After finishing in the runner-up position in the 2023 GT America powered by AWS championship in the SRO3 class, last year’s Vice Champion Jason Daskalos is looking to take the next step in the standings this time around. With his focus locked on the title, his 2024 campaign has been off to a strong start as he currently leads the field after eight rounds, accumulating four wins and one podium in the process.
“It’s great to be leading in the points,” said Jason Daskalos. “It hasn’t been perfect, as a driver you always end up thinking back on your mistakes, but there have been some strong highlights too. Winning at Long Beach is definitely a standout, getting the weekend sweep was a key moment within the first half of the season.”
Daskalos has been a familiar face in SRO competition for many seasons, but he has truly found his stride in recent years with the Mercedes-AMG platform.
“This is our second year racing with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 and I think we’ve learned quite a bit more,” he explained. “We’ve definitely got the car dialed in a little better, which always helps. I think also as a driver, I’ve been performing better than I have in the past. Having a driver coach this year has also been a positive experience for me.”
When looking ahead to the rounds still to come, Daskalos is using a steady approach, stating that “I’m definitely taking it race by race. It’s currently a three-horse race with Johnny O’Connell and George Kurtz. They have been driving great, so I’m prepared for a tough battle to the end with these guys.”
However, Daskalos and the whole CRP Racing team have additional goals in mind, as the crew continues to support a vital member of their team, crew chief Sheldon Miller, through his cancer treatment.
“Sheldon and I have been on this journey together for 18 years and we're like family. He’s gone through such a hard time, and we're all working harder for him. He really wants to win this championship and the whole team is focused on doing everything we can to achieve that. We all stay together, we rent a house together, we have team dinners together, it truly is a family atmosphere. We definitely want to win this for Sheldon.”
With VIRginia International Raceway being the next stop on the calendar, he is eager to get back on track.
“I love VIR,” he exclaimed. “I think we’ll do well there. I’m also looking forward to going to Barber Motorsports Park since I’ve never been there, which will be an interesting challenge.”
Jason Daskalos leads the SRO3 class championship with 144 points ahead of Johnny O’Connell and George Kurtz, with 129 and 120 points, respectively. Experience the excitement of GT America powered by AWS at VIRginia International Raceway from July 19th to 21st. Get your tickets now!