The GT World Challenge America powered by AWS championship is charging into the Sunshine State for rounds five and six of what’s already proving to be a blockbuster season. Sebring International Raceway, one of America’s most iconic and demanding circuits, sets the stage for a weekend of high-speed thrills as the series makes its Florida stop from May 16th to 18th.
With 30 drivers across 15 cars ready to tackle Sebring’s brutal bumps and challenging layout, the battle for glory, and crucial points, is reaching a fever pitch. Although a couple of familiar names will be absent due to scheduling conflicts, including AF Corse and Flying Lizard Motorsports, the full field will be back in action at VIRginia International Raceway in July.
As one of the crown jewels on the SRO America calendar, this venue is guaranteed to provide an unforgettable weekend of world-class sports car racing. With over 100 entries expected across five series, fans can look forward to non-stop action across all corners of this legendary circuit.
In the Global Manufacturers Championship, Mercedes-AMG has taken over the lead from BMW following excellent performances in Austin, Sydney, and Brands Hatch. They currently sit at 353 and 325 points, respectively, with Porsche retaining a slim advantage over Ferrari for third with 263 points.
Aston Martin
Both Aston Martin entries were in contention for top 3 finishes in Austin, with Racers Edge Motorsports and the Heart of Racing Team both showcasing that it won’t be long before the Vantage AMR GT3 EVO claims a podium result this season. For the former, a strong result would be extra rewarding at their home track, with the team and Jason Bell both being Florida-based.
- No. 2 Racers Edge Motorsports – Jason Bell & Michael Cooper (Pro-Am)
- No. 24 Heart of Racing Team – Gray Newell & Darren Turner (Pro-Am)
BMW
The prior rounds at Circuit of The Americas were turbulent for BMW, featuring both highs and lows for the manufacturer. Nevertheless, all three entries took home some hardware last time out, with Koch and De Phillippi securing a win, while Rothberg and Foley, as well Choksey and Auberlen, each scored respective podium finishes.
- No. 29 Turner Motorsport – Justin Rothberg & Robby Foley (Pro-Am)
- No. 51 Random Vandals Racing – Varun Choksey & Bill Auberlen (Pro)
- No. 99 Random Vandals Racing – Kenton Koch & Connor De Phillippi (Pro)
Chevrolet
DXDT Racing delivered great performances in Texas, with McDonald and Bell grabbing their maiden win as a pairing in a hard-fought effort in Race 1. They followed it up with a third-place finish in Race 2, demonstrating that they are already prepared to consistently compete for top honors.
- No. 11 DXDT Racing – Blake McDonald & Matt Bell (Pro-Am)
- No. 50 Chouest Povoledo Racing – Ross Chouest & Aaron Povoledo (Pro-Am)
Ford
Dollahite Racing have a lot to celebrate after taking their first Am class victory, made even sweeter by winning on home soil in front of friends and family. Notably, this also marked the first win for the new Ford Mustang GT3 in SRO America competition. In Sebring, they will be welcoming a new driver to the car, with Scott Dollahite teaming up with Stefano Gattuso.
- No. 6 Dollahite Racing – Scott Dollahite & Stefano Gattuso (Am)
McLaren
Misfortune struck for the Archangel Motorsports McLaren entry at COTA, as they were on the receiving end of on-track contact that took them out of contention for a strong finish. However, they showcased that they have what it takes to be in the fight, getting in the mix with some stellar battles.
- No. 88 Archangel Motorsports – Todd Coleman & Aaron Telitz (Pro-Am)
Mercedes-AMG
Mercedes-AMG was the brand to beat last time out, and they will be looking to carry that momentum over the Sebring bumps. After falling just short of victory in Race 1 due to a time penalty, JMF Motorsports had a point to prove in Race 2, and proved it they did by taking the top step. In Pro-Am, it was a similar story for Regulator Racing, who also claimed the overall victory to boot. Meanwhile, CRP Racing finished alongside in second place in class, ticking the box for their first podium result.
- No. 27 CRP Racing – Jason Daskalos & Isaac Sherman (Pro-Am)
- No. 34 JMF Motorsports – Michai Stephens & Mikaël Grenier (Pro)
- No. 91 Regulator Racing – Jeff Burton & Philip Ellis (Pro-Am)
Porsche
RS1 showed their consistency as competitors with consecutive second-place finishes in the Pro class, bringing them closer to the title fight as they capitalized well on opportunities. GMG Racing earned a second-place finish of their own in Pro-Am, with Washington and Sargent producing some of the most thrilling battles across the entire weekend of racing.
- No. 18 RS1 – Alex Sedgwick & Jan Heylen (Pro)
- No. 32 GMG Racing – Kyle Washington & Tom Sargent (Pro-Am)
- No. 92 LAB Motorsport by GT Racing – Jean-Frederic Laberge & Kyle Marcelli (Pro-Am)
All Eyes on Sebring
Sebring International Raceway is sure to be a can’t-miss event, featuring an open paddock atmosphere, autograph sessions across all series, fan zones and local vendors, and unparalleled access to the most impressive GT machinery in the world. For those who can’t make it trackside, watch all the action live on RACER TV, the GTWorld YouTube channel, and SRO Motorsports Twitch.