Nolasport, Blackdog Take Friday Wins at Sonoma

Photo: Regis Lefebure/SRO

Jason Hart and Matt Travis claimed victory in Friday’s opening Pirelli GT4 America SprintX race of the weekend at Sonoma Raceway after mechanical issues for the MarcoPolo Motorsports KTM X-Bow GT4.

Hart took over the lead in the final 20 minutes of the 60-minute contest after the turbocharger in the pole-sitting No. 71 KTM X-Bow GT4 of Mads Siljehaug failed while leading.

It gave clear sailing to the No. 47 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport of Hart, who took a 8.035-second win over the No. 21 Flying Lizard Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage GT4 of Robby Foley.

Siljehaug and pole-sitter Nicolai Elghanayan finished 20th in the 25-car field.

Hart and Travis scored their second consecutive win after taking top honors in the Long Beach makeup race at Virginia International Raceway last month.

Jarett Andretti and Colin Mullan completed the overall podium and took GT4 Sprint class honors in their No. 36 Andretti Autosport McLaren 570S GT4.

Cody Ware, in his series debut, challenged Andretti in the closing stages but lost fourth to the No. 2 GMG Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport of Andrew Davis. 

GT4 Am class honors went to the No. 7 Nolasport Porsche of Zac Anderson and Sean Gibbons, which finished 12th overall. 

The second GT4 SprintX race is scheduled for Saturday at 3:45 p.m. PT.

RESULTS: Race 1

Photo: Blackdog Speed Shop

Cooper Takes Commanding GT4 Sprint Win

Michael Cooper claimed his third consecutive Pirelli GT4 America Sprint win, following a commanding run in Friday’s opening round of the weekend at Sonoma Raceway.

The Blackdog Speed Shop driver cruised to a 2.613-second victory over pole-sitter Spencer Pumpelly after passing the TRG driver in Turn 3 on the opening lap.

Pumpelly, in the No. 66 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, was unable to match the outright pace of the McLaren 570S GT4 in the 50-minute contest, which ran caution-free.

It marked Cooper’s fourth win of the season after his victory in Race 2 at Circuit of The Americas in March and taking wins in two of the three races last month at Virginia International Raceway.

The No. 12 Ian Lacy Racing Ford Mustang GT4 of Drew Staveley completed the overall and Pro class podium in third, followed by Jarett Andretti in the No. 18 Andretti Autosport McLaren GT4 in fourth.

Michael Dinan claimed Am class honors in his Flying Lizard Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage GT4, which finished fifth overall in the 11-car field.

Dinan pressured Andretti in the closing moments of the race after coming under attack by the No. 59 Rearden Racing Aston Martin GT4 of Paul Terry, who finished second in class.

Race 2 gets underway Saturday at 9:25 a.m. PT.

RESULTS: Race 1

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