Foley: ‘Each Race Means More’ This Year in Pro Title Fight

Photo: Fabian Lagunas/SRO

Robby Foley said that every GT World Challenge America powered by AWS race means more this year from a points perspective, as he and Turner Motorsport co-driver Justin Rothberg chase their third consecutive class title.

The duo, who won back-to-back titles in the Pro-Am class, stepped up to Pro for the first time of the year and currently sit third in the standings entering this month’s race at Road America.

While JMF Motorsports’ Michai Stephens and Mikael Grenier began the season with wins at Sonoma Raceway and Circuit of The Americas, Foley and Rothberg broke through for the win at Sebring International Raceway.

They currently are only 11 points behind the Stephens and Grenier with three races to go.

While the season-ending Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS used to pay double points, the series’ shift from two 90-minute races into a single three-hour feature race each weekend this year has resulted in the same number of points being available for all rounds.

When asked if scoring points in every race means more this year, Foley told Sportscar365: “It’s definitely important.

“I think what’s interesting now is that beyond the fact that there’s only one race a weekend now, Indy is not double points.

“We obviously had to put a lot of emphasis on Indy in years’ past, and not that we don’t now, but each race means a little bit more.

“We won at Sebring, we had a little bit of an issue at Road Atlanta but we just have to stay in that top-two to be a contender.

“Indy is going to be interesting because it’s not double points anymore. In years’ past, it meant more. It still means a lot now; it’s an awesome race.

“I don’t think you’ll see as many points swings.

“We want to be well positioned going into Indy. Of course anything can happen there with it being an eight-hour race. We’ll see.”

October’s Indy round will mark its final outing as an eight-hour race and round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, as the enduro moves to Circuit of The Americas next year, to be known as the Texas 8 Hour.

Foley believes the race at COTA next May will be “more of a test of endurance.”

“I love both tracks,” he said. “I think the Indy 8 Hour had great momentum in years’ past with a lot of international teams coming over.

“I think it’s cool that it’s at the end of the year.

“Equally, starting the beginning of the year with a big race; we obviously do that on the IMSA side.

“I think everybody loves Austin and COTA, so it’s definitely a good track to do it. I’m optimistic that it will be a good race.

“It’s a more physical track, it’s harder on the cars. So I think it’s going to be more of a test of endurance than Indy.

“But there’s two great tracks.”

Foley, Turner Chasing Unique North American GT3 Double Championship

While seeking a third consecutive GTWC America class title, Foley and the Will Turner-led team are also well positioned in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD points standings to potentially pull off a unique GT3 championship double.

Foley and IMSA GTD co-driver Patrick Gallagher currently sit third in the class standings, just 26 points behind Heart of Racing Team’s Eduardo Barrichello, also with three rounds left on the calendar.

No team has ever won season-long titles in both GTWC America and WeatherTech Championship competition in the same year.

“This year, we’re fighting for the lead in both, which is cool,” said Foley. “It’s great to have the crossover, driving the same car, and more-or-less, the same group of guys, different tire and different series and different co-driver.

“We’re learning stuff on both sides that we can translate and bring them together.

“We have to keep in mind the tire difference but definitely with Year 2 of the EVO car, we’ve made a good step forward in pace in both series. So far, so good.”

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