It is time now, for the final race of the weekend for SRO America and the second event for GT World Challenge America as the big boys and the big toys, the GT3 cars, take to the track once again, here at Sonoma Raceway. Cars are on track and the drivers are weaving around to get the temperature and grip into their tires as we join Ryan Myrehn and John Watson in the commentary box. DXDT Racing had issues with all three cars yesterday while the K-PAX Lamborghini’s were dominant. Colin Braun is on the outside of row one for this race.
Wright Motorsports with Fred Poordad and Jan Heylen scored
the Pro Am win yesterday. Watch for
Taylor Hagler and Dakota Dickerson as well, racing with Ryan Dalziel. We are getting ready for a start following
the Lamborghini Urus safety SUV. Focus,
focus, focus for this hour and a half duration motor race. Robby Foley was racing very well yesterday
but got tagged. Another car to look for
will be Russell Ward and Phil Ellis in the Winward Mercedes that had alternator
woes yesterday.
The field forms up in Noah’s Ark formation to the hairpin, and we are ready to start the race. Green flag! Go! Aurora Strauss waves it. Troubles for the Lamborghini as Colin Braun goes to the lead ahead of Jan Heylen. Trouble for Jordan Pepper. Pepper wants the spot fighting with Dakota Dickerson. He was likely tagged by teammate Giovanni Venturini. The contact will see the Lamborghini’s tagging each other. Venturini sharing with Corey Lewis.
Venturini and Pepper have both moved by Dakota Dickerson as Philip Ellis has Ryan Dalziel ahead. So, Dalziel is being monstered at the end of lap one. Colin Braun leads Jan Heylen. Braun sharing with George Kurtz. Jan Heylen sharing with Fred Poordad. Out of The Carousel, being followed by Jordan Pepper with co-driver Andrea Caldarelli. Ryan Dalziel makes a clean pass sharing with David Askew. Dalziel is seventh after losing two spots at the green flag.Robby Foley has dropped like a stone to 12th. Phil Ellis is losing spots and Michael Cooper will be all over him. He is sharing the #19 DXDT Mercedes AMG GT3 with Erin Vogel. Lamborghini #3 may have had a fuel pressure issue on the initial start. That is what we are hearing. Was there a vapor lock for the Jordan Pepper Lamborghini? Colin Braun continues to lead the motor race. Early doors yet. Jan Heylen runs the fastest lap last time by. Heylen is moving in on Colin Braun.
K-PAX Racing and co-driver Corey Lewis believes Giovanni
Venturini tagged Jordan Pepper. Some
concern about the teammates running into each other. What was that? An interesting start. We are underway with Colin Braun leader the
motor race. Colin Braun continues to
lead Jan Heylen and Heylen is making up ground hand over fist, eating 2/10ths
of a second into Colin Braun. Heylen is
moving in, pushing really hard with the nose shimmying under braking.
14 cars have started the motor race. Heylen is fastest at nearly 140 miles an hour. Everyone in the top order is running between 138-140 miles an hour. The Porsche uses its tires a tad more aggressively than the Mercedes. The Mercedes uses it’s Pirelli tires in a kind way compared to the Porsche’s and Lamborghini’s. This time of year it is not so bad but in the heat of the summertime, the tires are practically boiling. The start was a wild one and Jan Heylen has capitalized on the misfortune of the Lamborghini boys. No further action for the contact between the two K-PAX Lamborghini’s because they’ve dropped to third and fourth a ways down from the Braun and Heylen scrum. Jordan Pepper is 1.6 seconds in-arrears pf Jan Heylen and also, he is falling behind Colin Braun in the Mercedes. Lamborghini was in the lead yesterday, but now, Mercedes have come to the fore. Meanwhile, Dakota Dickerson has the fastest corner speed through The Carousel at nearly 79 miles an hour as other drivers have run at about 77 miles an hour through that corner. Ryan Dalziel hugs the inside of the corner trying to get that right front Pirelli tire to bite.
Through the chicane at turn nine and into ten and eleven. Dalziel decides discretion is the better part of valor for the time being, with only 16 minutes on the board in this hour and a half race. Robby Foley is chasing Vesko Kozarov. Turner Motorsports BMW vs. Rearden Racing Lamborghini. Kozarov sharing with Jeff Burton while Robby Foley shares the BMW with Michael Dinan. The race is developing nicely into a rhythm, finally. The BMW M6 GT3 has the straight line speed, for a car that should be long in the tooth, but it is still extremely competitive. The only Am entry, the FerrarI, the only Am entry is trying to move past the Aston Martin. That’s Conrad Grunewald chasing Drew Staveley. Vesko Kozarov is a professional driver who has run many kinds of cars, is making his GT3 debut this weekend. Colin Braun’s lead has ballooned to 2.7 seconds. The DXDT Mercedes team had a terrible race yesterday for at least two of their three automobiles. This team is indeed loaded for bear. Their preparation is paying dividends right now.
Pepper and Venturini have the Lamborghini’s third and fourth. Racer’s Edge team owner John Mirachi has assistance with Honda Performance Development. He is passionate and finds reward in running these young drivers who come out of the Honda Academy. The GT3 Academy will begin again soon to get new drivers into the professional ranks for 2022. Colin Braun continues in the lead of the motor race buy a long way. You’ve missed nothing at the front. Poor old Jordan Pepper is struggling. He’s just not had the performance he had in yesterday’s race. If young drivers run out of funding in open wheel cars, you can get paid to race in a sports car. That is, if indeed you are signed to a manufacturer, whether it’s Acura, Mercedes, Audi, Lamborghini, whoever. We have no Audi R8’s in the series in GTWC America this season. You can race it unchanged in America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The opportunities are endless. Meantime, Giovanni Venturini is making inroads into Jordan Pepper.
Jan Heylen, too, is moving in on Colin Braun, but Braun is having a metronomic drive so far. He is a very experienced driver. Giacomo Altoe in seventh in another Lamborghini has run very well in Europe. Altoe started caboose on the field. He is now behind Matt McMurry in the #77 Compass Racing Acura NSX GT3. McMurry sharing with Mexican driver Rodrigo Sales. Sales started very well yesterday but then the race went pear shaped after a rear wheel came off the car. Compass has experience with GT3 cars but with McLaren’s in a different championship with different rules.
Dakota Dickerson meanwhile, is fending off the pursuit of Ryan Dalziel to reel him in. Dalziel was a winner in class at the Rolex 24 at Daytona earlier in the year and has won that motor race overall in the past as well. A single seater, an open wheel car, is half the weight of what one of these GT3 cars does. A lot of aerodynamics in these cars, just like an open wheel racer. These cars look like a production car. They are not street legal though. They are turnkey race cars where you cannot just go to your supercar dealer and buy one, no matter if you’ve got the bread or not.
Ah. Compass Racing with the Acura, Matt McMurry, in the lane for an unscheduled stop. They are refueling that automobile. Strangle. One hour to go, a half an hour is now done and dusted. Meantime, the Lamborghini teammates are closing in. You have Giovanni Venturini closing in on Jordan Pepper for third spot. One hour to go and we are coming close to the one and only scheduled pit stops of this race coming up soon. Giovanni Venturini is probing, looking at getting past Jordan Pepper. Pepper is aiming to reel in Jan Heylen in the Porsche. George Kurtz and Fred Poordad are the two amateur drivers who are scheduled to get into their respective cars when the pit stop happens. Dakota Dickerson is the only other driver lapping at or above 1:41. Giovanni Venturini has been lapping well, but he has to get on terms with Jordan Pepper. Pepper in the black car and Venturini in the green car. Conrad Grunewald in the lone Ferrari 488 GT3 is running well. We see that in Europe with GTWC Europe at tracks like Monza in Italy or Spa Francorchamps in Belgium.
Giovanni Venturinin runs wide in The Carousel! Egad! He just barely got away with that. Good onya Giovanni! Venturini sharing that car with Corey Lewis. Pepper sharing with Andrea Caldarelli. Colin Braun leads by 1.7 seconds as we are soon to see pit stops. Almost halfway through the motor race. You must hit a delta of 87 seconds in and out of the lane plus service (fuel, tires, and a driver change). Jan Heylen, meanwhile, is reeling in Colin Braun, and Jordan Pepper is moving in on Heylen as well, look. Heylen is chiseling the gap away. Jordan Pepper, though, is pushing the Lamborghini to the limit and he is moving in speedily on Jan Heylen. Andrea Caldarelli in #3 and Corey Lewis in #6 are going to push, push, push against the Am drivers of George Kurtz and Fred Poordad. Co-drivers are suited and booted. When do you bring the cars into the lane for service? One minute ‘til the pit window opens. Don’t stack the cars in the lane. Bad idea. Heylen is closing in fast on Braun as we mentioned. The gap is still closing.
Keep Braun and Heylen at the controls of their respective cars as long as possible. But K-PAX is open to doing a few different things in their strategy. Pit window open now. The Lamborghini’s maybe missed the window by just a handful of seconds. It extends for ten minutes until 40 minutes left in the race. If you run afoul of the ten minute window, it’s a drive through penalty. It sounds like Jordan Pepper might benefit from a pit stop as the rear end of that automobile has been all over the shop. Therefore, Giovanni Venturini can motor ahead and try to reel in the Porsche. Bingo! Right on the money. Pepper is in the lane! Pepper, the South African, hands over to co-driver, Italian Andrea Caldarelli. Braun and Heylen are 1-2 again. The next K-PAX Lamborghini, the green car, #6 is now in the lane. Corey Lewis will take over from Giovanni Venturini. Andrea Caldarelli is pushing to the limit to get the tires right up to pressure despite being in the warming ovens or blankets. Caldarelli goes around Corey Lewis. The order is the same. The Rearden Racing Lamborghini also pits. Vesko Kozarov out, and Jeff Burton in.
Colin Braun continues to lead the motor race. A major delay with the left front tire. A recalcitrant rattle gun. Aston Martin #12 is in the lane and we have a
huge problem on the eft front of that car, tightening the left front lug nut
with a torque wrench. So, now we can see
Heylen monstering Braun for the overall lead of the motor race and in the Pro
Am class. DXDT and Wright Motorsports
will cut the margin razor thin for the pit stop and the driver change. The Compass Racing Acura makes a scheduled
stop. Fred Poordad into the Porsche and
George Kurtz into the Mercedes.
Four new Pirelli P Zero tires, another tank of gasoline, and a driver change. Can K-PAX cycle to the lead via short pitting? Andrea Caldarelli at the controls. K-PAX leapfrogs to first and second past DXDT and Wright Motorsports. Wow! The pit window is closed now. Fresh tires and a clear track really help. What can George Kurtz do to hold off the challenge of Fred Poordad? K-PAX Racing and Lamborghini run 1-2 with Andrea Caldarelli leading the motor race. K-PAX have done extremely well since pit stops were introduced to the GT World Challenge America championship. They honed their skills in GT World Challenge Europe last year. Taylor Hagler has now taken over the Acura from Dakota Dickerson. That is the #93 Racer’s Edge Acura NSX GG3. David Askew has taken over the #63 Mercedes from Ryan DFalziel and it seems that the car has spun and clobbered the wall at turn seven. They will have accicdnt damage to fix. The left front fender is dragging on the deck outside the wheel arch.
So, a pear-shaped day again for the Askew/Dalziel duo. 34 minutes remaining in this motor race. Andrea Caldarelli now leads the sister Lamborghini of Corey Lewis. Also, J.C. Saada is passed by Rodrigo Sales. Acura vs. Ferrari. Jean Claude Saada crashed the Ferrari earlier in the weekend and was thankfully repaired. Meantime, George Kurtz is now third, extending his lead in Pro Am to ten seconds. Colin Braun has raced GT cars, prototypes, and also, NASCAR. He ran 222.9 miles an hour average in a prototype on the oval at Daytona International Speedway like Mark Donohue going to Talladega and racing a Porsche 917/30. George Kurtz has Pro Am nearly buttoned up or so it seems. Michael Dinan has the fastest speed at 139 miles an hour, with Ziad Ghandour in the Am Lamborghini ahead giving way to Andrea Caldarelli in the race lead. Ziad Ghandour takes the TR3 Lamborghini to the lane for a drive through penalty. So, the TR3 team Lamborghini for Ziad Ghandour and Giacomo Altoe, will have to play catch up. Nonetheless, the bulls are on parade as the Lamborghini’s run 1-2. Michael Dinan allows Corey Lewis to pass. Driver’s etiquette is of the utmost importance.
Meantime, David Askew, a lap down, has Taylor Hagler at the controls of the Racer’s Edge Acura. Hagler comes from a front wheel drive touring car to a GT3 car. Taylor Hagler is third in class and fifth overall. Hagler is pressing David Askew. Meantime, Andrea Caldarelli is continuing to lead the motor race. Erin Vogel is moving in on Taylor Hagler. Taylor Hagler is in the middle of a DXDT Racing sandwich. David Askew is trying to keep the Acura at bay. The battle behind is Taylor Hagler vs. Erin Vogel. David Askew tries to go defensive and Askew runs wide. Up the inside through the Carousel, Vogel moves by Askew. 20 minutes left to race. Erin Vogel then, will continue to pursue Taylor Hagler. This is for the final podium place in the Pro Am division. Andrea Caldarelli leads Corey Lewis by 7.8 seconds. K-PAX Lamborghini have been very strong again today. For ninth place, Rodrigo Sales is reeling in Ziad Ghandour. Meantime, Taylor Hagler continues to fend off the challenge of Erin Vogel. Class is in session at Motor Racing University. Vogel, a year ago, teamed up with Michael Cooper in a McLaren 570S GT4 in Pirelli GT4 America.
Vogel closes again on Hagler. This has been a great battle to watch. 15 minutes to go. Andrea Caldarelli leads Corey Lewis by 7.7 seconds. Taylor Hagler is the fastest Pro Am driver at 138 miles an hour. Taylor Hagler has information coming from engineer Jim Patten and also driver coach Ryan Eversley. Oh dear. In hot pursuit, Erin Vogel spins and makes a mistake. Andrea Caldarelli continues to lead. Vogel’s spin was harmless, but it has cost her a podium in Pro Am. Corey Lewis still runs second to Andrea Caldarelli. We have not had a Full Course Yellow or a safety car in this race so far. Lewis is eating into Caldarelli’s lead while the Italian is in lapped traffic. Lewis is the only K-PAX driver who has ever raced here before but that was a dozen years ago. George Kurtz is very stout and fended off the challenge of Fred Poordad. Jan Heylen recorded the fastest race lap earlier on and that fastest lap has stood up as the race has gone on. Ten or so minutes to go before the motor race ends. Hagler moves around Frank Gannett in the Aston Martin, for Ian Lacy Racing who ran GT4 Ford Mustang’s in Pirelli GT4 America last year.
Taylor Hagler is beginning to catch Fred Poordad. She is seven seconds down, but has run personal best lap times. Can anyone upset the apple cart for K-PAX Racing? K-PAX has not dominated this race as they did on Saturday. But the second half, they’ve taken control. Erin Vogel has Russell Ward right behind her now. Two Mercedes AMG GT3’s, an Evo, and an older version. Winward is running the older automobile. She is under pressure from the #33 car, Russell Ward at the controls sharing with Phillip Ellis. Vogel is fending off the challenge of Ward. Andrea Caldarelli leads by 6.7 seconds over Corey Lewis. Ward wants by Vogel and has to back out of the gas. This is for fourth in Pro Am and sixth overall. Ward is coming back at Vogel in turn ten and eleven. Vogel compromises the entrance of the turn and onto the front straight. She is eking out a gap on Russell Ward. Not close enough this time. Just four and a half minutes to go. What does Russell Ward have left in the locker? Ward just can’t get the job done yet. A late apex to get the drive off the exit of the turn and across the start/finish line again. Two laps to go.
Time is the ally of Erin Vogel. Andrea Caldarelli has been dominant today and was yesterday as well, putting a lap on Ziad Ghandoor. Andrea Caldarelli is competing against driver’s he’s never run with, for the most part. George Kurtz and Colin Braun have dominated the Pro Am class. They’ve recovered greatly compared to the race yesterday even though he has swept GT America as well, earlier this weekend. Jean Claude Saada is going to finish in the Ferrari after the heavy accident that happened earlier in the weekend. Saada and Conrad Grunewald can be extremely happy with their performance today.
Final lap. Erin Vogel
and Russell Ward continue to fight each other.
Vogel goes wide and here comes Ward.
Can he make the run through The Carousel? Not necessarily or so it seems. Through to turn seven and no dice yet. Two more chances to try and make the
move. Andrea Caldarelli is going to win
and for the second straight day, Andrea Caldarelli and Jordan Pepper win
it. Ward wants fourth and Vogel beats
Ward to the line! That was close. George Kurtz and Colin Braun will pick up the
trophy in Pro Am.
Am honors go the way of Jean-Claude Saada and Conrad Grunewald in the #61 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3. Jan Heylen logs fastest lap of the race at 1:38.176. So, we now look at our winners in GT World Challenge America at Sonoma in race two.
Overall/Pro: #3 Caldarelli/Pepper K-PAX Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3
Pro Am: #04 Braun/Kurtz DXDT Racing Mercedes AMG GT3
Am: #61 Grunewald/Saada AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3
What a weekend of racing here at Sonoma Raceway to kick off the 2021 SRO GT World Challenge America championship season. Next time we speak to you, for round two, it will be at Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas, the very first weekend in May. So, stay tuned for more action when the time comes, as the SRO America season for 2021 continues. So long for now, and take care, everyone. Thanks for being with us, for this action packed weekend of motor racing. Arriva derci. See you in Texas.
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