Though the 2024 GT America powered by AWS championship is nearing the closing phases of the season, the depth continues to rise, particularly as tight battles resulted in a dramatic flip of occasions in race one at Barber Motorsports Park.
Although it regarded like Justin Rothberg had the opening win of the weekend within the bag, a last-lap move by Jason Daskalos shuffled the rostrum order in SRO3. In the meantime, it was clean crusing for Isaac Sherman, who led from begin to end within the GT4 class.
SRO3
The motion kicked off instantly within the SRO3 class, as polesitter Rothberg within the No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 got here beneath risk from Johnny O’Connell within the No. 3 SKI Autosports Audi R8 LMS GT3. The 2 went aspect by aspect within the first few corners, with O’Connell momentarily snatching away the lead earlier than Rothberg went on to take it proper again.
Nevertheless, it was Daskalos who was charging by way of the sector in his No. 27 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, choosing off opponents one after the other earlier than closing in on the leaders, placing in quickest laps within the course of.
His first problem was to overhaul O’Connell, and because the championship frontrunners drove aspect by aspect on lap 16, Daskalos used each inch of the street with the intention to keep on observe and propel himself up into second place. From there, he centered on searching down Rothberg within the lead.
Main championship implications arose as O’Connell suffered a late stage puncture, dropping him down the working order as he needed to make a visit down pit lane for repairs.
The drama didn’t finish there, as Daskalos closed in on Rothberg within the remaining minutes. They have been working nostril to nail, with no room for error on both aspect. The combat for first intensified even additional as the 2 made contact on the final lap of the race. On account of the impression, which noticed Daskalos clip the again of the BMW, he was in a position to transfer up into the lead and cross the end line to assert the race one victory.
The race win, mixed with O’Connell’s misfortunes, has enabled Daskalos to reclaim the championship lead heading into the following race. Nonetheless, the factors hole between the highest three has been lowered considerably.
“That was a win that just about rivals our victory in Lengthy Seaside,” Daskalos mentioned, celebrating his fifth win this season. “We struggled all weekend with the automotive, and this win is all due to my crew chief, Sheldon Miller, Nick, and Ryan Dalziel.”
Daskalos recalled his last-lap incident with Justin Rothberg, saying; “I used to be to the skin. He hit the within curb and launched himself into my automotive, and we made contact. I used to be fully to the skin of him.”
GT4
Sherman took the inexperienced flag in his No. 098 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport and by no means regarded again. With a transparent street forward of him, he set off down the observe and continued to regularly broaden his lead over the remainder of the sector.
Curt Swearingin ran in second place within the No. 7 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, however was finally unable to boost a problem to Sherman. Grey Newell additionally ran comfortably in third within the No. 25 Coronary heart of Racing Workforce Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4.
The trio accomplished the race in the identical order they certified in, with Sherman claiming a formidable ninth win this season, whereas Swearingin and Newell made their podium returns for the tenth and ninth instances, respectively.
“ It’s a really powerful and technical observe,” Sherman mentioned. “There’s no room for error as there are blind corners throughout. I simply bought right into a rhythm and a superb circulate and pulled a niche, so I’m very pleased.”
The GT America Powered by AWS discipline will return to the observe for race two on Sunday, September eighth at 8:40 a.m. CT.
