RAFA Racing Secures Victory in Pirelli GT4 America Race 1 at Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS — The RAFA Racing Team’s duo of Westin Workman and Tyler Gonzalez clinched victory in Race 1 of the Pirelli GT4 America series, driving the #68 Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2. This win fortifies their championship quest as they head into the season finale.
From the outset, Workman dominated, fending off an aggressive move from Ismaeel Ellahi in the #007 CSM Aston Martin, who attempted to seize the lead from fourth position. The race conditions shifted dramatically due to a crash involving Matt Travis in the #47 NOLASPORT Porsche, leading to an 18-minute Safety Car period for barrier repairs.
After the pit stops, Gonzalez maintained the lead despite pressure from the #77 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford Mustang GT4. However, a post-race penalty for a short pit stop relegated the Mustang team to 14th position, clearing the path for the Toyota’s victory by a margin of 3.518 seconds over the #131 Advance Motorsports McLaren Artura GT4, piloted by Austin Jurs and Parker DeLong.
Third place, as well as the Pro-Am class victory, went to Tony Gaples and Michael Cooper in the #33 Blackdog Racing McLaren, which surged from a 33rd place start, demonstrating impressive strategy and driving throughout the race.
The #94 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 EVO, driven by Sam Craven and Kenton Koch, secured sufficient points to clinch the Pro-Am Drivers’ championship ahead of the final race, adding to their title from last season.
The final podium spots saw the #7 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport and the #98 Random Vandals BMW rounding out the top five. The overall top ten concluded with strong performances from the #40 Off Leash Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 and #39 Dome Motorsport Mercedes-AMG.
Looking ahead, Gonzalez and Workman are positioned to contend for the Silver class title, needing a race win tomorrow while hoping the #028 RS1 Porsche finishes seventh or worse. In the Am class, the #21 ACI Motorsports BMW claimed victory, narrowing the points gap to championship leaders Frankie Muniz and Tyler Stone.
Race 1 Results Summary:
- 1st: #68 RAFA Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 (Workman/Gonzalez)
- 2nd: #131 Advance Motorsports McLaren Artura GT4 (Jurs/DeLong)
- 3rd: #33 Blackdog Racing McLaren (Gaples/Cooper)
Championship Implications: With key standings tightening as the series heads into its finale, tomorrow’s race promises to be crucial for multiple title contenders across classes.
