We are set to go for the second and final GT America support event to the Indianapolis 8 Hours. Recall, if you were with us yesterday, Brendon Iribe scored a wire to wire victory and Charlie Luck earned the championship. With the championship result now done and dusted, a race win is what the contenders want. Will Brendon Iribe break out the broom and sweep today? Or, will another of the contenders in this single driver, sprint race (40 minutes) format, step up to the plate and say, "hey bud, I'm coming for you."? What will we see in today's race at "The Brickyard", the world's most fabled of all race tracks, that everyone wants to win at?
A whole season of racing boils down to this. It is the finale of the 2021 GT America championship season. 40 minutes of racing coming up, right now. We join Ryan Myrehn, Calvin Fish, and Amanda Busick for the coverage. Now, the GT3 championships are done and dusted. Jason Bell and Sean Quinlan are the rivals for the GT4 title. That race will be one we watch. It is a windy day here at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The tailwind down into turn one will be a big deal. We just had a practice session for the Indianapolis 8 Hours coming up tomorrow. There has also been a short event for Porsche Carrera Cup cars. We have a sole GT2 Audi with Elias Sabo at the controls in addition to the GT3 and GT4 entries of course.
Brendon Iribe went off like a scalded cat yesterday. Memo Gidley, he is making his return to racing, and will be in it to win it. Plus we have the aforementioned championship battle. Jason Bell has the momentum for the championship. Andrew Davis will be ready to roll. Steven Garcia of FanDuel enthusiastically gives the command. "Drivers, start your engines!" They're cranked up, and rolling off the pit lane. Pirelli makes the teams use a minimum tire pressure and that is what caught the Bentley out for Memo Gidley yesterday. Gidley needs half a second to take it to Brendon Iribe. Here's how the Indianapolis track works.
We cross the bricks and into turn one from 165 to 50 miles an hour, through the sweepers of turns two and three, to the right to turn four. Then, accelerate out to the sweeper and carousel at turns five and six. Hard back to power to the back straight in second gear. All the way out to the edge of the road. Onto the back straight and brake hard for turn seven. Consecutive right, left right, turns for eight, nine, ten. Accelerate to the back straight on the banking. Feel the downforce, and into turn twelve into another second gear corner. Back to power and shoot out onto the front straight out of the last corner.
No rain in the forecast today or tomorrow. This place is very demanding. The straightaway and Hulman Boulevard are major sections. Get crisp transitions through the corners and have the car be set up so it is compliant over the bumps. Trouble for Sean Quinlan who has stalled it. He's back on the button now. But he had to do a reset. Jason Bell, his title rival, must win this motor race today if he wants the title. Poor old Sean Quinlan is not up t speed. He is in major trouble, look. It is nearly half a lap behind the leaders as we come to the green flag.
Green flag and away we go! McLaren and Bentley on the front row. Iribe controls the start. It is a dry line all the way and here comes Memo Gidley to the cushion. Inside and back outside. Still side by side and Iribe holds off Memo Gidley for the time being. The Bentley is gentle on it's tires. Iribe is just now really getting into sports car racing. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Sean Quinlan in the lane and the bonnet is up. Ugh! Here is the battle between Jason Harward and Kyle Washington. They are both pressing on hard.
Iribe is whistling off into the distance. Jason Bell leads GT4 and it looks like Bell is going to have the advantage. Quinlan is a lap down with engine woes. If Bell has trouble, Quinlan can still be champion. But Bell has to do 70% of this race. He is in the Aston Martin. He will want to know what his championship status is. Here comes Robb Holland in the Ford Musang with the Aston Martin of Gray Newell ahead. Gray Newell is debuting as a professional driver this year and has come on strong as a driver who can prove himself. Robb Holland gets absolutely dusted by Newell as the Pirelli P Zero tires are getting into their sweet spot.
Thomas Surgent had a fluid leak and a spin in yesterday's motor race. He is back on the pace again today right on the back of the podium contenders in GT4. Oh dear. Mercedes GT4 in the pit lane with a caved in grill. That's Chris Cagnazzi at the wheel of it. It could be an early bath for RENNTech. Four spot in GT3 up for grabs. A rinse and repeat from yesterday between Jason Harward and Kyle Washington, look. Oh my gosh. Harward hits the grass, and spins. It is wet out there. In replay, he runs wide over the curb and takes his turn on the whirligig into the right hand turn. Rain aplenty in central Indiana last night.
Elias Sabo in the Audi R8 LMS GT2 is being monstered by C.J. Moses in the Mercedes AMG GT3. GT2 entries have the horsepower but not the downforce of a GT3 racer. It is a darn shame we have not seen GT2 cars racing even though many have been sold. Moses is gapped again by Sabo. Great interplay between the classes as Brendan Iribe is cooking right now. 1:35.9. Memo Gidley a full second off. So, Iribe is bish bash boshing it once again in perfect, yet very cool conditions. Low ambient temperatures allows the engines to breathe better and the cars to have more downforce. Cooler, denser air helps racing cars.
Charlie Luck was elated with his championship win yesterday and doing it at Indianapolis. Charlie Luck finished in the top ten in 1986 in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series which is now the Xfinity Series. But he is rejuvenating his career in sports cars. Kyle Washington is now fourth. No, no, no. The BMW M4 GT4 of Sean Quinlan could be done for the day. They will tow the car back to the garage and may get back out there but they have less than half an hour. Sean Quinlan will be able to race in the 8 Hours of Indianapolis. So, if he does not win the title, he can drown his sorrows by doing well in the Indianapolis 8 Hours tomorrow.
For Jason Bell, and the Aston Martin, he is steady. He cannot make a mistake. Stay clean, stay in a rhythm. Don't let Gray Newell push you too hard. However, Gray Newell is still in contention second in class. You have to spare a thought for Sean Quinlan who has had a dominating season in 2021. There are still ten more GT4 cars racing against Jason Bell. He has to be smart even if Gray Newell presses him. Now then, Alex Welch has passed Thomas Surgent and Welch is working on catching third place point man Rob Holland at the wheel of the Ford Mustang GT4. We have a race between Ginetta, Porsche, and Mercedes for seventh.
Scott Noble passes Matt Rivard and Sean Whelan in the Zelus Racing Aston Martin is right there. These GT4 cars are all very quick and evenly matched. Porsche Cayman vs. Ford Mustang vs. Mercedes AMG GT4 vs. Ginetta G56. Noble moves inside and passes Chris Gumprecht in the Benz. Noble in the Porsche. Ginetta have been developing the straight line performance in their car. But this little British motorcar is pressing hard. Matt Rivard is right on Christopher Gumprecht's six now. We saw the same deal with the KTM Crossbow when that car raced in this championship.
Brendon Iribe's gap has grown over Memo Gidley. McLaren leading Bentley, a couple legendary British marques. The speed gap is between 162-164 miles hour. Elias Sabo has run very well in the infield section of the course. Brendon Iribe, though, is dominating. Ben Barnicoat had an incident in Free Practice for the 8 Hour race. Meanwhile, Gray Newell absolutely slices past Jason Bell and he will put the hammer down and draw a bead away from the identical Aston Martin. Don't fight the bloke who you are racing. Just let him go and focus on the championship. That's what Jason Bell must do. Gray Newell, too, something has clicked for him. He has won in the duo GT4 races with Ian James this year already.
Robb Holland is fourth and Thomas Surgent wants by him. Surgent can't quite make it. Good scrap here though, look. Surgent is going to press and set Holland up in turn 12. Tries the long way and Robb Holland gives him the space. It's a drag race! Holland will go for it and Memo Gidley nearly gets chopped by those GT4 cars! Egad! That was a bear! Holland now, moves around Surgent. He's probably picked up some junk on his tires and they are getting greasy. Charlie Luck slides his way around and goes past Surgent. Here comes Sean Noble as well in the Porsche Cayman and he picks up the spot.
Poor old Surgent has been bombarded. Noble now is going to try going after Rob Holland. Holland has raced in both the United States and Europe. He also raced the Pikes Peak Hill Climb this year. Sabo and Moses are still going at it hammer and tongs as well. Moses wants to roll the speed in but Sabo does not have the grip with tha GT2 Audi. Through the south chute of the oval they go and into turn 12. The GT2 car's performance is very similar to the GT3 car. Fairly evenly matched indeed. These two chaps are glued together. Rob Hollna druns defensive and here comes Surgent on Shawn Noble.
They move through and pass Jeff Burton in the Lamborghini and ehre comes Chris Gumprecht as well. Jeff Burton passes Rob Holland. GT3 Lamborghini dusts off the GT4 machines. Kyle Washington in the Porsche moves to the outside to split this party up. They're having a little party, and they didn't invite me! Well, I'll show up uninvited! Sean Quinlan has not made it back onto the track. It could be game over. He is behind the wall. Sean Quinlan will be bitterly disappointed but he'll be back. Racing giveth and taketh away. He'll be back next year. Gray Newell leads the GT4 class now.
Jason Bell, in points as they run, has a 13 point lead on Sean Quinlan now with Robb Holland third and Alex Welch fourth. Scott Noble moves past Robb Holland. Surgent will be chasing Holland and here he comes. Thomas Surgent, side by side stuff with Holland and Christopher Gumprecht moves by. The McLaren is not giving Surgent the grip he wants. The Mercedes of Gumprecht is a more compliant automobile but he spins out! Through 6A he pitched the car around by going back to power too soon on Hulman Boulevard. So, Gumprecht is back at ti tnow but has to play catch up with less than ten minutes remaining.
Ten minutes in the race, and the season still elft. Brendon Iribe has dominated this race again as he is getting prepped for the 8 hour race tomorrow. Iribe leads Memo Gidley by 25 seconds. Brendon Iribe did test here before this weekend. Memo Gidley holds down second. He swept the non championship races at Sebring after his devastating leg injuries in a crash at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2014. Surgent off the road dropping wheels. He's hanging on but barely. The Sabo and Moses scrum continues. GT2, GT3, and GT4 cars running side by side down the front straight C.J. Moses pounces on the AGT2 Audi and here comes Elias Sabo not wanting to give it up!
Yikes! This is good stuff here! This has been a wonderful, respectful scrap. No contact, thank heavens. Seven minutes left on the board and Jason Bell will win his first title, his first GT4 championship. He has gone past the 70% mark. Don't push Gray Newell throwing the championship away. Stay calm. Stay steady. Gray Newell does not want to interfere in Jason Bell's title deal. But, by the same token, Gray Newell is in the clear since he won't make a banzai move, maybe. It is hypothetical. Team boss James Sofronas looking on. Sofronas loves to race and he will race the 8 Hours tomorrow. But he has championships and close to 250 SRO starts.
He is involved with three brands, Aston Martin, Porsche, and Audi. Robb Holland wants a top five and Thomas Surgent says, "no way, mate." He presses hard and the two of them spin! Good gravy! Not enough room in turn four and Thomas Surgent is beached in the gravel! Holland able to get underway but poor old Surgent has beached it. Brendon Iribe, though, is on a Saturday cruise looking for his fourth win of the year. He has been on a break lately but is back in the fight now. He passes ninth place Jason Harward. Memo Gidley will finish second. Brendon Iribe is going to win this race as Harward spins. Elias Sabo still leads C.J. Moses. That one has been great fun to watch.
Jason Bell, second, is in the catbird seat for the championship now. Brendon Iribe sees the white flag from flagman Tom Hansing. One lap to go. James Sofronas, GMG boss looking on. Kyle Washington is fifth in GT3. Gray Newell leads GT4 over potential champion Jason Bell. What a strong finish he will have to this season. Will the overall leader in Brendon Iribe catch him? The clock has run out. Elias Sabo did not see Brendon Iribe and Iribe nearly loses it but avoid disaster and sweeps the weekend in GT America at Indianapolis! Wow!
Iribe and company are ready for the 8 hour tomorrow with a massive 40 car field we will see. Alex Welch also gets on the GT4 podium. Gray Newell will score his first solo win for Heart of Racing. Newell has a majorly large future ahead of him. Gray Newell will win in GT America GT4 competition. Jason Bell is going to clinch the championship! Newell wins Indianapolis and Bell is the champ!
Great race!
#70 Brendon Iribe Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3
Great to see Memo Gidley getting on the podium in both races. Will TKO Motorsports step up to GT World Challenge America? We can hope. It is rare to see the Bentley out there because the factory support is almost gone and sadly, so is the customer support. We saw that car with K-PAX Racing in the past. So, Brendon Iribe and McLaren sweep the weekend with Inception Racing. A great race for GT America today. More action to come later today. So, stay tuned. Gray Newell is a happy camper and deservedly absolutely stunned at winning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
We will see more cars out there next year. Excited for this championship for a single driver sprint format. Jason Bell will forever be the GT4 champion in GT America in 2021.
Champion: #2 Jason Bell Aston Martin Vantage GT4
So, that's it, for GT America from Indianapolis Motor Speedway and for the 2021 season. We'll see you in 2022. So long for now, everybody. Take care, and stay tuned for more action today from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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