We are now ready to go for the second and final race of the weekend for Pirelli GT4 America, here at Sebring International Raceway. Again, another series where championships are on the line with just two events left after today in a doubleheader at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is the wrap-up of the tripleheader. We have had duels aplenty. Ryan Myrehn and Calvin Fish call the action topside with Amanda Busick in the pit lane. Parker Thompson on pole in the Toyota Supra with Kenton Koch in the BMW M4 GT4 to his outside for Random Vandals Racing. We will also watch the #2 Flying Lizard Motorsports Aston Martin, Jason Bell sharing with Michael Cooper. Everyone is tired, patience fraying, and everyone will just have to go for it.
The finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway also in prospect in two weeks as the engines have fired. Charlie Postins has clinched the Am class championship, back-to-back. Charlie Postins says the two championships are very different keeping steady momentum in 2022 but starting off badly for 2023 for a slow burn. But they won six races on the bounce and the competition has really stepped up, and so the '23 title feels more special. 34 cars will start this race. A couple damaged cars from yesterday are starting caboose on the grid. One more pace lap before we turn the GT4 cars loose.
We had two vastly different races in the first two. Clean and green in race one and a wreck fest in race two yesterday. What will today bring? We'll see. Andy Lee will be driving Marco Solo due to force majeur. Elias Sabo was in a big crash yesterday. Andy Lee has to jump out of the car, run to the pit wall, get back in the car, and then go, adding three seconds to the minimum stop time and it hurt Eric Powell in the Techsport Nissan Z GT4 as well. Andy Lee will have to start from the pit lane. Safety car lights off. Field in two-by-two formation with Parker Thompson and Kenton Koch on the front row.
Through Sunset Bend. Green flag! Away we go! Kenton Koch hangs with Parker Thomspon as they scream into turn one. Tight stuff between Michai Stephens and Kenton Koch. Into turn three, Kristensen Corner. Everyone through the first sequence of corners but still side by side. Single file into the hairpin. Jason Hart third. Zac Anderson side by side with another car going for a ride, dicing with the #35 Conquest Mercedes of Cedric Sbirrazuoli, the Monegasque driver. Anderson has moved up a couple places. Aaron Povoledo has dropped like a stone after starting tenth. Chandler Hull and Harry Gottsacker are starting to move up in the #38 STR38 BMW M4 GT4.
#438 I think, truly. The bumps prevalent through turn 17 and turn one. Jason Hart trying to make a move on Parker Thompson putting a gap on Kay van Berlo. Andy Lee back in the pit lane and now, Tyler McQuarrie has also dropped places from 18th to 20th. Nolasport have the momentum and the experience in the championship. Am class lead duel between Terry Borcheller and Jaden Lander. Povoledo and Hull pressing each other as Koch is pushed by Thompson. Parker Thompson has dropped Jason Hart.
BMW, Toyota, Porsche, Mercedes. Michael Cooper in the #2 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 sharing with Jason Bell, coming under pressure from Brian Heitkotter in the #23 Nissan Z GT4 with Nissan management looking on. Heitkotter sharing with Tyler Stone. Michai Stephens fourth overall and third in class. He is separated by a Pro-Am car and the Mercedes does not quite have the straightaway speed they want. It is nip and tuck between Koch and Thompson, the Thompson Supra has the Dan Gurney All American Racers GTP prototype program in the '80s and early '90s.
Thompson tries to get a run but Koch can begin to press the bye bye button. For second in Pro-am the battle is on between Kay van Berlo and Michael Cooper along with Brian Heitkotter. Cooper actually got by van Berlo and Heitkotter followed through. Cooper and Heitkotter now scrapping for position in Pro-Am. Nissan Z GT4 vs. Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Jason Hart third on the road under pressure from Michai Stephens. A quiet bloke is Heitkotter letting his racing do the talking, making the transition from sim racing to real world, full metal racing. He also won the 2012 British GT Championship.
He is fighting with former GT4 champion Michael Cooper as Parker Thompson is pressurizing Kenton Koch for all he's worth. He wants to give co-driver Daniel Hanley a cushion. Elias Sabo talking to Darren Law at Flying Lizard but will not race today after the wreck with Gray Newell yesterday. Michai Stephens pressing Jason Hart. This is the sorest Elias Sabo has been. Oh no! Jason Hart, the Pro-Am leader pulls to the side of the road with big trouble! Dear oh dear! He has to do a control, alt, delete. No fire in the belly of the Porsche into Sunset Bend.
Now he is back underway and is on the track but diving for the pit lane. Goodness gracious. That is massive. Co-driver and team boss Matt Travis has no news. He has no idea what is going on. No power as the car does fire up. These cars are so reliable today. Kay van Berlo will have car owner Curt Swearingin take over later on. Meanwhile, we are watching Koch and Thompson scrap. Maybe Jason Hart lost drive, possibly a broken driveshaft. A couple Aston Martin's of Aaron Povoledo and the #24 Heart of Racing car of Hannah Grisham coming to grief, synchronized spinning into Sunset Bend. It has been a rough road for Heart of Racing in the last couple of weekends.
Kenton Koch has set CrowdStrike Fastest Lap at 2:11.636. Jason Hart out of the car and they need to repair the car. Is it game over? Maybe. They could come back out but they will be down the order fr sure. Nolasport are a top-notch team. Very unexpected. This is Sebring, a car breaking circuit, why the manufacturers test here. These cars are going through more strain than usual with a third race, an extra race in the schedule. Parker Thompson resets fastest lap again and Koch has to be feisty and Parker Thompson sends it through the hairpin and makes a move.
Can Thompson make good his escape? Michai Stephens making inroads as Michael Cooper continues having his hands full with Brian Heitkotter in the Nissan Z GT4. Koch coming back at Thompson and has to check up into Sunset Bend. Thompson pinches him and now, Stephens is beginning to move into the picture towing Cooper and Heitkotter right with him. Almost 1/3rd of the race done and dusted as Terry Borcheller leads Jaden Lander, and Austin Krainz in the Am class. Colin Garrett, the new and two-time TCX champion sharing with Johann Schwartz. Now here comes the #253 BMW M4 GT4 in Am with Satakal Khalsa at the wheel of it fighting with Lee Carpentier.
Thompson, Koch, Stephens, Cooper, Heitkotter, van Berlo, Anderson, Borcheller, Andrew Davis, and Cedric Sbirrazuoli, the top ten. The pit window will open for driver changes in under five minutes. No tire changes and no refueling, also, bleed air pressure or check it in the tires. Run deeper into the ten -minute pit window. Tony Gaples who won in GT America, picked up his first victory since 2017, so six years ago. Carpentier, Halcomb, Khalsa. All Am class cars. Two Porsche Cayman's and a BMW M4 GT4. ACI Motorsports winning in class, Richard Edge and Matt Halcomb.
Khalsa rolling speed to try and pass the Porsche, porpoising across the road. Khalsa living his dream but he likely won't return to SRO GT4 in 2024. Such a shame. Oh boy! Halcomb runs wide. Auto Technic Racing out of New Milford, Connecticut. Kay van Berlo in Pro-Am defending from Zac Anderson in the Silver class before he hands off to John Capestro-Dubets. Leaders shall pit next time by. Dan Hanley will take over from Parker Thompson who will race against Kevin Boehm and Jesse Webb. Anderson inside van Berlo and did not leave each other much room. Terry Borcheller within striking distance, the Am class leader.
Terry Borcheller has great history in sports car racing. Andrew Davis runs behind Terry Borcheller. Cedric Sbirrazuoli tenth, as the pit window opens. Jesse Webb will take over from Michai Stephens and they are going off strategy to leapfrog the competition and covers them in case of Full Course Yellow. Chandler Hull will turn over to Harry Gottsacker. Eric Powell makes his pit stop, driving Marco Solo. Eric and Eric, an evenly matched driving team! Tee hee! Crucial Motorsports brings the #80 McLaren Artura GT4 into the lane. Nick Longhi, and Kaia Teo. Kenton Koch has now caught Parker Thompson.
Halfway home. Parker Thompson sending it through turn 17, Sunset Bend. They are going deeper into the window. 2:11.441 CrowdStrike Fastest Lap for Kenton Koch in the CrowdStrike car. Minimum pit time is 84 second as they are chasing after Tommy Johnson in another of the Mercedes-AMG GT4's. We are indeed officially halfway home. Side by side fight in Pro-Am between Michael Cooper and Brian Heitkotter. Kenton Koch to the lane for Random Vandals. A warning, a final warning for contact from the stewards.
Heitkotter to the lane as well, handing over to Tyler Stone, his co-driver. Jesse Webb now has clear road ahead of him to lay down flyer after flyer, doing the undercut to get out of traffic. Kevin Boehm into the #92 BMW M4 GT4. He will be pressed by Jesse Webb who has to extract the pace and can indeed do so. Kevin Boehm will be under pressure from Jesse Webb. Just give me an easy race and get me out of this blasted hornets' nest! Parker Thompson now in the lane. He will hand over the #999 Toyota Supra to Dan Hanley. A similar thing to what we saw on Friday evening.
Don't run afowl of the 84 second minimum pit lane delta. Dan Hanley leaving the pit lane and should hang onto the margin. Oof! Jesse Webb was trying to cut across and almost went off the road! We have a three-way fight for the Silver class lead. Hanley vs. Boehm vs. Webb. The Toyota understeers through turn 16 down the Ulmann straightaway. Hanley guards inside. Boehm tries but is vulnerable to Webb! I think the BMW has the pwoer advantage. Ross Chouest off the road and has had pear shaped races in both championships he runs. Webb passes and sets his sights on Dan Hanley.
Chouest parked at the side of the road after also having woes in GT America. Meanwhile, Boehm chasing Webb who is fending off the challenge. He has to adjust his driving style and be more aggressive in a GT4 car than in a touring car where he has come from. Jason Bell leads Pro-Am with John Capestro-Dubets coming. The top three in Am are running together. Nick Shanny, Austin Krainz, Anthony Geraci. Boehm to the door of Jesse Webb, side by side through Sunset Bend. Webb holds on and the drag race continues. Boehm is being driven nuts by the Mercedes driver!
No dice. Dan Hanley cackling like a madman as these two other chaps are fighting each other. Boehm loses time and Jesse Webb can now reel in Hanley. The BMW is strong. Boehm is learning, stepping up his game. Shanny, Geraci, and Krainz all pushing in Am with Charlie Postins behind, the Am class champion elect. Geraci pours on the steam and now Webb presses Hanley for the lead down the Ulmann straight. Three wide and Boehm goes from third to first! Webb retakes the lead down the straightaway or through Sunset Bend!
Boehm trying again into turn one. Hanley slotting into third place. Jesse Webb needs this victory, and they need more points to even have a chance to go for it in the finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Geraci passes Shanny in Am and Krainz is coming. Postins is right in the fight as well, look. The wildcard is the Pro-Am points leading BMW M4 GT4 of James Walker Jr. chasing down Custodio Toledo, the Brazilian. Nick Shanny has made huge progress being tutored by Terry Borcheller as Charlie Postins is catching Roland Krainz hand over fist.
This race has flown by with only 15 minutes left. Postins takes a lunge on Shanny who drops a place to Krainz. Geraci leading. Krainz second and Postins in third place. A 1.6 second post-race time penalty given to Curt Swearingin and Kay van Berlo for being under the minimum pit delta. Jesse Webb getting into a rhythm, not the best straightaway speed, but consistent lap time. The points gap between the top three for the championship is only 40. Eric Bachelart and Conquest will be at home when we get to Indianapolis. They also run a dozen cars in Ferrari Challenge, two GT4 cars, and the Ferrari 296 GT3 in Fanatec GT World Challenge America for Manny Franco and Alessandro Balzan.
Jesse Webb will be back next year but we don't know if Michai Stephens will be back or not. He has done everything but win a championship. The Am class title for Postins and Clay is sweeter this year than last year because the competition has stepped up in spades. RS1 and Bimmerworld will be scrapping wheel to wheel in race two for Fanatec GT World Challenge America, too. Dan Hanley is indeed putting in a great drive. Parker Thompson tells us that it is Hanley's first year of racing, but he is holding his own, handling the traffic, and winning a race as they did on Friday. He is trustworthy and has learned a bunch from Parker Thompson as well.
Thompson admits he missed turn one at the start, somehow, and he did pass Kenton Koch. The straight-line speed of the Toyota Supra is not quite there, Thompson, the reigning Porsche Carrera Cup North America champion. Geraci being harried by Postins as Tyler Stone is dropping down the order. James Walker Jr. also looking to move up in their battle with Nolasport and Jason Hart sharing with Matt Travis. We have a whole host of drive through penalties for pit lane speed infringement including Dan Hanley among a bunch more! Dear oh dear! I wonder if it was on pit in or pit out.
Zac Anderson and John Capestro-Dubets can make inroads. Being on the pit limiter out of the pit box helps but on pit in it is before you hit the button. The infraction came on pit in. Hanley will drop down the order and so Capestro-Dubets will move up. Is Capestro-Dubets aware? He very well could be. Hanley hits the pit lane to serve the penalty moving JCD and Harry Gottsacker up the order. Tom Collingwood and John Tecce, the #81 BGB Porsche Cayman off the road. Tecce at the wheel of it. That could be put under local yellow.
But there are other cars as we talked about that must serve penalties. White flag next time by for Jesse Webb. White flag. One lap to go in the final GT4 America race at Sebring in 2023. Francis Selldorff chases Jason Bell but those are different classes. Anthony Geraci passes Custodio Toledo. Different classes. No worries. Charlie Postins though, even though he is champion, he still wants to push. Eric Powell passes Postins and now wants by Toledo. Toledo slides wide and Powell makes the pass. Clean and green out front. Conquest Racing with JMF Motorsports and team bosses Eric Bachelart and John Farrow, Jesse Webb on the precipice of another race win.
Jesse Webb and Michai Stephens win race three for Pirelli GT4 America at Sebring, heading for Indianapolis with a shot at the title. Boehm second, Capestro-Dubets third, Gottsacker fourth. Jason Bell and Michael Cooper win Pro-Am. In the Am class it will be Anthony Geraci, Jaden Lander, and Krugspeed.
Overall/Silver: #34 Webb/Stephens Conquest Racing/JMF Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4
Pro-Am: #2 Bell/Cooper Flying Lizard Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4
Am: #72 Geraci/Lander Krugspeed Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO
Cue the dance music for the results. So, all the Sebring GT4 races are now completed. This one was again absolutely wild but fun to watch. All that remains are the last two races of the year at "The Brickyard", Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in just two weeks. Join us there for the climax, for the exciting conclusion, to the 2023 Pirelli GT4 America season. For now, so long from Sebring, everybody. But don't go anyplace. Race two of Fanatec GT World Challenge America is coming up, very soon. It'll be a great one.
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