It has been a good while since we have seen the single driver GT2, GT3, GT4 format in SRO GT America. Now, they are back for round three of the championship at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia. Two races on Saturday and Sunday respectively, for GT America, at 40 minutes apiece. Short, sharp, fast. That is what these races are. Virginia International Raceway, nestled in the hills of southern Virginia, it is a 3.27 mile, legendary track. We are ready for rounds five and six of the championship. We join Ryan Myrehn, Calvin Fish, and Amanda Busick for the call of the race. Jason Daskalos leads the points over George Kurtz. No clear advantages in GT4.
So glad to see another race for these drivers. It is time to go but poor old Jason Harward is having issues with the Lamborghini. He had tires changed on the pit lane which is not allowed before the race. Jason Daskalos moves up. Moisey Uretsky on GT4 pole with C.J. Moses in the one and only GT2 car. Andy Pilgrim, sports car racing veteran, making his debut with a new team. Here come the cars as we roll through a large grid of cars. We have a 28 car field. Two in the lane, 30 cars. Green flag! Two starts for SRO3 and GT4. George Kurtz gets the jump for this 40 minute race as Jeff Burton passes Jason Daskalos. Great to see Andy Pilgrim back racing in a Ferrari.
Moisey Uretsky, GT4 pole man and Jason Bell in the middle of this shemozzle in GT4. Matthew Ibrahim in the Dexter Racing Ginetta is off the road. Ibrahim also is racing in touring cars. Jeff Burton is right on George Kurtz's six from Oak Tree, down Madison Avenue and setting up for the Rollercoaster. Andy Pilgrim, from England, now living in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a GM factory driver for years. Nick Shanny with mechanical eos, will not start the race. Mirco Schultis in the Callaway Corvette is moving up. Jason Daskalos in the Audi is dropping back, the older generation Audi R8. The Audi is easy on the tires. Seven cars for SRO3, with modern day GT3s and older ones. Andy Pilgrim is driving a Ferrari 458 Italia.
Gray Newell, loose and on the curbs in the Heart of Racing Aston Martin. Moisey Uretsky being pressurized by Ross Chouest in the Aston Martin. Jeff Burton in the Lamborghini is in the fight and Jason Bell in the Aston Martin now trying to pass in turn one on Chris Gumprecht through NASCAR Bend even though NASCAR does not race here at VIR. Big speed differential between the GT3 and GT4 cars as Harward is still caught up in traffic. There's not many spots on this track where passing is possible. It is very frustrating. Stay calm. Get a reset.
We have not seen Full Course Yellows in GT America. Really good lap by Moisey Uretsky to pull through the GT4 field. Jeff Burton is hanging tough right behind George Kurtz. Oh dear. uick spin for Mattew Ibrahim in the Ginetta G56 GT4 for Dexter Racing. Matt Ibrahim debuted professionally in the TC class here at VIR in 2021. Andy Pilgrim in third in the #56 Ferrari. We could very well see Full Course Yellow if Ibrahim's car remains stranded on the road. Did he get tipped into a spin. Maybe that Ginetta is busted, somehow. Eight minutes have elapsed. Moisey Uretsky statted this season in a Toyota Supra but is now running an Aston Martin Vantage GT4.
We stay green as Ibrahim is in a compromised place. Full Course Yellow, now. Full Course Yellow. Matt Ibrahim still can't get the car relit. That was a heart in throat moment with the field barreling towards him. Jeepers creepers! George Kurtz's lead has evaporated. Andy Pilgrim is racing for SKI Autosports. Spending Kids Inheritance I think is the acronym for that team. Kind of tongue in cheek. Good to see the older generation race cars have a platform here in GT America. Phil Creighton is the team leader for SKI Autosport.
They are running third at the present time. The top speeds see C.J. Moses at 163 miles an hour as the fastest driver. Andy Pilgrim is a 2005 World Challenge champion with Cadillac when they ran factory cars in SRO America which was called World Challenge back then. Moisey Uretsky has scored his first pole in GT4 and it seems like Aston Martin might be the car to have for this circuit and it is very comfortable to drive. Jason Bell and Andrew Davis, on their team, they have noticed it. The GT3 Aston Martin is a bit of an animal that has to be tamed.
But the GT4 Aston Martin is far more comfortable to drive. Time for a restart with 24 minutes to go. George Kurtz and Jeff Burton, it is a rematch. Andy Pilgrim gets swamped. The Ferrari should have more top speed. Moisey Uretsky, Adam Adelson, Ross Chouest, Jason Bell, Chris Gumprecht. Rob Holland is pressing Elias Sabo as well, look. Side by side and no argy bargy. But Adam Adelson flies around the outside of Moisey Uretsky in a turn here at VIR where you just aren't supposed to be able to go around the corner. We saw Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer fly in GT4 America last time out at NOLA Motorsports Park.
Harward is really pushing but he has to pass Mirco Shultis and he makes a pass for fifth. The tires are good as we see Gumprecht off the road. Nope. That's Chris Cagnazzi who started the race from the pit lane. In replay, into the braking zone, he came into the cotrner super late, locked up, and went off the road. Daskalos being monstered by Harward through The Rollercoaster. What an incredible set of turns. Through The Rollercoaster, into Hog Pen, and then, onto the front straightaway. We are almost halfway through this race and Daskalos hanging tough on Harward. It is the Jason and Jason show, while Andrew Pilgrim can motor away.
Harward is new to this but his race craft is getting better, assisted by Corey Lewis in GT World Challenge America. Harward, flashing the lightsndown Madison Avenue and he almost gets forced off the road! Jason Daskalos is a hard nosed racer who will not let you pass without a fight. Here's it all again in slow motion, and Jason Daskalos chopped Harward across the front. Now, Harward is going to push and both of these chaps are being slowed down while Andy Pilgrim is pulling away. This is a great scrap. But Pilgrim is cackling like a madman saying, "I can pull ahead of both of you if you keep fighting."
Jason Harward is learning passing and tomorrow's race, this is a dress rehearsal, honestly. The fastest laps in this race will set the grid for race two tomorrow. What will Harward have left in the locker? He has caught the GT4 cars. In GT4, there's not much separation between Adelson and Uretsky. Adelson leads the motor race over Uretsky, Chouest, and Bell, keeping a watching brief. Andrew Davis has reallyu been able to help Jason Bell. This team is running the same car in both GT America and GT4 America because of a big wreck last time out at NOLA.
Chouest and Bell are the top two in GT4 separated by six points. Chouest wants by Uretsky but can't quite make it. You can trim the GT4 cars a bit, but only for the sake of balance. Chouest has the aero advantage and here he comes past Uretsky as Harward is doing some agricultural racing through Oak Tree! A dirty track with zero grip. Harward crunched the barrier in his morning crash but has avoided it this afternoon. Schultis passes Daskalos and here comes Chris Gumprecht as Ross Chouest has dropped like a stone from second down to seventh, eighth spot. Jeepers creepers! The weather is cooler today than what was expected.
Jason Bell is doing far better with staying consistent and not making mistakes, while George Kurtz leads the motor race. He is gaining a margin to score pole for tomorrow depending on if he holds onto fastest lap of the motor race. Kurtz leads by eight seconds and is about to catch the tail enders in GT4. 1:46.353 is Kurtz's fastest lap. In 2017, Kurtz won the GTS Am class in a McLaren and now, moving to Riley Motorsports, he can get a consistent setup. C.J. Moses, who lives in northern Virginia, this is his home race. This is where he was first exposed to road racing, doing club racing and the SCCA Runoffs.
The GT2 Audi is a tough car to drive but Moses can handle it. Adam Adelson continues to lead in GT4 paired up in GT4 America with Elliott Skeer. Premier Motorsports is the old White Lightning team from the American Le Mans Series and Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series days. The red and yellow paint scheme is iconic. Premier Motorsports had a non homologated version of this new Porsche Cayman GT4 at the beginning of the year, but the car has been competitive from the get go. Jason Bell wants by Moisey Uretsky going for second spot in class in GT4.
Give a call to Elias Sabo as well in the Flying Lizard Motorsports Audi. Team manager Steve Costello says that they are learning with both cars, for Elias Sabo and Andy Lee, his co-driver in GT4 America. GT America did not race at NOLA and they have not raced since Sonoma Raceway back in March. Mid-April, excuse me. These turns are like a ribbon before Oak Tree narrows down. Chris Gumprecht continues to chase Jason Bell as Rob Holland defends from Marko Radisic. Jason Harward too, has uncorked his fastest lap of the race, going after Andy Pilgrim. But time is of the essence.
Four minutes and change left to go. Pilgrim is just behind the GT4 traffic as Rob Holland goes off the road with suspension or steering damage. Rob Holland is a veteran driver who knows what is going on just by the feel of that car. Can Pilgrim make a run through traffic? Harward is right there and wants to get past Andy Pilgrim I believe, and we have about two laps to go. Jeff Burton has Jason Bell and Chris Gumprecht in the way and now, he can motor. Harward is through past Uretsky? This is a massive scrap. Harward past bell and slicing by Uretsky who was in no man's land through The Snake! Holy mackerel! Harward is on the podium after passing Pilgrim.
Harward should have clear sailing as Kurtz is through the Rollercoaster. Adam Adelson, the GT4 leader has a sizable margin on Moisey Uretsky who has Jason Bell wriggling all over him. Final lap. George Kurtz in control, second in points with three podium finishes and a win at St. Petersburg in race two. Kurtz wins it!
Overall/SRO3: #04 George Kurtz CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports Mercedes AMG GT3
GT2: #58 C.J. Moses CrowdStrike Racing by GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT2
GT4: #120 Adam Adelson Premier Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport
This is Adelson's first GT4 win in GT America. Fascinating race one with parity everywhere. We'll see you tomorrow for another fast, furious, and great race in GT America here at VIR. Once George Kurtz gets the confidence, he is a tough chap to beat. The GTWC America combo of George Kurtz and Colin Braun along with Bill Riley calling strategy, that is a potent combination. He won nine races and had 12 podiums in 2017 in GT4 America with a McLaren.
Kurtz had a few lean years, swapping between different brands, but now he has found his feet. Adam Adelson says his whole team at Premier Racing have done a wonderful job. Elliott Skeer and Craig Stanton, a couple drivers who have been helping him out. Adelson wants to take Premier Racing to the 24 Hours of Le Mans someday. Jason Harward put his head down and his foot down. He was frustrated but used that frustration productively and just went for it.
Race two for GTA is tomorrow. We'll see you then. It'll be as good or even better as today's event here at VIR. Plenty more racing action still to come today, too. We have lots of it. So, grab something to eat, something to drink, enjoy yourself, and stay with us for more sports car and GT racing today at VIR. So long for now, everybody.
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