Whether you want to call it a new re-introduction, or a comeback story, either way this past season in GT America was a dream come true for Isaac Sherman. After stepping away from the racing scene for the past eight years, he certainly made heads turn in the GT4 class this year. After claiming thirteen wins and two second-place finishes across sixteen rounds, he only missed the podium on one single occasion. With dominant performances across the board round after round, Sherman was able to clinch the class title, making it seem as though no time had passed at all.
“I just wanted to get back into it and see where I was at,” said Isaac Sherman when talking about his decision to return to the grid. “Things started falling into place and this season felt like an absolute dream come true. It was amazing winning the championship was definitely a moment that I'll remember forever.”
Sherman had to get up to speed quickly, as the program came together very shortly before the opening rounds at Sonoma Raceway. At that point in time, it was uncertain whether he would even go on to run a full-season campaign, but once the strong results began rolling in, the path forward became clear.
“At first it kind of felt like being shot out of a rocket,” he explained. “I had first spoken to Team Owner Robb Holland a few weeks before the first race, I tested with him and it worked out very well, and from there I jumped straight in. We didn't initially know if I was going to do a full season, we wanted to test the waters with the team. From the beginning I felt right at home, and the decision to continue was easy to make.”
“As the season progressed, we felt more and more comfortable,” he added. “Everybody knew their part, and we put our heads down and put in the hard work, and it just started paying pretty much right away. From there it continued on through the whole season.”
Although he stood out as a frontrunner from the get-go, Sherman truly came to the realization that he could contest a championship fight following the race weekend in Long Beach, California. Once he knew he was able to win despite being in unfamiliar territory, the rest of the season was fair game.
“I had raced at Sonoma before, but going into Long Beach, I didn’t know what to expect because it was way out of left field for me. I had never done a street course before, and I didn’t know much about the track. I went through the data with the team and progressed over the course of the weekend, and it resulted in a big shift in my mindset and confidence. To be able to go out there and win those races made me see that maybe we could take it all the way.”
“The Grand Prix of Long Beach was definitely a pivotal moment for me, and I would say it was one of my highlights of the entire season. It felt so big, the crowds were amazing, and it was a very special event as a whole. I don’t think you can beat it. From an emotional perspective, Indy stood out because I took the time to take it all in, and give myself a second to take a deep breath and live in the moment.”
The season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway also saw him partner up with teammate Myles Rowe in Pirelli GT4 America to compete in the Pro-Am class with Rotek Racing. The pairing walked away with a podium finish on debut. With the additional experience now under his belt, he’s eager to be back in the mix more often as he looks to solidify his plans for 2025.
“I loved racing in GT4 America, I wish I would have been doing double duty the whole season. I don't have anything 100 percent set in stone, but we are actively working on trying to race next year in GT4 America. I'm hoping to put something together relatively soon so we can get committed and start working on that. This past year was a good introductory year to build a solid foundation, and I want to take everything I learned and continue growing.”