Round Five of GT World Challenge America powered by AWS had a little bit of everything. Nice size field, new faces, a big wreck, close battles and deserving winners. You know, typical for a day at America’s National Park of Speed.
Amatuer Attrition Aplenty
The field of twenty-three cars, the biggest this season, took the green to go racing. Albeit, not for long. By Turn 6, John Gilliland hit mechanical trouble and came to a halt at the exit of the corner. After a quick safety car to recover the No. 88 Porsche, the field was back to green. Instead of coming into a rhythm, debutant Tony Davis wrecked on the run to Turn 5 in his Ferrari for the second yellow. Not the debut run HP-Tech Motorsport was hoping for at all. Another quick cleanup and another restart.
Until we had a massive four-car crash. Exiting the kink, Slade Stewart in the Riley BMW made contact with Todd Parriott in the Kellymoss Porsche. In the cloud of dust, Parriott’s teammate Michael Clark collided with GMG’s Kyle Washington. Washington’s spinning Porsche collided with Frank Depew’s Rebel Rock Aston Martin. All four cars were done on the spot. And spare a thought for Kellymoss that lost all three of their cars in the first thirty minutes. Ouch.
The wreck would cause extensive repairs, leaving the rest of the field under the yellow for half an hour.
Suspension Damage and Losing Power
A tough break for the Archangel Motorsport McLaren – Photo Courtesy: Fabian Lagunas/SRO Motorsports Group
After the first hour saw virtually no green flag action, the race saw a rhythm in its second hour. The rhythm did not mean there were not incidents. Jason Daskalos collided with Todd Coleman at Turn 8. The Archangel McLaren would limp back to the pits with a flat left rear tire and damaged suspension. Repairs would cost the car four laps. Meanwhile, Daskalos would draw a penalty to the No. 27 JMF Mercedes due to the collision.
Matias Perez Companc controlled most of the field early. But trouble was lurking when the team came in for their second stop. After Miguel Molina hopped into the No. 12 Ferrari, the car lost power almost immediately upon pit exit. A stop on track to reset did not help matters. The car limped back to the pits with the team taking it back to the paddock. The engine problems took the polesitters out of contention.
Bad to Worse
Engine problems were not done for AF Corse USA. At the end of the second hour, Benny Simonsen was slow exiting Turn 6 and pulled off to the side of the track. The car was not quite in a safe position, therefore the fourth safety car of the day was deployed.
During the yellow, most of the field made their final pit stops. Four cars, including the contending Dolahite Mustang, stayed out. Most of the quartet stayed due to minimum drive time not being met. The Pro-Am Chicago Performance Lamborghini stayed out on a strategy call. All four would eventually make their final stops within the next half hour, taking them out of contention.
Foley on Fire
Since taking over from Justin Rothburg, Robby Foley rung the neck of the No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW. Foley would get through the Pro-Am pros in their cars. On the final pit stop, Turner left the pits behind JMF. With Foley and Mikael Grenier trying to catch the leaders for the restart, Foley saw the opportunity to make his move. Foley caught Grenier napping on the pit straight to pass the Canadian. Once the cars ahead came to the pits, Foley seized the overall lead and managed his gap back to second.
Mad Morad
Redemption for Sebring? – Photo Courtesy: Fabian Lagunas/SRO Motorsports Group
Meanwhile, with forty minutes to go, Daniel Morad was battling the Porsches of Jan Heylen and Ryan Yardley. After making quick work of Yardley, Morad had the red mist down the frontstretch. Going to the outside of Turn 1, Morad would use every bit of track he could, pushing Heylen to the edge of the track. Emphatically, Morad would edge ahead in Turn 3 – but not without what appeared to be some contact.
Race control gave Morad a warning for blocking due to his antics. Morad pulled away from the Belgian only for Heylen to pull back the gap. Heylen ultimately succumbed to running out of fuel on the final lap.
At The Finish
Robby Foley and Justin Rothburg scores their second win of the season by 4.3 seconds over Michai Stephens and Mikael Grenier in second. After a late race battle with Zachary Vanier, Cameron Lawrence would hold on to grab the final spot on the Pro class podium. Foley and Rothburg now close the points lead to four behind Grenier and Stephens.
Third overall for Daniel Morad and Brayton Williams is their first Pro-Am win of the season along with TR3 Racing. RS1 and Wright Motorsports in their Porsches would round out the class podium. The third for Wright now gives their drivers, Ryan Yardley and Dave Musial Jr., the class points lead.
A win on return? Not bad, Scuderia Corsa – Photo Courtesy: Fabian Lagunas/SRO Motorsports Group
Finally, can you believe we have a new winner in Am? Well believe it folks. Scuderia Corsa, back in the series, bring their debutants Mitchell Green and James Morley to class honors. Even more impressive, the pair would finish ninth overall – ahead of a pair of Pro class entries. A quiet day completing the laps, finishing on the lead lap and winning class – safe to say expectations were met.
Deep South Cookin’
Two stops remain for the 2026 GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season. From the Midwest, the series heads back South. For the third straight season, the championship visits Barber Motorsports Park for the final three-hour race of the season. GT World Alabama takes to the track September 23-26.
Featured Image: No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW – Photo Courtesy: Fabian Lagunas/SRO Motorsports Group
