Marc Austin thrived in and survived a caution-filled race many of his more experienced competitors didn't for his first GT America powered by AWS top-five finish Sunday in the Mad Joker Racing No. 11 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). The fifth-place result is the best GT America finish to date for Austin and came in his first series start of the year after competing in a select schedule of just three race weekends in his debut season in 2023.
Building on an eighth-place finish in Saturday's opening 40-minute race of the GT America doubleheader, Austin had a clean and competitive run from the start on Sunday.
"I'm really happy with the finish," Austin said. "It was a tough, tough race, a lot of cautions, so we really didn't get a lot of clear time to run, but the car ran great and everything was prepared perfectly. I just raced and watched what was going on out there, and it was kind of crazy!"
Austin improved three positions for the top five result, steering clear of the contact incidents and penalties that derailed many of his competitors.
"I think Marc did a really great job," said AJ Petersen, Lone Star Racing Team Manager and Technical Director. "This is a different level of racing than what he has done in the past. It is a lot more competitive, but he is making steady progress, stayed in his comfort zone, and it is all good. We came from the weekend with a pair of solid finishes, no bad steps taken from practice to qualifying and through the races, and that was particularly important on Sunday."
Austin looks forward to carrying the momentum from this past weekend to other GT America events this year in what will be another schedule of select races in 2024.
"We are looking at selected races coming up to keep the momentum going," Austin said. "I feel pretty lucky in getting to work with Lone Star Racing. It's almost like family, the way we all work together and try to bounce ideas around, just the overall way you are supported. Top to bottom, they are one of the best organizations in the world at what they do, and they know the Mercedes-AMG platform and program very well. On top of that, the customer racing program at Mercedes-AMG is by far the best in the world. They really take good care of us."
Austin's to-be-determined schedule may reflect 2023's select calendar of races that included COTA, Road America and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"The more laps that Marc can get with the competition around him, the better," Petersen said. "He learns every time he goes out and we are looking forward to more. We love racing with him, and the people we have put together for this program is just a great group. We have a good time every time we race together, and the results are coming."
Austin's solid weekend at COTA followed last month's success in the GT America races at the Grand Prix of Long Beach where team owner and driver Dan Knox swept the weekend's GT2-class doubleheader in his No. 10 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT2.
Additional programs could be finalized for Lone Star Racing early this summer, which would add to the team's already diverse Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing schedule of races.
"You can't practice this any other way than by getting to the track, racing, testing, experiencing the pressure, stress and hard work," Petersen said "Decision making in this environment is critical, for every person on the team, from tire pressures to fuel and even judging the wear on the skids underneath the car. Every aspect of it. It's learning and coaching for us too, and you just can't test and race enough."
Lone Star Racing competes in the 2024 season with the support of ACS Manufacturing, Sonangol and Visit Angola.
