Hello, and welcome, everybody, to hallowed ground in motorsports. In fact, the most hallowed ground anywhere, probably. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, playing host this weekend to the SRO. At the corner of 16th and Georgetown in Indianapolis, Indiana, this is race one of the final weekend of Pirelli GT4 America. The championship has already been decided. Boatloads on the line for the minor places as we join Ryan Myrehn and Calvin Fish in the booth, and Amanda Busick in pit lane. Busick interviewed champions Kenny Murillo and Christian Szymczak. They were able to wrap up their championship one race early at Sebring International Raceway.
They are the Silver class champions. They will start fourth in this race aboard the #72 Murillo Racing Mercedes AMG GT4. They've won five races this year already. But Classic BMW, third in the points standings, they still want a piece of the pie if they can get it before only crumbs are left. Stevan McAleer and Toby Grahovec are ready to go. Classic BMW are going away after this race as the franchise dealership has been sold. However, the race team will be back as Fast Track Racing. Another car in the Silver class is the second place start, Conquest Racing West which debuted in the race at Road America. Michai Stephens and Colin Mullin are set to go.
Pro-Am and the championship, went to Jason Hart and Matt Travis at Nolasport. They punched their ticket to the championship at Sebring last time out. They have won half a dozen races this year. The field rolls off on their formation lap right across the yard of bricks. In the Am class, Smooge Racing have won one race every weekend. That's John "Smooge" Geesbreght and Kevin Conway. Now, hold the phone, everyone. Before we get underway with the pace laps, we have an automobile in strife already! Dear me. What is going on? The Capstone Racing #16 Mercedes AMG GT4 has stalled on the grid.
This is not the way Kris Wilson and co-driver Jon Barry wanted to start the penultimate race of the season. Kris Wilson the starting driver, in the Am pole sitting car. Something is wrong in the footwell of the driver's compartment and oh my gosh, Kris Wilson is getting out of the car! Game over before someone can even move the first chess piece! How about that. What horrible luck! Terrible news. John Allen has been the primary co-driver in that car. So, Kevin Conway and John Geesbreght are early champions. They are working to see where they will stack up as they change classes next year.
This car has gotten a lot of help from some heavy hitters in the sports car racing world. Tony Ave's team has helped out and Bill Riley I believe, has also been advising them. They've won seven races this year. They will be stepping up to another class in 2022. We have a slightly different road course configuration here at Indianapolis than we have seen in the past. BMW seem to handle well through the sweepers rather than the quick change of direction, flick type corners on this circuit. The Aston Martin cars have more power but more weight as well. 2.59 miles with 14 corners, is the configuration we are seeing here at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
We are ready to commence the penultimate race for Pirelli GT4 America. One hour time duration with a pit stop in the middle. A driver change is the only element. Fueling and tire changes are not permitted nor are they necessary since this race is just an hour. 26 cars starting this race. The lower graded driver in a Pro-Am lineup, the Am drivers are starting while the professional drivers start race two tomorrow. There is a quick switchback into turn one that was incorporated into the track after Formula 1 left the circuit and MotoGP motorcycle racing was introduced. It has since been incorporated for use by the cars.
Kenny Murillo is unsure where he should line up on the grid since the Capstone Mercedes is not there. It looks like the Capstone car will be a scratch for this race at the very least. Safety vehicle in the lane. Green flag from Tom Hansing, and away we go! Hansing, a man who has thrown the green hanky on several Indianapolis 500s. The field accelerates away. Easy does it through the first few corners as we have Stevan McAleer rocketing into the lead. He took off like he was shot from a cannon! James Walker aboard the #34 Red Line Oil sponsored BMW M4 GT4 is a tad off the road but he looks to be recovering.
Towards the new esses complex they go, through turns 5, 6, and 6A. Those turns will funnel the cars down onto Hulmann Boulevard for the first time of asking. McAleers leads and Tim Barber is trying his best to take a spot away from Michai Stephens. Barber didn't make that one stick. He runs wide aboard the #22 CCR Racing/Team TFB BMW M4 GT4. Barber sharing with Cole Ciraulo. James Clay in the #36 Bimmerworld BMW M4 GT4 moves up, but the field concertinas behind. Clay sharing that car with Nick Galante.
Michai Stephens has Warren Dexter in the Dexter Racing Aston Martin, and Dexter makes the pass in the #062 Dexter Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Now, we have a car stopped and in need of rescue. This is the #79 Mercedes AMG GT4 for RENNtech Motorsports. Christopher Gumprecht at the controls right now, sharing with Canadian sports car racing veteran Kyle Marcelli. Full Course Yellow just two minutes into this one hour event. So much heartbreak for Marcelli and company at RENNTech Motorsports.
We welcome pit lane reporter Kyle Hier to the broadcast and he is investigating the woes of Capstone Motorsports and driver Kris Wilson. The car did not leave pit lane and the pedal box adjuster is broken. Kris Wilson reaches his throttle foot to the accelerator, and what happens? The whole pedal box unit in the car, slides forward! Oh my me my! That had to be an unnerving experience! They won't lose too much ground under yellow. Maybe there was another car involved in this accident involving Chris Gumprecht. Stevan McAleer leads the motor race and James Clay has sliced and diced his way through the field to the Pro-Am lead, picking up three places.
James Clay, in all honesty, he took advantage of Tim Barber's slip up at the start. Two "classic" (pun intended), teams leading this motor race with Classic BMW (about to be rebranded for next season), and Bimmerworld. These two BMW powerhouses have been battling each other for a long time in SRO competition. Michai Stephens has been wrongfooted and is now down in fourth spot. Pro-Am champion-elect, Matt Travis, has moved to eight place after starting down the order. Travis and co-driver Jason Hart, are in good shape. They want to do well. They've won seven races in 2021.
Porsche lead BMW by 15 points for the GT4 manufacturer battle. So that is something worth looking at. What a great opportunity to have to drive the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This track is known as an oval since it opened it's doors in 1909. There were plans for a full decade to put an infield road course into the circuit. For so many decades it never, ever came to fruition. Finally, it did happen. They realized it in 2000. Formula 1, MotoGP, IndyCar, NASCAR, and sports cars, have all raced on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
Get ready, get set, punch it. Now, McAleer puts the welly down and everyone else bunched into a wad behind, will have to catch up. McAleet leading James Clay and Kenny Murillo and here comes Michai Stephens too. He had the front end wash out getting into the antilock brakes. Tim Barber is making his recovery. He has moved 'round Warren Dexter. This team at Conquest Racing have won five out of six races they've run in in this championship already! Holy smokes! Michai Stephens and Colin Mullan were chosen after a shootout contest of drivers in the car, a "Gong Show" if you will.
Michai Stephens has not raced for a long time. But he is back now. This is the first of many races on the docket and we will see a number of these teams, drivers, and cars in the GT4 class in the Indianapolis 8 Hours here on Sunday. James Clay in the meantime, is falling back into the clutches of Kenny Murillo. BMW M4 GT4 vs. Mercedes AMG GT4. The Mercedes is very compliant. We are early in the game here. 50 minutes left on the board. Kevin Conway, a one-time NASCAR Cup Series rookie of the year and is now champion-elect in the Pirelli GT4 America Am class.
He is seventh now afte starting in tenth spot. Kevin Conway has not raced the Indianapolis road course. But he has run on the oval in the Brickyard 400. Jack Hawksworth will be teaming with Conway and Geesbreght in the Indianapolis 8 Hour on Sunday after also racing in the Indianapolis 500 in an IndyCar of course. Tom Capizzi is trying to keep Chris Cagnazzi at bay. Nick Galante says that he has had an up and down season coming in from another championship. Galante is a champion in divisions below the GT4 ranks. James Clay is a capable driver and team owner. Rumors circulate that James Clay and Bimmerworld could very well switch up their operation and move to GT3.
We shall see what develops there. James Clay is also a successful businessman. We are going to see the BMW M4 GT3 next year, and that has been known for a while now. But there could be a new and updated version of the M4 GT4 platform as well. By 2023, we will see a new version of the M4 GT4. The current car is based on the road car but the new one will be a pure race car. James Clay in the meantime is holding off Kenny Murillo, while Michai Stephens, too, is monstering Murillo as well, look. The BMW might not have the legs on the Mercedes.
Kenny Murillo is a great driver. His dad runs the team, and his father was successful in single seat open wheel cars in the 1980s. Kenny Murillo, if he is not driving, he is a data engineer for the team. Meantime, Tim Barber has his hands full with Warren Dexter who is right on his decklid. Dexter Racing are from Nebraska. Not really a sports car racing spot. Nebraska may be more dirt and sprint car racing country to be honest. We look at the top speeds among the top five overall and they range anywhere from 153-156 miles per hour.
The Aston Martin is going to have a speed advantage over the other cars. It also corners more effectively. Dexter to the outside in the Hulman Boulevard braking zone! This is side by side stuff right here, look. Dexter puts a nose ahead but Barber is not going to give up without a fight. That whole sector between turns seven and twelve is unreal! So, Barber takes Dexter by surprises and it's get your own back time again. Michai Stephens tries to squeeze up past Kenny Murillo. No dice there, chaps. Murillo turns through the corner with a wider radius.
Thankfully Murillo didn't slam the door in Stephens' face! But Stephens is not giving up either. Jeepers creepers! Six minutes from now, the pit window opens for driver changes. We will see that happen at the 35 minute mark. We will see pit stops soon. 98 seconds pit lane delta, is the maximum including driver changes. You lose 53 seconds driving down the pit lane and 45 seconds in total for the driver changes. You can adjust tire pressures but cannot change tires unless one of those Pirelli P Zero tires is damaged, and for that, you must prove to the stewards that you have a damaged tire.
James Walker and Chandler Hull are scrapping. Hull and Jon Miller missed the most recent event at Road America as Hull had to race in Hungary in another series. Bill Auberlen, in the first quarter of 2022 will have raced 500 races at the wheel of a BMW. That's simply astounding! Warren Dexter continues hassling Tim Barber for position. Kevin Conway and Matt Travis are closing in. Dexter might be able to repay Barber in kind through the south short chute of the oval. BMW, Aston Martin, Toyota, Porsche. A melting pot of brands and a sweet spot on the budget for gentleman drivers. GT3 cars are far more expensive to buy and to race.
These are gorgeous, turnkey race cars as well. They are very reliable and they are more aerodynamically efficient in some ways than a GT3 monster. Stevan McAleer, the Englishman (a Scotsman), he is driving extremely well. He is running in prototype championships and GT championships as well. James Clay is eking out a gap over the two fire breathing Mercedes' behind him. The BMW sometimes has more tire falloff than other cars. Nick Galante will have to hang onto the gap after their pit stop. Murillo can't make a move, but Warren Dexter moves to the inside of Tim Barber.
Jeepers! Ryan Myrehn, you sir, took the words right out of my mouth, as Tim Barber indeed slams the door once again in Warren Dexter's face. The two Mercedes' close up consistently on Clay through turn 12. Michai Stephens, speaking of slamming the door in one's face, he could really give Murillo ye olde chrome horn and then things would totally go through the roof here. Murillo, he still has his hands full with James Clay. OK. It's go time. Pull the pin, baby. This is unreal. Murillo is looking to the outside of Clay while Stephens is right on his six! Stephens blows by the identical Benz of Murillo. You wonder. Did Murillo lift? You can't miss a shift in a modern race car, because these boys are using accurate either paddle shift or H pattern gearboxes.
Stephens wants to take the long way 'round. Murillo fends him off. Murillo wants none of this. He's going to monster James Clay into a mistake or that's what he wants and Stephens, is sticking to him like glue. He's all over the back of that bronze colored Mercedes like a cheap suit. Pit callers coming to the lane and Matt Travis, lucky dog, may have just hit it bang on the money. Driver change and Jason Hart will take over. That's classic undercut right there. Who in the lead group will blink first? This is a toss up on the driver lineups. Murillo will hand the Benz to Christian Szymczak while Clay hands over to Nick Galante.
Aha. Murillo ducks to the lane. He wants to get Szymczak track position. Now we pick back up with the Tim Barber, Warren Dexter story and a third character has joined the novel in the form of Kevin Conway. Well, well, well. 97.6 for Matt Travis to Jason Hart and they can use their one second joker. They have one allotted per weekend. So, Murillo Racing in the lane and Christian Szymczak into the car. The crewman is using a leaf blower to cool the brakes off on the car. They were 1/10th outside the delta. But they are now a lap down to Stevan McAleer in the #11 Classic BMW.
Through turn seven and into turn eight, Michai Stephens moves his way past James Clay. Colin Mullan now has the track position over Christian Szymczak. No real need to adjust the time. 1/10th outside the pit time requirement. However, Szymczak, because of the pit lane length and the delta, the #11 BMW M4 GT4 has lapped these boys. That's the Classic BMW BMW M4 for Stevan McAleer and Toby Grahovec. Side by side stuff in turns seven and eight for James Clay vs. Michai Stephens. The Mercedes, the silver one for Conquest Racing West is very good at carving and cutting through the turns.
These chaps have been in the championship for just a month or so but they are proving themselves immediately and winning races. By this time in the season, everyone has the software dialed in and everything for their pit work. So, Colin Mullan ought to have the track position. Unfortunately, the slower pit stop for BimmerWorld has cost them a place on the road. Nick Galante now in the car, but the driver change, something went awry there. Conquest have gained a ton. In the background, look, Nick Galante is being monstered by Jason Hart. Bimmerworld had a slow stop and the Nolasport... boom, their pit stop was perfect for the most part.
Stevan McAleer is stretching out the rubber band as far as his gap. He has a lap on the rest of the field. Hart had an easy time of it, making the move on Galante. Galante's car is not handling as he wants it to. The BMW has more roll in it compared to the Porsche. Warren Dexter hands over to Ryan Dexter while John Geesbreght is going to take over from Kevin Conway in the Smooge Racing Toyota Supra. Michael Miller, too, will hand over the Automatic Racing Aston Martin to Paul Kiebler. McAleer will head for the lane from the lead. You only need to be in the lane before the window closes.
McAleer is in the lane. We will now see Toby Grahovec take the car to the end of the race in the last 25 minutes. They bleed out the tire pressure trying to control understeer on the car. Grahovec is a champion in the SRO touring car class in 2016. He wants his third win in GT4 America of 2021. Did we cut the time too fine? Did we leave anything on the table? Colin Mullan sweeps over the curbs; Don't straddle the curbs entirely. He is skating all over the road for sure. Not a good pit stop there for the BMW boys.
Colin Mullan is really pushing hard. Oh man! In replay, we see a spin for the TRG Porsche Cayman after Jason Hart makes a little bit of contact. This was earlier and we will have to take a look at it. That was avoidable contact. The spinning car was that of Dr. Jim Rappaport sharing with Todd Heatherington. Colin Mullan runs second overall and in the Silver class. The top five is all Silver ranked cars while Jason Hart is leading Pro-Am. We will have t see if the stewards are reviewing the contact. Toby Grahovec has quite the gap pulled out on Colin Mullan. It is also for the Silver positions, and the gap is shrinking.
Mullan is on it. That's for sure. Quite a lot of time left on the board right now. John Geesbreght is pressing the Pro-Am and Silver class cars. He has one year of racing any kind of car. No karting or anything. Just one season in Mazda MX-5 Cup. Kevin Conway ran a great stint. Geesbreght is really pushing hard and he is right alongside Nick Galante. Galante has the side draft. Very similar powerplants in the Toyota Supra and the BMW M4. Jon Miller meanwhile, takes three wide down the front straight, look.
Deep on the brakes into the first corner and he just about sticks the pass. That was a two for one sale. Miller sharing with Chandler Hull. Valentin Hasse-Clot in the #59 Aston Martin, a French Aston Martin junior team driver, makes an expert move through the traffic on both Galante and Geesbreght! Bill Auberlen is up there, too. High stakes competition in race one for Pirelli GT4 America! Wow! He is 2021 French GT4 champion and the 2020 GT4 Europe Silver Cup champion. He raced in Silver Cup in GT3 at the 24 Hours of Spa, too. Geesbreght wants a piece of this pie but Auberlen and Hasse Clot are not going to give it to the kid easy.
Galante balks Geesbreght and Haase Clot says "merci beaucoup" and drives right through! Auberlen, as they shuffle and shimmy down the front straight, he is going to get Hasse Clot back. Auberlen way in over his head there, goes sailing off onto the escape road which is part of the oval here at Indianapolis. He's headed up to speedway turn four. Auberlen, oh my, my, he cuts through the alley, and gets back in the right direction. At a certain point, the ABS takes over and takes brake pressure away, and you are just sailing through no man's land for a wee while.
John Geesbreght is not done yet. Ahoy there, you haven't seen the last of me, mate. Nick Galante is being pressed and we see Auberlen dropping wheels in the grass down Hulman Boulevard. Colin Mullan has cut the deficit in half and he is now chasing Toby Grahovec who is 4.2 seconds up the road. The Mercedes' are stronger later into the stint. Michai Stephens did find his speed during the latter portion of his stint. Colin Mullan was the reigning Am champion, winning it last year in 2020, in a McLaren he shared with Jarett Andretti.
Valentin Hasse-Clot has passed by Cole Ciraulo and now we see Jon Miller all over Ryan Dexter in the Aston Martin! Ciraulo is pressing Warren's younger brother, and I don't have to tell you, hard. Miller is running six and a half seconds behind Jason Hart with just over 15 minutes of this race remaining. Troubles for Ryan Dexter as he comes to the pit lane. So he will drop like a stone. Toby Grahovec though best watch his mirrors because Colin Mullan is coming in a hurry. Be patient. If there is a late caution, you could very well lose a boatload of race time. The start/finish line is very close to the last turn on the road course, (turn 14).
Michai Stephens is very confident about a possible win. This team swept at Sebring last time out. Team boss Eric Bachelart, a man with some experience here in the Indianapolis 500, looking on. Steven Cameron Racing are running well here this weekend, but Tom Dyer is the fill-in for Greg Liefooghe who we normally see in that car. Liefooghe is recovering from a broken collarbone. Get well soon, Greg. Mullan wants the pass, but Grahovec has his elbows out and is going to slam the door in Mullan's face. Grahovec knows how to defend. Before his motorsports career, he was a hockey player.
Mullan has closed right up and he wants that door to open. No question about it. The BMW I think has the straightaway speed advantage over the Mercedes. Mullan is going to try around the outside, can't get there. Grahovec is having to fight for all he's worth here as Mullan is getting inside his head. Grahovec goes defensive through the left hand sweeper and back to the right. Theoretically, Christian Szymczak could pressurize these two, but he is just getting a look in from a grandstand seat. Mullan to the inside again, look.
Grahovec gives him room. However, Mullan is over the inside curb on that corner. You cannot straddle that curb though. The SRO stewards have made it abundantly clear straddling the curb out of the final corners is forbidden. This changes the trajectory through that specific corner to come back onto the banking. Mullan didn't have any tires on the curbs. For now, he leads Toby Grahovec. Christian Szymczak is on the scene while Jason Hart has Valentin Hasse Clot closing in on him. John Geesbreght continues leading the Am class. He is 15th in the overall.
Hart and Hasse Clot are still relatively together, and here comes Szymczak. Jon Barry is laps behind. Less than ten minutes to go. Kevin Conway wants to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He is happy with where he and John Geesbreght are with Smooge Racing and the Toyota team. "Smooge" was John Geesbreght's nickname as a baby and that is where the team name comes from. Szymczak shimmies his way past Grahovec and makes the pass stick. Give second overall and in the Silver class to Murillo Racing. Grahovec is coming back, or trying to.
The Mercedes is handling a bit better than the Mercedes late in the game. Mullan is looking for a third straight overall victory. Jason Hart, leading Pro-Am. Hart and Travis are champions elect in this class. Hasse Clot is back there, too. It is under five seconds, but he has traffic to deal with and he has an identical Aston Martin right behind him in the form of Kenton Koch. Koch is flying as well. Aston Martin thinks highly of Hasse Clot being that he is in their Young Driver AMR Academy program. Koch is really pressing him hard. Koch raced the differently configured IMS layout in 2020.
Whoops! Paul Kiebler has spun, outside of the camera shot. Cannot see where he is on the road. B-Sport Racing, Kenton Koch is also the team manager along with his wife, and team boss Bryan Putt. They are three points behind Sean Quinlan for second in the championship. He needs to step up another spot before tomorrow's finale. Tom Dyer at the wheel of the orange and blue Stephen Cameron Racing BMW is close behind, running fifth in class. Koch is right in the sweet spot here. He is diving past Hasse Clot but Hasse Clot takes it back. Three minutes on the clock. Two more laps to run. We may see the white flag next time by.
Jason Hart is gaining as these two chaps have been scrambling and fighting amongst themselves. Hasse Clot has abused his tires. He's pushing extremely hard and has to slow the car down more than he'd like so the balance on the car doesn't get all wonky. Down Hulman Boulevard another time. Hasse Clot might just have the car give up on im. But the track at Indianapolis is very raceable. White flag lap for Colin Mullan, and meanwhile, Kenton Koch makes the move on Valentin Hasse Clot and gets the job done! Turn 13 is a legitimate passing zone here at Indianapolis.
Aston Martin vs. Aston Martin. Koch late on the brakes and Hasse Clot too. Hasse Clot washes away through the corner. The #59 Aston Martin will be on pole for tomorrow's race. But for the last time they go dowj Hulman Boulevard. Hasse Clot now knows how far he can push on these Pirelli P Zero tires. Meanwhile, Colin Mullan and Michai Stephens take Conquest Racing to victory at Indianapolis! Christian Szymczak, Silver class champion will come home in second spot. Jason Hart and Matt Travis will win in Pro-Am, and of course they are already the 2021 champions.
Kenton Koch comes home second. In the Am class, John Geesbreght leads and he and Kevin Conway win another race, this time at Indianapolis! Second place in Am goes to Paul Keebler ahead of Tigh Isaac and Matt Forbush. Stevan McAleer uncorks fastest lap and wins the award at 1:44.402. Mullan and Stephens win as Canadian businessman John Farrow who owns this team has brought it to the fore. They have their third consecutive overall victory. Three races on the trot. A hat trick.
Overall/Silver: #35 Mullan/Stephens Conquest Racing West Mercedes AMG GT4
Pro Am: #47 Hart/Travis Nolasport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport
Am: #68 Geesbreght/Conway Smooge Racing Toyota Supra GT4
Another race for GT4 America slated for tomorrow. It is the season finale. Championship on the line. Join us for that. We will see you tomorrow, from right here at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For now, good night, everyone.
We have another Pirelli GT4 America race tomorrow. So, stay tuned for that, on Friday, as this massive weekend of SRO GT racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, continues. Good night from Speedway, Indiana, and we'll see you tomorrow for more racing action.
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