The skies above Sonoma may still have been grey and dreary, but the rain mostly went away in the afternoon – down to just spits of rain as GT World Challenge America and GT4 America began their afternoon tests.
Before a very brief summary of on-track activities, a pulse check on some of our other protagonists we’ll be following along the SRO America trail…
It’s fantastic to have RealTime Racing back in GT World Challenge America after two years’ absence, largely due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This author can remember from childhood, seeing Peter Cunningham’s first-generation Acura NSX, or Pierre Klienubing’s Integra, racing and winning in the predecessor SCCA World Challenge GT and Touring Car series!
The latest RealTime Acura NSX GT3 is the same chassis used by Magnus Racing in the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, now fitted with the latest “Evo22” kit. Erin Vogel, a true Bronze driver, and Michael Cooper will share the car this season, and RealTime are hopeful that they can compete for victories in Pro-Am Class.
After all, Vogel and Cooper won last year for DXDT Racing – which made Vogel the first woman to win in GT3 class competition in SRO GT World Challenge America.
The two-time and reigning GT World Challenge America Pro-Am champions are Wright Motorsports, now using the number 45.
Charlie Luck is the new am driver for 2022, the father-in-law of team mate Jan Heylen.
This is the same chassis that Luck used to win the GT America championship last season. Prior to that, this 2019 Porsche 911 GT3-R was raced by Anthony Imperato.
Wright’s GT4 America entry, driven by second-generation racer Hutton McKenna – and featuring the nostalgic white and gold colours of his father’s automobile dealership – is a new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR.
McKenna is also driving in Porsche Carrera Cup North America this year.
Both of DXDT Racing’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVOs are in their third tour of duty – the Usalco-sponsored #63 of David Askew and Dirk Mueller…
…and the Qelo Capital sponsored #08 of Scott Smithson and Bryan Sellers.
Flying Lizard Motorsports have two brand-new, identically-liveried Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4s. This number 8 car is the chassis Elias Sabo shares with Andy Lee in GT4 America. Sabo will also drive their second car in the GT America races.
There’s really no shortage of interesting vehicles in attendance, just within GTWCA/GT4A/GTAm – but truth be told, Random Vandals Racing’s tyre-hauling kei truck might honestly be the most fascinating of them all!
To borrow an old UPS slogan from their days sponsoring Dale Jarrett in NASCAR: “We want to race the truck, people love the truck.” Here’s hoping some intrepid promoter is keen to start a “K4GP America” in the near future…
Today in Sonoma
AF Corse’s Am Cup #61 Ferrari 488 GT3 suffered minor front-end damage in an incident during the afternoon session.
That was the only “incident” to report within our focus series. Drivers in GTWC America, GT4 America, and GT America all did well to avoid danger on a wet day. (If we missed anything, however, please let us know!)
K-PAX Racing picked straight up where they left off last year at Sonoma: Jordan Pepper set the fastest time of the afternoon session with a 1’49.128, nearly a second and a half clear of the next car!
Following them was Loris Spinelli in the #6 US Racetronics Mercedes-AMG GT3 in second, then Mario Farnbacher in the #93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 in third.
GT4 America testing wrapped up with the #11 Fast Track Racing BMW M4 GT4 of Gregory Liefooghe setting the best lap time of 1’50.239.
Feature image © Brian Cleary/SRO
