ABOUT
ABOUT LUCA
STORY OF A CHAMPION
Pittsburgh born and raised, Luca Mars has been racing for more than a decade before his 18th birthday. He made his professional GT racing debut in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, GS Class, during the 2022 12 Hours of Sebring. Luca was also selected for the Honda Performance Development GT3 Driver Academy program that same year. For the 2023 season Luca returned to the Pilot Challenge series, moving from the opening driver slot to the closing driver role alongside Bob Michaelian along with making his IMSA WeatherTech Series debut with JDC Motorsports in the LMP3 class at the Roex 24 Hours of Daytona. The 2024 season will mark an exciting change as the entire 2023 program returns in full force. Luca and Bob will co-drive the brand new KohR Motorsports 2024 S650 GT4 Mustang for the full season!
Top Karting Ranks
Luca’s earliest memories are trackside watching his father, Brett Mars, compete. After seeing other young drivers on karts at their local track, Pittsburgh International Race Complex, they decided to give karting a try when Luca was just 5 years old.
The young racer moved through the ranks quickly, from local race wins to Championships at the highest levels of North American karting, including WKA, USPKS, SKUSA, Florida Winter Tour, Rok Cup and Rotax US Finals. He earned the opportunity to travel the world on multiple occasions representing Team USA and capped a stellar Junior career that culminated with being selected as the sole US representative to the CIK/FIA Academy Trophy Series. Consistent top ten finishes including a 4th at the Rok World Finals and a 6th at the Rotax Grand Finals solidified Luca’s position among the elite worldwide talent.
A single season foray in the top tier of US Senior karting netted Luca a co #1 ranking Nationally. That final season also marked the beginning of a new chapter with the addition of testing and racing an F2000 open wheel car.
"Could have saved it."
-Luca Mars
Success in Cars
Once Luca stepped up into cars, success came quickly with wins and podiums in SCCA as well as Formula Race Productions F2000 Championship Series. This led to further testing, including in USF2000 series cars as well as an MX5 Cup car. Luca’s early memories of his dad racing were re-ignited and his focus shifted to the IMSA Mazda MX5 Cup for 2021.
As a rookie, Luca finished 6th in the MX-5 Cup Championship on the strength of 11 top ten finishes, including 5 top fives, 1 podium and 3 Hard Charger awards! In addition to the MX-5 Cup races, Luca was able to turn his first laps in GT level equipment contesting several World Racing League rounds aboard a GT4 BMW with multiple podium finishes. He also tested a Lamborghini Super Trofeo as well as a GT4 Mustang at Daytona.
The test at Daytona with KohR Motorsports quickly translated to a full time IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge opportunity. Luca’s season kicked off at the second round during the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring event, one week after Luca’s 16th birthday. He reeled off 6 of 7 top five qualifying efforts and two podium finishes. While the 2023 season started out slowly, the last half of the season showed results to match the expectations as Luca and Bob scored the second most points in the last five races including three Top 5 finishes and a podium at Road America.
Get to know luca
DREAM CAR
2024 Ford Bronco
FAVORITE DRIVER
BILL AUBERLEN
PERSONAL HERO
HIS DAD
IDEAL SUPERPOWER
SLOW DOWN TIME
Get to know luca
FAVORITE DRIVER
BILL AUBERLEN
DREAM CAR
2024 Ford Bronco
IDEAL SUPERPOWER
SLOW DOWN TIME
PERSONAL HERO
HIS DAD
| DATE | TRACK | LOCATION | SERIES |
|---|---|---|---|
|
JAN 19 - JAN 21 |
Daytona International Speedway |
Daytona Beach, FL |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
JAN 19 - JAN 21 |
Daytona International Speedway |
Daytona Beach, FL |
IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge |
|
JAN 24 - JAN 28 |
Daytona International Speedway |
Daytona Beach, FL |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
MAR 8 - MAR 10 |
St. Petersburg |
St. Petersburg, FL |
IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge |
|
MAR 13 - MAR 16 |
Sebring International Raceway |
Sebring, FL |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
APR 5 - APR 7 |
Sonoma Raceway |
Sonoma, CA |
Fanatec GT World Challenge America |
|
MAY 3 - MAY 5 |
Sebring International Raceway |
Sebring, FL |
Fanatec GT World Challenge America |
|
MAY 10 - MAY 12 |
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca |
Salinas, CA |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
MAY 17 - MAY 19 |
Circuit of the Americas |
Austin, TX |
Fanatec GT World Challenge America |
|
JUN 7 - JUN 9 |
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course |
Lexington, OH |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
JUN 7 - JUN 9 |
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course |
Lexington, OH |
IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge |
|
JUN 20 - JUN 23 |
Watkins Glen International |
Watkins Glen, NY |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
JUL 12 - JUL 14 |
Canadian Tire Motorsports Park |
Bowmanville, ON, Canada |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
JUL 12 - JUL 14 |
Canadian Tire Motorsports Park |
Bowmanville, ON, Canada |
IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge |
|
JUL 19 - JUL 21 |
VIRginia International Raceway |
Alton, VA |
Fanatec GT World Challenge America |
|
AUG 2 - AUG 4 |
Road America |
Plymouth, WA |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
AUG 16 - AUG 18 |
Road America |
Plymouth, WA |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
AUG 23 - AUG 25 |
VIRginia International Raceway |
Alton, VA |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
AUG 23 - AUG 25 |
VIRginia International Raceway |
Alton, VA |
IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge |
|
SEP 6 - SEP 8 |
Barber Motorsports Park |
Leeds, AL |
Fanatec GT World Challenge America |
|
SEP 20 - SEP 22 |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
Indianapolis, IN |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
OCT 4 - OCT 6 |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
Indianapolis, IN |
Fanatec GT World Challenge America |
|
OCT 9 - OCT 12 |
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta |
Braselton, GA |
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge |
|
OCT 9 - OCT 12 |
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta |
Braselton, GA |
IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge |
| DATE | TRACK |
|---|---|
|
JAN 19 - JAN 21 |
Daytona International Speedway |
|
JAN 19 - JAN 21 |
Daytona International Speedway |
|
JAN 24 - JAN 28 |
Daytona International Speedway |
|
MAR 8 - MAR 10 |
St. Petersburg |
|
MAR 13 - MAR 16 |
Sebring International Raceway |
|
APR 5 - APR 7 |
Sonoma Raceway |
|
MAY 3 - MAY 5 |
Sebring International Raceway |
|
MAY 10 - MAY 12 |
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca |
|
MAY 17 - MAY 19 |
Circuit of the Americas |
|
JUN 7 - JUN 9 |
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course |
|
JUN 7 - JUN 9 |
IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge |
|
JUN 20 - JUN 23 |
Watkins Glen International |
|
JUL 12 - JUL 14 |
Canadian Tire Motorsports Park |
|
JUL 12 - JUL 14 |
Canadian Tire Motorsports Park |
|
JUL 19 - JUL 21 |
VIRginia International Raceway |
|
AUG 2 - AUG 4 |
Road America |
|
AUG 16 - AUG 18 |
Road America |
|
AUG 23 - AUG 25 |
VIRginia International Raceway |
|
AUG 23 - AUG 25 |
VIRginia International Raceway |
|
SEP 6 - SEP 8 |
Barber Motorsports Park |
|
SEP 20 - SEP 22 |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
|
OCT 4 - OCT 6 |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
|
OCT 9 - OCT 12 |
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta |
|
OCT 9 - OCT 12 |
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta |
*Dates listed twice are races when Luca runs both the Michelin Pilot Challenge and the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge*