Gottsacker Takes First PWC Win in GTS Race 2

Photo: Brian Cleary/PWC

Harry Gottsacker secured his maiden Pirelli World Challenge and sports car racing win in Sunday’s GTS race at Portland International Raceway.

The Texan led from pole in the No. 69 Racers Edge Motorsports-run SIN R1 GT4 with the Bulgarian-built car taking its first win of the season after losing to Team Panoz Racing in Race 1.

Gottsacker finished 8.7 seconds ahead of Matt Keegan in the No. 50 Panoz Avezzano GT4 that he shares with Ian James who took the lead and win off Gottsacker late in Saturday’s race.

Scott Maxwell made his way past the pair of Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4s in the closing laps to put his No. 55 PF Racing Ford Mustang GT4 onto the bottom step of the podium.

Tony Gaples and Andy Pilgrim completed the top five in the pair of Chevrolets. 

Gottsacker, who is one of a few entrants driving solo in the SprintX races, was aided by a lengthy full course caution in the first half when Keith Jensen hit the barriers in the No. 32 Muehlner Motorsports America Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR.

The Pro-rated drivers in the Pro-Am cars are mandated to race in the first half of the second race, meaning the field ran under caution for Gottsacker for most of his Pro rivals’ driving time.  

Calvert Clinches Am Class Honors

Preston Calvert came out on top in a three-car battle for the Am class lead on the final lap, finishing seventh overall in his No. 51 Panoz.

He beat Randy Mueller, in the No. 3 Epic Motorsports BMW M4 GT4, and Drew Staveley, driving the No. 12 Ian Lacy Racing Ginetta G55 GT4, to the line. 

The three cars were separated by less than one second after 39 laps around the Oregon circuit.

Brett Strom and Daren Jorgensen’s Classic BMW car started from class pole but was denied a strong result when Strom went off track, bringing out the race’s second full course caution.

The field was neutralized for eight minutes while the car was retrieved, setting the field up for a 12-minute shoot-out out the line.

RESULTS: Race 2

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.