"America's National Park of Speed", Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, right in the middle of "vacation country" plays host to the next pivotal round of SRO GT World Challenge America. Including this weekend, there are three rounds, and five races remaining in the championship campaign for 2024. Before we go racing on this Saturday afternoon, it should be noted, there are additional entries and driver lineup changes in this field, to keep a sharp eye on. Elias Sabo and Andy Lee, at Flying Lizard Motorsports, driving car #8, they have swapped their British Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo, built in Gaydon, Warwickshire, England, for a BMW M4 GT3, built in Munich, Germany.
Bryson Morris is the new co-driver alongside Bryan Sellers, in the first of the two DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R's. This is the #08 entry. Morris replaces Scott Smithson, who has been struggling in 2024 in his first year in a GT3 car after taking a flying leap up from the TC America touring car ranks into GT3 competition. Smithson was not quick enough at the wheel of the Corvette. Bryson Morris is a veteran GT3 racer having campaigned in several championships, most notably, I believe, in the Creventic 24 Hour Series, and also in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship competition.
Random Vandals Racing, an omnipresent team in Pirelli GT4 America, make their Fanatec GT World Challenge America debut this weekend with their #99 BMW M4 GT3 as well. Now, there was some confusion with this entry and who would be the co-driver. Originally, the plan was to have Kenton Koch team up with Conor Daly. With that said, Daly was a late call up for the IndyCar race at Worldwide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, near St. Louis for this weekend as a sub. Therefore, Madison Snow, will be subbing aboard the Random Vandals BMW. Snow races a BMW in the IMSA series in their GT3 class, for Paul Miller Racing. He has vast experience at the wheel of one of these cars, even though IMSA runs on a different tire. Pirelli from Italy supplying tires for SRO, while IMSA runs their GT3 class cars, and all cars, on the French made Michelin tire.
MMG finally has their #92 Porsche 911 GT3R (992) on an SRO GTWC America grid, to be driven by the Canadian duo of Jean Frederic Laberge and Kyle Marcelli. We have wondered and wondered when that automobile would show up to compete, and it looks like they are finally here, after having numerous troubles with driver retention and with maintaining the ability to be at some of the races earlier in the 2024 season. AF Corse have also returned a Ferrari 296 GT3 to the grid in GTWC America for the first time in a while. This time, it is an Am class entry (the lone Am ranked entry in the field), in the hands of American driver Jay Schreibman, and Brazilian sports car racing veteran, Oswaldo Negri Jr.
It appears we are going to start the race ahead of schedule, keeping in mind that later this afternoon, we also have race one of Pirelli GT4 America for the weekend. For now, we are set to go for 90 minutes of flat out, heart pounding, spine tingling, GT3 action! Road America known as Elkhart Lake is 45 minutes from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on a street course originally before motor racing was banned. But three miles north is Road America, a legendary circuit, hosting rounds nine and ten of SRO GT World Challenge America. SRO has championships in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Cliff Tufte, there is a statue of him in Road America, he was the man to create this wonderful circuit which is known as "America's National Park of Speed".
In the Pro class, Wright Motorsports are leading the points with Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer. Keep an eye on DXDT Racing and their Corvette who have won the last four races. Regulator Racing with Philip Ellis and Jeff Burton dominated in the races at Virginia International Raceway last time out. Road America is located on the site of a former sand and gravel company. Paul Newman got the racing bug here after he used the track for his movie "Winning". Peter Cunningham, the local legend takes us around. Four miles of rolling wonder. Three long straightaways and lots of turns. Late braking into the first corner at 165 miles an hour.
Watch the 170 feet of elevation change. Turn three, very important onto the first of three straightaways. Down through the Moraine Sweep, a good overtaking place. Slow it down or you will never get up the hill. Blind over the crest, easy with your hands, get back to power. Turn seven, turn in gently, smooth radius. Turn eight, roll speed. Then, dive into The Carousel, leveling off, eyes up. Late apex and into The Kink. Approach speed at 140+ miles an hour. Be gentle. This track is very dangerous. Be very, very careful. Into Canada Corner, a big braking zone and a good overtaking spot. Different and remember where you are. Through Billy Mitchell Corner, use the exit into the final turn and punch it up the hill on the front straight touching 165 miles an hour three times through the track this weekend.
We just don't know what to expect for the next 90 minutes. Wet track rapidly drying, but we could see more rain as the sun is peeking from behind the clouds. There is a brisk breeze as we go to D.J. Clark in the pit lane. Watch for the #91 Regulator Racing Mercedes which has been demoted to the back of the grid from pole due to a tech infraction. We should see a shower, 15 minutes into this hour and a half race. Don't be surprised if some teams gamble for wet tires. It is one of those midwestern days where the weather changes a lot. Those weather apps just won't help you too much. Just have a look at the skies.
The #91 Mercedes of Jeff Burton means that Alec Udell in the #63 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R sharing with Tommy Milner, will be on the front row with Bill Auberlen and Varun Choksey on the outside pole in the #28 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3. Esses Racing, the #19 Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Alan Metni and Will Hardemann are here and so is the #163 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 of Oswaldo Negri Jr. and Jay Schreibman. Bryson Morris joins DXDT Racing in their second Corvette with the #99 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3 with Madison Snow sharing alongside Kenton Koch. They will have Kenton Koch, Connor Daly and Connor De Philippi in that car at the Indianapolis 8 Hours, the season finale, in October.
Madison Snow could also be a part of that team. We'll see. Snow knows the track in a BMW M4 GT3 for Paul Miller Racing in the IMSA championship. The other car to watch will be the #92 Porsche 911 GT3R for MMG Motorsports Group, Jean Francois Laberge, and Kyle Marcelli. Bill Auberlen will be up on the wheel, racing with Varun Choksey. Thiago Lucchini, Brand Manager for Pershing watches will wave the green flag. Here we go. It is time to race Fanatec GT World Challenge America, race one at Road America is go!
We did lose one car, the #50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Mercedes. Green flag, and away we go! To the lead, it is a drag race. Auberlen tries the outside. Alec Udell side by side on corner exit. The Corvette goes for the lead and the two BMW's touch and MAidson Snow has spun and now another Corvette got collected! Bryson Morris tagged him! The two debutants are in trouble. Pre-rac procedure under review for Random Vandals Racing as we see Alec Udell under pressure from Auberlen as Luca Mars is third in the #93 Racer's Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 Evo22. Down through The Carousel, safety car is out.
Justin Rothberg tried making a move on Samantha Tan and Bryson Morris is in limp home mode in the sister Corvette for DXDT. What a rotten shame. Ditto for Madison Snow in the #99 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3. He is the two-time IMSA GT Daytona class champion. A tough, tough debut for Random Vandals Racing! Ugh! Will Hardemann leading the Am class is now P5 in the overall as the #99 BMW is being towed out of harm's way. Into turn three, Madison Snow was too ambitious, losing the rail of the BMW. He got tipped and... crunch! That was a massive hit! You could hear it from the onboard camera/.
So, we are behind the safety car for the first time in this hour and a half format. Different from the Fanatec GT World Challenge formats used globally. There is a maximum stint length for any driver of 50 minutes with no designated pit window, but a delta of 86 seconds. More dark clouds looming in the distance. We could get more rain before this motor race is done and dusted as Philip Ellis has gone up from 15th to tenth spot. So, the field has been compressed under safety car conditions. Regulator Racing' strategy has had a spanner thrown in it. Philip Ellis has plenty of wins in different championships globally in 2024. Two cars taking pit service because of the rain chances.
Green flag back out as Ellis is chasing and trying to pass Jake Pedersen in the #85 RS1 Porsche 911 GT3R. Alec Udell leading ahead of Luca Mars. Bill Auberlen gambling on tire strategy. Kyle Washington going for slicks in the #32 Porsche for GMG Racing. They gambled before the race started and now a drive through penalty for incident responsibility has been handed to Bill Auberlen getting word from the pit marshal. ST Racing just switched over to Pirelli slick tires. That was not a drive through penalty and they will need to pit again, but because of the length of Road America, they could stay on the lead lap.
Ellis is now in fifth passing Will Hardemann, gaining ten places in two laps! Ellis was on fire, figuratively of course, in qualifying. Pit exit order under review for both ST Racing BMW M4 GT3's which both started on wet tires and so, confusion reigns. Blimey! Single file at the top of the shop and we aren't even ten minutes in as Alec Udell leads by 1.3 seconds over the rest of the field. Luca Mars is 1.3 seconds behind the leader. Rothberg runs wide and now spins and Ellis goes by and he clips the end plate of the rear wing! Yikes!
That was for the Pro-Am class lead. The aerodynamics won't be too bad without the end fence. He saw Ellis right behind him, missed the turn in point and spun off the road. The ST Racing BMW is in, the #38 of Samantha Tan. Tan sharing with Neil Verhagen, as Luca Mars turns fastest lap at 2:09.8. RS1 in the lane switching back over to slick tires. For Jake Pedersen there was not enough grip available. The wet weather tire is like driving on grease with the tread blocks moving around all over the place. The rain tires will be overloaded in dry conditions in a massive hurry.
Watch the curbs because they are all wet. So, Adam Adelson has his hands full with Philip Ellis and Luca Mars is harrying Alec Udell. Not even 15 minutes in and this has been an action-packed motor race! Holy smokes! Robby Foley, Justin Rothberg's co-driver, has pole for race two in GT World Challenge America, tomorrow. We have an hour and 15 minutes to go. The #08 DXDT Racing Corvette has no major suspension damage, there is some bodywork damage. Nothing major, however. Ellis harrying Adelson and making the past out of Canada Corner and up the hill to the end of the lap.
Traffic ahead with Jay Schreibman in the AF Corse Am class Ferrari 296 GT3 and here comes Luca Mars, passing on the outside, or trying to pass Alec Udell, trying to cross him over through turn three. Udell beautifully controls his line and chooses the middle of the road down the hill to turn three. Cue the "Jaws" music as Phillip Ellis is the sharl while these two blokes, scrapping, are the minnows. All these moves are compromising their lap times, for Udell and Mars. Ellis needs to get to the front to keep their tire strategy alive, starting their Pro driver and having their Am, in Jeff Burton, finishing the race against the Pro drivers.
In 25 minutes, we will have more rain. So that puts us right around pit stop time. That will be manna from heaven for the team strategists. Luca Mars drops a wheel but keeps it together down the frontstretch. All classes are using GT3 cars, but the differences are in FIA driver ratings. Turn three looks inviting but things can go wrong in a massive hurry. Ellis in the Mercedes with the atmospheric V8 does not have the speed or power of the turbo V6 motors in the BMW or the Acura. Racer's Edge started their 2024 program very late before the season began at Sonoma Raceway in California, with the pavement troubles they had there.
Luca Mars sharing with former IndyCar racer, Zach Veach. The Pro class is as deep as ever here at Road America. The leaders are lapping in the 2:07 bracket. Elias Sabo was handed a drive through penalty for a pit lane speeding violation, stop plus 60 seconds. Another penalty handed as well to the #99 Random Vandals BMW M4 GT3 but that is a moot point, the car of Madison Snow and Kenton Koch. Bryson Morris is back on track making laps in the #08 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R sharing with Bryan Sellers. Ellis' charge has been stymied by dint of having to make up time. Elias Sabo is serving his penalty.
Meanwhile, Will Hardemann is making inroads on Adam Adelson. Hardemann teamed up with Alan Metni this weekend. He has also driven the Esses Racing Mercedes along with British driver Adam Carroll. There have been Balance of Performance adjustments to the GT3 cars this weekend. Pace has been good and so has execution for DXDT Racing. Light rain ahead in 25 minutes but the heavens could open before the race finishes here this afternoon. Fans at the track, grab your macintoshes and umbrellas. You will need them. Does the Mercedes bring more power against the Acura NSX? Not really. Mars will have a head of steam as Auberlen lowers the fastest lap benchmark chasing both Jake Pedersen and Adam Adelson in the RS1 and Wright Motorsports Porsche's.
The Mercedes runs out of steam at the end of the straightaway despite the big 6.2 liter atmospheric V8 under the bonnet. The race is finally settling down a wee bit. Mars pursuing Ellis with his best first sector time as Kyle Washington is pushing hard, racing here at Road America in different events for three straight weekends, teaming up with Tom Sargent, the young Australian driver. Pedersen raced Porsche Carrera Cup and then Porsche Sprint Challenge before this weekend's Fanatec GT action. Samantha Tan had to swap back to slick tirees and is almost a lap down.
If there is a safety car, Samantha Tan may get lucky, with co-driver Neil Verhagen getting suited and booted. Tan uncorks a best lap of 2:07.8. Ellis is going to be playing chess through traffic. He will be doing all he knows to catch Luca Mars and Philip Ellis, but Luca Mars dusts Alec Udell for the lead! Oh my gosh! That was wild! Acura leads Corvette and Mercedes. Udell lost the grip on the inside of the corner and Mars had the room to squeak past. Samantha Tan and Alec Udell each under pressure. Philip Ellis goes by Alec Udell. Ellis has lapped past Samantha Tan.
Udell is vulnerable into the braking zone at Canada Corner and now we start yet another lkap with an hour to go. Samantha Tan's extra pit stop has proven costly. This is the #38 BMW M4 GT3 for ST Racing. The sister car is the Auberlen/Choksey #28 of curse. Neil Verhagen will get behind the wheel in another seven minutes. Samantha Tan mainly focusing on SRO GT World Challenge America and last year she drove Ferrari 488's and 296's in GT World Challenge Europe in 2023 and ran in a support race this year in a GT4 car at Spa and at Long Beach. Alec Udell has the momentum and the grip to send it around Samantha Tan and now, we see Kyle Washington and Jake Pedersen in a couple of Porsche's.
Pedersen uncorked his best lap of the race and makes his move on Kyle Washington in turn five. Pedersen is a busy man with several racing programs, and he is a musician as well. Pedersen raced last year at the Indianapolis 8 Hours for Rearden Racing. Will Hardemann pressuring Adam Adelson for overall poisition and there is diffuser damage for the #120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R. They have had diffuser trouble at several points, and it was Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, with the diffuser hanging by a thread. If the rain should come, they need the downforce and it makes the handling very inconsistent.
55 minutes to go, so we have ten minutes or so before the halfway mark. Adelson is feisty and he believes in himself and believes in being a GT3 driver. The scrap continues as Will Hardemann passes for fourth spot for Esses Racing in their Mercedes-AMG GT3. Luca Mars leading the motor race. Wright Motorsports wondering about what to do for the 2025 SRO GT World Challenge America season. We'll see. Ellis turns fastest lap of the race at 2:06.1. Alec Udell has just uncorked a personal best lap time before the pit stop window should open.
If the delta between the Am and the Pro isn't so great, you could leave them out, during the de facto pit window and maybe bolt the Pirelli rain tires onto the car. Bill Auberlen has best first sector time as Ellis takes fastest lap thus far. The Adelson/Skeer Porsche will be repaired during the mandatory pit stop, but the diffuser supports need to be connected and this could cost a heavy delay for the championship leaders at Wright Motorsports. Luca Mars leading in the overall ahead of Philip Ellis as they put Kyle Washington's #32 GMG Porsche 911 GT3R a lap down. The pit window is now open with 51 minutes left on the board.
Hardemann clears Adelson and uncorks his best lap of the race as these Pirelli tires hold up very well even as the fuel burn progresses. Road America is no longer a high tire degradation circuit as some bodywork flies. I don't know if that was off the Acura or on the road to begin with. I don't see any bodywork missing from the Acura NSX GT3 Evo22. Luca Mars has sent it and is now in the lead and he has Philip Ellis, one of the top GT3 drivers, harrying him. The AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 has pitted with Oswaldo Negri Jr. set to get into the car on debut in Fanatec GT World Challenge America.
2:06.6 is Mars' best lap he just turned as we see driver changes happening with Samantha Tan about to hand off to Neil Verhagen in the #38 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3 and Kyle Washington handing the #32 GMG Racing Porsche to Aussie Thomas Sargent. Elliott Skeer is nto the #120 Wright Motorsports Porsche and they must service the diffuser after the regular pit stop ends. They have a spare rear bumper at the ready. They have support blocks, jack stands, under the car in case of an air jack failure. They are pulling the diffuser and sending the car without a diffuser.
Elliott Skeer will be able to handle a taily race car. Corvette #63 for DXDT is in the lane now for scheduled service. Alec Udell handing over to Corvette factory driver Tommy Milner, who knows the car better than anyone, also running with Corvette Racing by Pratt & Miller Motorsports in IMSA. Traffic ahead with Jake Pedersen, and maybe Mars and Ellis will both pit. They seem like they will stay out to be truthful. We are at the halfway point. 45 minutes in. The #32 GMG Porsche is under review by the stewards for pit stop procedure. Both Pedersen and Mars are now in the lane. Stick with the program and stay committed as we are into the second half of the race.
Zach Veach jumps aboard the #93 Racer's Edge Motorsports Acura. Something is wrong thought with the seat insert pinching a belt. Veach is far shorter than Luca Mars, so Racer's Edge will be on the back foot and now, Tommy Milner will make the pass. Panic may be setting in with that seat insert problem at Racer's Edge Acura. He is back on track now but cannot get his seatbelts adjusted. Veach on the back foot a shade. Ellis, uncorks the fastest lap at 2:05.7 and he is doing all he can to make this work as long as it stays green and stays dry. He will be handing off to Jeff Burton I think.
Ellis continuing to thrash, and this is "hammer time". Auberlen, Milner, Verhagen, Skeer, and Ellis are the top five in the best laps turned department. 41 minutes to go. Ellis is now in the lane and he set personal best times in both sectors one and two. Robby Foley has now taken over the #29 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT3 from Justin Rothberg. 86 seconds is the minimum time delta from pit in to pit out. At Esses Racing Alan Metni has taken over the #19 Mercedes-AMG GT3. Metni makes contact with Zach Veach! Veach knew he had to make the move.
We are seeing a good race so far for Burton and Ellis despite their bad start. Tommy Milner, leading Pro, second overall with Zach Veach next in line. Moments ago, Elliott Skeer resets fastest lap of the race so that diffuser loss has improved the lap time. Milner to the inside of Burton and Tommy Milner goes by for the race lead. Don't angle it, take the approach straight and keep going. Hindman and Sargent are a lap down to Jeff Burton. He doesn't need to fight it. Zach Veach second in the Pro class in the Acura NSX. 2:07.1 for Veach last time by, half a second away from Milner and from Luca Mars. He was discombobulated from the pit stop mistake.
Robby Foley is who we are eyeing for the Pro-Am lead chasing down Jeff Burton. Luca Mars says that he was dealing with rain, avoiding puddles and so on, and he began to feel the car come in and could be faster than the Corvette. They are confident. On the pit stop, there was an issue with the seat insert which caught the seatbelt and couldn't find the seatbelt. They are fighting for a race one podium and still believe they can win in race two tomorrow. 33 minutes to go. Jeff Burton now leading Tommy Milner and Zach Veach. Udell and Milner should be right in the thick of this championship fight with only five races to go after today.
Trent Hindman leaving the pit lane. Did he have a penalty? What was that all about? There will be time penalties post-race, to Bryan Sellers, way down the order after the shemozzle with Madison Snow and Bryson Morris. Another penalty to Elias Sabo and Andy Lee in the #8 Flying Lizard Motorsports BMW M4 GT3. There was also a pit lane speed violation for the RS1 Porsche as Alan Metni leads the Am class in fourth overall in the #19 Esses Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. We should have about 15 laps remaining with half an hour on the clock.
Foley could catch Burton for the Pro-Am lead if we stay green. Kyle Marcelli is further down in third in Pro-Am wth the #92 MMG Porsche 911 GT3R of Kyle Marcelli and Jean Fredric Laberge. We were teased for a long time to see them and now they are finally here. They have an ex-Pfaff Motorsports engineer working with them from when Pfaff used to race Porsche's in IMSA. Kyle Marcelli won two Pro class championships in Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America and has raced in Porsche single make racing. This is Marcelli's first time racing a GT3 Porsche and it is apples and oranges between a Porsche and a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2.
MMG has Nick Wittmer as one of the team principals. He has been in the sports car racing game for a long time. Zach Veach has GT3 experience in a Lexus RC F GT3 for Vasser Sullivan, but this is the first time for him in the Acura NSX GT3. He does have the pace in the Acura, however. Zach Veach was discovered at the go kart track by Dave Fisher, father of former IndyCar racer Sarah Fisher. He raced Formula BMW, Indy Next, IndyCar, and now GT3. Don't take rishs, is what Jeff Burton needs to be told. Veach goes by Burton.
Robby Foley is coming in a big hurry. Neil Verhagen and Samnatha Tan still maintain a 38-point lead over Robby Foley and Justin Rothberg and Jeff Burton and Philip Ellis are third, 60 points behind. After this weekend there are just two more 90-minute sprint events at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. The points at the Indianapolis 8 Hours will be paid at the halfway mark, at the four-hour mark of that event in October. Foley seems to be losing time in traffic, past Alan Metni, who has a post-race penalty in his future. The gap is 28 seconds.
Burton did a 2:10.6 and Foley a 2:07.1. Foley is faster. Ozz Negri, grat to see him here, from Brazil, racing with AF Corse and Ferrari. He has aged into being an amateur driver at age 60. He is a Bronze rated driver, running with Mike Shank Racing and has been to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Toni Vilander will share the Ferrari with Ozz Negri and Jay Schreibman for the Indianapolis 8 Hours. Vilander has won titles in FIA WEC, FIA GT, and the old Pirelli World Challenge with the R. Ferri Ferrari team in Canada.
Jay Schreibman is the team owner with sponsorship from iMBranded. The new Ferrari 296 GT3 is a great race car. Flying Lizard Motorsports, Elias Sabo and Andy Lee, have their new BMW M4 GT3. Andy Lee will be subbing for Rodrigo Baptista in Pirelli GT4 America coming up soon in the Nissan Z NISMO GT4. 17 minutes to go with Tommy Milner still leading the motor race. Neil Verhagen in the championship leading Pro-Am #38 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3 making inroads on Tom Sargent who has been motoring like crazy. Even sans the diffuser, Elliott Skeer still holds the fastest lap of the motor race in the #120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R.
16 minutes left in the motor race. Robby Foley could very well still catch Jeff Burton before this race ends. Jeff Burton and Philip Ellis are absolutely tied at the hip as far as teammates. The driver rules for SRO America being changed have done so for the better. We should have just two laps to go. What a day it would be for Turner Motorsports and Justin Rothberg. Could he get two wins in the same day? He won in the rain in GT America earlier this afternoon in that deluge we saw. The BMW #29 is missing the left side end fence and now, Varun Choksey is stopped on the road.
If this leads to a Full Course Yellow, which it does, well... this changes everything! Oh my! The gap goes to zero in the lead for the Pro class. Veach is down to 2:06 flat. Veach and Skeer are each going to have a head of steam. Not all of the top contenders are on the lead lap. ST Racing needs fuel under eyllow and now this is going to wreck their race, perhaps. Varun Choksey does get the fuel he needs. Hopefully at the end of this lap we can go back to green. Verhagen is the first car a lap down. Four Pro-Am entries on the lead lap. This is going to be very, very close when we go back to green flag racing. Marcelli and Sargent will be reeling Burton in.
Neil Verhagen could run interference. The Pro battle will be between Milner, Veach, and Skeer. Corvette, Acura, Porsche. The Pro-Am battle will be between the Mercedes of Burton and the BMW of Foley. Zach Veach will be right on Tommy Milner's six when we go back to green. Racer's Edge, Wright Motorsports, have not won in a long time. DXDT have won four races on the bounce in the Pro class. Pro-Am will be a battle between Jeff Burton and Robby Foley. Green flag. Five minutes to go.
A good restart by Tommy Milner and here comes Robby Foley. Jeff Burton ahead. Veach trying for the lead and can't make it work yet. Elliott Skeer probing both. Foley passes by the lapped Porsche of Trent Hindman. The top three in Pro are nose to tail down to turn five. Into the rbaking zone, breathing room for the Corvette. Burton on the efenisve. Foley wants by because time is running out. Jeff Burton needs to stay cool, calm, and collected. Foley is on the march, a BMW factory driver. He is going for it.
Foley sends it. Burton got through the kink well and into Canada Corner, Burton covers Foley off. Foley has a run through Billy Mitchell corner. Two laps to go. The BMW drawing a bead on the Mercedes. Foley clears the #91 of Burton, warned by the stewards for blocking and he almost spins! That makes him lose places. Marcelli and Sargent go by! Oh, my heavens! Bryan Sellers in the alpped Corvette is not a factor. Marcelli behind Sargent and passes by Alan Metni. This is great racing into The Carousel as the road falls away with a minute and half to go. Trent Hindman lets the leaders go by.
Marcelli wants second place and is pushing like there is no tomorrow. Porsche vs. Porsche. Sargent has more experience with the car but Marcelli knows the track better than Sargent. Hindman to the lane. Mlner leading Veach by a second. Skeer in third a further 7/10ths of a second down. Montreal Motorsports Group can get a podium on debut. This race in Pro has hinged on the pit stop as we saw. We see that every time. Veach might be able to hang on for second place. DXDT Racing and Corvette going for five wins on the bounce.
Through Billy Mitchell Bend. The Old Dominion native, the Virginian, Tommy Milner, Alec Udell, and DXDT Racing win five straight with Robby Foley and Justin Rothberg winning Pro-Am and in Am, it will be Will Hardemann and Alan Metni! What a race! What a race! The rain held off! Thank heavens for that! Burton fourth and Neil Verhagen in fifth place.
Overall/Pro: #63 Milner/Udell DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R
Pro-Am: #29 Foley/Rothberg Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT3
Am: #19 Hardeman/Metni Esses Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
Cue the dance music for the results. Wow. This was a stirring motor race this afternoon. What will Oswaldo Negri Jr. do against the pro drivers to start race two tomorrow? Good work for Elliott Skeer and Adam Adelson with the loose diffuser on the back of the Wright Motorsports Porsche. Four races remaining in the season. We will see you tomorrow, for race two of the championship. Race one of GT World Challenge America at Road America was a barnburner. Tomorrow ought to be just the same. GT4 America racing at Road America, coming up soon. We'll see you tomorrow for race two for GT World Challenge America. Five for five, for Milner, Udell, and DXDT Corvette! Bye bye.
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