It has come down to three races, with the Indianapolis 8 Hours in two weeks and this pair of races. GT World Challenge America powered by AWS is entering it's final two-race weekend of the 2023 season at the fabled Sebring International Raceway, this 80+ year old concrete, once a training base for B17 and B25 bomber pilots during WW. II., known as Hendricks Field, has been, since the 1950s, a legendary venue, particularly for sports car racing with the legendary 12 Hours of Sebring. Now, it plays host, in the fall, to SRO America and the GT World Challenge championship for the GT3 cars. After post-qualifying scrutineering by the stewards, the #38 Samantha Tan Racing BMW M4 GT3, failed it, and so this sends Samantha Tan and Neil Verhagen to the tail end of the grid for today's race and I believe for tomorrow, too. Yes. They will also start caboose on the field in race two, tomorrow.
Ryan Myrehn and Calvin Fish will call the action topside, and Amanda Busick, reporting from the pit lane. Welcome to Sebring, Florida. Keep Sebring weird and respect the bumps. RS1 and Racer's Edge, both these teams, this is their home track. In the Pro classes, Conquest Racing is gaining on their rivals. We have CrowdStrike by Riley Motorsports, Wright Motorsports, and ST Racing all in contention. This is the penultimate pair of races and then we have the Indianapolis 8 Hours. Can't wait for that one! What is it though about Sebring? It's the bumps, but it is also the layout, 17 corners and three and 3/4 miles. Some of the most challenging turns are turn one and turn 17, tons of challenges to contend with.
Let's go for a ride with Ryan Dalziel in the Ferrari 296 GT3. Bleed the speed off in turn one, weave back to the right to turn three, Kristensen corner, be patient into the throttle through turn five. Get on power early without breaking traction. Lots of oscillation into the hairpin in turn seven. Fangio corner turns eigth and nine, flat out in a GT3 car. Turn ten, heavy braking, down the gearbox. To Tower corner, a tricky brake zone, pick up the throttle and watch the exit curb. Up through the gears, screaming at 150 miles an hour through Bishop corner and onto the Ulmann straight, using every inch of the road.
Top gear, terminal VMAX at 160 miles an hour. Get the car settled over the bumps through turn 17 at Sunset Bend, playing chicken with the wall, completing the lap here at Sebring. With the disqualification of ST Racing, Ryan Dalziel and Justin Wetherill will start on pole in the #33 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 for tomorrow's second race of the weekend. Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull are on the front row with damaged left front suspension during his qualifying run, fixed and ready to race. Chandler Hull on the outside pole in the #94 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT3, a three-time class winner at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Jose Mendoza from Rowe Motor Oils gives the command. Driver's start your engines. 14 cars lined up for this GT3 sprint. The Indianapolis 8 Hours coming up, soon. This is moving day in the championship and so you must push it to the limit, now. Eric Filgueiras and Stevan McAleer had a transmission issue yesterday and that cost them. Madison Snow on the pole in the #45 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R sharing with Jan Heylen. Keep an eye on Samantha Tan and Neil Verhagen coming from the back. Two drivers, one pit stop smack dab in the middle of the motor race.
ST Racing put together a fabulous qualifying effort in Q2. They threw a new set of Pirelli P Zero tires on the car. They had a manifold boost pressure issue on the BMW M4 GT3 as the tech stewards felt that affected their qualifying run. This duo has a streak of four consecutive podium finishes in their hip pocket. The Ferrari 296 GT3's have been quick this weekend again. Ryan Dalziel is bullish about Triarsi Competizione's chances. Eric Filgueiras did a great job in qualifying after the gearbox change during Free Practice 2. Stevan McAleer not feeling well, so Filgueiras will really be pressing hard. Tomorrow in race two they will start deeper in the field.
Filgueiras now racing with a seat insert so he can see over the Porsche's dashboard. Filgueiras and McAleer dominant in 2022 in Pirelli GT4 America and win on debut in GT3 at Sonoma Raceway in California at the start of the year. They have not had the best luck later in the season but have indeed pulled through. Stay calm. Don't get frazzled. Think of the big picture. Safety car lights out. Madison Snow on the pole. Here they come through Sunset Bend.
Green flag! We're underway! Filgueiras fighting Ashton Harrison and synchronized spinning for Anthony Bartone and for Jeff Burton. Ryan Dalziels stops. Now, Chandler Hull is second chasing down Madison Snow as Seth Lucas is closing on Ashton Harrison. Cold tires, still with the Pirelli P Zeros. George Kurtz scrapping with Manny Franco in the other Ferrari, the Conquest Racing 296 GT3. Adam Adelson closing on George Kurtz and these two blokes were scrapping in GT America earlier today. The roles have flipped. This is the 991 generation Porsche for Adelson and Elliott Skeer who use the 992 model in GT America.
Samantha Tan pressurizing Derek DeBoer through Sunset Bend. ST Racing BMW vs. TRG Aston Martin. 3-liter twin turbo V6 in the BMW. 4-liter twin turbo V8 in the Aston Martin. Mild weather at Sebring this weekend compared to the heat and humidity we saw here last fall. Justin Wetherill came to a screeching halt to avoid T boning Jeff Burton. Madison Snow getting into a rhythm, and he has the CrowdStrike Fastest Lap early at 2:04.808. Madison Snow raced with Wright Motorsports earlier in his sports car racing career. The amateur drivers have started this race and now Chandler Hull resets fastest lap at 2:02.613. A drive through penalty for Samantha Tan for start procedure. That will put the ST Racing BMW even more on the back foot.
Stay in column initially before the green flag waves. Celebration this morning and it has gone pear shaped since then. Ashton Harrison, reigning Pro-Am champion alongside Mario Farnbacher. The Pro class in GTWC America requires a Silver rated driver which other SRO championships around the world do not have, in Europe, Asia, and Australia. On a restart it is fair game but on the initial race start, stay in your column until you reach the start/finish line. Meanwhile, George Kurtz being harried by Adam Adelson. George Kurtz had a scary moment in race two at Road America, clobbering a car rejoining from a spin at unabated speed. Fortunately, he walked away from that wreck under his own steam.
Madison Snow inching away steadily from Chandler Hull. Snow took the pole by close to 6/10ths of a second, but Chandler Hull is keeping Snow honest for the time being. Madison Snow has the hammer down pushing hard. Snow wants to give his co-driver Jan Heylen a massive gap to work with if we stay green. Now then, the two championship combatants, Kurtz/Braun vs. Skeer/Adelson. 100 points on offer here at Sebring and 50 points available in two weeks at the Indianapolis 8 Hours. The Road America weekend was such a missed opportunity for the Riley Motorsports CrowdStrike team and Wright Motorsports had a whole load of bad luck at Road America last time out.
There is not much to choose between the drivers with all 14 of these teams. Ross Gunn is back in the #007 TRG Aston Martin. Valentin Hasse-Clot is racing at Spa in Belgium in Le Mans Cup and European Le Mans Series racing this weekend. Ross Gunn has established himself as an Aston Martin factory driver for TRG in SRO and Heart of Racing in other championships. Derek DeBoer doing very well in his first year of GT3 competition. TRG will keep digging. Meanwhile, Manny Franco in the #21 Ferrari 296 GT3 for Conquest Racing, struggling on speed, but chasing down Seth Lucas in the #53 MDK Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R.
Lucas sharing with Trenton Estep of course. Alessandro Balzan, the rapid Italian, is Manny Franco's co-driver. Bill Auberlen watching Chandler Hull's progress. Manny Franco and Alessandro Balzan swept the weekend at Road America last time out. Chandler Hull does have pace in the BMW. Madison Snow continues to lead. Ashton Harrison turns in her best lap of the race last time by, but she has her hands full with Eric Filgueiras. Racer's Edge and Acura are bullish about their chances to gain points this weekend. We'll watch Mario Farnbacher and Stevan McAleer race each other in the second half of the motor race.
Anthony Bartone slides it sideways down the Ulmann straightaway into the dirt. He has great car control, a baptism of fire for Bartone who had some mistakes earlier in the year but is now improving. He might go to Europe to race, running in International GT Open last weekend and he could be headed across the pond in either GT Open or perhaps SRO Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe for next year. Adam Christodoulou is racing his first event at Sebring after winning his first North American race here in Star Mazda open wheel racing in 2009.
Derek DeBoer being hounded by Scott Smithson and by Anthony Bartone as well. Nearly 20 minutes of racing on the board in this 90-minute motor race. Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow clinched a major sports car racing title in a different championship last weekend. Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers are friends and longtime co-drivers even though they race for different teams here in SRO America. Eric Filgueiras chasing down Chandler Hull for second spot. We could see a battle between Bill Auberlen and Jan Heylen later in this race and that'll be a treat to watch. Two of the best in the business in these GT3 cars.
Instantly recognizable engine note, the scream of a Porsche flat six. Eric Filgueiras owes his success to Tom Kopchinski, a successful entrepreneur and racing driver himself. Filgueiras running ahead of Ashton Harrison in the Acura NSX GT3 Evo22. Every point is precious. 25 minutes now on the board. Chandler Hull over the bumps through turn one and into Kristensen Corner. Hull pushing hard, running down Madison Snow in the race lead. Third sector times see Chandler Hull pushing hard, quicker for the BMW in sector three than the Porsche but it swings in Porsche's favor in the opening two sectors on the road.
Jan Heylen wearing an ice vest trying hard to keep cool before his stint. Madison Snow has been doing all he can to get comfortable with the Porsche. He has done a great job, switching between two brands of cars and cars that drive and handle entirely differently. Sebring stresses the talents of a driver because there are the most turns relative to straightaways and lots and lots of bumps, obviously. Wright Motorsports are working on strategy for short vs. long runs. Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow have an advantage winning the other GT3 championship this year. Watch the overcut and undercut on the tire strategy as we go deeper into the motor race this afternoon.
Madison Snow has won twice in class in the 12 Hours of Sebring. Jan Heylen, too, has won the 12 Hours of Sebring and won here at Sebring in SRO as well. Everyone happy for the weather to be less steamy than last year and no real rain although we could see a pop-up shower tomorrow. Less than an hour to go and now, Derek DeBoer is being harried by Scott Smithson and the recovering Anthony Bartone. Aston Martin Vantage GT3 vs. two Mercedes-AMG GT3's. Ross Gunn, Bryan Sellers, and Adam Christodoulou will be the drivers getting into each of these cars respectively for the finish of this race.
Derek DeBoer has run with Ross Gunn and Valentin Hasse-Clot, and maybe both of them, or maybe someone unexpected for the Indianapolis 8 Hours and we might see a new face as the third driver at Indy. We'll find out. Be patient in that sequence of turns in three, four and five. Being in the aero wash, it is like someone pulling the rug from underneath your feet. This is push, or understeer in the car. Bartone spins in Sunset Bend and recovers. Samantha Tan on the charge. He spun all by his lonesome getting into Sunset Bend a little too hot.
Anthony Bartone playing defense before he pits and hands over to Adam Christodoulou. Samantha Tan going on the attack on the Mercedes. Can she find a crack in the armor for Anthony Bartone? She didn't crack the throttle and kept her foot in it. She wants to go for it. Samantha Tan is one of the great success stories of the SRO America ladder. She is also a BMW brand ambassador. She races a Ferrari in Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe as well. Inside move through Sunset Bend and she makes it stickj. She takes the spot away, 11th, from Bartone.
Neil Verhagen says the team is hoping for a safety car and he must get suited and booted. She knew if she went to the right, she would be in trouble flicking it to the outside, doing the crossover under the bridge. A wonderful piece of driving. Madison Snow has amazing pace and consistency. He has done so well changing brands and platforms. That momentum can carry over between different car brands, tires, and championships. Kurtz and Adelson continue having a ding dong in Pro-Am competition. Adelson's Porsche has a different tub but is a similar car, a 991.II Porsche 911 GT3R. Corey Lewis will be stepping into the #91 Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Jeff Burton in the DXDT entry.
Minimum pit lane delta is 79 seconds for fuel, a tire change, and a driver change. The window is open and Jeff Burton is the first one answering the bell. Ditto for the overall leader, Madison Snow, and Jan Heylen will take over. Chandler Hull and Eric Filgueiras in the lane as well. This is a safer way to go if there is a safety car. George Kurtz stays out for another lap or more, so they are bullish on pace at CrowdStrike. The top two in Pro-Am taking divergent strategies. Corey Lewis, Jan Heylen, Bill Auberlen, Elliott Skeer, Stevan McAleer, and now the #007 Aston Martin is in, handing over to Ross Gunn.
Ryan Dalziel takes over from Justin Wetherill. Dalziel will bring this Ferrari 296 GT3 to life. Kurtz to the lane. Where he comes out relative to Elliott Skeer, we'll see. Jan Heylen assumes the lead with George Kurtz pitting and handing off to Colin Braun. What will Elliott Skeer do? Riley Motorsports completing service on the #04 Mercedes-AMG GT3. Trouble on the right rear tire with the lug nut freezing up or a dud rattle gun. Wright Motorsports sweeps through back to the Pro-Am lead. Their championship lead will be cut down for tomorrow but of course we also have the Indianapolis 8 Hours coming up.
Colin Braun will be in chase mode running down his rivals. Braun is so experienced and he will push hard. Balance of Performance is not in favor of the Mercedes and Riley Motorsports/CrowdStrike will have to see where they end up. The gap is 11.7 seconds between first and second in Pro-Am as Neil Verhagen has passed Ross Gunn for third in Pro-Am. Neil Verhagen made a move on Ross Gunn at Sunset Bend with a real head of steam. Pokes his nose out, Ross Gunn knew he was there, and did not try to defend as we are past halfway with 40 minutes to go. Verhagen is absolutely flying! He has knocked down a 1:59.775 to reset the CrowdStrike Fastest Lap.
We have been smashing track records throughout the day today. Verhagen is pushing showing what he is made of. Bill Auberlen making inroads on Jan Heylen. Wright Motorsports Porsche vs. Bimmerworld BMW M4 GT3. Bill Auberlen talked about shims coming loose in the front suspension on the BMW in qualifying this morning for race two tomorrow. 38 minutes of racing to go as we watch the fight for third place for the title, too, between Mario Farnbacher and Stevan McAleer. McAller under the weather but driving through his ailment. 2:01.7 for McAleer and 2:00.9 for Farnbacher, "Super Mario".
Catching is one thing. Passing is another. Corners where you can pass are easy pickings for defending. Elliott Skeer leads Colin Braun and Neil Verhagen in Pro-Am. There will be chopping and changing all over before the checkers fly this afternoon at Sebring. Samantha Tan is looking on. 35 minutes left on the board. Neil Verhagen has raced so much in Europe but is now focusing on racing stateside. Heylen is about 3/10ths of a second quicker than Bill Auberlen, currently. Was that a one lap blip in performance? Or has the goody been burned off the tires in the last wee while?
Farnbacher closing on McAleer, under six seconds for third in Pro. These are the best battles we are seeing. Farnbacher vs. McAleer and Verhagen vs. Braun. This part of the race is getting yourself in the pound seats for going for it at the finish, going on the attack. Farnbacher nails Tower corner. I believe there is a water tower there or used to be one. Farnbacher racing against time in his scrum with McAleer. You know there is time on the board and you can go for a podium. The crew should tell you the gap every lap and the team will get information back to the crew. Keep your head down and go for it.
Mario Farnbacher's brother Dominik stepping away from racing but their uncle Herman and father Horst also very successful in the world of motor racing. Into the final half hour, the last third of this race. Ashton Harrison says she hopes Mario Farnbacher can really go for it. They have to be aggressive just like every other Pro category contender. Last year, Racer's Edge had the hat trick and then fell down the order at the Indianapolis 8 Hours. So, they know they have to keep pushing to make up for podiums they did not get. It looked like they were going for the title but had disaster in race two and battled back at the Indianapolis 8 Hours finishing second and taking the Pro-Am title by five points.
Adam Christodoulou, Ryan Dalziel, and Bryan Sellers, pressing each other. The tire wear is not terribly pronounced. 2:01 dead for Jan Heylen extending the buffer to two and a half seconds over Bill Auberlen as we watch Dalziel chasing down Adam Christodoulou and Bryan Sellers. Ferrari 296 GT3 vs. two Mercedes-AMG GT3's. 26 minutes of racing left on the board. The battles are sure to close up in about ten minutes or so. Sellers not showing his hand yet, looking for a crack in Christodoulou's armor. Verhagen taking chunks out of his gap to Braun. Dalziel setting up Sellers for a pass but not yet out of Sunset Bend.
Christodoulou has some daylight between himself and the others. When you feel you have the speed edge, and get trapped in a hornet's nest, it is very frustrating. Such depth in this field. It is amazing, with top drivers battling for lower placings. Sellers sitting there, figuring things out in the waning moments. Ryan's wife Jessica is from Sebring, Florida, and has family here, even though they live in Orlando, Florida. Mario Farnbacher reeling in Stevan McAleer hand over fist. He is consistent but does not have the edge on speed over the German. The Scotsman is pushing hard. They maximize race one it seems compared to race two of the weekend. McAleer will not have a massive points swing if he loses a spot.
Farnbacher 6/10ths of a second quicker than McAleer so McAleer might have to take the pain here in the final portion of the race as Heylen and Auberlen continue in their boxing match. Two veteran drivers who have sparred several times. Farnbacher leaning into the traction control, scrambling for grip. Eric Filgueiras says this is tough to watch. That's for dead sure. McAleer bounding over the bumps through Sunset Bend but just does not have the pace to hold off the challenge of the red Acura. Trenton Estep reeling these blokes in hand over fist, 4/10ths of a second quicker than Mario Farnbacher but still five seconds in-arrears.
MDK have had another solid, quiet day. Seth Lucas and Trenton Estep are very young drivers. They are doing a great job maximizing their efforts. They have not had issues over the season and have been solid. Six podium runs in ten races. Seth Lucas won his class at the Indianapolis 8 Hours last year. We will have a major field at Indianapolis and then the Gulf 12 Hours for Intercontinental GT Challenge and they will have Bathurst, the Nurburgring 24 Hours, the Spa 24 Hours, and the Indianapolis 8 Hours for next year. We are beginning to see wheel to wheel squabbling with about 16 minutes to go and a wild ride into the dirt for Dalziel down the Ulmann straightaway!
He is tail happy through the turns, Dalziel, which means an overly aggressive car setup on the Ferrari 296 GT3. Farnbacher's charge on McAleer has now stalled out. Neil Verhagen still chases Colin Braun as Elliott Skeer is still leading in Pro-Am after the tardy wheel change for the #04 Mercedes team. McAleer wriggles through the corner and now, Neil Verhagen is really pushing hard. Samantha Tan and company have made up the gap on raw pace with no Full Course Yellows called in this race at all. Second place for Elliott Skeer would be decent. Farnbacher thinking about it pressing hard, chasing Stevan McAleer. Farnbacher might be ready to charge.
11 and a half minutes to go. McAleer is not cracking. He will defend immediately from Mario Farnbacher, right on the ragged edge of adhesion over the bumps, over the curbs. Adrenaline kicking in for Stevan McAleer as Neil Verhagen has caught Colin Braun with ten minutes to unravel the puzzle and solve the mystery. McAleer not cracking like an egg under the pressure. Verhagen going after Braun for second and third in Pro-Am. Braun hanging on by his fingernails and you know Neil Verhagen can send it. His co-driver Samantha Tan is in the fight. The BMW is best suited to break through and make a run for it, it has the lap time with Verhagen at the wheel of it.
He has to set Braun up for a pass. But now, Colin Braun has gapped Neil Verhagen. The Mercedes is a tad squirmy. Meanwhile, Farnbacher is reeling in McAleer, into turn three. Farnbacher tires the outside but no. Verhagen putting the pressure on Braun. Verhagen runs the cushion! Verhagen has to back out of it and Braun goes ahead with a twitchy race car! Egad! Verhagen poking his nose out into the hairpin. This is all happening behind Jan Heylen in a car started by Madison Snow. Heylen leads Auberlen by 5.3 seconds. Verhagen closing in but gets chopped by Braun.
This is what sports car racing is all about, contrasting strengths and weaknesses between different cars. Farnbacher dives past McAleer and makes contact through turn ten at Collier corner. Trenton Estep entering the frame. Racer's Edge clawing their way into contention, through Fangio corner actually and now, Mario Farnbacher is off the road! McAleer and Estep pass and Estep passes McAleer! Race Control will have a Captain Cook at that shemozzle. Estep on the podium! Criminy! Verhagen screaming up on Braun. Braun goes defensive. Verhageen to the inside, and some contact! Side by side and Verhagen makes the pass!
Hard racing but good respect. Verhagen was wise not to wipe Braun off the road. Elliott Skeer in the second Wright Motorsports Porsche moving up. Oh dear. McAleer made a mistake and made contact with Farnbacher. That was not intentional on McAleer's part. Incident under review by the stewards. Jan Heylen still leading the motor race as Madison Snow did all he needed to do and now, the Belgian veteran is going to bring it home, leading Bill Auberlen by six and a half seconds. Jan Heylen and Madison Snow, and Wright Motorsports are one corner away from their first win of the year and through Sunset Bend one more time, they've got it!
Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull finish second. Auberlen and Hull get their sixth podium of the year. Alessandro Balzan has troublke on the last lap. Elliott Skeer and Adam Adelson win Pro-Am, a win in both classes for Wright and Alessandro Balzan is stuck on the side of the road running out of gas it looks like pulling off to the side of the road.
Overall/Pro: #45 Snow/Heylen Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R (992)
Pro-Am: #120 Skeer/Adelson Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R (991.II)
It took a while to build but came to a boil as we cue the synthesizer drum machine dance music for the results sheet. We believe a drive through penalty has been issued to the #28 McAleer/Filgueiras Porsche which will be converted to a time penalty, but they will only drop one place in the results sheet. For Stevan McAleer, it will be a two-point swing instead of three. Every cloud has a silver lining. Tee hee. We have a whole other race tomorrow. What a Saturday event though for GT World Challenge America at Sebring! Yikes!
We'll see you tomorrow for race two at Sebring International Raceway. For now, so long from the orange groves of central Florida.
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