SRO America – Syndication Server

Rothberg sweeps at Indy, O’Connell scores GT America title

The GT America Powered by AWS drivers were up bright and early for the last race of the season. Yesterday’s race was nothing short of action-packed, to the dismay of points leader Jason Daskalos, who saw the gap in the championship dwindle. He started Race 2 in first place in the standings, 6 points ahead of Johnny O’Connell. The title was still obtainable for young gun Justin Rothberg, who had clinched the Fanatec GT World Challenge America Pro-Am title in the Indy 8 Hour the night prior.

As the race drew to a close, Justin Rothberg crossed the finish line first, but it was Johnny O’Connell who was crowned the SRO3 class champion by one single point when it was all wrapped up. In the GT4 class, Isaac Sherman concluded a near-perfect 2024 season with back-to-back wins.

SRO3 class

It was a dramatic start of the race for the SRO3 field, as championship leader Jason Daskalos was under pressure from Kyle Washington as the green flag was waved. However, in Turn 1, the No. 14 GMG Racing Audi RS LMS GT3 of James Sofronas collided with Daskalos’ No. 27 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, with the championship leader ending up in the tire barrier. Fortunately, he was able to rejoin the race, but at the tail-end of the field. Sofronas was issued a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility.

Meanwhile, Johnny O’Connell had a stellar start and was running second in his No. 3 SKI Autosports Audi R8 LMS GT3, knowing very well that he could clinch the title by holding position, provided that Daskalos wouldn’t climb back up the field. While one hoped for a caution to bring the pack closer together again, the other wanted the opposite.

The SKI Autosports driver had his work cut out for him, as he was under threat from the No. 70 MISHUMOTORS Callaway Corvette Z06R GT3 of Mirco Shultis. However, as time elapsed, the Audi came alive, and O’Connell was able to re-establish his advantage.

It was an uncontested win for Rothberg, who dominated from flag to flag, clinching the last win of the season with an eight-second margin. Though he finished second at the line, it was Johnny O’Connell who was elected the 2024 GT America Powered by AWS SRO3 class champion.

Race winner Rothberg had high praise for the champion, saying that “it’s been amazing racing up against him. He’s probably one of the most influential people in the sport and I’ve learned so much just by trying to get by him or trying to keep him behind me. There’s not a track that he hasn’t been on where someone hasn’t already tried to make a move I’ve tried on him myself. He just has so much experience and it’s great to try and get some of it from him.”

“It’s not just me, it’s everybody at SKI Motorsports,” said O’Connell. “Their hard work, their dedication, it’s everything. Great work by everybody this season, and it was ultimately bad luck for Jason Daskalos today. He’s such a great competitor and hopefully we get to do it again next year. I really enjoy racing here. I’m 62 years old and I’ve got another championship. A lot of guys might retire then, but I ain’t ready, so we’re going to keep digging! Thank all the fans out there that have been following me and supporting me for so long.”

GT4 class

It was yet another picture-perfect weekend for champion elect Isaac Sherman in the No. 098 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. After starting from pole position in the GT4 class, he began to break away from the rest of the field from the get-go. He led from start to finish, sweeping the weekend at the Brickyard, and picking up his 13th win to conclude a stellar debut season.

Coming back from a tough Race 1 on Friday, it was redemption time for Gray Newell. The young Heart of Racing Team driver ran steadily in second place aboard his No. 25 Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Behind, Damir Hot, commanding the No. 5 Flying Lizard Motorsports Nissan Z NISMO GT4, was defending third place from Nicholas Shanny, who was commanding the No. 21 Carrus Callas Raceteam BMW M4 GT4.

With 12 minutes remaining in the race, Tim Savage, in his No. 007 ProSport Competition Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4, overtook Shanny for fourth place.

“This season means everything to me,” said Sherman. “I couldn’t have asked for a better season and a better team. Rotek Racing and Porsche have been amazing. It’s been an absolute dream, honestly. So thank you so much to everyone!”

RESULTS

Neto, Attrell, Groenke take wins in TC America finale

The final race of the TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School championship served up endless predictability, with wheel-to-wheel battles, late-stage hiccups, and unexpected winners and podium finishers. As the season came to a close at …

As the season came to a close at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Celso Neto, Connor Attrell, and PJ Groenke rose above the rest in the TCX, TC, and TCA class to claim the final wins and the opportunity to kiss the bricks.

TCX class

Race 1 winner and Race 2 pole sitter Celso Neto had a strong start on board his No. 22 Skip Barber Racing Acura Integra Type S, while Chris Walsh was slightly on the backfoot in the No. 104 Carrus Callas Raceteam BMW M2 CS (Cup).

As the laps elapsed, Neto was able to build up a slight gap, aided by the fact that Walsh found himself entangled in a battle with Cameron Steller in the No. 23 Fast Track Racing BMW M2 CS (Cup).

Neto cruised to victory, sweeping the weekend in the process. The fight for second and third went all the way to the line, but Walsh was able to defend his position, with Steller rounding off the top three.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1436]

“We knew yesterday it was going to be tough on the tires for the entire field, especially after an eight-hour race,” said Neto. “The track was super dirty, super hard. That race was really about keeping my head in it and not pushing beyond what I had in terms of grip. We kept the pace under control and managed the lap traffic. It was really a race that came down to mindset, I’m happy with how it went. I want to thank my team, Honda Racing, HRC, my sponsors, and everyone who helps me. It was a really great weekend. What an amazing experience! I couldn’t be happier.”

TC class

Meanwhile, the TC class was filled with drama. Cristian Perocarpi had originally began carving his way through the field in his No. 37 MINI JCW Team MINI JCW TC Pro, but made contact with Sally McNulty in the No. 780 Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC, sending her into the tire barrier. This resulted in a drive-through penalty for the MINI driver for incident responsibility, who sustained bodywork damage in the process.

In a major turn of events, Jeff Ricca came down pit lane with 5 minutes remaining in the race, running into issues in his No. 78 Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC. What could have been a perfect day, with a win on his birthday, turned out to be disastrous as he was plagued with a mechanical issue.

However, the Ricca Autosport team still swept the podium in both Race 1 and Race 2, with Connor Attrell promoted up to first in his No. 75 car, with Ron Zaras and Vin Anatra completing the podium in the No. 77 and No. 76 entries.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Attrell. “I’m just so happy to be here representing Hyundai Quaker State and bringing it home for the team. Another podium lockout — that really shows how far this team has come and how strong we are. Huge shoutout to Ricca Autosport and Jeff; I was trying to chase him down. I got a little lucky this time, but I’ll take it. That’s racing!”

TCA class

After running into tire troubles in the opening race on Friday, it was smooth sailing on Sunday for PJ Groenke as he led from start to finish in his No. 62 MINI JCW Team MINI JCW, with Alex Garcia following suit in second in the No. 14 Skip Barber Racing Honda Civic Si FE1.

Bruce Myrehn overtook his teammate Alain Lauziere at the halfway mark to move up into the final podium position, but the battle between the No. 63 and No. 64 MINI JCW Team MINI JCW machines wasn’t over. One lap later, Lauziere was able to take the place back. The two continued to go back and forth as the clock ticked away, and in the end it was Myrehn who walked away with the hardware.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” exclaimed Groenke. “Finishing our championship season on the top step and finally getting the chance to kiss those bricks — what a moment. I can’t thank my sponsors enough. I love you all so much. The series, the people, and being the final TCA champion — it’s a dream come true.”

RESULTS

GT4 America title races go down to the wire in IMS finale

In the final race of the 2024 Pirelli GT4 America season, all bets were off as competitors got their elbows out, fighting tooth and nail as titles were on the line and came down to the wire. There was both heartbreak and happiness as championships …

In the final race of the 2024 Pirelli GT4 America season, all bets were off as competitors got their elbows out, fighting tooth and nail as titles were on the line and came down to the wire.

There was both heartbreak and happiness as championships were both won and lost. In the Silver class, AutoTechnic Racing took the win on track, but fortune was in RS1’s favor as they took home the highest honors. RENNtech Motorsports clinched the overall and Pro-Am victory, with ACI Motorsports taking the title the day prior. It was a true last lap showdown that ultimately decided the Am class championship, with a turn of events that saw Rotek Racing emerge as champions while BimmerWorld snatched the win on track.

Silver class

Pole sitter and yesterday’s winner Corey Lewis had an excellent start in his No. 68 Smooge Racing Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO, focusing on the clear path ahead. While Jesse Webb dropped back in the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4, Kenton Koch took the opportunity to move up the field in his No. 97 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82 as he went on the title hunt.

The current championship leader, Eric Filgueiras in the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, had a big task ahead of him as he tried to catch up and minimize the swing in points.

A full course caution was called with 42 minutes to go, bringing the field back together again and reigniting the title fight. The action resumed a little under 10 minutes later, with the front-runners in the Silver class coming down pit lane to complete their driver changes.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1436]

The drama only ramped up from there. Random Vandals Racing, now with Kevin Boehm behind the wheel, got the jump over Smooge Racing in pit lane and moved up into first in class. However, as the green flag running resumed, Boehm was squeezed by two out-of-class cars and sent off-track, sustaining a tire puncture and suspension damage. The incident ultimately ended their race, dashing their hopes of clinching the title. There were issues for Smooge Racing as well, as Tyler Gonzalez had to limp back down pit lane.

AutoTechnic Racing’s Colin Garrett found himself in the lead of the race in the No. 51 BMW M4 GT4 G82, being hunted down by JMF Motorsports’ Michai Stephens. The two went back and forth on the final lap, exchanging positions back and forth, but as they sprinted to the line, Garrett had just enough power to stay ahead and claim the win.

“Oh gosh, what a season,” said Anderson. “We started the season winning, and we ended it winning. The middle didn’t go our way. We should have had a lot more victories, but it’s a ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda’ sport. Colin’s performance was rockstar stuff.”

“This was awesome,” agreed Garrett. “I can’t thank these AutoTechnic guys enough, they brought a great car all season. To capitalize on this final race and bring home the Silver class victory—it’s pretty great.”

As Race 2, and the season as a whole, drew to a close, RS1 were the ones to walk away with the grand prize, taking third on the podium but first in the championship standings as John Capestro-Dubets claims his first title, while Eric Filgueiras becomes a three-time SRO America champion.

“I have a million words I want to say, but they’re not all coming out,” said an emotional Capestro-Dubets. “I can’t thank my teammate enough, and I can’t thank RS1 and Community Beer Works enough for this opportunity. A little luck played into our favor this year. All I’ve ever wanted was to be admired among the other champions in this paddock and respected by my peers. Coming to the racetrack is my happy place. To be among these people means the world to me, and to now officially be a champion — I can’t even express how much it means to me. A childhood dream came true today.”

“This was by far the hardest,” said Filgueiras after securing his third championship in a row. “There’s so much talent stacked in this series, especially in the Silver class this year. I’m extremely grateful to have this opportunity with CBW, such a great team with RS1. I’m really grateful for the opportunities.”

Pro-Am class

There was a great deal of drama and action in the Pro-Am category. TPC Racing was a strong contender right off the bat, and they had a strong opening half as Dario Capitanio was at the helm of the No. 102 McLaren Artura GT4.

Further down, the class championship winners ACI Motorsports were involved in an incident with the No. 52 NOLASPORT Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 of Lee Carpentier, bringing out a full course caution. Meanwhile, at the halfway mark, Roland Krainz, in his No. 18 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, was spun around as he was involved in an incident with Silver class competitor Kevin Boehm.

In the final stages of the race, the No. 94 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82 of Sam Craven was leading with just over 15 minutes to go, but Matheus Leist overtook for first in the No. 89 RENNtech Motorsports. However, he has a post-race time penalty for a short pit stop

Issues arose for the No. 94 as it stopped off to the side of the track, but the battle raged on as Leist moved into the overall lead of the race after throwing it down in an intense battle against two Silver class cars, with Roman De Angelis following him through in second on board the No. 24 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO.

Despite the time penalty, Leist had enough of a gap to retain the win, with Heart of Racing Team and X completing the final Pro-Am podium.

“We started the season with a win, and we wanted to end with a win,” said Michael Auriemma. “We’ve had some ups and downs throughout the year, but clearly, Matheus can drive. We’re looking forward to being back next year and hopefully having a more consistent run.”

“I was going for it today,” said Leist. “We’ve had a few chances throughout the year, but today we clearly had a great car. RENNtech gave us a very good car, the Mercedes was amazing. I’m just very happy with this win. Michael drove a great race too, so I’m very happy to come out with the overall win here in Indy.”

Am class

Charlie Postins led in the Am class with his No. 36 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4 G82, with Jaden Lander running in second place with the No. 099 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport as he sought a championship title.

The positions amongst the front-runners went unchanged as driver changes unfolded at the halfway mark, with James Clay and Robb Holland jumping in to replace their respective teammates. However, the No. 98 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82 of Michael Kanisczak was on the charge, and launched an attack on title rival Holland.

With 25 minutes to go, Kanisczak managed to muscle his way past, and set his sights on Clay ahead. A heated battle between Kanisczak and Clay shaped up, which saw the No. 36 BMW moving back into first with 10 minutes remaining. However, Kanisczak kept him honest, not missing out on the occasion to attack again.

Kanisczak lost the Am lead, spinning around in turn 1 as he came together with Clay, but the two remained respectful as they continued on their way, with Clay allowing the former to move back ahead. However, championship leader Holland was able to close in again. Rotek Racing had to finish second or higher for a chance to officially claim the Am class title, and this is exactly what happened. Holland and Lander clinched the championship in a dramatic fashion on the very last lap of the race as Kanisczak lost power a few corners before the checkered flag, letting James Clay and BimmerWorld earn the win, with Rotek Racing finishing second.

“It was a lot to manage,” said Clay. “I knew there was a championship on the line, and I knew Kris (Wilson) had the pace to get around me, which was awesome to see. I wanted that BMW up there, but of course, I wasn’t just going to hand it to him. I raced him hard, but unfortunately, I got into him. I made sure he could get back by to go for the championship. In the end, he ran out of fuel, and we inherited the win. He drove a hell of a race. Great job, Kris Wilson, and congrats to Rotek on the championship.”

“This is the launchpad for whatever we do next year,” said Postins. “But I have to say, my heart goes out to the Random Vandals guys. That was tough luck. We’ve had our share of bad luck, so it feels good to be on the receiving end of some good fortune this time. I’m really happy for those guys — great team — and it’s nice to see BMW on top. It feels good to kiss the bricks.”

“After 14 races all year, it came down to the last lap, the last three turns,” said a surprised Lander. “We were all pretty down on pit lane, thinking Random Vandals had us. But then our head engineer comes on the radio and says, ‘wait, wait, wait.’ And that’s racing — it’s not over until it’s over.”

“That’s the thing — you can get excited, but you have to get around them,” Robb Holland said. “The BMWs were super strong today, and we struggled a bit with our front end. I just had to keep running consistent laps. I never gave up, and if I had, I would’ve been too far back to catch them, and that would’ve cost us the championship. But here we are — who would’ve guessed it? Champions.”

RESULTS

WRT wins Indy 8 Hour, Wright and Turner teams crowned North American champs

The second half of the Indianapolis 8 Hour, season finale for the SRO Fanatec GT World Challenge, came with dramatic twists, turns and championship swings as rivals battled it out into the night during the final few hours of the 2024 season. After a …

After a long and hard fought race, the No. 31 Team WRT BMW claimed the overall win and the IGTC championship crown. In the FGTWCA Pro class, Wright Motorsports were in a league of their own, clinching the class win and the title. The Pro-Am battle truly came down to the line, and although Herberth Motorsport crossed the line first, it was Turner Motorsport who walked away victorious in the North American championship by one single point.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1436]

Hour 5

The race was momentarily halted by a caution flag brought out by Random Vandals Racing as drivers crossed over into the second half of the race. When the green flag was waved once again, Elliott Skeer immediately found the right opportunity to strike, sweeping his No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 992 GT3 R down the inside line and overtaking Tommy Milner in the No. 63 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R for the FGTWCA Pro class lead.

Milner started to struggle slightly, further dropping to third in class behind Philipp Eng in the No. 28 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3, with Trent Hindman applying pressure in the No. 85 RS1 Porsche 992 GT3 R.

Another full course caution was called as Andy Lee pulled his ailing No. 8 Flying Lizard Motorsports BMW M4 GT3 off to the side of the track on the front stretch with an oil pressure issue. A series of pit stops and driver changes followed, and the race restarted with under three and a half hours remaining.

ST Racing were plagued by more gremlins as they came to a complete halt right before the pit lane entry. This brought out the fourth caution flag of the race, but Neil Verhagen was able to limp down pit lane after restarting his machine.

Hour 6

Most of the cars on the track took the opportunity to come down pit lane under the full course yellow. However, a few lucky cars had the foresight to jump down pit lane before the caution flag was brought out, which proved to be a bold and rewarding strategy for some.

This enabled DXDT Racing to return to the front of the pack, just ahead of Wright Motorsports as the front-runners resumed the duel in the final hours. However, the Porsche was completely dialed in, and Skeer’s quick thinking and fast hands saw him pull off a clean overtake a couple of laps later.

Meanwhile, GruppeM Racing opted to reset their driver stint length as Jules Gounon made a quick stop in their pit box, gaining track positions ahead of Team WRT in the process. Sheldon van der Linde was unfazed by this strategy call, still completely focused on returning to the front of the IGTC Pro class. It was an intense showdown between the two highly skilled drivers, but the BMW’s pace was undeniable. He patiently waited for the right time to launch an attack, and pulled off the move cleanly with a little over two and a half hours left on the clock.

There was good news for the No. 38 ST Racing Pro-Am car as it was able to return from behind the wall for the second time, but bad news followed for the No. 33 Team WRT machine as they had to make lengthy repairs in pit lane to address a broken rear diffuser. It was a tough day for another BMW team, as Random Vandals Racing ran into more problems, pulling off to the side of the track for the second time, bringing out the safety car with just over two hours to go.

Hour 7

Drivers changes ensued, and the field went back to green with 1h52min on the clock. Heinrich led the way for Wright Motorsports, with a championship crown within sight as the sun began to dip lower along the horizon.

In Pro-Am, Turner Motorsport was quietly but confidently making some moves of its own and propelled itself up to the class lead as the final hours unfolded, inching closer and closer to clinching a title of their own.

The race went under yellow again as darkness loomed closer, this time due to the No. 88 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 being stranded off in the final corner of the oval circuit layout and requiring a tow back to pit lane. At the same time, the No. 33 Team WRT BMW had to go behind the wall to further assess the prior issues with the diffuser, promoting the Lone Star Racing Mercedes into IGTC Pro podium position in what was a true rollercoaster event for the team.

They went back to green with just over an hour to go, and leaders Wright Motorsports pitted one lap later to reset Heinrich’s driver time so he could push all the way to the end of the race, with Vanthoor choosing to do the same another lap later in the No. 31 Team WRT BMW.

Hour 8

With some teams still having to complete their last pit stops, all bets were off in the final hour of the race. Ultimately, it all came down to the closing minutes. Wright Motorsports were handed a 5 second post-race time penalty for pit lane protocol violation, giving Heinrich the extra task of maintaining a gap at the front in order to keep hold of the overall win.

He tried with all his might, but Vanthoor was able to stay within reach, with 4.7 seconds between the two as they crossed the line, resulting in the latter being promoted to the overall win. This marks back-to-back wins for Team WRT at the Brickyard, having previously won the 2023 edition of the endurance event.

GruppeM Racing, led by Maro Engel in the last portion of the race, finished second in the IGTC Pro class, with Lone Star Racing rounding off the podium in third as Fabian Schiller drove the final stint.

Wright Motorsports were the FGTWCA Pro class victors, as Elliott Skeer and Adam Adelson took home the class championship in the process. Racers Edge Motorsports overcame two drive-through penalties throughout the race to finish second in class, with DXDT Racing completing the podium.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Skeer. “Funny enough, coming into the race, it was the exact same scenario as last year — two cars against each other, and whoever wins takes the championship. Last year didn’t go as planned, but this year, we won, and it all went on track. Not only did we beat the car we needed to, but we also beat every single car here. It’s just an unbelievable feeling. I’m so proud of this team and of Adam for how he drove. It’s an absolutely incredible feeling.”

Said Adelson: “I don’t even have the words to describe what this means to me. Over the past two years, I’ve lost three SRO championships, all through circumstances out of our control. We did everything we could to win, but it slipped away each time. To come into the Pro class, win on track, and to do it with Eliott — who’s like a brother to me — and with Wright Motorsports, it means everything. Congratulations to the whole team.”

In Pro-Am, it was a best-case scenario for Turner Motorsport, claiming the championship title by a single point. They crossed the finish line in second but the winners, Herberth Motorsport, did not earn points towards the American championship. Phillip Ellis had a stellar performance in the No. 91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 to secure another podium finish for the team in the final race of the season.

“I’m elated. I didn’t even bring a suit because I honestly didn’t think we were going to win this,” admitted Turner driver Justin Rothberg. Now, I’ll have to go find something for the gala! Coming into this race, it wasn’t just about us doing well—someone else had to have a poor result. I’m not the type to hope for others to fail, but that was literally the only way we could win the championship. It really feels like the stars aligned, especially since we won by just one point. We had a fun season. I’m proud of Robby and the Turner Motorsport guys.”

Said teammate Robby Foley: “What a day! It was a long shot coming in, but we had a great race, great strategy, and a fantastic car. It’s a testament to the reliability the entire Turner team gave us today, along with the incredible BMW M4 GT3. It’s a dream situation and an amazing result, especially for Justin as well.”

RESULTS

Smooge Racing, Precision Racing LA, Rotek Racing take GT4 America Race 1 wins

As the sun broke through the clouds to illuminate the sky over Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday morning, the Pirelli GT4 America field lit the track up with their first race of the weekend. It was a thrilling 60-minute endeavor, with changes …

As the sun broke through the clouds to illuminate the sky over Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday morning, the Pirelli GT4 America field lit the track up with their first race of the weekend.

It was a thrilling 60-minute endeavor, with changes for the lead and swings in momentum taking place from start to finish. It was a great day for Toyota, as Smooge Racing took the Silver class win, while Precision Racing LA was victorious in Pro-Am. However, another consistent performance from ACI Motorsports saw them clinch the Pro-Am class championship title. In the Am class, Rotek Racing scored another first place finish, propelling them into the lead in the championship standings.

Silver class

Tyler Gonzalez started on the second row, but first in class on board his No. 68 Smooge Racing Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO, and was quickly able to move past a Pro-Am competitor as he began to chase down the overall lead.

Michai Stephens was caught up in some wheel banging on the opening lap, but was able to hold position in his No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4. John Capestro-Dubets held on to third in his No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, while championship rival Kevin Boehm dropped some overall positions at the start but continued to run fourth in class with the No. 97 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1436]

As the pit stops and driver changes unfolded at the halfway mark, the running order was mostly unchanged, but RS1’s Eric Filgueiras did not wait long before capitalizing on an opportunity to move up into second in class. Just behind, Jesse Webb and Kenton Koch went side by side throughout multiple corners, with the latter getting the advantage to gain another spot.

With 15 minutes remaining, Koch was all over the back of Filgueiras’ rear bumper, with no room for error between the two. Five minutes later, after hunting him down, Koch found an opportunity to get past into second place, but the fight was not over as Filgueiras came back swinging.

Lewis cruised to victory, earning Smooge Racing’s second win of the season. Meanwhile, with Koch crucially taking second place over Filgueiras, the championship points gap was reduced even further heading into the final round.

“This win goes to the whole team at Smooge Racing, TRD, and Toyota Racing,” said Lewis. “Partnering with Tyler Gonzalez has been a blessing. We share the same mindset, and honestly, I see a lot of myself in him. He’s a phenomenal driver, and since we both like the same kind of race car, it makes the setup process easier for the team.”

Tyler’s start gave us a good buffer, and from there, it was up to me to maintain the gap,” he said. “I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be a part of Smooge Racing again, and I can’t thank Toyota Racing, TRD, and Kevin Conway enough for giving me this lifeline to help the team. Winning at Indy is always special. My first win here was back in 2013, so this one brings back great memories. I’m beyond proud of the team — it’s been an incredible experience.”

“It all started with a strong start,” echoed Gonzalez. “I was able to get up to second, and from there, the top three of us just pulled away from the rest of the field. I can’t thank Toyota, GearWrench, and Smooge Racing enough. The Supra was dialed in perfectly, which made things easier for me. I handed the car off to Corey, who did an amazing job managing the gap and traffic. We teamed up halfway through the season, and I couldn’t be happier with how it’s gone. Congrats to Corey on a great stint.”

Pro-Am class

Matheus Leist started on pole position in the No. 89 RENNtech Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4, but Kay van Berlo was on the charge as soon as the green flag waved. He muscled his way past on the opening lap, storming to the front of the field in his No. 7 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.

However, as the halfway mark approached, the battle reignited once more as Leist began fighting back and closing in, with Roman De Angelis waiting in the wings for a chance to strike in his No. 24 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO.

The front-runners pitted one after the other with just over 25 minutes to go, and went nose-to-tail as they returned to the track, with Curt Swearingin and Michael Auriemma taking over from their respective teammates.

It was a heartbreaking twist of events for the Heart of Racing team, as a tire puncture dropped them out of contention after De Angelis handed over the machine to Gray Newell.

In the second half of the race, a late-stage charge through the pack from Ryan Eversley in the No. 07 Precision Racing LA Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO saw him make a move past Auriemma into second place, before setting his sights on Swearingin ahead. With just two laps to go, he went speeding down the main straight and pulled off the overtake heading into Turn 1.

Although Precision Racing LA won the battle, it was ACI Motorsports who ultimately won the war as Curt Swearingin and Kay van Berlo’s second place finish was enough to secure the class championship title.

“Terry did a fantastic job, and I’m so proud of our crew,” said Eversley.

“It was a great race — it’s Indy, and we got the win,” added Borcheller. “Our team did everything right, from the test and preparation to execution this weekend. We hit all of our marks. It’s rare for a plan to come together so perfectly, but it did, and we couldn’t be happier. Congrats to this pro!”

When talking to the newly crowned class championships, Curt Swearingin had high praise for his teammate and his team, saying; “ I had Kay, my engineer, my team, they all made it possible. I can’t say enough about him, he just works me hard every day and I get better because of it. It’s all about progression. I’m just trying to grow as a driver.”

“We started this program two years ago,” said van Berlo. “Not everything was perfect, but we progressed as a team and as drivers as well. I’ve seen Curt grow as a driver, which has been very satisfying, and I’ve seen the team grow in this series, which has been awesome. We were clinching podiums all the way throughout the season, it’s all about collecting points. We got the championship here just by being consistent. Massive credit to the team, the engineers, and all the mechanics. They put in the effort into this program, I think this is what they deserve.”

Am class

Robb Holland dominated the Am class in his No. 099 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport in the opening stint. He took the green flag from the class pole position and never looked back, leaving the No. 98 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 of Michael Kanisczak and the No. 72 KRUGSPEED Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO of Anthony Gerarci to battle it out for the remaining spots in the top 3. Gerarci was on a mission, and masterfully overtook Kanisczak towards the end of their respective stints.

Holland, who had a comfortable gap on his opponents, handed over his machine to Jaden Lander, who retained the lead as he returned to the track. Kevin Conway, aboard the KRUGSPEED Toyota, gained a position at the beginning of his stint, but had the No. 98 car commanded by Kris Wilson keeping him honest.

The race ended with Rotek Racing claiming the Am class victory, much to the disappointment of Random Vandals Racing, who couldn’t overtake the KRUGSPEED car for second place. This was a critical moment for Random Vandals, as they entered the race with only a 3-point lead in the championship over Rotek. However, with Rotek’s win, they now hold a 7-point advantage over the former in the standings.

“I come to Indy every year with the goal of chasing a championship, and this is the first time we’ve actually taken the lead here,” said Holland. “We had a strong start, built up a gap, and then put Jaden in the car, and he just kept putting in consistent laps. We’re super happy with the result, and we’ll take this momentum into tomorrow.”

The Pirelli GT4 America field will return for Race 2 on Sunday at 10:35am ET.

RESULTS

Herberth Porsche snatches pole for joint GTWC-IGTC Indy 8 Hour

Ten teams in total across all three classes advanced to the pole shootout to set the front of the grid for the Indianapolis 8 Hour. With only 15m on the clock, it was a final opportunity to rise above the rest and clock in fast laps. Five IGTC Pro …

As each of the drivers set off one by one around the track, it was impossible to predict who would come out on top.

The No. 10 Herberth Motorsport Pro-Am Porsche 992 GT3 R was quick to impress as Patric Niederhauser jumped into the overall lead within the opening half of the session, putting the team in a prime spot as the rest of the field tried to catch up.

Laurin Heinrich was running in second for a while in the No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 992 GT3 R, but IndyCar star Alex Palou moved up ahead of him in the No. 4 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 with just 3m to go.

In the end, Herberth Motorsport were untouchable in the shootout, claiming their second consecutive ROWE Motor Oil Pole Award after earning the same honor in last year’s rendition of the event.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1436]

“Putting a lap together is really challenging, but the team has put in so much effort to give us a great platform,” said Antares Au, who was cheering on Patric from pit lane. “The atmosphere in the team is fantastic; it feels like driving among friends. It’s tough, but it’s great that we’ve reached this point.”

“All we first need to do is have a serious talk with Patric because we said he needed to go for the lap record, and he missed it by 0.1s,” said teammate Loek Hartog jokingly.

Dries Vanthoor will join Wright Motorsports on the second row of the starting grid after qualifying in fourth in the No. 31 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3, followed by Arjun Maini in the No. 888 Triple Eight JMR Mercedes-AMG GT3 to complete the top 5.

Behind them, Maro Engel finished off the session in sixth in the No. 130 GruppeM Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. A series of BMW teams will be in hot pursuit as the green flag waves to commence Saturday’s endurance race, with the No. 28 ST Racing BM4 GT3 starting seventh, the No. 33 Team WRT car in eighth, and the No. 99 Random Vandals Racing entry in ninth. Finally, RS1 completed the top 10 with the No. 85 Porsche 992 GT3 R.

The Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS and Intercontinental GT Challenge fields will return to the track for the Indianapolis 8 Hour Saturday afternoon, October 5th at 12:15 p.m. ET.

RESULTS

Rothberg, Sherman motor to GT America Race 1 wins at IMS

Justin Rothberg led the first GT America Powered by AWS race of the weekend on Friday afternoon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the green flag to the checkered flag, crossing the finish line 3.358s ahead of Johnny O’Connell. The same held true in the GT4 class as Isaac Sherman built up a sizable gap over the rest of the field. However, all bets were off for the outcome of the race, and the final podium positions were not decided until the very end.

SRO3

It was a chaotic start for James Sofronas, who started alongside the No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 machine of Rothberg as the race got underway. However, after running too deep into the first corner, Sofronas’ No. 14 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 was relegated down to fifth place after he went off track on the opening lap.

This benefitted O’Connell in the No. 3 SKI Autosports Audi R8 LMS GT3, as well as Mirco Schultis in the No. 70 MISHUMOTORS Callaway Corvette Z06 GT3, and championship leader Jason Daskalos in the No. 27 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.

Sofronas was not going to let this mishap determine the outcome of his race, and he masterfully began to carve his way back through the field. He first set his sights on Daskalos, and the two drivers went side-by-side through Turn 1 and 2, with Sofronas eventually winning the battle.

The wheel-to-wheel action allowed the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 992 GT3 R of Kyle Washington to catch up and get into the mix, much to the dismay of Daskalos, who initially dropped behind. Nevertheless, Daskalos did not let Washington’s overtake phase him, and claimed the position back in the final ten minutes of the race. Ultimately, it was Daskaslo that won this sprint to the finish, and rounded off the top five behind Shultis.

Rothberg crossed the finish line unchallenged, scoring important points in the championship battle. O’Connell came in second place, with Sofronas on the third step of the podium.

There was further drama as Daskalos made contact with Shultis on the final lap of the race, which sent the latter for a spin, resulting in a post-race penalty for the championship leader.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1436]

“It was really helpful to get some midday laps in,” Rothberg said — pulling double duty and running in Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS as well. “We’re about to head into qualifying for the Indy 8 Hour, so it’s good to be prepared. It’s been a busy day, and this is my first time racing a GT3 on this track, so it’s been a great experience—definitely something I needed. We’ll see how that translates.”

Meanwhile, Dan Knox maintained his pace and consistency on board his Mercedes-AMG GT2. He started where he finished, in eighth position, after a very clean drive.

“It’s quite a machine,” Knox said about his No. 10 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. “It’s got lots of power and a little downforce, so you have to really drive it hard around this track.”

GT4

With an open road ahead of him, it was a clean getaway for Sherman in the No. 098 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport as he took the green flag from the front of the pack.

Gray Newell immediately went on the attack in his No. 25 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 as he attempted to hunt down the No. 7 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of Curt Swearingin for second place.

Just as everything looked as though it was all said and done for the top three, a late-stage incident between Swearingin and Newell dropped the former down the running order, and he was later given a post-race penalty for incident responsibility.

As this argy-bargy unfolded, Damir Hot was able to make his way past and move himself up the ladder, crossing the finish line in second in the No. 5 Flying Lizard Motorsports Nissan Z NISMO GT4, with Swearingin clinging on to the final step of the podium.

“It was a great experience,” Sherman said. “I went out there, put my head down, and started doing laps, practicing for the GT4 race tomorrow. I figured some things out, and it worked out really well. I’m super happy.”

The GT America Powered by AWS field will return to the track for race two on Sunday, October 6th at 8:35 a.m. ET.

RESULTS

Neto, Ricca, Garcia win first TC America race at IMS

Indianapolis Motor Speedway was treated to an action-packed event as the TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing competitors took over the road course for race one on late Friday afternoon. Celso Neto, Jeff Ricca, and Alex Garcia were the first …

Indianapolis Motor Speedway was treated to an action-packed event as the TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing competitors took over the road course for race one on late Friday afternoon.

Celso Neto, Jeff Ricca, and Alex Garcia were the first winners of the weekend in their respective TCX, TC, and TCA classes, emerging victorious in the 40-minute showdown.

TCX

The battles among the TCX drivers heated up from the moment the green flag waved. On the opening lap, Chris Walsh made a late lunge into Turn 1, moving his No. 104 Carrus Callas Raceteam BMW M2 CS (Cup) into the lead over Neto. However, the driver of the No. 22 Skip Barber Racing Acura Integra Type S wasn’t going down without a fight, and reclaimed the position later on the same lap.

Within the first ten minutes of the race, Cameron Steller pulled off a bold move, slotting his No. 23 Fast Track Racing BMW M2 CS (Cup) into the final podium position ahead of Aaron Kaplan in the No. 18 Kaplan Racing Systems BMW M2 CS (Cup).

Walsh tried to chase down Neto with all his might, and out-of-class traffic came into play to bring the fight even closer. The action reached a boiling point in the final laps, as Neto ran off-track momentarily, allowing Walsh to sweep by. However, they continued to exchange positions back and forth, rubbing wheels in the process as they clamored for first.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1436]

There was little to no room for error as the two kept each other honest in each and every corner, but in the end, it was Neto who prevailed, claiming his fifth win of the year and earning the privilege of kissing the bricks at Indianapolis.

“It was a really tough race, both physically and mentally,” Neto said. “Chris Walsh, as we all know, is an ace driver this year, and he put a lot of pressure on me. The track conditions were completely different from qualifying—it was much hotter—so we had to adapt. But I had my team, my radio, and my shelf, each one performing from Brazil, which really helped me this round. Jacob, my engineer, and the whole team were really happy with the car and Honda Racing HRC. I couldn’t ask for more!”

Ricca went unchallenged as he led from green to checkered in the No. 78 Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC, putting on another dominant performance and further showcasing his championship winning caliber.

There was early heartbreak for hometown hero Cristian Perocarpi, as his No. 37 MINI JCW Team MINI JCW TC Pro had to make a trip down pit lane before ultimately retiring from the race.

It was a strong day for the Ricca Autosport fleet in general as they swept the podium, with Connor Attrell finishing as the runner-up in the No. 75 car, while Ron Zaras rounded off the podium in third place in the No. 77 entry. This marked the first podium appearances for both drivers.

“It’s priceless to have a 1-2-3 Hyundai finish,” Ricca said. “This is incredible because it’s the first time in SRO history that Hyundai has swept the podium. Coming into the weekend, we thought we’d be at a disadvantage due to the temperatures, but Mother Nature was on our side and brought the heat we needed.

“It was an amazing drive. I’m so grateful to everyone at Hyundai USA and Korea for making this happen. This is just the icing on the cake for the championship. My wife and I put our heart and soul into this—this is our business. To see all our hard work pay off with a podium sweep is something truly special. Sharing this moment with my team is just awesome.”

TCA

PJ Groenke wasted no time building up a sizable lead over the rest of the TCA class competitors. With a clear path ahead of him, he was able to focus on moving forward in his No. 62 MINI JCW Team MINI JCW. However, tragedy struck just before the halfway mark, with an issue with his front left tire grinding his charge to a halt.

Garcia was therefore promoted to the front of the TCA class with his No. 14 Skip Barber Racing Honda Civic Si FE1, and went on to claim his fifth victory of the season. The podium was further completed by Groenke as he was able to recover to second, with Alain Lauziere bringing it home in third in the No. 64 MINI JCW Team MINI JCW.

“The fact that I’m doing triple duty this weekend—driving in the GR Cup, GT4, and TC America—means all the seat time on the track really pays off,” Garcia said. “It’s about keeping your head down, taking it one turn at a time, and focusing on your own race. You never know what can happen; it’s not over until the checkered flag.”

The TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School will return Sunday, October 6th for race two at 9:35 a.m. ET.

RESULTS

Palou to contest Indianapolis 8-Hour in Lone Star Racing Mercedes

Newly crowned three-time IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou will contest the upcoming Indianapolis 8 Hour Presented by AWS, season finale for the Intercontinental GT Challenge. The Spaniard will team with Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz in Lone Star Racing’s No. 4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo for the Oct. 3-5 weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which doubles as the Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS title decider.

Palou’s is one of two Pro entries in Mercedes-AMG’s six-strong contingent at the Brickyard where it won with Craft-Bamboo in 2022. Factory drivers Maro Engel, Mikael Grenier and Jules Gounon share the second works entry run by GruppeM Racing, while the likes of SunEnergy1, Regulator Racing, Triple Eight JMR and RealTime Racing complete the manufacturer’s largely Pro-Am ensemble.

Palou is no stranger to GT3 machinery. Before his meteoric rise in American racing, he raced in Japanese Super GT with Team Goh and McLaren.

“I went to cheer [fellow Spaniard] Dani Juncadella two years ago when he raced in Indianapolis, and I wanted to do the race if there was a chance,” Palou said. “I received this excellent opportunity through AMG with a chance to win the race.

“While I will have to learn the characteristics of the car, Indianapolis is a track that I know very well, and I also have some previous experience racing in the GT3 cars. The obvious difference from IndyCar is that the GT3 cars are closed cockpit. The overall grip will be less than what I am normally used to but at the same time, it’s very tough to be on the limit because of the GT3 cars’ weight. I am really looking forward to having fun and fighting for the win at the Indy 8-Hour. It would be amazing to close out the season on a high with another trophy.”

DXDT runs to stunning eighth successive GTWC win at Barber

DXDT Racing made their eighth consecutive trip to victory lane in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS championship at Barber Motorsports Park, and Alec Udell and Tommy Milner have in turn drastically reduced the points gap to the leaders heading into the final round of the season. In Pro-Am, Jeff Burton and Phillip Ellis’ strategy played out perfectly to take the victory.

Pro

Kenton Koch got his elbows out early, making progress on the opening lap of the race in the No. 99 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3 to move up into first in class and third overall as he maneuvered past some Pro-Am competitors.

A little further down the road, Elliott Skeer was pushing hard to keep his No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 992 GT3 R within range of Milner in the No. 63 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.

As the halfway mark approached and drivers made their way down pit lane to swap with their teammates, a slower pit stop for Random Vandals Racing and Conor Daly brought DXDT Racing’s Udell that much closer to the frontrunner. Wright Motorsports opted to extend Skeer’s stint a little longer before handing over the machine to Adam Adelson, and he remained close to the top two as he returned to the track.

They had to contend with some out-of-class traffic with just over 30m to go, but the obstacles aided Daly in putting some space between himself and Udell. However, a full course caution emerged a few laps later, bringing them right back together again. Daly and Udell handled the restart masterfully, and Bill Auberlen put himself in prime position on board the No. 28 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3 to sneak past Adelson and move up into third place.

Just as everything looked as though it was said and done, in the final laps Daly had to make a trip down pit lane for a splash of fuel, promoting Udell into the overall lead as the Random Vandals Racing machine dropped to the back of the field. Meanwhile, Luca Mars made a daring overtake in his No. 93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 EVO22 on Adelson, snatching away the final podium position with just a couple of laps to go.

When Udell took the checkered flag, the gap between DXDT Racing and current Pro class championship leaders Wright Motorsports was reduced to a mere seven points, making it a winner-takes-all situation for the Indianapolis 8 Hour.

When discussing the unconventional win, Udell went on to say that, “The Random Vandals Racing car was just super fast. Conor and Kenton have been quick all weekend and really showed their pace in the race today. We were just trying to hitch a line to them and stay close for as long as we could. It’s a bummer for them, but we’ll pick up the pieces and take the win. You just have to take what comes to you and we maximized today. We got very lucky that the No. 99 had an issue, which you never like to see as from a racing perspective, but we’ve been on that side of the game before, all of us have. It comes and it goes.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1436]

“It was very hard today, for sure,” echoed Milner. “We got lucky at the start. I got hit twice on the left-rear and thought something was broken or wrong, but I think the track was just super-dirty. We were lucky to get away with that one. As we expected, we weren’t the fastest car. Alec did a great job and we had a great pit stop. This DXDT team just excels in every area. I’m really proud to be part of this race team and to drive this Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Everyone keeps asking about the championship and I didn’t want to talk about it for a long time. But after today for us, things are falling into our hands. Now it’s a discussion, and I’m happy to go to Indy with a good chance to win it.”

Touching on the upcoming Indy 8 Hour and their chances of winning, Milner added that, “The driver lineup won’t be a problem. The car won’t be a problem. The team won’t be a problem. It’ll be about our pace once we get there and how we compare to everyone else. I’m excited to get there now, to go racing for eight hours there and go for a championship.”

Pro-Am

Robby Foley had a clean getaway as he led the field into turn 1 after starting from the overall pole position in his No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3. Neil Verhagen was trying to hunt him down in the No. 38 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3, but Foley continued to clock in fastest laps, building a gap to the fellow BMW factory driver behind.

As Justin Rothberg jumped in to replace Foley behind the wheel, Verhagen continued to clock in a couple more rapid laps before exchanging with teammate Samantha Tan. She initially returned to the track just ahead of Rothberg, but he used his tire advantage to take the position back a few corners later. The two championship contenders continued to run nose to tail lap after lap, and as Rothberg began to struggle for grip, Tan sought an opportunity to capitalize on the situation.

Elias Sabo went spinning off-track in the No. 8 Flying Lizard Motorsports BMW M4 GT3 with just under 30m to go. This brought out a brief full course caution and packed the field tightly together as they prepared for a sprint to the finish.

This played perfectly into the hands of Ellis in the No. 91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, who got to work very quickly, passing both Tan and Rothberg to propel himself into the class lead with less than 20m on the clock, and speeding ahead all the way to the finish line.

When reflecting on his performance throughout the weekend, Burton commented that, “Today and this whole weekend was probably my best driving. There’s some things that you’ve just got to learn, and I haven’t done this for a long time. It’s taken a long time for me to kind of figure it out, because driving is not as easy as people think, but today was really good.”

“I mean, it could have dropped a little bit earlier,” Ellis said about the yellow flags that ultimately favored their strategy. “It would have been a bit more relaxed, but it was good that it happened. I already passed a couple of front cars at that point, and the restart made things a little bit easier for me. I think everybody struggled for grip after the restart as we had quite a lot of dirt on the tires, so everybody was just sliding around and trying to figure out how much grip we had in the next few laps. I think that just helped me since I have a bit more experience than the other guys I’m racing.”

The Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS field will return for the season finale event – the coveted Indy 8 Hour – at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, October 3-6.

RESULTS