Mustang GT3 Call-Up “Reignited” Powell’s Love for Racing

Eric Powell said the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong ambition of competing at the GT3 level with Dollahite Racing in this weekend’s pair of GT World Challenge America powered by AWS rounds at Virginia International Raceway has “reignited” his love for motor racing.

Powell made a name for himself in touring car machinery, with years of experience in the SRO America paddock producing multiple race wins and the 2021 TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School TC class driver’s title.

The Florida native also has GT4 experience, having driven TechSport’s Nissan Z GT4 NISMO in Pirelli GT4 America competition in 2023 and 2024, and he is currently contesting IMSA’s Michelin Pilot Challenge with Victor Gonzalez Racing Team.

Despite success at the touring car and GT4 level, however, Powell maintains that competing at the top level of GT racing has been a lifelong career goal of his, and VIR will mark his first GT3 race starts as he co-pilots the No. 6 Ford Mustang GT3 alongside Scott Dollahite in the Am class.

“It’s my first time racing a GT3 [car],” Powell told Sportscar365. “I couldn’t be happier about that. Honestly, even growing up, I never had ambitions of F1 or even prototypes like other guys do. It’s always been GT cars for me.

“I grew up going to Daytona, and at the 24 Hours at Daytona, I was always paying more attention to the GT cars.

“I’ve raced in so many other categories and I’ve raced with a lot of the guys that are having success here these days, and I’m not someone that’s bitter, but deep down, you’re like, ‘When am I going to be in the right place at the right time?’

“I’m thrilled that it’s with these guys and with a friend in Scott. This whole thing has completely reignited my love for racing.”

Powell said his opportunity to drive this weekend materialized out of persistence once he learned of the team’s entry in SRO America’s flagship series and through his preexisting relationship with Dollahite through racing in the SRO America paddock.

“I’ve known Scott for a long time,” Powell said. “He and I have always been good buddies. I’ve been around the SRO paddock racing for many years. I was also the chief instructor at Skip Barber at one point, and he did some events with us.

“I was just hounding him from the beginning of the year when I saw that they were doing an Am entry. I’m still Bronze. They wanted to make a change, and they offered to give me a try and a test, and it went well.

“I didn’t get confirmation until after Watkins Glen [IMSA event]. They wanted me to focus on that, and my wife and I were on vacation. When I got the call from Bill, I put everything aside. My wife was there listening. I was jumping for freaking joy.”

Powell’s only other GT3 seat time has come in the form of a handful of private coaching and shakedown days, and a recent test with Dollahite at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur, Texas.

Despite limited seat time, Powell was confident about his pace and strong initial comfort level piloting the Texas-based team’s customer Mustang GT3.

“The car is a lot of fun to drive,” he said. “I feel comfortable in the car right away. I feel comfortable to push. I did from the very first session I drove in about a month ago. It felt like home to me. I probably felt more comfortable straight away in this car than any other car I’ve driven.

“Finding those last few tenths, just like any other car, you’ve got to get comfortable with a certain amount of fear, but this makes that easier to do than in other cars with lesser engineering and less development. We’re working on finding a little more speed, but I feel great in the car.”

This weekend, Powell becomes Scott Dollahite’s third co-driver this season, taking the place of FIA World Endurance Championship driver Stefano Gattuso, who replaced Anthony Lazzaro after the first two rounds of the season.

While Powell told Sportscar365 that he aims to prove his mettle in GT3 competition with hopes of one day competing in the world championship’s LMGT3 class, he also mentioned that his focus this weekend is ensuring he proves himself to be a candidate to continue racing with Dollahite for the rest of the GTWC America season.

“I hope that we can keep improving and showing that we can be more competitive,” he said. “Time will tell, but I think we’ve got a good group of guys that can do that.

“They’re taking a lot in and naturally learning a lot along the way. Having some continuity with the drivers would obviously help, so I hope to be the continuity there.

“I feel awesome. The team’s great. They’ve welcomed me. I feel really comfortable with these guys. They’re a lot of fun.”