James, Webb Claim Close In On Pro-Am Title With Race 1 Win

Ryan James and Oliver Webb leveraged a well-timed pit strategy in the No. 22 Greystone GT entry to secure their maiden overall and Pro-Am class victories in Race 1 of McLaren Trophy America at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Contact between Pro driver Kaia Teo in the No. 8 F0rte Racing entry and Pro-Am competitor Ned MacPherson in the No. 43 ANSA Motorsports machine triggered a heavy collision entering Turn 7 at the start of the 50-minute contest.

The incident also involved fellow Pro-Am competitor Randy Highland in the No. 7 GMG Racing entry, prompting the race’s first full-course yellow.

Green-flag running resumed briefly before a second full-course yellow was called following contact entering Turn 1 between then-Pro-Am class leader Alexandra Hanier in the No. 43 Motorsports In Action entry and Robby Stockard in the No. 65 Hooper Street Racing with OMS machine.

The ensuing caution provided an opportunity for teams to make early pit stops ahead of the restart.

When the race returned to green with less than 30 minutes remaining, the driver changes had elevated Webb to the overall lead. The field remained under green for the remainder of the race, allowing James and Webb to secure the victory.

The result has nearly handed the season-long Pro-Am championship to James and Webb, who will officially secure the title by taking the start in tomorrow’s race.

Behind the overall winners, Darren Law brought the No. 77 LLH Motorsports McLaren, shared with Michael Suco, home second overall while securing the Am class victory.

Matt Bell, meanwhile, recovered from an earlier incident involving co-driver Stockard to claim third overall and the Pro class win in the No. 65 Hooper Street Racing with OMS entry.

In Pro-Am, Tommy Pintos and late call-up Casey Dennis charged from 21st on the grid to finish second in class in the No. 11 RWE Motorsports entry.

Kevin Madsen and Neil Langberg completed the class podium in the No. 53 Relapsing Polychondritis Motorsports/Forte Racing machine.

The Pro class battle saw Sam Neser and James Li secure second place in the No. 74 RWE Motorsports entry, finishing fourth overall after a hard-fought contest for the category win.

Patrick Liddy and Tanner Harvey rounded out the Pro podium in third in their No. 24 Forte Racing effort.

Fabio Grecco finished second in the Am class in the No. 15 OMS entry, while Keegan Massey routed the No. 812 for RAFA Racing, along with Michael Steeves, to third.

Race 2 is set for Friday at 1:40 p.m. EST, the final race of the season and under the SRO America umbrella. The race will be streamed live on McLaren Automotive and SRO’s GT World YouTube channels.

RESULTS: Race 1