2020 Pirelli GT4 America Sprint Season Springs To Action At Circuit of the Americas with seventeen entries

2020 Pirelli GT4 America Sprint Season Springs To Action At Circuit of the Americas with seventeen entries

The 2020 Pirelli GT4 America Sprint season kicks off at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas for the first of eight weekends.  The defending champion Ian James will not return this season, leaving the throne vacant for the next king to claim.

One of the favorites to claim the Pro title will be three-time series champion Michael Cooper and his #10 Blackdog Speed Shop McLaren 570S GT4.  Cooper finished second in the standings last season claiming three victories.

Another championship favorite returns in Spencer Pumpelly, who finished third overall and claimed two wins in 2019, with the #66 TRG Porsche 718 Cayman GT4.  “The SRO GT4 Sprint platform is one of the few remaining true sprint championships. It demands an attack from flag to flag which makes every lap exciting. Last year we had some incredible racing and I’d expect nothing less this season. With help from LaSalle Solutions and Adobe Road Winery the TRG guys are ready for what 2020 may bring,” said Pumpelly.  

Jarrett Andretti, who was promoted from the Am to Pro category mid-way through the 2019 season, returns to take a run at the Pro title.  The second-generation driver would claim an impressive overall win at Watkins Glen in his #18 Andretti Autosport McLaren 570S GT4 and looks to take that momentum into the 2020 season.  

The 2019 Sprint Am champion Drew Staveley makes the jump to the Pro category after dominating his class last season.  Staveley and the #24 Ian Lacy Racing Ford Mustang GT4 took an incredible six class wins last season.

Tony Gaples, in the #11 Blackdog Speedshop McLaren 570S GT4 finished second overall in the Am category last season, returns as one of the favorites in the class after landing on the podium six times in 2019.

The 2018 Sprint Am champion Jeff Courtney, who ran a partial season in 2019, returns to the series full time in the #99 RecStuff Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4.  Despite only running half the season, Courtney would land fifth in the championship standings, finishing on the podium in five of six races, including a class win at Watkins Glen.  

Another championship contender is Michael Dinan who returns to the series with Flying Lizard, but in Aston Martin machinery, after running a Porsche in 2019.  Dinan will be entered in the #219.  

Mark Klenin, who finished seventh overall in 2019, returns to the series, but with a new look in the #62 KPR SIN R1 GT4 after running a McLaren for the last three seasons.

Sean Quinlan and the #119 Cameron Racing BMW M4 GT4 returns for the full Sprint season after running a partial-season effort in 2019.  Quinlan won the 2019 SprintX Pro-Am title last season and looks to take that confidence into his Sprint campaign in 2020.  

Series regular Jason Bell brings the GMG-prepped #2 Porsche 718 Porsche Cayman GT4 after finishing 8th in class last season.

Jeff Burton, who won the 2019 SprintX West Am title last season, joins the Sprint Am category in his #91 Rearden Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4, and looks to take the single-driver championship crown.  

Paul Terry, who has raced in TC America competition recently, takes the leap to the GT4 category with the #59 Rearden Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4.  Terry took one win in the TC season in 2019 at Watkins Glen.

Marko Radisic, who finished sixth overall in the 2019 Sprint Am Championship, returns for another full season in the #22 Precision Driving Tech BMW M4 GT4.

Fred Roberts returns to the series with RecStuff Racing running the #89 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 after running Maserati machinery with the team off and on for the last few seasons.

Frank Gannett and the #24 Ian Lacy Racing Ford Mustang GT4 returns to Sprint Am competition after running a partial-season effort last season.

Blackswan Racing and Tim Pappas also join the Pirelli GT4 America Sprint Am show with the #54 Porsche Cayman CS MR.

A late Classic BMW entry from Toby Grahovec, driving the #26 Classic BMW M4 GT4, brings the total field just shy of twenty.

The Pirelli GT4 America Sprint Race 1 goes green on Saturday, March 7th at 4:20pm local time, streaming live at https://www.gt4-america.com/live.

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COTA Entry List - Pirelli GT4 America Sprint - PDF LINK

COTA Event Schedule - PDF LINK