Gidley Leads Daskalos in SRO3 Class
Bell, Chouest Locked in GT4 Battle
Entry List
Sebring International Raceway welcomes GT America powered by AWS for two rounds of racing as the 2023 season nears its close. A total of 21 entries make up the two class field. Jason Daskalos closed the 18-point gap to current SRO3 Class Driver Points Championship leader Memo Gidley. Meanwhile, Jason Bell and Ross Chouest in the GT4 Class are four points apart as they continue to battle for the championship.
The Sebring International Raceway weekend could easily shake up the standings with the high difficulty the 3.741-mile, 17-turn course provides. Sebring commonly reminds drivers to “Respect the Bumps.” However, the bumps don’t always return the respect. The rough track mixed with rough racing can also be paired with high heat, making for an arduous weekend.
SRO3 Class
Gidley, in the No. 101 TKO Motorsports Mercedes-AMG, has led the way this season, racking up multiple wins. His points lead over Daskalos in the No. 27 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG, has slowly been diminished to 18 points. The No. 04 CrowdStrike by Riley Mercedes-AMG GT3 of George Kurtz sits in third place with 185 points. Kurtz has the opportunity to gain on Daskalos should he repeat his 2022 performance. He took home wins in Race One and Race Two. Kurtz is also comfortably sound with a gap of 64 points back to fourth place Anthony Bartone in the No. 427 RealTime Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. Bartone is in his first season of SRO competition and could be a wild card at Sebring.
Johnny O’Connell continues to settle into his No. 3 SKI Autosports Audi R8 LMS. He has turned multiple laps at Sebring and will lean on his experience to get ahead of Bartone who 15 points is ahead of him in the standings. What Adam Adelson had hoped to be an exciting venture with the new Porsche 911 GT3 R turned into a non-start in Race One at Road America. Adelson will no doubt have the No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R back fighting for the lead in the next rounds. Todd Treffort in the No. 41 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 takes on Sebring in his first season. The Mercedes-AMG, much like other tracks, should find the Florida heat favorable.
Mirco Schultis in the No. 70 MISHUMOTORS Corvette C7 GT3 R and Andy Wilzoch in the No. 460 Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R will go head-to-head. Only four points separate the two in their own championship battle for eighth. Rounding out the field is the No. 08 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Scott Smithson and No. 043 OnlyFans Racing by P1 Groupe with MRS Porsche 911 GT3 R. Neither driver has raced with GT America powered by AWS at Sebring prior to this season.
GT4 Class
The GT4 Class has been a close call from the drop of the first green flag on the streets of St. Petersburg. Jason Bell in the No. 2 Flying Lizard Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 leads the class with Ross Chouest in the No. 50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR in tow a mere four points behind. Robb Holland in the No. 099 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport caused concern for Bell as he quickly gained ground in the Driver Points Championship. Holland was collateral damage in an incident at Road America, which has given the top two more comfortable points gap. Elias Sabo in the No. 8 Flying Lizard Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR is 56 points behind Holland but has only a five-point lead over Grey Newell in the No. 25 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR. The two both had brilliant performances at Road America with Sabo taking home the Race One win.
While Tony Gaples in the No. 5 Blackdog Speed Shop Camaro GT4 R has large points gap ahead of him, he also has created a large gap back to seventh place Nicholas Shanny in the No. 21 Carrus Callas Raceteam Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO. Tim Savage in the No. 009 TRG Aston Martin Vantage AMR takes his first turn at running consecutive race weekends. Scott Blind in the No. 045 Archangel Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR returns for his second week in SRO competition. Entering in his first race weekend of 2023 is Thomas Collingwood in the No. 81 BGB Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport.
Let’s Go Racing
GT America powered by AWS gets to work at Sebring International Raceway Sept. 22-24. Tickets are available for purchase with kids free under 16 years old. To follow the race from home, join free livestream coverage on the GT World YouTube page or enjoy our Twitch Watch-Alongs with host AshVandeley at SROMotorsports.
Following Sebring, one final challenge awaits the Fanatec GT grid – the Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS. Tickets are on sale starting at just $20 dollars.