GT America to Offer Full “Flavor” of Options for Bronze Drivers

Photo: Porsche

James Sofronas believes the new-for-2021 GT America series will offer a full “flavor” of options for customer drivers, with GT2, GT3 and GT4-spec machinery all eligible to race in the Bronze driver series.

Announced earlier this month, SRO America will consolidate Pirelli GT4 Sprint and GT Sports Club America into a single-driver 40-minute format races on the majority of GT World Challenge America powered by AWS weekends. 

The GMG Racing team owner, who has largely focused on customer racing programs in recent years, said GT America has the potential to be the most successful series out of the newly expanded portfolio.

“More and more of the car owners are Bronze drivers,” Sofronas told Sportscar365.

“Now they have a chance to race amongst their peers in 40-minute sprint races and they can pick the car they want to race; GT2, GT3 or GT4 and really enjoy the sprint race atmosphere without driver changes and pit stops.

“There’s opportunities for that in GT3 and GT4 but now if you want to just focus on yourself and improve your craft, I think it’s going to drive a lot more entrants.”

SRO America President and CEO Greg Gill said he’s targeting at least 20 cars for GT America next year. 

“For me, most of my clients are up-and-coming, mainly gentlemen drivers, so I’m now, ‘What car do you like?'” said Sofronas.

“With the 40-minute sprint, you get two [races] per weekend, three total days away from the home and family. It’s perfect.

“Now it’s like, ‘What’s your flavor? Do you want the ultimate downforce GT3 or do you want the rocket ship GT2 or do you want the balance of a GT4? 

“We plan to be heavily subscribed in that series next year.”

Sofronas added that moving GTSC, which ran as part of GTWC America races this year, offers the chance for Bronze drivers to undertake even more racing over a weekend.

“A lot of my clients want to double up on their track time,” Sofronas said. “Jason [Bell] is one of them and Elias [Sabo], who has a GT2 Audi as well. It’s hard for them to get away,

“With seven weekends and no test days, they will want to maximize the track time and run multiple cars.

“That’s where this provides this opportunity. I think there will be multiple gentlemen drivers in multiple cars throughout the weekend. I know I will have a few for sure.”

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