Sonoma to Kick Off Expanded Seven-Round 2021 Season

Photo: Brian Cleary/SRO

Sonoma Raceway will kick off the 2021 GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season in an expanded seven-event season, officials from SRO America have announced.

The Northern California circuit, which has typically served as an early summer round, will now open the season in early March, followed by a trip to Circuit of The Americas in a yet-to-be-confirmed April date.

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is slated to feature on the 2021 schedule after being forced off the calendar this year due to COVID-19, while Virginia International Raceway will return to a mid-June date, the same weekend as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Road America and a return to Watkins Glen International are also planned, with the season concluding the second running of the Indianapolis 8 Hour, in conjunction with Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli on Oct. 15-17.

Unlike this year, GTWC America teams will be required to complete the full eight hours for points.

None of the confirmed dates clash with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

As revealed by Sportscar365 on Friday, GTWC America will continue with an unchanged 90-minute format for next year, although with the return of all-pro driver lineups.

Among the notable absences from the SRO America calendar include St. Pete, Long Beach and Lime Rock Park, which were all due to host Pirelli GT4 America rounds this year.

Sportscar365 understands that the series will not return to St. Pete as it falls on the same weekend as the Sonoma season-opener, although other SRO America-run series could feature at additional venues that have yet to be announced.

Discussions have been ongoing with both Long Beach and the new Nashville street circuit, among others, for possible inclusion in the new-for-2021 GT America series.

2021 GT World Challenge America powered by AWS Schedule:
March 5-7 – Sonoma Raceway
April (TBA) – Circuit of The Americas
May 21-23 – Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
June 11-13 – Virginia International Raceway
Aug. 27-29 – Road America
Sept. 17-19 – Watkins Glen International
Oct. 15-17 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway

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