It’s one thing to win a championship, but to claim multiple in a row – that’s something only few could dream of, let alone accomplish. That is, unless you’re Eric Filgueiras, who just became a three-time SRO America champion.
After clinching the 2022 Pirelli GT4 America title, he went one step further to take the Pro class crown in the GT World Challenge America series in 2023. This past year, Filgueiras returned to GT4 machinery and took home the top prize in the Silver class once again, scoring five victories and four podiums before going on to secure the championship in the final round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Following three consecutive years of success, his reputation precedes him and he has quickly become a household name in the paddocks. He has seen both highs and lows, with the former far outweighing the latter, and his know-how proved to be vital in his various pursuits.
With a great deal of winning experience under his belt already, he felt well equipped as he returned to GT4 America grid in 2024. The familiarity proved to be advantageous, both mentally and physically, as he already knew all too well what was awaiting him.
“The main thing going into this season was that I already had the muscle memory from having previously competed in that same environment,” he explained. “With that, I had the confidence of knowing what I needed to do in order to be successful, and I knew the specific details I needed to focus on and how to execute accordingly. I felt much more prepared as opposed to in 2022. Back then I just went in and had to learn it all from the start. This time around, even though I feel like the level of competition was more elevated, I was just as ready.”
From a technical aspect, having gone back and forth between GT3 and GT4 sports cars, the switch was seamless as he conveyed that adaptability was not an issue. Having already become highly accustomed to the Porsche platform, changing from one to the next was a fairly comfortable process. By the time he returned to the Cayman, he felt as though he was coming back to what he already knew.
However, with two championships in the bag already, the pressure was lingering as onlookers and fellow competitors waited to see if he could repeat the same level of performance.
“I was less worried because I knew I had already proved myself,” he expressed. “I’m more comfortable in my own skin now. On the flip side, I was still aware of the conversations taking place based on prior success, but my focus was just on continuing to do my best and managing what was within my control.”
It didn’t take long before the success started rolling in again. The first major highlight of the season came with back-to-back victories at Sebring International Raceway, a place he knows like the back of his hand. After a tough opening weekend in Sonoma just a few weeks prior, the strong results at his home track were exactly what was needed to set the tone for the remainder of the season.
“The way Sonoma unfolded was disappointing,” he stated. “It was actually my first SRO event without a podium finish, so I was very much ready to rebound from that. I knew with certainty that Sebring was where we could come back swinging. I’ve spent so much time there, and I wholeheartedly felt like that could add some extra fuel to the fire. To be able to go out there and accomplish what we did with double wins, it made it a really great weekend.”
Another podium result ensued, with a second-place finish in the inaugural three-hour Lone Star Enduro at Circuit of The Americas, before he and teammate John Capestro-Dubets went on to further showcase their strengths at VIRginia International Raceway, a personal favorite stop on the calendar for Filgueiras. The duo took the checkered flag first in both races, and their grip over the top spot on the leaderboard continued to tighten.
“It was completely unexpected, simply because the Porsche typically struggles in the heat,” he detailed. “It was an uncharacteristically cooler weekend for that time of year, and the way the weather worked out ended up being good for us. It was still a challenging weekend and by no means came easily, but if you would’ve told me that VIR would be our second sweep of the year, I’m not sure I would have believed you.”
The fifth win came the following month at Road America, and they went on to add another three podium finishes to their tally over the course of the remaining rounds. The ability to deliver on a consistent basis was a critical factor in maintaining the lead in the standings, and Filgueiras credited it to a robust and resilient teammate combo.
“In my mind, I don’t know if I would specifically say that the Porsche was the outright best car at any single event,” he revealed. “I’ve always thought that we were truly the strongest driver pairing across the board, regardless of who was Driver 1 or Driver 2 on any given weekend. That was always the thing we could lean on, knowing that we had the competence to create strong results. To me, the teamwork aspect is what establishes the right foundation.”
Be that as it may, they still had some tough times to overcome, including a less than ideal weekend at Barber Motorsports Park that brought the points margin much closer. In moments of hardship, instead of allowing himself to get consumed by negativity, he relied on all the previous lessons learned in order to best address the setbacks.
“I think it comes with experience,” he said regarding his mental fortitude. “It’s certainly not something that I would say I've always had. It gets built up over the years in times where you face adversity. I’ve learned that in situations where things don’t go according to plan and you don’t have the desired outcome, the best strategy as a driver is to continue focusing on the things that I do actually have control over. I choose to examine our strengths, our potential weaknesses, and keep track of the areas that need our attention.”
The final rounds turned out to be a real nail-biter, with the title only being decided in the last race of the season. Over the course of the event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the outcome seemed uncertain, as the momentum swung in either direction before Filgueiras and JCD were finally able to emerge as the frontrunners once and for all.
“It was a relief,” he disclosed. “I don’t feel as though it was a moment of jumping for joy with expressive happiness. It was just so stressful that once we really acknowledged that it was over, I felt like I could finally breathe a little easier. There were times in this championship fight where we were behind, and then other times where it looked like we were so far ahead. In the end it came down to the wire.”
“I can also look back on it reflectively and say that I’m truly satisfied with it,” he went on. “It was very hard and we were still able to overcome the obstacles and come out on top. I appreciate the difficulty of it because I believe this field was possibly the strongest in SRO’s history. I think that it’s a testament to the caliber of drivers that we were up against, which makes it even more gratifying.”
Now as a three-time champion, he still insists that finding the right words to summarize the journey is easier said than done; “In a way it’s kind of indescribable. Four years ago, I didn’t have much going on in terms of racing opportunities. To look back and see how things have developed and what has come out of all of this is an extremely incredible feeling.”
“I wouldn’t be here without Tom Kopczynski from Community Beer Works, and I’m so grateful to have been able to fight for these championships,” he continued. “I’m also very proud to say that I’ve not only won three titles, but I did it three times in a row, which I know is an incredible feat. I’m very happy but also honored to be able to represent not only the series, but the sport as a whole.”
Only one champagne problem still remains; finding room for all the trophies.
“At this point, I’m putting them anywhere that still has space in the house,” he laughed. “Which is a good dilemma to have!”