In amongst a GT America entry list that is typically subject to great change from the date of its release to the drop of the green flag for the first race on Saturday, there is a noteworthy new presence on the list for Road America.
CDR Valkyrie, a California-based joint venture between Brian Lock’s Valkyrie Autosport and Amir Haleem’s CyberDynamics Racing, will enter two different cars in the SRO3 category.
Lock will drive the #86 Acura NSX GT3 Evo22, and Haleem will drive the #66 Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3.
It will be the GT-R’s first SRO-sanctioned race on American soil since the 2019 California 8 Hours at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca – the same venue where both drivers tested their cars before loading out for Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
The ageing, yet effective GT-R still maintains a strong presence in Japanese competition – in SUPER GT, Super Taikyu, and in GT World Challenge Asia – but has virtually disappeared from the rest of the GT3 racing landscape. CDR Valkyrie has also stated its plans to run the GT-R full-time in GT World Challenge America next season. It’s a very welcome addition to the SRO America paddock, in any case!
17 cars are provisionally entered in SRO3, where Jason Daskalos has taken the championship lead from Memo Gidley by just three points with six races remaining. Mercedes-AMG GT3s have dominated the season thus far.
But in Race 1 around the streets of Nashville, Tennessee, the ageless wonder Johnny O’Connell (no relation) drove another timeless classic, the first-generation Audi R8 LMS, to the top step of the podium! Another driver to watch will be 2022 SRO3 champion George Kurtz, back in the series after a clash with IMSA’s visit to this venue prevented him from racing in Nashville.
SRO America stalwart James Sofronas is back in his Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II for the first time since Circuit of the Americas – so too are Lone Star Racing and Marc Austin in their Mercedes. DXDT Racing has entered both their Silver Arrows for Scott Smithson and Jeff Burton – which typically only run in this series’ practice and qualifying sessions.
Then in GT4, new and returning faces include Tim Savage (#009 TRG Aston Martin Vantage GT4), John Roberts (#11 Fast Track Racing BMW M4 GT4), Todd Parriott (#13 GMG Racing Aston Martin), Scott Blind (#045 Archangel Motorsports Aston Martin), and Brady Behrman (#428 Van der Steur Racing Aston Martin), part of an 11-car field.
After Nashville, the top three drivers in the GT4 championship are separated by just 14 points, led by defending champion Ross Chouest, ahead of runner-up Jason Bell, and Robb Holland who swept the weekend at the Music City. It’ll also mark Gray Newell’s return to the circuit where he suffered his terrible crash in this series one year ago.
Feature images © CDR Valkyrie
