Saturday’s first race in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS championship saw intense battles, strategy gambles, and full course yellows come into play as the weather luckily cooperated during the 90-minute event.
DXDT Racing’s Alec Udell and Tommy Milner displayed their prowess in the Pro class, adding another overall victory to their running tally. In Pro-Am, Justin Rothberg and Robby Foley overcame challenges and clawed their way to the top spot.
Pro
Contact on the first lap between Bill Auberlen in the No. 28 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3 and Madison Snow in the No. 99 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3 brought out a brief full course yellow, but the green flag running resumed shortly thereafter.
Udell, who started from pole position in the No. 63 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, found himself in an intense battle for the lead with Luca Mars in the No. 93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 EVO22. After running nose-to-tail for the opening third of the race, Mars saw an opportunity to pull off an overtake in Canada Corner, sweeping into first place with one hour to go.
However, as the driver changes unfolded at the halfway mark, DXDT Racing’s Milner regained the track position advantage over the Racers Edge Motorsports’ Zach Veach, who ran into issues with the seat insert during the team’s pit stop.
A full course caution emerged just before the final 10 minutes of the race as Varun Choksey momentarily pulled his ST Racing machine off-track, bringing the field together again. The green flag running resumed for the final five minutes, with Veach challenging Milner with all his might on the restart. Despite the mounting pressure, the Corvette factory driver remained composed and fended off the attacks, going on to clinch DXDT Racing’s fifth consecutive win of the season.
Racers Edge Motorsports finished second overall to score their best result of the year thus far, with Elliott Skeer following closely behind in the No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 992 GT3 R to claim the final podium position.
“Everything went perfectly for us,” said Milner. “We had a huge lead in our class, but then the yellow flag bunched everyone back up. The other teams, especially the Acura and Porsche, were posting impressive lap times, and I thought, ‘Man, I can’t match that.’ I learned earlier this year that not preparing the tires properly before a restart can cost you, so I made sure to focus on that. Fortunately, I had just enough of a gap and managed to bring this Corvette home in first place again. It’s unbelievable!”
Pro-Am
The running order in the Pro-Am class changed drastically within the opening laps, as on-track drama unfolded almost immediately. The No. 08 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R was involved in a lap one incident, bringing Bryson Morris’ debut race in the series to an early end.
A number of teams took a gamble with the weather and started the race on wet tires, which ultimately resulted in them being forced to pit early to switch to slicks. This played perfectly into the hands of Phillip Ellis in the No. 91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, as he made his way from last to fifth position overall within the opening ten minutes of the race.
Ellis was challenging the Pro class frontrunners before coming into pit lane to hand over his machine to teammate Jeff Burton, who retained the Pro-Am class lead as he returned to the track. Meanwhile, Foley was on the move in the No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3, gradually inching closer to Burton lap after lap.
The gap between the two was reduced entirely as a full course yellow came out in the final laps, with Foley now breathing down Burton’s neck with only five minutes left on the clock. The green flag waved once again, and with that, Foley took the opportunity to move past Burton into the class lead, and went on to take the race one Pro-Am victory at Road America.
Burton momentarily ran off-track shortly after being overtaken, allowing Tom Sargent to move up to second place in the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 992 GT3 R, followed by Kyle Marcelli in the No. 92 MMG Porsche 992 GT3 R, earning a podium finish in the team’s championship debut.
“It was a crazy race,” Foley said. “I wasn’t really expecting that full course yellow at the end, and to be honest, I didn’t really want it, but it worked out. My stint was pretty easy in the dry, and we had a great BMW M4 GT3 under us today. Turner Motorsport provided us with a fantastic car, as they always do at this track. Thanks to LATICRETE, all of our partners, and of course, Justin and Will. We’re on a roll here, so let’s keep it going.”
“It’s been an amazing day,” echoed Rothberg, who won earlier in the day in GT America as well. “I’ve never had a two-for-two day, so I’m feeling really good. If you had told me when I was sitting back on the wall that I’d end up on the podium, I would have disagreed with you, but here we are.”
The Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS field will return for race two on Sunday, August 18th at 2:15 p.m. CT.
RESULTS
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Publish date : 2024-08-17 13:16:00
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