Entry List Revealed for Sonoma Season Opener

Photo: Fabian Lagunas/SRO

Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season is set to kick off next weekend at Sonoma Raceway, featuring a diverse entry list of new and returning entries to the SRO America-organized championship.

The entry list, released on Friday, features a total of 13 cars although spread between 11 different teams and five GT3 manufacturers.

While marking a slight decrease compared to last year’s numbers, which averaged 18 full-season entries, the upcoming campaign will feature several new or expanded efforts to the grid, and additional cars expected to join over the course of the season.

The Sonoma entries include the highly anticipated return of Flying Lizard Motorsports, which will debut an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo for Elias Sabo and Andy Lee in the Pro-Am class.

Additionally, ST Racing has expanded into a two-car BMW M4 GT3 operation with the addition of the No. 28 entry for Bill Auberlen and Varun Choksey, who will compete in the Pro category.

The No. 38 ST Racing BMW of Samantha Tan and Neil Verhagen, meanwhile, returns for what will mark BMW factory driver Verhagan’s first full season effort in Pro-Am.

Turner Motorsport will make its return to full-time Fanatec GT America competition, also with a BMW, with Robby Foley and Ferrari Challenge graduate Justin Rothberg.

While starting the season with a pair of Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evos, DXDT Racing is expected to debut at least one new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R later this spring with Bryan Sellers and Scot Smithson as drivers in the No. 08 entry, which will be present at Sonoma in a Mercedes-AMG.

The No. 91 DXDT Mercedes-AMG, meanwhile, features factory driver Philip Ellis and Bronze-rated pilot Jeff Burton.

CrowdStrike by Riley’s George Kurtz and Colin Braun are back to defend their Pro-Am class title in the No. 04 Mercedes-AMG, while Chouest Povoledo Racing steps up to GT3 competition after several years in Pirelli GT4 America and GT America powered by AWS with Ross Chouest and Aaron Povoledo.

Esses Racing, meanwhile, will have Adam Carroll and Will Hardeman in its Mercedes-AMG for next weekend.

Racers Edge Motorsports is also back with its Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 but with an all-new lineup of Luca Mars and Zach Veach, with GMG Racing, Wright Motorsports and newcomers MMG all fielding Type-992 Porsche 911 GT3 Rs.

Porsche Carrera Cup North America race winner Thomas Sargent teams with Kyle Washington in GMG’s No. 32 entry, while Elliott Skeer and Adam Adelson return to the No. 120 Porsche from Wright.

Canadian squad MMG, meanwhile, will field former IndyCar star Alex Tagliani and countryman Jean-Frederic Laberge.

Track activity kicks off with a two-day test at Sonoma on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by official practice sessions on Friday, prior to qualifying and the pair of races on Saturday and Sunday, which will be streamed live on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel.

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