Road America Thursday Notebook

Photo: John Dagys

***The GT World Challenge America powered by AWS entry list has been reduced to 15 cars after the No. 92 LAB Motorsport by GT Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R of Kyle Marcelli and Jean-Frederic Laberge has been a no-show. The Pirelli GT4 America field, meanwhile, has lost two entries, with both the No. 10 OGH Motorsports McLaren Artura GT4 and No. 28 entry for Nate Cicero and Stuart McAleer also not showing up, resulting in a 25-car grid.

***Darius Trinka, meanwhile, has replaced Michael Kanisczak in the No. 98 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 EVO in the GT4 America field.

***Sportscar365 understands that the LAB Porsche could return for the season-ending Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS but will likely also skip next month’s round at Barber Motorsports Park.

***The McLaren Trophy America grid has grown by one entry to bring the car count up to 15 with the addition of the Am class No. 94 OMS McLaren Artura Trophy Evo of Scott Sorbaro on the final event entry list.

***Despite initially being listed as a Pro-Am entry, the points-leading No. 74 RWE Motorsports Artura of James Li and Casey Dennis has been moved back to the Pro class designation it has enjoyed up to this point. Furthermore, after initially not receiving a class designation, the No. 24 Forte Racing McLaren of Patrick Liddy and Tanner Harvey will compete in the Pro-Am class, per the official entry list.

***Further entry list changes include the addition of Bob Stockard to the series’ Papaya Cup, growing the sub-championship to eight eligible competitors.

***Regulator Racing’s Philip Ellis was quickest across Thursday’s GTWC America test session at Road America, thanks to a 2:04.678 lap time in the No. 91 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo that he shares with Jeff Burton. The No. 7 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of Curt Swearingin and Riley Dickinson, meanwhile, paced both GT4 sessions.

***All GT3 and GT4 cars competing in this weekend’s SRO America event are giving the Pirelli P-Zero DHG compound tire its North American race debut. The new-for-2025 tire was initially rolled out in GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS and DTM and replaces the DHC, which was first used in 2022.

***It’s understood that GTWC America teams have had limited-to-no running on the tire until Thursday’s track action, with only Regulator having had previous track time with the DHG in a test at Road America last week.

***The penalty for Justin Rothberg’s derogation from Silver to Bronze* has been significantly increased this weekend. While both Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVOs he drives will continue to carry 26kg of ballast, Rothberg will have a five-position grid penalty in both GT America powered by AWS races, while the car he shares with Robby Foley in GTWC America will receive a five-second time penalty to be served during the pit stops in both races.

***Sportscar365 understands that SRO was unable to add more ballast to the car due to the BMW being maxed out per its homologation.

***As the GT America field is effectively six cars this weekend, with Blake McDonald using the practice and qualifying sessions as extra track time for his GTWC America effort with DXDT Racing, Rothberg will start last in both GTA races due to the latest decision.

***SRO issued a Balance of Performance update on Thursday morning for GTWC America competitors, with the only change coming to the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, which is now eligible to run a reduced rear wing angle of 6.6 degrees, compared to the previous 7.5-degree mandate.

***The original BoP for the event was declared on Aug. 1.

***Former Flying Lizard Motorsports data engineer and strategist Scott Jasmund made his debut with Regulator Racing in the most recent round at VIR, replacing longtime crew member Stefan Pfeiffer, who is no longer with the David Askew-owned organization. The team, meanwhile, hired experienced German engineer Markus Rohrich at the beginning of the season.

***Heart of Racing Team driver Darren Turner was at the wheel of a slightly older Aston Martin last weekend in the Aston Martin Owner’s Clun-run St John Horsfall Trophy race last weekend, driving a 1.5-liter Irish Grand Prix-winning Aston Martin LM4. The car was restored and prepared by Ecurie Bertelli on behalf of its owner Jonathan Lupton.

***Turner said: “I do love racing those pre-war cars. They are always so much fun to drive, because they are challenging, they make you think, they are faster than you imagine they should be and they drift around the circuit in a way that really brings a smile to your face.”

***Turner and co-driver Gray Newell are on the heels of two consecutive Pro-Am class podium finishes, both at VIR, with Turner returning to Road America for the first time in 19 years when he finished third in a GT1-class Aston Martin DBR9 in the 2006 American Le Mans Series race.

***An AF Corse spokesperson told Sportscar365 that Marcelo and Christian Hahn’s Pro-Am class No. 16 Ferrari 296 GT3 being used this weekend is the same chassis that started the previous weekend at VIR after it underwent significant repairs at the team’s outpost in Charlotte following a Thursday testing crash.

***Given the damage to the car in the incident, the team elected to bring in another chassis for the rest of the VIR event while the original chassis was sent to the team’s shop for repairs before being deemed race-worthy for this weekend. Sportscar365 understands the team does not have a spare car or chassis present for this weekend’s pair of races.

***The No. 07 Skip Barber Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4 of Alex and Michael Garcia has switched to a Fast Track Racing-owned BMW M4 GT4 EVO, which was on Texas-based team’s truck after the Aston suffered gearbox failure this morning, and no replacement on-site.

***Thunder Bunny Racing has also made the switch to BMW machinery, from the Toyota Supra GT4 EVO2, although it was confirmed on the pre-event entry list. It’s understood the team already had the BMW in its possession. Former class champion Jason Hart has been serving as the team’s driver coach in the Am class entry.

***The No. 37 Dome Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 has again received a waiver from the stewards to run without a tire pressure monitoring system as the part is still not available from the manufacturer.

***James Sofronas, who leads the Am class title race in McLaren Trophy, will return to the wheel this weekend while racing on a recovering fractured right ankle that was sustained in an accident in a Porsche Carrera Cup North America race at Watkins Glen in June.

***Sofronas took part in the McLaren Trophy rounds at VIR last month not knowing of the fracture at the time, picking up a class win along the way. He explained to Sportscar365 that he sat out the most recent Carrera Cup round to ensure a quicker recovery for this weekend.

***GMG only has a single McLaren Artura Trophy Evo entered this weekend, with John Capestro-Dubets and K.C. King’s car, as well as the Flying Lizard Motorsports entry of George Lawerence, both complete write-offs following their serious accident in Practice 2 at VIR.

***Flying Lizard program manager Darren Law told Sportscar365 that Lawrence sustained a back injury in the accident although he is hoping to return to the cockpit soon. Law, however, confirmed the team will remain a single-car operation for the remainder of the McLaren Trophy season.

***Road America marks the first time in modern history that Flying Lizard has run just a single car under its tent, although Law told Sportscar365 that he’s “confident” of having up to four entries for October’s season-ending event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including a GT4 America effort and up to two GT America cars, including the possibility of a GT2 machine.

***Law confirmed that both of Elias Sabo’s GT3-spec BMWs have been sold to a new customer that intends to keep the cars in the SRO America paddock next year. Sportscar365 understands that Flying Lizard will continue to run the cars although Law declined to confirm.

***Craig and Zach Lumsden, who drove with the Lizards at VIR last month in GT4 America, have invited Law to take part in next month’s Baja 400, where Law will be at the wheel of a chase truck behind the father-and-son tandem.

***SRO America will continue its original tradition of the GT World Challenge Parade and Welcome Party this evening, which will see all cars competing on the four-mile Wisconsin circuit this weekend travel to the village of Elkhart Lake for a host of activities around the Siebkens Resort, including live music and an autograph session. The free-of-charge event runs from 5-8 p.m. CST.

Jonathan Grace contributed to this report

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