enter the Sebring races in the 2023 IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge in the No. 59 Ford Mustang GT4 for KohR Motorsports.[8] He would have mixed fortunes with a win on his debut in race one, but retiring the following race.[citation needed]
2024
In 2024, Mars returned to the series for a full season campaign once again driving the No. 59 Ford Mustang GT4 for KohR Motorsports.[9] He would go on to have his most successful season with six wins, four poles, and nine podiums to clinch the championship before race 12 at Road Atlanta.[3]
Racing record
Career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | F2000 Championship Series | John Walko Racing | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 143 | 7th |
| 2021 | Mazda MX-5 Cup | Copeland Motorsports | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3210 | 6th |
| 2022 | Trans-Am Series | Race for RP | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 12th |
| Michelin Pilot Challenge - GS | KohR Motorsports | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1530 | 17th | |
| 2023 | Michelin Pilot Challenge - GS | KohR Motorsports | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1730 | 16th |
| IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge - GSX | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 480 | 25th | ||
| IMSA SportsCar Championship - LMP3 | JDC–Miller MotorSports | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 42nd | |
| GT4 America Series | JTR Motorsports Engineering | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 21st | |
| Michelin Pilot Challenge - TCR | Van der Steur Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 260 | 28th | |
| 2024 | IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge - GSX | KohR Motorsports | 11 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 3210 | 1st |
| Michelin Pilot Challenge - GS | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1920 | 14th | ||
| GT World Challenge America - Pro | Racers Edge Motorsports | 13 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 192 | 3rd | |
| 2025 | Michelin Pilot Challenge - GS | RennSport1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 320* | 2nd* |
| GT4 America Series - Silver | van der Steur Racing | ||||||||
| 2026 | Michelin Pilot Challenge - GS | Turner Motorsport |
* Season still in progress.
Complete Mazda MX-5 Cup results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Complete IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Make | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | KohR Motorsports | GSX | Ford Mustang GT4 | Ford 5.2 L Voodoo V8 | DAY 1 |
DAY 2 |
SEB 1 1 |
SEB 2 18 |
MOS 1 |
MOS 2 |
LIM 1 |
LIM 2 |
VIR 1 |
VIR 2 |
ATL 1 |
ATL 2 |
25th | 480 |
| 2024 | KohR Motorsports | GSX | Ford Mustang GT4 | Ford 5.0 L Coyote V8 | DAY 1 1 |
DAY 2 1 |
STP 1 3 |
STP 2 4 |
MOH 1 1 |
MOH 2 3 |
MOS 1 2 |
MOS 2 5 |
VIR 1 1 |
VIR 2 1 |
ATL 1 1 |
ATL 2 DNS |
1st | 3560 |
Complete Michelin Pilot Challenge results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Make | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | KohR Motorsports | Grand Sport | Ford Mustang GT4 | Ford 5.2 L Voodoo V8 | DAY |
SEB 13 |
LGA 12 |
MOH 4 |
WGL 8 |
MOS |
LIM 17 |
ELK 19 |
VIR 22† |
ATL 3 |
17th | 1530 |
| 2023 | KohR Motorsports | Grand Sport | Ford Mustang GT4 | Ford 5.2 L Voodoo V8 | DAY 23 |
SEB 17 |
LGA 20 |
DET 16 |
WGL DNS |
MOS 13 |
ELK 2 |
VIR 5 |
IMS 10 |
ATL 4 |
16th | 1730 |
| Van der Steur Racing | Touring Car | Hyundai Veloster N TCR | Hyundai 2.0 L Turbo I-4 | DAY |
SEB |
LGA |
WGL |
MOS |
LIM 5 |
ELK |
VIR |
IMS |
ATL |
28th | 260 | |
| 2024 | KohR Motorsports | Grand Sport | Ford Mustang GT4 | Ford 5.0 L Coyote V8 | DAY 8 |
SEB 23 |
LGA 14 |
MOH 8 |
WGL 19 |
MOS 11 |
ELK 4 |
VIR 3 |
IMS 12 |
ATL 19 |
14th | 1920 |
| 2025 | RennSport1 | Grand Sport | Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport | Porsche MDG 4.0 L Flat-6 | DAY 2 |
SEB |
LGA |
MOH |
WGL |
MOS |
ELK |
VIR |
IMS |
ATL |
2nd* | 320* |
† Mars received a post-race penalty and was moved to the back of his class
* Season still in progress.
