Yardley: “Incredible” Feeling to Win SRO GT Academy Prize

Photo: Fabian Lagunas/SRO

Ryan Yardley said it’s an “incredible” feeling to come away from last weekend’s Desder Indianapolis 8 Hour as the SRO GT Academy winner in GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, which will give the U.S.-based Kiwi a seat in next year’s 24 Hours of Spa.

The Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver entered the season-ending race second in the standings, but with fellow PMNA Selected Driver Tom Sargent absent at The Brickyard due to his European Le Mans Series commitments, Yardley emerged in prime position to take the prize.

Yardley finished the race sixth overall in the No. 31 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo that he shared with Porsche factory star Laurin Heinrich and season-long co-driver Dave Musial Jr.

His achievement sees him join British GT Championship SRO GT Academy winner Jarrod Waberski in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo operated by Team Motopark.

The pair will be joined by the respective Academy winners from GTWC Asia and Australia, which will be confirmed following each series’ season finales.

“It’s an incredible feeling to come away from the Indianapolis 8 Hour as the SRO GT Academy winner,” said Yardley. “SRO has put together a fantastic program, and I’m thrilled to have come out on top.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting the other GT Academy winners from around the world as we join forces next year to take on one of the biggest sports car races in the world, the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa.”

The SRO GT Academy was established to identify and promote the next generation of professional GT drivers, providing a platform for FIA Silver-rated competitors under the age of 30 to showcase their abilities on an international stage.

Unlike traditional championship standings, the Academy places particular emphasis on individual driving performance, assessing factors such as outright pace and consistency to recognize talent beyond the final race classification.

The Academy expanded into GTWC America and British GT for the first time this year after being first introduced in FFSA GT – GT4 France.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John