Race Report: GT World Challenge America – Circuit of the Americas

Date: Saturday
Event: Race 1, GT World Challenge America

In a thrilling showcase at the Circuit of the Americas, Kenton Koch and Connor De Phillippi clinched victory in the #99 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3 after navigating a series of dramatic events, including a drop to the back of the field due to a technical infringement post-qualifying. Koch’s agility allowed him to gain nine positions following a significant early race pile-up involving multiple competitors.

Key Incidents and Impact

The chaos began at Turn 1 when Oswaldo Negri Jr.’s #163 AF Corse Ferrari was struck, causing a dreaded accordion effect that eliminated the #6 Dollahite Racing Ford and damaged several other vehicles. The Full Course Yellow that followed significantly disrupted race strategies, particularly for polesitters Regulator Racing and Philip Ellis.

Despite a solid start, Ellis, who managed to create a gap after the restart, saw his lead evaporate after a ten-second post-race time penalty for cutting the pit exit line.

Race Dynamics

Mikaël Grenier of JMF Motorsports emerged from the pits with the overall lead after De Phillippi had initially secured it on the track. The fight for supremacy unfolded as De Phillippi worked to reduce a strategic buffer of 1.74 seconds required to offset Grenier’s impending penalty for a short pit stop. Ultimately, De Phillippi crossed the line just behind Grenier but inherited the overall victory because of the latter’s penalty, winning by a mere 0.141 seconds.

Standings and Results

The #18 RS1 Porsche 911 GT3 R, piloted by Alex Sedgwick and Jan Heylen, rounded out the podium in third place, finishing 15 seconds off the lead.

In Pro-Am class, the #11 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, driven by Blake McDonald and Matt Bell, delivered an impressive performance to win their class and finish fourth overall. The #29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO secured second place in Pro-Am, maintaining their points lead in the category.

Final Classifications

• Overall Winner: #99 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3
• Second Place: #34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3
• Third Place: #18 RS1 Porsche 911 GT3 R
• Pro-Am Winner: #11 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R

The race served as a reminder of the competitive nature of the series, with mechanical failures and penalties shaking up established positions. The dramatic twists continued to heighten the suspense heading into future races.

Full Results:

1. 99 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3

2. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3

3. 18 RS1 Porsche 911 GT3 R

4. 11 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R (Pro-Am Winner)

5. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO

6. 32 GMG Racing Porsche

7. 24 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3

8. 2 Racers Edge Motorsports Aston Martin

9. 88 Archangel Motorsports McLaren 720S GT3 EVO

10. 91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG

Images: © Fabian Lagunas / SRO Motorsports America