GT World Challenge America: Race 1 Report from Circuit of The Americas
AUSTIN, TX — Race 1 of the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS at Circuit of The Americas concluded with intense competition across all classes. Random Vandals Racing claimed victory in an electrifying finish, while DXDT Racing showcased their prowess in the Pro-Am category.
Pro Class Overview
Kenton Koch faced adversity at the start in his No. 99 BMW M4 GT3, beginning from the back due to a qualifying penalty. Michai Stephens held an early lead in his No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 but was forced into a full-course yellow after just one lap. As the race resumed, Bill Auberlen in the No. 51 BMW pursued Alex Sedgwick in the No. 18 RS1 Porsche 992 GT3 R for third.
Koch ignited the race by passing Auberlen on lap 9, leading to a fierce battle with Sedgwick. During the pit window, both drivers executed their exchanges flawlessly, with Koch swapping with Connor De Phillippi. Post-pit, De Phillippi quickly challenged Jan Heylen, taking advantage of a post-race time penalty awarded to JMF Motorsports.
Ultimately, De Phillippi’s performance secured the win for Random Vandals Racing, with JMF Motorsports settling for second and RS1 rounding out the podium.
Pro-Am Class Dynamics
The Pro-Am class began with chaos as multiple entrants, including the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche and the No. 6 Dollahite Racing Ford Mustang GT3, encountered issues at Turn 1. Philip Ellis, in the No. 91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, capitalized on the incident, swiftly building a 19-second lead.
Despite a 10-second post-race penalty due to a pit exit violation, Matt Bell surged ahead in the No. 11 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, taking the Pro-Am lead before penalties affected the outcome. Robby Foley followed, securing second place for Turner Motorsport, while Tom Sargent’s late charge ensured a podium finish.
The series will resume for Race 2 on Sunday at 3:00 PM PT, promising further exciting battles and strategic maneuvers.
Results Summary
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Pro Class:
- Kenton Koch / Connor De Phillippi (Random Vandals Racing, BMW M4 GT3)
- Michai Stephens / Mikael Grenier (JMF Motorsports, Mercedes-AMG GT3)
- Alex Sedgwick / Jan Heylen (RS1, Porsche 992 GT3 R)
- Pro-Am Class:
- Matt Bell / Blake McDonald (DXDT Racing, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R)
- Robby Foley / Justin Rothberg (Turner Motorsport, BMW M4 GT3 EVO)
- Tom Sargent / Kyle Washington (Regulator Racing, Mercedes-AMG GT3)
Live coverage of the event continues on the RACER Network and the RACER+ App.
