Moving on From Road America, GMG Racing Seeks Podium Return at Circuit of The Americas this Weekend

GMG Racing persevered during a busy SRO Motorsports America weekend at Road America, its second race event within a month at the recently repaved 4.048-mile natural terrain road course.

The team achieved eight top-10 finishes in class across eight races in three different series: Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, GT America powered by AWS and Pirelli GT4 America. 

The highlight result was a top-five finish in the Pro-Am class achieved by Todd Parriott and Tom Dyer, driving the No. 13 GMG Racing Aston Martin AMR Vantage GT4, in Sunday’s second Pirelli GT4 America race of the weekend. 

These results followed a trio of top-five results in class that Parriott and Kyle Washington achieved during the IMSA Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America races at the track in late July. 

Parriott and Washington continued their progression and volume of track time as the busiest GMG Racing drivers, competing in four races apiece. Co-drivers Dyer and Jeroen Bleekemolen joined Parriott and Washington for the pair of GT4 America and GT World Challenge races, respectively.

GMG Racing Founder and Principal James Sofronas planned to race as well in GT America in his No. 14 Audi R8 LMS EVO II. However, he was sidelined from competition after an incident that occurred during Thursday’s test session. 

Although Sofronas was ruled out of driving, he remained active supporting the team during the weekend. Correspondingly, the GMG Racing team rallied to support Sofronas and checked in regularly to ensure progress in his recovery and get him back to the race track as soon as possible.

“While I’m dealing with some back pain, it was nice to see Kyle and Todd come out with strong showings and results,” Sofronas said. “That helps me deal with the pain a bit better! We have become close friends, they were very gracious taking care of me, as was the entire team, including Joe Foster.” 

Parriott ran the same No. 13 GMG Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 in both GT4 America and the single driver GT America series. Parriott finished 10th in GT4 on Saturday and improved to ninth on Sunday. Alongside Dyer in the 60-minute GT4 America races, Parriott was seventh in Pro-Am on Saturday and fifth on Sunday. The latter result saw Dyer lead in Pro-Am early, turn the car over to Parriott during the pit stop cycle, and then entrust him to finish the race in a strong position in his first GT4 America weekend with a new chassis.

“The car is amazing, and GMG did a phenomenal job getting it prepared for us,” Parriott said. “Tom stayed on target and put us in a great spot. It’s been an exciting weekend. It takes so much pressure off of you when the car is so good and handles so nicely. You just then have to do what you’ve been doing all weekend, and it’s a great time to be out there. The competition is fierce and fun at the same time. Can’t find a better environment.”

Dyer added of Parriott, “His stint the end of this race was by far his best of the weekend. He kept building through 11 sessions. We just wanted to tick the boxes to accumulate data, experience and information and he did it with flying colors.”

Washington debuted a brand new, vibrant, multicolored 992-generation No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R), racing alongside Bleekemolen in GT World Challenge. They finished seventh on Saturday and sixth on Sunday in Pro-Am in the pair of 90-minute races. Running solo in the previous 991.2 generation chassis, Washington finished seventh and eighth in the red, white and blue No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R in the two GT America 40-minute sprint races.

“It was a fun weekend for sure with lots of racing and seat time,” Washington said. “The old car runs great, and we got to know the new car over the weekend. It drives nice and we’re hopeful it gets even faster for further weekends.”  

After a pair of race weekends in Wisconsin, GMG Racing heads to the Southwest to shift back to the next round of the USAC Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West by Yokohama at Circuit of The Americas this weekend, August 25 – 27, where Parriott and Washington will compete in the 992 Porsche GT3 Cup Am division. 

The last time out at Utah Motorsports Campus (UMC), GMG Racing banked a trio of podium finishes with Sofronas scoring two podiums and Washington one. 

“Kyle and Todd will try to continue their push for the am championship,” Sofronas said. “They have busy schedules but we’re hopeful their test day on Thursday will aid them at the circuit.

“Todd showed this weekend his lap times were within a second of his peers, so there’s no question he can drive the car fast. He’s learning other series; gaining more racecraft and discovering when to be aggressive and push versus not. We gained a lot of experience and have had a lot of dialogue to go forward. He’s very excited about the prospects and talking about the future.”

Parriott added, “I’m really excited about it. I just crossed my one-year mark back on August 11, so I feel very good about my growth and what they’re doing for me. Going into COTA it’s going to be a hot one, so I feel prepared in good shape to take the heat. Hope that will help with some of the prep.”

Sofronas summarized his focus as he looks to get back on track soon and reiterated his thanks to the GMG Racing team for its tireless work during the time in Wisconsin. 

“We basically had two brand new cars and eight races this weekend. The guys were pushed to the limits and performed at an exceptional level,” he explained. “I’m very proud of the effort and strong results, especially for Todd and Tom to get the top five in Pro-Am. Kyle fought hard and almost had a chance for the podium in Pro-Am on Sunday. 

“Despite my physical setback this weekend, I was watching with immense focus and helping from the sidelines. I’m a fighter; it takes a lot to put me down. I’m already feeling better psychologically, that’ll get me behind the wheel. The question is how long until I get my doctor’s blessing. I want my guys to achieve the best the rest of the season.”