Pirelli GT4 America is set to go for the second and final race of the weekend here at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, after a scintillating race one yesterday that saw AutoTechnic Racing and driver Zac Anderson take the #51 BMW M4 GT4 to victory lane. We started the weekend with a barnburner of a race yesterday and all three championships remain in the balance with three races left in the season as we join Ryan Myrehn, Calvin Fish, and Amanda Busick, as usual. Silver, Pro-Am, and Am classes in GT4. Race one yesterday was drama filled. Must watch TV. We have a mixed grid, a mixed candy dish. The sports car racing fans are here in force.
AutoTechnic ended their winless drought yesterday. Colin Garrett and Zac Anderson had not won since the season opener at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California. Barber Motorsports Park is a fun track but very hard to overtake on. Mattheus Leist and Tyler McQuarrie who came to blows yesterday. McQuarrie showed his displeasure. They are fine, though. They discussed it after the race yesterday. Mattheus Leist on pole in the RENNtech Mercedes-AMG GT4. The cars roll off on the pace laps, the recon laps. A fascinating mix of the classes based on driver ratings and performance and a great mix of cars.
Curt Swearingin and Kay van Berlo have 55 points ahead of Roman De Angelis and Gray Newell. We could crown another championship duo this morning. The other two classes will be decided at Indianapolis. Tyler McQuarrie and James Wlaker Jr. are eliminated from championship contention. 28 cars in all starting this race. Pirelli GT4 America has been absolutely amazing in 2024. We have seen far more green flag racing than in previous seasons. Possible trouble for the Nissan Z car of Jonathan Neudorf.
We'll follow up on that. Green flag! Away we go! To the lead, well, it is three and four wide, safe and sound through the first turn. To the lead, Tyler Gonzalez and Smooge Racing in the Toyota GR Supra. Kenton Koch making early moves. Trying to make a move on Leist. Kenton Koch will be in the Fanatec GT race later on. Koch up to second and Kay van Berlo in the fight trying to keep his nose clean for the title. van Berlo, the Dutch driver, living in Tennesseee and attending Vanderbilt University. There's a big accident! Kay van Berlo is in it and there's a pileup! They will not score points.
Zac Anderson initiated contact. Anderson and van Berlo, game over. Rodrigo Baptista, heavy damage to his Nissan with three wheels on his wagon. James Clay and Charlie Postins also caught up in that mess. The championship fight has ramped up the intensity level. This is moving day. Those were heavy impacrs with many cars cannoning into each other and into the barriers. Dario Capitanio with big left corner damage on the #102 TPC Racing McLaren Artura GT4. The tail section of the #5 Flying Lizard Nissan Z car of Rodrigo Baptista and Damir Hot completely destroyed.
The field very slow working its way through the accident area as Blackdog Speedshop's Nissan Z car of Michael Cooper and Tony Gaples totally destroyed in the front half. Who else has come through this shemozzle? Quite a few drivers and cars, actually. Chris Walsh all of a sudden leading in the Pro-Am class, the newly crowned TCX touring car champion. Corey Lewis and Tyler Gonzalez at Smooge Racing in the lead. John Capestro-Dubets was making a good move in the Silver class and he will be in better shape alongside co-driver Eric Filgueiras of course.
Half a dozen cars involved. Kay van Berlo, Rodrigo Baptista, Dario Capitanio, Zac Anderson, and others, including Jaden Lander. Kay van Berlo and Curt Swearingin are in trouble as far as their championship hopes. In the pit lane from the race lead, Tyler Gonzalez and Smooge Racing. They had to change a flat tire. Corey Lewis was so optimistic, Tyler Gonzalez's teammate and co-driver. Kris Wilson in the Random Vandals BMW M4 GT4 in the pits and had a crash yesterday. He and Michael Kanisczak will have a lot of work to do. Kris Wilson could salvage something.
It was indeed a puncture for Tyler Gonzalez. So, Kenton Koch and Kevin Boehm are now leading. Koch was a runner-up yesterday in both Fanatec GT World Challenge America and Pirelli GT4 America yesterday. Elivan Goulart in the TechSport Nissan Z NISMO GT4 has grass in the radiator and needs to get rid of it so the motor doesn't overheat sharing the car with Colin Harrison, car #22. Six, seven, eight, or more cars involved in this accident. Two championship leaders, Kay van Berlo and Jaden Lander, both eliminated after solid races yesterday.
The cars are cleared away but there's a lot of debris on the road. There are a couple cars hung up down there. I wonder if we'll cut into the pit stop window. Driver changes only of course but the mandatory pit stop window is gone and drive time rules are implemented. Early pit callers can come in at 36 minutes and 19 seconds with a 79 second minimum stop time and driver two drives for just 35 minutes. 25 minutes actually. Nick Shanny and Chris Walsh are running very well. We have seen Chris Walsh claim a TCX championship in TC America and now is in Pirelli GT4 America. Kenton Koch is the overall leader of course. Mattheus Leist in second and leading Pro-Am.
That is the car that started on pole, Mattheus Leist and Michael Auriemma. The latest pit opportunity is at 25 minutes left in the motor race and we are 17 minutes away from that point. We are going to have a lot of yellow for the first drivers in the car. Sculptures, landscaping, yetis to giant spiders. Lots of speedy dry being put down in the pit lane. We are so close to the pit window now. Several cars are out. Josh Green, Rodrigo Baptista, James Clay, Dario Capitanio, Jaden Lander, Michael Cooper, Josh Green, and Kay van Berlo.
Kris Wilson is bouncing back from dramas yesterday as we are 1/3rd of the way through the race. Postins, Clay, and Shanny all tied on points. Nick Shanny could pick up points heading for the final doubleheader at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. There is a sculpture of a spider at the Charlotte's Web corner hence the name. There are buffalo as well. Many of these sculptures done by artist Bill Sekunda. Georgina the mannequin is world famous after falling onto the track in the IndyCar race and there are dragonflies across from the museum with a pergola as well. A pergola is an arbor or passageway of columns supporting a roof of trelliswork on which climbing plants are trained to grow.
The pits are now open again. One more lap behind the safety car before the pit window opens. We could see yellow flag pit stops for the second day in a row. Porsche #47 in the lane now to stop under yellow, Matt Travis and Jason Hart in the NOLASport Porsche Cayman. It used to be at the inception of Pirelli GT4 America, the race leader was obligated to get first crack at the pit lane but not anymore. Heart of Racing has both cars in for driver changes on an alternate strategy with Gray Newell giving way to Roman De Angelis. ...And they've made the stop under yellow.
Race Control extends this yellow an extra lap so more pit stops can take place. Driver changes can get done. The frontrunners couldn't take the opportunity without running afoul of maximum drive time rules. Both AutoTechnic BMWs are pitting. This will be a heads-up fight to the finish with just over half the race left. Kenton Koch changes over to Kevin Boehm and Race Control declares green flag next time by. These blokes wil; need to hustle to catch the crocodile. The minimum pit time is 79 seconds. The first two cars in line, Kris Wilson at least, has not pitted yet. Not during the window. He has not done the driver change to Michael Kanisczak until now.
Lance Bergstein is now on the tail end of the lead lap. Green flag. Bergstein runs wide letting the team car by as Krugspeed is now partnered with Smooge Racing. Corey Lewis to the top of the shop. Half an hour to go. Corey Lewis is shy on pit time and we'll need to clarify that. Demi Chalkias gets nudged from behind by Austin Krainz side by side with Todd Parriott. Kris Wilson has a cracked radiator losing fluid! Oh, my heavens! That's terrible! Lewis leads the race now into the race's second half. They have a stop time that is not to regulations.
Roman De Angelis and The Heart of Racing are working the alternate strategy to perfection. Lance Bergstein is now the Am class leader, third on the road and that was not for position. Corey Lewis leads Am and Roman De Angelis leads Pro-Am. Stop plus 90 seconds for Colin Garrett in the #51 BMW M4 GT4! That will ruin the race for yesterday's winners! Goodness gracious! Matt Travis is mired in the pack in the #47 Nolasport Porsche Cayman with Kevin Boehm behind in the #92 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 sharing with Kenton Koch.
Roman De Angelis does not need to pass Corey Lewis. The overall win is the cherry on the cake. But Heart of Racing are looking to catapult themselves into championship contention. Matt Travis runs eighth passing Colin Harrison and so does Kevin Boehm. Hannah Grisham is fourth overall in the other Heart of Racing Aston Martin sharing with Hannah Greenmeier. The #68 pit stop is under review for being 3.3 seconds shy of the maximum time allotment. Corey Lewis and Tyler Gonzalez will be in a world of pain, copping a drive through penalty. They are going to have the pay the piper for the short pit stop.
Hannah Grisham and Kevin Boehm move up. Heart of Racing lead both Pro-Am and Silver. Roman De Angelis in the lead of the motor race. Hannah Grisham has many cars between her and Kevin Boehm. Yikes! Lance, "Sir Lancelot" Bergstein, off thre road and getting back on the button. Boehm to the inside of Travis and Travis wants nothing to do with it. Eric Filgueiras co-driving with JCD, John Capestro-Dubets, is third in the Silver class. Smooge Racing now are moving back up the order with almost 2/3rds of the race completed. All of that in 37 minutes!
Matt Bell going on the attack with Random Vandals BMW. Kevin Boehm sees Hannah Grisham and is closing in hand over fist. The Aston Martin at the front of this train, this is fore the win in class. If Filgueiras can't climb further, the deficit will be halved. Johann Schwartz having a great race today, and now, Matt Bell is right on Schwartz's tail! Schwartz is a drifting master and can settle back in line. Matt Travis in the #47 Nolasport Porsche Cayman is now chasing the Mercedes. Travis and Hart have raced in GT4 European Series.
Kevin Boehm eating into Hannah Grisham's lead in Silver. Grisham has diffuser or bumper damage on the back of her Aston Martin as Matt Bell is still trying to pass Johann Schwartz. Hannah Grisham, out of the Alabama Rollercoaster, battling for the Silver lead with Kevin Boehm! This is feisty stuff! 2/3rds of the race done. Boehm has the preferred line passing Hannah Grisham. Kenton Koch and Kevin Boehm can still claim a championship as Michael Kanisczak is stuck on the side of the road and the Random Vandals BMW M4 GT4 is overheating and we could go safety car again which will wreck Roman De Angelis' chances, 12 seconds ahead.
The #72 Krugspeed/Smooge Racing Toyota Supra of Lance Bergstein leads the Am class. David Peterman filling out the Am podium. Safety Car deployed. Full Course Yellow. Nick Shanny is now up to second spot. On the fringe of championship contention. Our Amanda Busick tells us that there was a radio communication issue and Matt Travis didn't hear the go signal! Gosh! A quick cleanup and we will be back racing soon with 15 minutes to go. Safety Car lights out. Hannah Grisham will be fighting with Kevin Boehm again.
Schwartz, Bell, Travis, Filgueiras and others in the fight. Green flag. Roman De Angelis leading the motor race feeling the pressure from Kevin Boehm. Boehm the meat in an Aston Martin sandwich. Roman De Angelis won't play the game of backing Kevin Boehm into his teammate Hannah Grisham. Heart of Racing want the win and the big points. The team could not hear one another for Matt Travis to give him the go signal at NOLASport. De Angelis, Boehm, Grisham. Johann Schwartz second in Pro-Am which yields a massive day for Techsport Nissan.
Filgueiras, how aggressive will he be fighting through the Pro-Am pack. He is right behind Matt Travis. Travis giving Filgueiras no space. He has his sights set on Matt Bell. This is big picture, championship thinking. Filgueiras has a head of steam on Matt Travis. Schwartz hanging onto the runner-up spot in Pro-Am with Matt Bell hounding him. Filgueiras actually hounding Matt Bell and MattmTravis. 11 minutes to go. Traffic everywhere. Filgueiras has been a champion in both GT4 and GT3. Bell tries passing Schwartz and Johann Svhwartz slams the door in his face as Matt Travis spins!
Filgueiras was behind him. Will there be a penalty for Filgueiras? Corey Lewis coming back through the field. Alex Ellis in his own wrestling match with Demi Chalkias, a couple Canadian's scrapping. JMF Mercedes and VPX Motorsports Porsche. Ellis chasing down Corey Lewis, an established star who has won big races like the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Incident under review between car #28 and car #47. That's Filgueiras and Travis and the stewards are looking at it. If Filgueiras is penalized, that will turn the championship fight upside down. We don't have decent replay video of that contact.
Filgueiras sends it to the inside and Corey Lewis makes the pass and now, Filgueiras tags Lewis! In front, we see Bell tagging Schwartz! It's a war zone with ten minutes to go here in GT4 at Barber! Filgueiras fighting for his life! This is bananas! Drive through penalty incident responsibility for Eric Filgueiras! Good grief! That is massive! Filgueiras serves his penalty and might just drop a single place. Five and a half minutes to go. RS1 has had a terrible weekend here at Barber Motorsports Park. It is damage limitation mode now. Their points lead is evaporating. The finale at Indianapolis will be good television!
Schwartz, Ellis, Bell, and more, all in a conga line. Johann Schwartz is unflappable. Three minutes and change left on the clock. Corey Lewis under threat by Alex Ellis doing the rimshot through Charlotte's Web but Lewis isn't standing for any of it. Schwartz and Bell going at it hammer and tongs. Bell makes a move on Schwartz for second and Lewis has t go because he has tons of pressure as the rear bumper has come adrift on the Supra. The bumper has peeled like a banana. What a wild and crazy race we have seen. Ellis shoves his way through for a podium place taking it away from Lewis.
Roman De Angelis has been unchallenged. White flag. His lead has ballooned to 20 seconds. One lap to go. De Angelis and Newell can win overall. For Kevin Boehm and Kenton Koch, they will score a race win as well. For De Angelis and Newell, they were 55 points down on Swearingin and van Berlo who are out. Ellis behind Lewis. Gets to the inside. Give it up for a couple corners. This isn't done. Lewis and Ellis leaning on each other with the Supra leading with the damaged bumper! Roman De Angelis and Gray Newell win race two!
Kevin Boehm and Kenton Koch bring Random Vandals a Silver class win. Ellis and Lewis still battle and Leiws nips him for the podium! In the Am class, the #72 Krugspeed Toyota Supra wins with Anthony Geraci and Lance Bergstein!
Overall/Pro-Am: #24 Newell/De Angelis Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4
Evo
Silver: #97 Koch/Boehm Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82
Am: #72 Geraci/Bergstein Krugspeed Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO
Cue the dance music for the provisional results. We might see changes after the race, and we'll let you know. Race Control says #77 served their penalty. Heart of Racing have now won two races in two weeks. The other race they won you will be hearing more about that later when yours truly has time to talk about it. There you have it. Two more Pirelli GT4 America races left in 2024 at "The Brickyard" at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We'll see you in Indiana, the first weekend in October. Bye bye.
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