Hero Life Mercedes AMG For Indy 8 Hours

A new GT3 entry for the 2022, the #39 Hero Life / Kids for Kids Mercedes-AMG GT3 effort is set to be piloted by Chris Cagnazzi, Shane Lewis and Guy Cosmo. The effort fielded by Stephen Cameron Racing in the Pro-Am division of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

The backing for the entry comes from leading rapid-response life insurance company Hero Life.

All three drivers have strong histories at the fabled Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Cosmo returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a defending class winner, while Cagnazzi has raced to the Indianapolis podium in Ferrari Challenge competition and is looking forward to making his professional debut next weekend in the Intercontinental GT Challenge. Lewis’s history at Indianapolis includes a run to the podium in Trans Am competition.

“This is a new adventure for us,” Cosmo said of the step up to Intercontinental GT Challenge in the GT3 ranks. “Chris (Cagnazzi) has raced GT3 cars before, and last year Shane (Lewis) and I shared an AMG GT3 Mercedes in IMSA.

Shane has been racing a Mercedes in the Creventic 24H Series for several seasons, and recently won the championship. We’re all pretty experienced in these cars, but it’s a new endeavor for the team, and for all of us as a group. It is a thrill to have Hero Life come on board-they are all about speed and hopefully we can deliver for them with this new program.”

With previous experience at the Speedway, Cagnazzi is looking forward to making his Intercontinental GT Challenge debut at a track that he knows and loves.

“Indy is a special place, especially when you can podium there and kiss the bricks,” Cagnazzi said. “I think we know what kind of challenge there is with this level of competition and the 8 hour format, but we’ve got a good team behind us and this driver line up has lots of speed and experience so we are looking forward to this next step for us.

Lewis recently clinched the Creventic 24H European championship with a class victory and third-place overall finish in the CP Racing Mercedes at Barcelona. A 33-year veteran, he is a former class winner in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and was a race winner on many levels, ranging from IMSA Supercar to SCCA Trans Am and the ALMS.

“Driving a GT car at Indy will be a completely unique experience,” Lewis said. “I’m honored to be invited to come to Indianapolis with these guys. It’s a great synergy with the drivers and the team, and it’s going to be a very special program.”

After taking delivery of the car in mid-September, the team did a shakedown test at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, S.C. to become familiar with the systems for the advanced machine that has proven potent in endurance events around the globe.

In addition to the partnership with Hero Life, the effort will also look to raise awareness for Kids for Kids, a community of friends, families, and colleagues raising money for organizations that support children and families struggling with medical challenges. Kids for Kids family-focused events celebrate all that we have to be grateful for and serve to inspire the next generation of humanitarians – our children.

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