Rearden Becomes First Audi R8 LMS GT2 Customer

Photo: SRO America

Rearden Racing has become the first customer to take delivery of the new Audi R8 LMS GT2 car.

The Lara Tallman-owned squad, which campaigned multiple Audi R8 LMS GT4 cars in Pirelli GT4 America in 2019, received the mid-engined sports car during last month’s SRO Winter Series round at The Thermal Club, where it went on to claim pole and class honors with Dmitri Novikov at the wheel.

It’s understood the team is planning to enter the car in SRO’s new GT Sports Club America, which kicks off at Virginia International Raceway in June.

“We are extremely excited to be the first team to receive the Audi R8 LMS GT2, place the car on pole, and the first class win,” Tallman said. “We are looking forward to more successful race weekends in the SRO Winter Series GT Sports Club category.”

Audi Sport customer racing offered test drives to SRO and Thermal Club competitors at the event, with a second chassis on hand for the evaluations, which included laps run by SRO Motorsports Group founder and CEO Stephane Ratel.

An additional test was recently held at Spring Mountain Raceway in Pahrump, Nev. for prospective North American customers as well.

“Our goal is to showcase the Audi R8 LMS GT2 to competitors and gentleman drivers,” said  Audi Sport customer racing North America motorsport manager Tristan Herbert.

“The successful race weekend, test drives and positive feedback proves there is an appetite for a well-balanced high power race car that is easily operated and predictable to drive.”

The three-round SRO Winter Series concludes this weekend at Thermal, utilizing the circuit’s full four-mile configuration.

SRO Releases List of Eligible Cars for GT Sports Club America

The Audi GT2 will be among the cars eligible to compete in the new-for-2020 series that will also feature previous-generation GT3 machinery.

SRO America confirmed that cars such as the first-generation Audi R8 LMS, BMW Z4 GT3 and Ferrari 458 Italia will be able to run alongside new GT2 machinery from Audi, as well as the Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport.

A total of ten GT3 cars that are no longer eligible in GT World Challenge powered by AWS, will be able to compete in GT Sports Club America:

Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3
Audi R8 LMS 
BMW Z4 GT3
Corvette Z06R GT3
Ferrari 458 Italia
Lamborghini Gallardo
McLaren MP4-12C
Mercedes SLS AMG GT3
Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 (first gen)
Porsche 911 GT3 R (first gen)

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