A pair of teenagers are set to make their IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debuts next weekend at Circuit of The Americas, with Parker Chase and Harry Gottsacker confirmed in TRG’s Porsche 911 GT3 R for the Advance Auto Parts Sportscar Showdown.

Chase, 16, and 17-year-old Gottsacker, teammates in Pirelli World Challenge and British GT competition, will share the wheel of the Kevin Buckler-led squad’s GT Daytona class contender, in a deal that came together earlier this week.

They take the seats filled by Jan Heylen and Porsche factory driver Wolf Henzler at Long Beach, with Henzler having since been promoted to the factory Porsche GT Le Mans squad for COTA as a substitute for Michael Christensen.

“Both Parker and Harry are accomplished with very strong results already, especially given their young age. I have had my eye on them for a while,” Buckler said.

“These two are ready to ascend in the world of motorsports with their exceptional talent and now, Parker and Harry have an amazing opportunity with the best team in TRG and the best marque in Porsche to really maximize the boys’ driver development and evolution.

“I know that together, the sky’s the limit.”

Both drivers shined in their rookie PWC seasons last year, with Chase scoring eight podium finishes and Rookie-of-the-Year honors, and Gottsacker with five top-five results, with both driving Ginetta G55 GT4s entered by Performance Motorsports Group.

“I’m excited to be back racing at COTA again,” Chase said. “My first professional race with Stuart [Robinson, COO of PMG] was here and I podiumed.

“I’m looking for a similar result next week, back in my home state of Texas.”

Chase and Gottsacker will fly directly to COTA fresh off this weekend’s British GT race at Rockingham, where they will be at the wheel of GT3-specification Ginettas.

“The travel will be intense after the British GT weekend, but I am so ready for my debut in IMSA,” Gottsacker said.