GMG Audi GT4 Takes Race 2 Win

Photo: Brian Cleary/PWC

GMG Racing has given the Audi R8 LMS GT4 its first win in North American competition, with James Sofronas and Alex Welch victorious in the second Pirelli World Challenge GTS SprintX race of the weekend at Circuit of The Americas.

A late-race pass by Welch around the No. 38 ST Racing BMW M4 GT4 of Samantha with with nine minutes remaining put the No. 14 Audi GT4 out front, following a charge from third on the final restart.

The race, however, ended under yellow, due to cleanup for multiple cars stranded on track.

The No. 17 Classic BMW GT4 of Justin Raphael came home second overall and in the Pro-Am class, following an opening stint battle between Stevan McAleer and the pole-sitting No. 38 ST BMW GT4 of Nick Wittmer.

Wittmer and Tan, meanwhile, completed the podium, ahead of Race 1 pole-sitter Harry Gottsacker in the No. 69 Racers Edge Motorsports SIN R1 GT4, which lacked the pace it showed on Saturday.

The No. 78 Compass Racing McLaren 570S GT4 of Paul Holton and Ray Mason completed the top-five.

GTS Am class honors, meanwhile, went to Al Carter and Aurora Straus in the No. 36 ST Racing BMW GT4, with a sixth place overall finish.

While it marked Straus’ first career PWC class win, history was also made earlier in the race when both female drivers Tan and Straus led their respective categories, a first in the series.

Straus held off the No. 12 Ian Lacy Racing Ginetta G55 GT4 of Drew Staveley for the class win.

Trouble struck Saturday’s Race 1-winning No. 55 PF Racing Ford Mustang GT4 early in the 60-minute race, which started under damp conditions and saw mixed tire strategies.

Jade Buford was spun by the No. 1 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R on Lap 3, resulting in left-front suspension damage to the Camaro GT4 and a drive-through penalty for Buford, for causing a collision.

Buford and co-driver Scott Maxwell, as a result, finished 8th overall.

RESULTS: Race 2

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