Good morning, everyone. It is time for day two of SRO America racing at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. We are coming to you, live from America's National Park of Speed. Grab some breakfast and a cup of coffee or tea and join us. I only mention that, knowing what great food is also on offer to the fans at Road America if they are hungry. Road America is renown not only for its motor racing, but also for the food at the concession stands. I do hope you all are fueled up and ready for some more spectacular SRO racing action. Glad to have you with us on this Sunday morning. GT America powered by AWS boasts a schedule that tours some of the best North American tracks. But Road America is one of the most significant. The first winner was the great Phil Hill in a Ferrari Monza.
Welcome Ryan Myrehn and Calvin Fish in the broadcast booth and D.J. Clark in the pit lane. Yesterday's race was a thriller and today, it is warm, and we are looking forward to another great race. Good morning. D.J. It is a warm morning. George Kurtz won GT America and Fanatec GT World Challenge America yesterday and wants to win more. Kurtz is a hobby racer and he beat Memo Gidley, an experienced, veteran, professional driver. It is warm. About 75 degrees Fahrenheit with high humidity. There is the new racing surface. The speed in the racetrack in the morning is different to the afternoon.
So, what was the setup that worked late in the day? We have seen many race winners and tons of contenders. Jason Daskalos is happy to be racing the Mercedes AMG GT3 and is used to big, heavy, front engine sports cars. He loves Road America and the speed of the new asphalt and knows he needs to stay at the top with a good setup on the car. He had mechanical problems yesterday and retired from the race early doors. Tony Gaples is one of the top GT4 contenders in the Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R. SRO3 too, is a catch all for old and new GT3 cars. Gaples is the GT4 pole man on his home track. He has bucketloads of experience in World Challenge over the years, 41 victories, five driver's titles.
Amir Haleem in the Nissan GT-R will start from pit lane. Again, Tony Gaples is your GT4 polesitter and there is a competitive field behind him. 28 cars starting race two here at Elkhart Lake. 14 corners, four miles, and some challenging corners along with long straightaways. Speeds approaching 170 miles an hour on three points on this track. The racing surface is fresh and brand new with grip online, but if you get offline, look out. This is only the second full repave in Road America's history since the track opened in 1955. The Kink, one of the most demanding corners, has a nuance, a crown in the road and if you step over the edge, you'll spin off the road.
Green flag! Kurtz and Gidley squeezing eachother and Kurtz grabs the lead while Jason Daskalos wants by Gidley as they thunder to turn one. Brian Locke making a move on Anthony Bartone. In GT4 it is Gaples, Sabo, and Holland 1-2-3. Brian Locke is pressing for fourth with Johnny O'Connell in the SKI Autosports Audi right on his six. "Johnny Red" is pushing early doors. Scott Blind tries passing Gray Newell and Newell says, "no you don't, sunbeam." Mercedes 1-2-3. Gidley wants to make a move in The Kink on low tire pressures and temperatures. Discretion the better part of valor.
Brian Locke, the newcomer, in the Acura NSX GT3 is flying. He has poise and pace. Gidley wants to make a move on Kurtz and is giving him a run for his money. No pit stops in this race and one driver. Johnny O'Connell has the door opened and Locke got distracted and went off the road. Gray Newell again, giving Ross Chouest all he can handle, under duress. Tony Gaples has a buffer. Robb Holland was on a four-race win streak but was hit by another car yesterday ruining his race. He is putting pressure on his rival, Jason Bell. Cars are now feeling better to the drivers. The tires have grip and temperature now.
No Adam Adelson in today's race after he was caught up in GT World Challenge America. Johnny O'Connell is in trouble. Left front wheel is broken or the tire is flat. Deary me. I could have been a contender, but maybe not now. Gaples is extending his lead. He is focused and wants to win. Winning is all that matters. Holland has a head of steam and sends it around Jason Bell. Elias Sabo is now on Jason Bell's six. A left front tire change at SKI Autosport and the older generation Audi R8 GT3. Holland passes Bell and everyone is still chasing Tony Gaples. Tony Gaples is a second clear over everyone else in GT4.
Gaples is using all his experience and Robb Holland has moved to second place as they head into Billy Mitchell Bend and into the final turn at turn 14, braking on corner entry and down the 4,400-foot fronstretch. Plant the throttle and gain speed. Johnny O'Connell's situation is that he felt he had a tire going down. But there are no real tire issues. Here's it all again, in slow motion. The top of the tire is leaning out to the left. The camber is messed up a wee bit. Bent steering on the Audi. Ugh. George Kurtz is in the groove and Memo Gidley is chasing. Gidley has to focus on the championship chase ahead of Jason Daskalos. Kurtz not in the championship hunt in 2023 after winning nine times and taking the title in GT America in 2022.
The competition level in GT America has stepped up tenfold for 203. Kurtz has only won twice and had a conflicting race right here at Road America and did not race last time at Nashville. We've got those Nashville races coming up for you, next week. Tony Gaples has no pressure now but Robb Holland is closing in. Not just Holland but Jason Bell has a head of steam and so do the others. Elias Sabo, Ross Chouest, Gray Newell, and Scott Blind. Scott Blind is doing a solid job in his debut in professional racing with Archangel Motorsports and team boss Mike Johnson who has a lot of experience. Into Canada Corner, and the Flying Lizard Aston Martin's of Bell and Sabo are scrapping.
Elias Sabo won yesterday, and Jason Bell now knows, "I have to get him back, today." Tony Gaples and Robb Holland trading personal best laps. The GT4 cars traveling at 145 miles an hour and there is a 15-18 mile an hour speed delta between the GT3 and GT4 cars. Bell and Sabo are free to fight but follow the cardinal rule, do not hit your teammate. Bell is in championship contention, Sabo is not, but he is out there for wins and podiums. Sabo has to play blocker against Ross Chouest. This is getting spicy as Robb Holland gets the slingshot on Tony Gaples. The Porsche Cayman goes to the head of the pack in GT4 and has good straightaway speed.
He is building the advantage. Maybe the heat is getting to the Camaro of Tony Gaples as far as the tires. Jason Bell has a head of steam and somehow or other, Gaples is fading. Sabo goes for it and so does Ross Chouest. Gaples dropping like a stone. Three places in half a lap. I have to wonder. The Aston Martin armada is all over him with Gray Newell and Scott Blind as well. Jason Daskalos has Anthony Bartone and Brian Locke chasing. Gray Newell is making a pass and so is Scott Blind. Tony Gaples' Camaro has car balance and handling woes, clearly.
In SRO3 the battle is on between George Kurtz and Memo Gidley. Anthony Bartone also is pressing Jason Daskalos. Four Mercedes-AMG GT3's in the top four. Top speeds are anywhere from 162-165 miles an hour and lap time is the critical point in the long duration corners. How much aero do you want in the car depending on cornering and straightaway speed? The Mercedes is such a good overall platform. Kurtz is hitting the sweet spot. Riley Motorsports has tested here and they are giving it everything this morning, through Hurry Downs into turn seven and eight and then nine and ten, The Carousel, leading to the fastest part of the circuit between Kettle Bottoms and Canada Corner.
Anthony Bartone pressing Jason Daskalos. This is an epic battle as Brian Locke on debut in the CDR Valkyrie Acura NSX GT3. We also saw them running the Nissan GT-R GT3, "Godzilla", yesterday. George Kurtz and Memo Gidley working GT4 traffic. He clears Nick Shanny in the Toyota GR Supra. Memo Gidley has to know discretion is the better part of valor and the GT3 cars are lapping the GT4's halfway through the motor race. Tim Savage is improving as a driver. Not full time. He is a real estate agent in Naples, Florida, in day-to-day life.
The leaders catching traffic in their own battle in GT4. Bartone has a cleaner exit off turn 14 than Daskalos. Will there be anyplace he can go? He has to sit in line and now, Gaples continues to drop like a rock. Goodness me. Nick Shanny probably had his Pirelli GT4 America co-driver, Terry Borcheller, on the horn, giving him advice. Nick Shanny defending big style from Tim Savage and is finding confidence, only just now getting into motorsports or any professional sport for that matter. Right rear damage to the #11 BMW M4 GT4 of John Roberts and Tony Gaples' Camaro is smoking out the exhaust. Is the engine busted? Roberts way off the road, drifting into the grass! Yikes!
Sixteen and a half minutes left on the board. Gidley being patient passing Robb Holland who has Jason Bell right on his six. Elias Sabo is keenly observing this scrap. Ross Chouest remains the GT4 championship chase leader. Anthony Bartone still hounding Jason Daskalos and both of these chaps have Memo Gidley, championship leader in SRO3, to contend with. Scott Blind gets loose into The Carousel and saves it! Yikes! The Carousel offline is such a dangerous turn! Daskalos on the dirty side of the road passing Holland, the GT4 leader. Holland drops a wheel and this is manaa from heaven for Jason Bell.
Who gets the power down? Brian Locke scoots right by these two. Holland knows he is vulnerable here. This is scary business for Holland and fortunately he has kept things together. This is wonderful motor racing. For many years, Jason Daskalos ran Dodge Viper's in this championship in the past. Anthony Bartone has had an eye-opening experience. Andy Pilgrim was his co-driver in Fanatec GT at the beginning of the year and is now working with Adam Christodoulou, another great GT3 driver, from England, who has been in SRO Europe for a number of years. The Bartone brothers are renown in drag racing and Anthony decided to change it up and go road racing. Andy Pilgrim is the driver coach, the lifestyle coach, the mentor, for Anthony Bartone.
Andy Pilgrim can still drive but he is such a veteran racer, teaching the discipline of how to compete at the highest level. You just want to keep a bloke like Andy Pilgrim satisfied. Speedy Dry down where Tony Gaples was having issues, so the Camaro was chucking fluid all over the place. Scott Blind is set to podium in his second GT4 race. Poor old Ross Chouest could be running into trouble with just ten minutes to go. Robb Holland has to gain points with only a handful of races left this season, only four at Sebring and Indianapolis after today.
George Kurtz is turning into the corners earlier than Gidley is. George Kurtz realizes how experienced Memo Gidley is and is controlling the race over his rival. Speaking of rivalry, the battle is on in GT4 for fourth spot. Blind vs. Newell. The Heart of Racing Team have increased their global footprint in sports car racing. They made their debut in the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa, have many GT3 and GT4 programs. Newell pressurizing Blind who guards the inside into Canada Corner. Blind slides through turn 13. Newell is poking his nose inside and outside. He has to be more patuent but knows time is of the essence.
Anthony Bartone is hassling Jason Daskalos. Under seven minutes to go now with lap times at 2 minutes and change. Someone has switched on the hazard lights. Bartone is chasing Daskalos and can't quite make it. Each gave just enough room. This is the fight for the final step of the podium in SRO3. Bartone maybe showed his hand a bit early. Bartone looking to the inside. These two cars are identical and on equal footing. There is an ebb and flow with different brands and models of cars in sports car racing. These two cars are relatively equal and it comes down to driver experience, honestly, and there are no worries with tire degradation on the Pirelli's either.
George Kurtz continues to lead by half a second over Memo Gidley while Robb Holland is a second ahead of Elias Sabo and the rest in GT4. Two laps left. Gidley is closing in on Kurtz. Brian Locke in the background on debut with the Acura NSX GT3 Evo22. Locke lost time in traffic and has not been able to get it back, but he has been running consistent lap times. Daskalos leaves the door open, but Bartone is a bit wiser through that corner. Right on the knife edge through The Kink for Daskalos. He stays on the throttle a little deeper. Final lap. George Kurtz up on Gidley by 1.3 seconds with a lap to go and Alex Vogel has gone off the road at turn three and will finish this race.
Vogal gets clipped by the #011 Mercedes AMG GT3 of Marc Austin, the Lone Star Racing car. Bell still pressing Holland, but Robb Holland is going to gain, and truthfully, so is Jason Bell. Ross Chouest still in the race but in damage limitation mode. George Kurtz has control of his Mercedes-AMG GT3 and has had the consistency. He had not won in GT America powered by AWS back in May at Circuit of the Americas but has swept the Road America weekend! Gidley second and third goes to Jason Daskalos to complete the podium. Robb Holland looking to grab his fifth GT4 victory in six races. Holland vs. Jason Bell. It is not quite done yet.
Bell has only won one race in 2023 and with Ross Chouest having trouble, Jason Bell should assume the points lead. Bell only has won once, at his home track in St. Petersburg, Florida. Robb Holland wins GT4!
Overall/SRO3: #04 George Kurtz CrowdStrike by Riley Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo
GT4: #099 Robb Holland Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport
Kurtz sweeps GT America. Can he also sweep the GT World Challenge America race? We will find out later this afternoon. Memo Gidley the runner up and back on the podium. So, what we will do, is cover the previous races at Nashville and present those to you, next week. Then, the penultimate GT America races of the season will come at another legendary venue as we move to the rough, historic concrete runways of Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida, in the third weekend in September, so, in another month or so.
We'll talk to you from Nashville and then from Sebring. So long for now, from Road America. Plenty more action still to come with more races today. From Road America, so long for now, and we look forward to bringing you more action as the day continues.
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