Road America Thursday Notebook

Photo: Fabian Lagunas/SRO

***Around 140 cars took to the streets for the annual GT parade from Road America to Siebkens Resort on Thursday evening, which featured a welcome party and autograph session with SRO America competitors that are taking part this weekend at the four-mile circuit.

***Teams had a pair of test sessions on Thursday. The No. 04 CrowdStrike by Riley Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo of Colin Braun unofficially led the way in both sessions, with a best lap of 2:03.458 in the second session, which came to an early end due to a heavy rain shower.

***The most significant incident of the day came in the morning GT3 session when James Sofronas had a weekend-ending crash in his GT America powered by AWS Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II. Sofronas was evaluated and released from a local hospital where he was taken for further evaluation, although the car sustained significant damage.

***GMG is debuting its Type-992 Porsche 911 GT3 R this weekend in Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS for Jeroen Bleekemolen and Kyle Washington. The entry list showed the car as a Type-991.2 Porsche in error.

***Road America marks the return of all five of SRO America’s series: Fanatec GT, Pirelli GT4 America, GT America powered by AWS, TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School and Toyota GR Cup North America for the first time since Virginia International Raceway in June.

***The 4.048-mile circuit underwent resurfacing late last year, which saw more than 17,000 tons of asphalt ripped up and replaced through 7,000 geometric control points to maintain the track’s composure. It has resulted in a dramatically different feel for drivers on the still-fresh pavement, which has continued to evolve over race weekends.

***In addition to Racers Edge Motorsports, a number of other teams have recent race experience on the new track surface, including Wright Motorsports, GMG Racing, MDK Motorsports, Flying Lizard Motorsports, RS1, The Heart of Racing, ACI Motorsports and many more.

***MDK is taking part in its third Road America event in the last four weeks, having run the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America rounds at the end of July, followed by last weekend’s Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama races. Team manager Will Bamber said the Ohio-based team has now acquired special rates at a local hotel as a result of their extended stays.

***Racers Edge Motorsports is helping celebrate Honda Performance Development’s 30th anniversary this weekend with multiple initiatives, including a Honda car corral, 30th anniversary decals on the team’s No. 93 Acura NSX GT3 Evo22, and a custom poster designed by Acura executive creative director Dave Marek that features a number of winning cars through the last three decades. The hashtag #HPD30 is also being used this weekend.

***Team principal Jon Mirachi said it hasn’t yet been decided on who will join Mario Farnbacher and Ashton Harrison for October’s Indianapolis 8 Hour, although admitting they have greater freedom in driver choice given the team’s step up to the Pro class this year.

***HPD recently launched the Acura Integra Type S DE5, which will be eligible for TC America TCX class competition beginning next year. Click Here for more information.

***Official track action kicks off on Friday with practice sessions for all series, followed in the evening by SRO America’s ‘State of the Sport’ address at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wis., where further details on the 2024 seasons will be revealed.

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