Sedgwick Leads Incident-Filled Opening Hour at Indy

Alex Sedgwick led the field overall and in the Pro-Am aboard his No. 6 Dollahite Racing Ford Mustang GT3 EVO at the conclusion of the first hour for the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS and Intercontinental GT Challenge’s Desder Indianapolis 8 Hour.

Sedgwick’s opening lap overtake for the top spot on Turner Motorsports’ Justin Rothberg in the No. 29 BMW M4 GT3 EVO was maintained by the British driver, expanding the gap up to more than four seconds.

Rothberg kept his pole-sitting BMW up towards the top five in the first 60 minutes following the early loss of the lead.

Early championship drama unfolded involving the Pro class No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo of Lin Hodenius, who sustained significant damage to his car when the No. 13 Kellymoss Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo of Todd Parriott spun in front of him.

The car was retired, along with Luca Stolz’s chances of claiming the IGTC drivers’ championship.

Additionally, five-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou did not get a chance to hit the track.

Michai Stephens held his pace from the start of the race in the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG to lead Pro class, ahead of Matias Perez Companc in AF Corse’s No. 12 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo.

Ben Keating was able to hand off his No. 11 Mad Joker Racing Mercedes-AMG cleanly to Marc Austin to keep their effort out front of the Am class.

Two other full course yellows took place during the first hour.

Pro-Am combatant Kerong Li had contact with Thomas Merrill’s No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche.

The Turn 1 skirmish ripped off the front end of Li’s No. 86 High Class Racing Porsche, leaving debris that resulted in the yellow.

AF Corse’s Jay Schriebman and Jordan Boisson in the No. 999 GetSpeed Team PCX Racing Mercedes-AMG collided on Turn 7, also on the opening lap.

Schreibman was handed a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility, while Boisson brought his Mercedes-AMG in for a drive-through of his own for a restart violation.

The final yellow of the opening hour came for debris on the front straight, which allowed teams to make their first driver changes of the proceedings.