As the dust settled and the checkered flag waved to signal the end of the Indy 8 Hour, but also the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season, emotions ran high. With championships that came down to the wire and unexpected victors, the drivers had a lot to say…
Fanatec GT World Challenge America Pro Class Champions, No. 120 Wright Motorsports
Eliott Skeer: "It doesn't get any better than this. Funny enough, coming into the race, it was the exact same scenario as last year—two cars against each other, and whoever wins takes the championship. Last year didn’t go as planned, but this year, we won, and it all went on track. Not only did we beat the car we needed to, but we also beat every single car here. It’s just an unbelievable feeling. I’m so proud of this team and of Adam for how he drove. It’s an absolutely incredible feeling."
Adam Adelson: "I don’t even have the words to describe what this means to me. Over the past two years, I’ve lost three SRO championships, all through circumstances out of our control. We did everything we could to win, but it slipped away each time. To come into the Pro class, win on track, and to do it with Eliott—who’s like a brother to me—and with Wright Motorsports, it means everything. Congratulations to the whole team."
Laurin Heinrich: "It was great to join Wright Motorsports. They have such a rich history in Porsche Motorsports, and driving the Porsche GT3 R around Indianapolis is honestly an incredible experience. It’s a bit disappointing to lose the overall win. I was told just nine minutes before the end of the race that we had a five-second penalty. Of course, I pushed as hard as I could to build up the gap, and I was clearly faster, but it wasn’t enough. Still, I’m really happy for Adam and Eliott for bringing the championship home—that’s what we’re here for, and we made it happen."
Fanatec GT World Challenge Pro-Am Class Champions, No. 29 Turner Motorsport
Justin Rothberg: “I’m elated. I didn’t even bring a suit because I honestly didn’t think we were going to win this. Now, I’ll have to go find something for the gala! Coming into this race, it wasn’t just about us doing well—someone else had to have a poor result. I’m not the type to hope for others to fail, but that was literally the only way we could win the championship. It really feels like the stars aligned, especially since we won by just one point. We had a fun season. I’m proud of Robby and the Turner Motorsport guys.”
Robby Foley: “What a day! It was a long shot coming in, but we had a great race, great strategy, and a fantastic car. It’s a testament to the reliability the entire Turner team—guys and girls—gave us today, along with the incredible BMW M4 GT3. It’s a dream situation and an amazing result, especially for Justin as well."
Patrick Gallagher: "I'm just happy for Robby and Justin for winning the championship, and I’m grateful to have been trusted as the third driver. I kept the championship in mind all day, focusing on making sure those guys secured it. Finishing second on top of that is just the icing on the cake."
Intercontinental GT Challenge Pro Class Winners, No. 31 Team WRT
Dries Vanthoor: "I mean, we’re back-to-back winners at Indianapolis. I gave it everything I had—it was an amazing fight. I’m exhausted, but we did it. The team had a great strategy, especially since it came down to fuel management at the end, but we pulled it off. I’ll need a few days to recover, but I’m so happy to be a double Indy winner."
Sheldon van der Linde: "Coming back here is always incredible. America is such a special place to race. We won here last year, and though the lineup was slightly different with Charles missing, we did this for him. He’s a well-deserved champion this year, and I’m so happy for him. Dries did an amazing job at the end. I’m really proud of the team, and we’re definitely going to celebrate tonight."
Charles Weerts: "This championship means a lot to me. I have a few titles in Europe, but IGTC was definitely one I wanted to achieve, so I’m extremely happy. I had the chance to drive with amazing teammates—Sheldon and Dries, who helped me a lot at Spa and in battles here. I also want to thank Max and Dan, with whom I shared a podium on my first try at the Nordschleife. A big thank you to them and Team RMG, who were fantastic to work with. Of course, a huge thank you to Team WRT and BMW for providing us with such a great car. To become champion is the achievement of a great season.”