AutoTechnic Racing claimed their second win of the season after a late cost by means of the Silver class pack at Barber Motorsports Park in Pirelli GT4 America, with BimmerWorld doing the identical within the Am class. In the meantime, in Professional-Am, it was NOLASPORT who made one other look in victory lane.
Silver
Corey Lewis led the sphere to the inexperienced flag from the general pole place in his No. 68 Smooge Racing Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO, however got here beneath risk shortly from Professional-Am driver Roman De Angelis, who snatched the spot away.
Lewis retained the highest spot within the Silver class as Eric Filgueiras, within the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, had his arms full to maintain the No. 77 VPX Motorsport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of Alex Ellis behind all through the opening corners.
As groups carried out their driver modifications close to the midway mark beneath full course warning, RS1 obtained the leap over Smooge Racing as John Capestro-Dubets managed to squeeze forward of Tyler Gonzalez in pit lane as they returned to the observe.
The race returned to inexperienced flag working with 27m remaining, and Dubets took the chance to brush forward into the general lead, however Zac Anderson was on the cost within the No. 51 AutoTechnic Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82, with Kenton Koch looming intently behind within the No. 97 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82 as effectively.
One other security automotive introduced the pack again collectively once more, and Dubets felt the warmth because the race restarted once more with beneath 10m remaining. Anderson and Koch have been capable of sweep previous into first and second, with Dubets dropping right down to fourth as Gonzalez took away the ultimate spot within the high 3.
Koch raised a problem to Anderson, however the AutoTechnic Racing driver stored his composure to go on and declare the general victory.
“Oh man, the quantity of particles and rubber buildup on the observe was intense,” Anderson mentioned. “I used to be on the radio with the group saying, ‘I hope the opposite drivers are coping with this a lot stuff on their tires as a result of it’s going to make for a wild restart.’ I adjusted for it and knew JCD would go away me a lane—he’s nonetheless my man from final yr, and at all times will likely be. I’ve to thank the AutoTechnic crew for at all times giving us these rocket ships, and an enormous because of my teammate Colin Garrett, 11/11 Veteran Challenge, Operation Motorsport, and everybody who has made this season attainable. This win feels nice. It’s been since Sonoma, and we actually wanted it. We’ve fought exhausting to get right here.”
“Zac and I are fairly robust on ourselves, and we’ve been that manner all season,” Garrett mentioned. “When our efficiency is there however the season isn’t going fairly as we hoped, these races imply much more. My drive at present wasn’t my finest, and Zac at all times finds the areas the place I fall brief. He’s been a tremendous teammate, and we’ve turn into like brothers. I’m actually blissful to be working with the AutoTechnic crew. This feels nice—congrats to everybody on the win!”
Professional-Am
Roman De Angelis began from the entrance row within the No. 24 Coronary heart of Racing Group Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO, however he wasted no time shifting up into the general lead on the opening lap.
Comparatively, Matt Bell, who was working second in school within the No. 43 P1 Groupe Mercedes-AMG GT4, had a difficult first lap and dropped some positions, selling Matt Travis up forward of him within the No. 47 NOLASPORT Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.
De Angelis, who was working on an alternate technique, set to work as he started to construct a spot to the remainder of the sphere. Nevertheless, his benefit dwindled when a security automotive got here out because of the No. 23 TechSport Racing Nissan Z NISMO GT4 grinding to a halt on observe simply earlier than the midway mark.
Grey Newell took over from teammate De Angelis, however dropped some positions on the race restart, with NOLASPORT’s Jason Hart taking up the category lead as a substitute. Quickly after, Newell discovered himself beneath risk from Tyler McQuarrie within the No. 82 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4 G82 as effectively.
Within the ultimate laps, McQuarrie powered forward of Hart, with Matheus Leist taking the chance to do the identical within the No. 89 RENNtech Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4. The combat wasn’t over simply but, as the 2 went nostril to tail and Leist bumped into the again of the BMW, sending McQuarrie for a spin.
The incident resulted in a post-race time penalty for Leist for incident accountability, which subsequently promoted NOLASPORT’s Hart and Travis again into the category lead on the end line. The No. 7 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of Curt Swearingin and Kay van Berlo and the No. 5 Flying Lizard Motorsports Nissan Z NISMO GT4 of Damir Sizzling and Rodrigo Baptista benefitted from the argy-bargy, finishing the rostrum.
“I need to thank Matt and NOLASPORT for bringing me again for this race,” Hart mentioned. “It’s been such a very long time since I’ve raced at Barber, so it was a whole lot of enjoyable to leap within the automotive, particularly with the rain yesterday and the way the cautions performed out at present. I’ve by no means pushed a (Porsche) RS right here earlier than, nevertheless it was an absolute blast.”
Am
Because the inexperienced flag waved, Rotek Racing’s Robb Holland retained the lead within the Am class in his No. 099 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, however Charlie Postins had his sights set on the highest of the sphere, inching nearer at each lap in his No. 36 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4.
Postins translated this mounting strain into an overtake for the lead on lap 15, nonetheless, Holland remained on his rear bumper till the primary full course warning emerged. As James Clay took over the helm of the No. 36 BimmerWorld BMW, he didn’t miss a beat and stayed in first place after the restart. Kris Wilson superior within the class as effectively, commanding the No. 98 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 and shifting as much as second place.
Drama unfolded as Wilson and Clay made contact with lower than 20m to go. The Random Vandals machine got here to a halt a lap later, bringing out the protection automotive as soon as extra.
With Wilson’s automotive out of the way in which, racing resumed with 8m left to the race. Jaden Lander within the No. 099 Porsche took benefit of the restart to attempt to catch again as much as Clay, however he was unfazed and remained fully centered on taking the win. The BimmerWorld duo returned to victory lane for the second time in 2024, with Rotek Racing becoming a member of them on the rostrum, in addition to Nicholas Shanny and Chris Walsh within the No. 20 Carrus Callas Raceteam BMW M4 GT4 G82.
“This feels actually candy,” Postins mentioned on the podium celebrations. “I’m undecided why, nevertheless it looks like, for the primary time in a very long time, we’ve really gone out and earned a win. It was a tricky race, however I prefer to assume we raced pretty. It looks like we actually received this one, reasonably than having it handed to us. That’s why this win feels so good, and to have James deliver it residence, that was simply superior. It actually was an amazing race.”
James Clay echoed his teammate’s ideas; “As Charlie mentioned, it’s nice to win one. It feels prefer it’s been some time—as a result of it has been—however we all know we’re able to profitable races, even strings of races. We got here into this weekend decided to win, like we do each weekend, however this time, it felt like we had a automotive that would ship. Let’s see how tomorrow goes, and naturally, the following race. The championship’s not over but.”
The Pirelli GT4 America discipline will return for race two on Sunday, September eighth at 10:45 a.m. CT.
