The second half of the Indianapolis 8 Hour, season finale for the SRO Fanatec GT World Problem, got here with dramatic twists, turns and championship swings as rivals battled it out into the night time in the course of the last few hours of the 2024 season.
After an extended and onerous fought race, the No. 31 Staff WRT BMW claimed the general win and the IGTC championship crown. Within the FGTWCA Professional class, Wright Motorsports had been in a league of their very own, clinching the category win and the title. The Professional-Am battle actually got here all the way down to the road, and though Herberth Motorsport crossed the road first, it was Turner Motorsport who walked away victorious within the North American championship by one single level.
Hour 5
The race was momentarily halted by a warning flag introduced out by Random Vandals Racing as drivers crossed over into the second half of the race. When the inexperienced flag was waved as soon as once more, Elliott Skeer instantly discovered the proper alternative to strike, sweeping his No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 992 GT3 R down the within line and overtaking Tommy Milner within the No. 63 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R for the FGTWCA Professional class lead.
Milner began to battle barely, additional dropping to 3rd in school behind Philipp Eng within the No. 28 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3, with Trent Hindman making use of stress within the No. 85 RS1 Porsche 992 GT3 R.
One other full course warning was known as as Andy Lee pulled his ailing No. 8 Flying Lizard Motorsports BMW M4 GT3 off to the aspect of the monitor on the entrance stretch with an oil stress situation. A collection of pit stops and driver modifications adopted, and the race restarted with underneath three and a half hours remaining.
ST Racing had been suffering from extra gremlins as they got here to a whole halt proper earlier than the pit lane entry. This introduced out the fourth warning flag of the race, however Neil Verhagen was capable of limp down pit lane after restarting his machine.
Hour 6
A lot of the vehicles on the monitor took the chance to come back down pit lane underneath the complete course yellow. Nonetheless, a number of fortunate vehicles had the foresight to leap down pit lane earlier than the warning flag was introduced out, which proved to be a daring and rewarding technique for some.
This enabled DXDT Racing to return to the entrance of the pack, simply forward of Wright Motorsports because the front-runners resumed the duel within the last hours. Nonetheless, the Porsche was fully dialed in, and Skeer’s fast considering and quick arms noticed him pull off a clear overtake a few laps later.
In the meantime, GruppeM Racing opted to reset their driver stint size as Jules Gounon made a fast cease of their pit field, gaining monitor positions forward of Staff WRT within the course of. Sheldon van der Linde was unfazed by this technique name, nonetheless fully targeted on returning to the entrance of the IGTC Professional class. It was an intense showdown between the 2 extremely expert drivers, however the BMW’s tempo was simple. He patiently waited for the proper time to launch an assault, and pulled off the transfer cleanly with a bit of over two and a half hours left on the clock.
There was excellent news for the No. 38 ST Racing Professional-Am automotive because it was capable of return from behind the wall for the second time, however dangerous information adopted for the No. 33 Staff WRT machine as they needed to make prolonged repairs in pit lane to deal with a damaged rear diffuser. It was a tricky day for one more BMW workforce, as Random Vandals Racing bumped into extra issues, pulling off to the aspect of the monitor for the second time, bringing out the security automotive with simply over two hours to go.
Hour 7
Drivers modifications ensued, and the sphere went again to inexperienced with 1h52min on the clock. Heinrich led the best way for Wright Motorsports, with a championship crown within reach because the solar started to dip decrease alongside the horizon.
In Professional-Am, Turner Motorsport was quietly however confidently making some strikes of its personal and propelled itself as much as the category lead as the ultimate hours unfolded, inching nearer and nearer to clinching a title of their very own.
The race went underneath yellow once more as darkness loomed nearer, this time as a result of No. 88 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 being stranded off within the last nook of the oval circuit format and requiring a tow again to pit lane. On the identical time, the No. 33 Staff WRT BMW needed to go behind the wall to additional assess the prior points with the diffuser, selling the Lone Star Racing Mercedes into IGTC Professional podium place in what was a real rollercoaster occasion for the workforce.
They went again to inexperienced with simply over an hour to go, and leaders Wright Motorsports pitted one lap later to reset Heinrich’s driver time so he may push all the best way to the tip of the race, with Vanthoor selecting to do the identical one other lap later within the No. 31 Staff WRT BMW.
Hour 8
With some groups nonetheless having to finish their final pit stops, all bets had been off within the last hour of the race. In the end, all of it got here all the way down to the closing minutes. Wright Motorsports had been handed a 5 second post-race time penalty for pit lane protocol violation, giving Heinrich the additional process of sustaining a niche on the entrance as a way to maintain maintain of the general win.
He tried with all his would possibly, however Vanthoor was capable of keep inside attain, with 4.7 seconds between the 2 as they crossed the road, ensuing within the latter being promoted to the general win. This marks back-to-back wins for Staff WRT on the Brickyard, having beforehand gained the 2023 version of the endurance occasion.
GruppeM Racing, led by Maro Engel within the final portion of the race, completed second within the IGTC Professional class, with Lone Star Racing rounding off the rostrum in third as Fabian Schiller drove the ultimate stint.
Wright Motorsports had been the FGTWCA Professional class victors, as Elliott Skeer and Adam Adelson took residence the category championship within the course of. Racers Edge Motorsports overcame two drive-through penalties all through the race to complete second in school, with DXDT Racing finishing the rostrum.
“It doesn’t get any higher than this,” stated Skeer. “Humorous sufficient, coming into the race, it was the very same situation as final 12 months — two vehicles towards one another, and whoever wins takes the championship. Final 12 months didn’t go as deliberate, however this 12 months, we gained, and all of it went on monitor. Not solely did we beat the automotive we wanted to, however we additionally beat each single automotive right here. It’s simply an unbelievable feeling. I’m so happy with this workforce and of Adam for the way he drove. It’s a fully unbelievable feeling.”
Stated Adelson: “I don’t even have the phrases to explain what this implies to me. Over the previous two years, I’ve misplaced three SRO championships, all via circumstances out of our management. We did all the things we may to win, however it slipped away every time. To come back into the Professional class, win on monitor, and to do it with Eliott — who’s like a brother to me — and with Wright Motorsports, it means all the things. Congratulations to the entire workforce.”
In Professional-Am, it was a best-case situation for Turner Motorsport, claiming the championship title by a single level. They crossed the end line in second however the winners, Herberth Motorsport, didn’t earn factors in direction of the American championship. Phillip Ellis had a stellar efficiency within the No. 91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 to safe one other podium end for the workforce within the last race of the season.
“I’m elated. I didn’t even deliver a go well with as a result of I truthfully didn’t suppose we had been going to win this,” admitted Turner driver Justin Rothberg. Now, I’ll need to go discover one thing for the gala! Coming into this race, it wasn’t nearly us doing effectively—another person needed to have a poor outcome. I’m not the kind to hope for others to fail, however that was actually the one manner we may win the championship. It actually appears like the celebs aligned, particularly since we gained by only one level. We had a enjoyable season. I’m happy with Robby and the Turner Motorsport guys.”
Stated teammate Robby Foley: “What a day! It was an extended shot coming in, however we had an amazing race, nice technique, and a incredible automotive. It’s a testomony to the reliability all the Turner workforce gave us in the present day, together with the unbelievable BMW M4 GT3. It’s a dream scenario and an incredible outcome, particularly for Justin as effectively.”
