- Mercedes Moves to the Top in Pro and Overall
- Porsche Powerful in Pro-Am Class
- Ferrari Muscles Ahead in Am Class
- Practice 2 Results
The GT World Challenge America powered by AWS field returned to the National Park of Speed for their second practice session of the Crown Coins Casino GT World weekend at Road America, with quick times and class battles unfolding across the board.
A brief red flag with 17 minutes remaining brought the action to a halt, but running resumed shortly after, setting up a flurry of final attempts across the field. As the checkered flag waved, JMF Motorsports was quickest overall and in the Pro class, while GMG Racing came in first in Pro-Am and second overall. AF Corse was quickest in the Am Class and made a top 10 appearance.
Pro Class
The Pro lead remained uncontested, with Mikaël Grenier’s blistering pace in the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 keeping all challengers at bay with a blistering lap time of 2:04.701. He was the first driver to clock in a time within the 2:04 minute mark in the second practice session.
The Pro ranks saw a fierce fight for the remaining positions throughout the 60-minute run. Kenton Koch and Connor De Phillippi kept the No. 99 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3 firmly in second place for most of the session, until the final minute when Jan Heylen, in the No. 18 RS1 Porsche 992 GT3 R, put in a last-lap flyer to snatch P2 in class and fifth overall. The No. 51 sister Random Vandals Racing machine of Bill Auberlen and Varun Choksey concluded their day in fourth place.
Pro-Am Class
Matt Bell picked up right where he left off in Practice 1, taking the early lead overall and in Pro-Am aboard the No. 11 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Initially shadowing him was Philip Ellis in the No. 91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.
However, just past the halfway mark, Tom Sargent powered the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 992 GT3 R to the top of the Pro-Am charts, and second overall, becoming the only other driver to dip into the 2:04s alongside the overall leader. Bell settled for second in class and third overall, with Ellis third in Pro-Am and fourth overall.
Am Class
AF Corse’s Jay Schreibman enjoyed a standout session in the No. 163 Ferrari 296 GT3, placing first in the Am class and an impressive eighth overall. The Ferrari pilot’s consistency kept him clear of any immediate threats for the class benchmark. The No. 6 Dollahite Racing Ford Mustang GT3 of Scott Dollahite and Eric Powell came in second.
Let’s Get Racing
The GT World Challenge America powered by AWS will return to the track for Qualifying on Saturday morning, August 16th at 9:25 AM CT.
If you can’t make it to Road America, be sure to tune-in to SRO’s free live streams all weekend long on YouTube (GTWorld) and Twitch (SROMotorsports) and follow all the action through our social media channels and the event hashtag #GTRoadAmerica.