GT America Finale Report: Gidley Shines, Rothberg Clinches Championship
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IN – The GT America powered by AWS season finale ignited with tension and excitement as Memo Gidley secured his third victory of the season, while Justin Rothberg clinched the 2025 SRO3 Championship after an impressive recovery drive from the back of the grid.
The 40-minute sprint was marred by early chaos when Mirco Schultis in the #70 MISHUMOTORS Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R was spun at the start. Gidley quickly took charge in the #56 SKI Autosports Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II, overtaking pole-sitter George Kurtz’s #04 CrowdStrike by Riley Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO.
Jason Bell showcased notable speed, advancing to third position in the #2 Racers Edge Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3. Rothberg, penalized to ninth for a derogation grid penalty, began his ascent, steadily navigating the field.
Mid-race battles for seventh were intense, particularly between Joel Cortes in the #19 RS1 Porsche 992 GT3 R and Ross Chouest in the #50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R. By the halfway point, Gidley held a 1.3-second advantage over Kurtz, while Rothberg closed in on Tony Davis in the #004 HP-Tech Motorsport Ferrari 296 GT3.
As the race progressed, Rothberg executed a decisive pass on Davis for fourth place, immediately setting his sights on Bell. The latter recorded the fastest lap of the race at 1:25.378.
Gidley crossed the finish line first, solidifying his position ahead of Kurtz and Bell. Rothberg’s fourth-place finish was sufficient to secure the championship title, culminating a season marked by consistency. Late-race incident concerning Kyle Washington’s Porsche on the final lap highlighted the competitive nature of the event.
“It’s such a traditional place, and I just love it,” Gidley stated post-race. “The SKI team did a great job; we struggled early on but were fast at the end, so it was awesome.”
In the GT4 category, Mike Johnson dominated the race in the #007 Archangel Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO, finishing ahead of Jozsef Petkes in the #83 RCX Motorsport Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport and Craig Lumsden’s #610 Flying Lizard Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 EVO.
“The win was the goal, and it took a lot of work,” Johnson remarked. “After 20 years of telling drivers how easy it looks, I now realize just how hard it is.”
In GT2, CJ Moses’ #58 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT2 claimed a straightforward victory, finishing tenth overall. Notably, Evan King in the #62 Flying Lizard Motorsports Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 withdrew after qualifying.
Race 1 Results:
- Memo Gidley – #56 SKI Autosports Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II
- George Kurtz – #04 CrowdStrike by Riley Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO
- Jason Bell – #2 Racers Edge Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3
- Justin Rothberg – #29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3
- Tony Davis – #004 HP-Tech Motorsport Ferrari 296 GT3
Images © Brian Cleary / SRO Motorsports America.
