Top SRO America Drivers Set for GT Rivals Season Opener

Leading drivers from SRO America competition are set for this weekend’s season-opening round of the new GT World Challenge America powered by AWS ‘GT Rivals’ Esports Invitational.

The 60-minute race at virtual WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, held on Assetto Corsa Competizione, will be streamed live Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on Twitch as well as SRO America’s YouTube and Facebook channels.

Released on Friday, the 32-car entry list features a number of top GTWC America, Pirelli GT4 America and TC America drivers.

Competing in the Acura NSX GT3 Evo will be reigning Pro-Am champion Kyle Marcelli and Circuit of The Americas winner Shelby Blackstock.

They’ll be joined by fellow HPD drivers Jacob Abel, a standout open-wheel racer in the Honda Formula Regional America series and two-time TCA and TCB champion Tom O’Gorman.

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3 is new to SRO America competition and will make its debut in GT Rivals with Kenton Koch stepping up from his BSPort Racing GT4 Vantage.

GT4 America driver James Pesek and TC America challenger Steve Streimer also look to take advantage of the new platform in this Sunday’s race.

The Bentley Boys are back with the K-PAX Racing duo of Guy Cosmo and Patrick Byrne representing their real-world racer.

GT4 America racer Karl Wittmer levels up from his BMW M4 GT4 to the BMW M6 GT3. With 2018 GT4 America champion Parker Chase making his series return in an Audi R8 LMS.

Vital Speed Motorsports drivers Trevor Baek and Mark Issa join GT Rivals in their real world racer – the Ferrari 488 GT3.

Nissan returns to SRO America competition with former series driver and Playstation GT Academy America winner Bryan Heitkotter. He’ll be joined in the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 by TechSport Racing’s Kevin Anderson.

Mercedes-AMG brings five GT3 machines to the fight with CrowdStrike Racing drivers Colin Braun, George Kurtz, and Kevin Boehm.

Returning to Mercedes machinery, Daniel Morad joins GT Rivals with GT4 America driver Mark Ramsey jumping up into the GT3 racer as well.

Last but not least, Porsche will feature six entries with the 911 GT3 R. COTA Am class winner Max Root will lead the Porsche charge with GT4 America Porsche drivers Jason Bell, Derek Deboer, Sean and Gibbons competing.

Nicolai Elghanayan trades in his real world KTM X-Bow GT4 for a Porsche this weekend with TC America COTA podium finisher Nikko Reger setting up into GT3.

In addition to the virtual action, fans tuning into the broadcasts will have chances of winning prizes from both ASUS ROG and free copies of Assetto Corsa Competizione, with entry links to be given in the chat rooms. 

Five yet-to-be-announced sim racers from Champion Motorpsorts will join the real-life drivers on Sunday.

Laguna Seca Entry List:
Guy Cosmo – Bentley Continental GT3
Steve Streimer – Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3
Kevin Boehm – Mercedes-AMG GT3
Bryan Heitkotter – Nissan GTR GT3
Shelby Blackstock – Honda NSX GT3 Evo
Kenton Koch – Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3
Kyle Marcelli – Honda NSX GT3 Evo
Colin Braun – Mercedes-AMG GT3
Tom O’Gorman – Honda NSX GT3 Evo
Derek DeBoer – Porsche 911 GT3 R
Jason Bell – Porsche 911 GT3 R
Max Root – Porsche 911 GT3 R
James Pesek – Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3
Daniel Morad – Mercedes-AMG GT3
Trevor Baek – Ferrari 488 GT3
Patrick Byrne – Bentley Continental GT3
Nicolai Elghanyan – Porsche 911 GT3 R
Karl Wittmer – BMW M6 GT3
George Kurtz – Mercedes-AMG GT3
Kevin Anderson – Nissan GTR GT3
Mark Issa – Ferrari 488 GT3
Alec Udell – TBA
Sean Gibbons – Porsche 911 GT3 R
Nikko Reger – Porsche 911 GT3 R
Parker Chase – Audi R8 LMS GT3
Jacob Abel – Honda NSX GT3 Evo
Mark Ramsey – Mercedes-AMG GT3