IGTC Indianapolis 8 Hour: Mercedes-AMG Dominates Test Sessions
The Mercedes-AMG Team Lone Star Racing showcased its prowess in the second test session for the IGTC Indianapolis 8 Hour, achieving a 1-2-3 lockout. Lin Hodenius clocked a blistering 1:23.156 in the #80 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, narrowly edging out Lucas Auer in the #34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG. Will Power, the 2018 Indy 500 winner, secured third place in the #75 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3 with a time of 1:23.250.
The session featured tight competition, with the top 15 cars within half a second, and all 25 participants covered by just 1.153 seconds. The #61 EBM Porsche, piloted by Ricardo Feller, claimed fourth, while a late incident involving Adrian D’Silva brought out a red flag. Team WRT’s BMWs placed fifth (#46) and seventh (#777), sandwiching the #51 Random Vandals BMW in sixth.
Notably, the #91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG topped the Pro-Am class, finishing eighth overall. The #6 Dollahite Racing Ford claimed the fastest time among Am class competitors, finishing 20th overall.
McLaren Trophy America: Title Shaping Up
In the McLaren Trophy America, Tanner Harvey and Patrick Liddy notched a victory for Forte Racing in Race 1, driving the #24 McLaren Artura Trophy Evo. Casey Dennis and James Li’s #74 RWE Motorsport McLaren claimed a post-race time penalty, finishing second.
Dennis and Li need only to start Race 2 to secure the Pro class title over the #919 Skip Barber Racing entry. Broll’s car, after incurring a drive-through penalty, finished sixth. The #43 Motorsports In Action car achieved a podium finish, maximizing Pro-Am points.
Colin Harrison took the lead in the Am class, finishing fourth overall, while Dempsey and Hainer’s early collision resulted in penalties but kept them in contention for the class title.
Maserati Returns to Indianapolis
Maserati Corse made its presence felt at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, exhibiting three vehicles in the Fan Zone. The MC20 GT2, making its U.S. debut, paid homage to Wilbur Shaw’s historic Maserati 8CTF, complete with special livery. Maserati also hosted a car corral for owners featuring parade laps led by the 2026 GranTurismo coupe.
GT4 America: JMF Aston Martin Leads
In Pirelli GT4 America, the #4 JMF Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Evo set the pace in evening practice, with Mike David Ortmann achieving a best time of 1:30.147. This performance edged out Matheus Leist’s #47 NOLASPORT Porsche by just 0.041 seconds.
Notable mentions include Michael Cooper in the #33 Blackdog Racing McLaren Artura GT4 and strong performances from multiple Aston Martins. The championship-leading BMWs were slightly off the pace, with the #97 Random Vandals Racing BMW placing 13th.
GT America Practices: McDonald Leads Pack
Blake McDonald ranked as the fastest Bronze driver through two practice sessions for GT America, albeit not lining up for upcoming races. His #11 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R led during Practice 1 and continued to maintain pace in Practice 2.
Mercedes-AMG competitors followed closely, with George Kurtz and Kenny Habul completing the top three. Mike Johnson’s #007 Archangel/ProSport Competition Aston Martin Vantage GT4 led the GT4 class, showcasing the competitive depth across all categories.
Images © SRO Motorsports America, Dailysportscar.com.
