Gradient Racing Bio
Gradient Racing is an American sports car racing team founded in 2018 by Andris Laivins and based in Austin, Texas. The organization fields Acura NSX GT3 machinery and competes primarily in the GTD class of the IMSA SportsCar Championship while maintaining a presence in other high-profile GT series since its competitive debut in 2019.
Early Life and Background
Gradient Racing was established at the end of 2018 by Andris Laivins, who had prior experience as a team manager with CJ Wilson Racing. The team formed an operational alliance with Acura and acquired an Acura NSX GT3 chassis to build its program around a manufacturer-supported platform.
Based in Austin, Texas, Gradient Racing prepared for competition by assembling personnel and drivers with GT experience and by entering regional and national GT events to develop familiarity with the NSX GT3. The team completed its competitive debut program the following year, launching into established GT competition against experienced pro-am and pro lineups.
Path to MotorSports
Gradient Racing made its first race appearances in the Blancpain GT World Challenge America series in 2019, fielding an Acura NSX GT3 as it introduced the team identity and race operations. The early program focused on building racecraft, team procedures, and driver pairings suitable for sprint and pro-am GT competition.
The transition from GT World Challenge America to the IMSA SportsCar Championship followed as the team sought a broader endurance and North American manufacturer presence. Gradient Racing’s move into IMSA marked a step onto a national stage, leveraging Acura machinery and an evolving driver roster to pursue competitiveness in the GTD class.
Gradient Racing Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Gradient Racing’s on-track debut came in the 2019 Blancpain GT World Challenge America season, where the team ran an Acura NSX GT3 and signed drivers including Till Bechtolsheimer and Ryan Eversley, with lineup changes later in the season. The team completed its first season with a fourth-place result in the Pro-Am Cup standings, establishing a base of performance and operational experience.
In 2020 Gradient Racing moved into the IMSA SportsCar Championship program, focusing on WeatherTech Sprint Cup rounds in the GTD class. The team entered an Acura NSX GT3 with drivers Till Bechtolsheimer and Marc Miller for sprint events, and the season included an adjusted schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the team racing at Daytona in a two-hour and forty-minute sprint. Gradient Racing secured a best result of seventh at Sebring and finished the 2020 GTD Sprint Cup standings fourteenth overall.
GT World Challenge America Breakthrough (2019)
Gradient Racing’s first full-season effort in GT World Challenge America served as the organization’s introduction to professional GT competition and measured early progress against established teams. The program’s driver rotation during the season—including Till Bechtolsheimer, Ryan Eversley, Marc Miller and later Trent Hindman—helped the team learn the demands of multi-round championships and led to a fourth-place finish in the Pro-Am Cup at season end.
The 2019 campaign provided operational lessons in car setup, pit procedures and race strategy that informed the team’s subsequent move to IMSA. That initial year also began the team’s practice of combining experienced professional drivers with pro-am pairings to accelerate development of team systems and racecraft.
IMSA SportsCar Championship Breakthrough (2020–2022)
Gradient Racing expanded its IMSA program over successive seasons, alternating Sprint Cup participation with selective endurance entries as the organization built endurance capabilities. The team recorded its first IMSA podium at the 2021 Detroit Sports Car Classic, finishing third and demonstrating forward progress in top-level GTD competition. Driver lineups across 2020 and 2021 included Till Bechtolsheimer, Marc Miller and occasional stand-ins such as Mario Farnbacher and Kyffin Simpson as the team navigated driver availability and race demands.
The most significant breakthrough arrived in the 2022 season during the Michelin Endurance Cup rounds. Gradient Racing contested endurance events with a driver group that included Till Bechtolsheimer, Mario Farnbacher and Kyffin Simpson and collected a season podium at Long Beach. At the season-ending Petit Le Mans the team overcame a late starting penalty for disallowed qualifying times to start at the back of the GTD field, make a multi-class recovery through race traffic, and ultimately take the GTD class victory when Mario Farnbacher maintained the lead into the closing minutes under caution. That result stands as the organization’s first confirmed major race win.
Gradient Racing Era (2018–Present)
Since its founding Andris Laivins has served in a leading management role at Gradient Racing, credited as owner and general manager in public records. The team’s consistent use of the Acura NSX GT3 and close association with Acura have defined its technical identity, while Austin, Texas has remained the organization’s operational base for logistics and engineering.
Gradient Racing fields the No. 66 entry in its IMSA efforts and has maintained a program strategy centered on endurance events, selective sprint entries and driver lineups blending experienced international professionals with rising talents. The program continues to emphasize manufacturer alignment and endurance performance as pillars of its competitive approach.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gradient Racing’s strengths derive from endurance race strategy, consistent Acura NSX GT3 performance, and flexible driver pairings that suit long-distance events. The team has demonstrated effective race management, pit execution and the ability to recover from adverse circumstances, as evidenced by their recovery drive and victory at the 2022 Petit Le Mans.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Gradient Racing history include the team’s founding in 2018 by Andris Laivins, the competitive debut in the 2019 Blancpain GT World Challenge America season, the program expansion into the IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2020, the first IMSA podium at Detroit in 2021, and the organization’s first major win at the 2022 Petit Le Mans.
Gradient Racing Career Wins
Gradient Racing’s most prominent verified victory to date is the GTD class win at the 2022 Petit Le Mans, achieved after a late starting penalty in qualifying and a closing-stage pass to take the lead under caution. The team’s record also includes endurance and sprint-class podiums and incremental championship results that reflect steady program development since 2019.
IMSA SportsCar Championship Highlights
Within the IMSA SportsCar Championship, Gradient Racing collected its first series podium with a third-place finish at the 2021 Detroit Sports Car Classic and added a second-place result at Long Beach in 2022. The team’s endurance focus culminated in the Petit Le Mans victory in 2022, which stands as the organization’s first confirmed major race win in the series.
Other Wins & Perfromances
In addition to IMSA results, Gradient Racing’s initial season in GT World Challenge America produced a fourth-place finish in the Pro-Am Cup standings in 2019. The team’s evolution from that debut season through selective sprint and endurance campaigns illustrates measured competitive growth rather than a large tally of headline victories.
Gradient Racing Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Gradient Racing is owned and managed by Andris Laivins, who founded the team after a period working as a team manager with CJ Wilson Racing. That continuity of leadership has underpinned the team’s technical partnerships, manufacturer alignment with Acura and operational decisions since 2018.
Personal Life
Gradient Racing is headquartered in Austin, Texas, which serves as the team’s logistical and operational base. Public information does not provide further personal details about ownership beyond Andris Laivins’ role as founder and general manager.