Sebring Thursday Notebook

Photo: Fabian Lagunas/SRO

***SRO America’s annual trip to Sebring International Raceway sees all four of its core series in action this weekend, headlined by the third round of GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, the fourth and fifth rounds of Pirelli GT4 America, the fifth and sixth races of GT America powered by AWS, as well as TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School.

***Both Toyota GR Cup North America and McLaren Trophy America are not on the weekend bill. The Toyota GR 86 Cup cars will return to action next month at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, alongside McLaren Trophy America, which is fresh off its first time supporting a Formula 1 race last weekend at the Miami International Autodrome.

***Race 2 of the Miami weekend was canceled due to heavy rain and thunderstorms but will be re-scheduled to a SRO America weekend later in the year according to a McLaren spokesperson.

***Unlike the first two GTWC America races of the season that were held on Sunday, this weekend’s Sebring feature will run from 5-8 p.m. EST on Saturday, as a GT3 race into the sunset for the first time at the famed Florida airfield circuit.

***The No. 37 Dome Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 has been withdrawn from the event, while there’s been a late addition to the grid with father-and-son Lawrence and Freddie Tomlinson teaming up in a LAP Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4. Lawrence, who was already entered in GT America with a Ginetta GT2, is the chairman of Ginetta.

***Kevin Boehm led the way in the opening GT4 America practice session of the weekend, in the No. 51 Auto Technic Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 EVO. Click Here for the results.

***It was also announced after the entry deadline publication that Racers Edge Motorsports will field an Aston Marin Vantage GT4 Evo in GT America for Jason Bell this weekend, marking the team’s first official start under the new ownership group of brothers Jim and Nick Pattin.

***Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver Tom Sargent extended his points lead in SRO’s GT Academy following another 36-point perfect score last time out at Circuit of The Americas. The U.S.-based Australian now holds a 26-point lead over Riley Dickinson, with fellow PMNA Selected Driver, and reigning Porsche Carrera Cup North America champion Ryan Yardley, third in the standings entering the weekend.

***Yardley and Dave Musial Jr. were overall winners at COTA, which marked the first Pro-Am pairing to win outright in the series since the first Road America race of the weekend last year, when Philip Ellis and Jeff Burton took their Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo to top honors.

***Dollahite Racing lost ground in the Pro class championship chase last time out when the team’s Ford Mustang GT3 EVO sustained a driveshaft failure on the opening lap, resulting in last place points in the Pro class for Cameron Lawrence and Alex Sedgwick.

***Sedgwick said: “Unfortunately [it was] a missed opportunity for a big points score with others having mistakes and misfortune, but it really shows what the team is made of getting the car back out on track so efficiently. We are learning every time we go out, and we’re going to keep moving forward to try and deliver the Mustang GT3 EVO that first series win.”

***A season record 55 Mustangs will be competing globally this weekend, 42 of which are a part of Ford’s sports car racing portfolio. Collectively, the Mustang Dark Horse R, Mustang GT4 and Mustang GT3 will be competing on three continents (North America, Europe, Australia).

***Kellymoss driver Loek Hartog arrived at Sebring fresh off a Race 2 victory in last weekend’s GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS round at Mandalika Raceway in a one-off outing with Porsche customer Phantom Global Racing. The Dutchman was on a whirlwind journey, from Jakarta to Taipei to Seattle before finally arriving in central Florida for this weekend’s action.

***It was announced on Thursday that Hartog will be at the wheel of two Pirelli-shod Porsche 911 GT3 R Evos run by Dinamic GT in next weekend’s Nürburgring 24. Hartog was part of the lineup that finished third overall in the race last year.

***Paul Bocuse is making his GT4 America debut this weekend in place of Jack Parriott in the No. 73 Kellymoss Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. The 17-year-old American-French driver, who is coming off a career-best second place finish in Porsche Carrera Cup North America competition in Miami last weekend, is the grandson of the famous French chef of the same name.

***Blackdog Racing will be looking to rebound from an early race retirement in last month’s double points-paying COTA round when Tony Gaples’ McLaren Artura GT4 was hit while exiting the pit lane in his opening stint.

***Co-driver Michael Cooper said: “It’s hard to remember if our team has had a weekend like we did at COTA. I know everyone on the crew was just as disappointed as Tony and me were, but we’re moving on and looking ahead. The positive is that we’re coming to a track that I really like, and that Tony and the team like as well.”

***This weekend will mark a milestone for Gaples, as if he takes part in both GT4 America races, he will tie James Sofronas for the most career starts in SRO America/World Challenge competition, at 272, based on official series records.

***While currently focused on GT America powered by AWS, Ross Chouest said he “wouldn’t rule anything out” later in the year, when asked about the possibility of Chouest Povoledo Racing running the Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS in October. Chouest and co-driver Aaron Povoledo were joined by Corvette factory driver Nicky Catsburg in their Pro-Am class entry last year.

***Sportscar365 understands that Porsche’s all-new 911 GT4 car, which will replace the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport beginning next year, will be unveiled at next month’s CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. The Manthey-developed car was recently spotted testing on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

***Friday’s action includes the first GT4 America race of the weekend, at 5:40 p.m. EST with live coverage on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel, as well as opening practice for GTWC America immediately following, which will run into the final two-hour-into-dusk period of the scheduled three-hour feature race on Saturday.

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