Photo: Jonathan Grace
***The second and final day of testing for the majority of SRO America competitors wrapped up on Thursday at Sonoma Raceway, with Bill Auberlen topping the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS time charts in the fourth and final session in the No. 51 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 EVO.
***Auberlen’s 1:34.575 lap time, however, was more than 1 second slower than Philip Ellis’ benchmark 1:33.278 lap set in Wednesday’s second session aboard the No. 91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, which stood as the quickest over the two days of running at the Northern California circuit.
***Thursday’s activities was hampered by intermittent rain showers, which saw only roughly half of the GT3 cars take to the track for testing. Rain is in the forecast for Sunday.
***Tyler Gonzalez, in the No. 68 RAFA Racing Team Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2, was quickest of the GT4 cars in testing, with a 1:41.854 lap time that was also set on Wednesday.
***Both the Toyota GR Cup North America and new-for-2025 McLaren Trophy America took to the track for the first time on Thursday for sessions. Westin Workman led the way in the opening GR Cup session in his BSI Racing Toyota GR86, while Jesse Lazare was quickest in his Motorsports In Action McLaren Artura Trophy Evo.
***Chouest Povoledo Racing took delivery of its two brand-new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs, chassis Nos. 19 and 20, on Feb. 7 at Pratt Miller Engineering’s headquarters in New Hudson, Mich.
***Team principal Aaron Povoledo told Sportscar365: “Me, Charles Price, our crew chief, and our two truck drivers were there helping load up a couple million bucks of worth of cars and spare parts, freezing our butts off!”
***Dollahite Racing is giving the Ford Mustang GT3 its GTWC America debut this weekend, driven by the Bronze driver pairing of Scott Dollahite and Anthony Lazzaro. Despite being eligible for the Am class, Sportscar365 understands the Texas-based team elected to race in the more populous Pro-Am category.
***Lazzaro, meanwhile, is looking to add to his Pirelli World Challenge Race 2 victory at Sonoma in 2014, driving an R. Ferri Motorsports-run Ferrari 458 GT3.
***He said: “The fact that I have the opportunity to race the new Ford Mustang GT3 in SRO this year is really a dream come true. The last time I raced SRO at Sonoma I won, which motivates me. Bill [Dollahite, team owner] and I go way back, and now to be driving with his son, it’s a full-circle moment and special.”
***Alec Udell, who finished runner-up in the GTWC America Pro class championship with Tommy Milner after claiming an eight-race class win streak with DXDT Racing, is on-site this weekend although does not currently have a drive in SRO America this year.
***Udell is slated to finish out the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup in DXDT’s Corvette, although Sportscar365 understands that he could be put into action for several sprint races alongside Robert Wickens, who will be debuting with Milner next month at Long Beach.
***Archangel Motorsports’ McLaren 720S GT3 Evo for drivers Aaron Telitz and Todd Coleman is the ex-Pfaff Motorsports chassis that the Canadian team used in WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD Pro competition last year.
***While not taking part in the series this weekend, GMG Racing team owner/driver James Sofronas and fellow team driver CJ Moses are slated to contest selected GT America powered by AWS races later this season.
***Sofronas is confirmed to take part in next month’s Grand Prix of Long Beach in his Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, and possibly more races later in the year, while Moses will be out in action in his Audi R8 LMS GT2 when his schedule allows as the Chief Information Security Officer and VP of Security Engineering for Amazon Web Services.
***Sofronas drove the Audi to his most recent SRO race win last August at Road America. “We are looking forward to having CJ Moses back in the GT2 class once again,” said Sofronas. “I will also make a few cameo appearances in my Audi in GT America.”
***Kyle Washington, however, is confirmed for the full GT America season alongside his full-time GTWC America program alongside Tom Sargent, both in Porsche 911 GT3 R machinery, which have contrasting white and black liveries this year. The black-colored car is entered in GTWC America.
***In addition to GMG, which is planning to take delivery of six McLaren Artura Trophy Evo cars, Riley Motorsports is also eying potential expansion in the new single-make series as well according to team boss Bill Riley.
***Riley said: “Joining the new McLaren series is an intriguing opportunity for our team. McLaren’s legacy in motorsports aligns with our dedication to performance and innovation. We are eager to bring our expertise to this series and compete at the highest level.”
***Riley has a single McLaren Trophy America car entered this weekend for Eric Filgueiras and Tom Kopczynski in a program that’s being run by Jarett Andretti and members of his former Andretti Motorsports operation that was most recently active in the WeatherTech Championship GTD ranks last year.
***Sportscar365 understands that CrowdStrike by Riley’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo for George Kurtz and Colin Braun is confirmed for a limited season SRO America program that will also include the GT America round at Long Beach and GTWC America season-ending Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS.
***Kurtz is set to defend his CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa class win in June, although in a SPS automotive performance-run Mercedes-AMG instead of a Riley-run operation.
***CrowdStrike by Riley’s Mercedes-AMGs, which are competing in both GTWC America and GT America this weekend, are carrying a new livery that originated on a non-Evo Mercedes-AMG GT3 that Kurtz drove as part of a one-off appearance in a Masters Endurance Legends race at Circuit of The Americas, which was as part of the support bill for Formula 1 last year. A similar design is on his LMP2 car this year as well.
***CrowdStrike is celebrating its eighth year as an official partner of SRO America. The cybersecurity company will continue to host exclusive CXO events on selected race weekends.
***SRO Motorsports Group is moving ahead without a title sponsor for GT World Challenge this year, despite a deal that is understood to have come close to materializing. Sim racing hardware company Fanatec, which filed for bankruptcy and was purchased by U.S.-based computer peripherals firm Corsair, elected not to renew its sponsorship with the series that dates back to 2021.
***Sonoma marks the SRO America debut of Al Kamel North America, which has taken over as the official timing and scoring provider following its acquisition of USAC Timing. Former ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race director Scot Elkins serves as the company’s CEO, while he has remained Clerk of the Course at SRO America events.
***Pre-event ticket sales for this weekend’s event is up by 80 percent over last year according to SRO America’s VP of marketing communications and business development Robbie Montinola, who is also expecting further growth for next month’s round at Circuit of The Americas.
***While GT America has its first official practice session this evening, official track action will continue tomorrow, with practice sessions for GTWC America, GT4 America, GR Cup and McLaren Trophy, as well as the first race of the weekend for TC America.
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