Only four rounds remain on the calendar for the Pirelli GT4 America series, but the race to the title is far from over. Anything can happen heading into the late stage of the championship, and as the top contenders in the Silver, Pro-Am, and Am classes are already aware, the outcomes of these sprint endeavors could be make or break.
Heading into Barber Motorsports Park, the entire field knows that every point lost or gained could have major impacts on the final standings when all is said and done at the season finale weekend in Indianapolis next month.
Silver Class
While we all know how the saying goes – slow and steady wins the race – but RS1’s Eric Filgueiras and John Capestro-Dubets have been quick to dispute that notion. Aside from the opening event at Sonoma Raceway, the pairing have driven their No. 28 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport to a podium finish in every single round since. This includes two weekend sweeps in Sebring and Virginia, with five wins overall.
Fittingly, the No. 28 Porsche holds a 28-point advantage over their next-closest competitors, but their focus remains locked on the road ahead as opposed to what could be looming behind. For Filgueiras in particular, the objective is to clinch his third consecutive title, after previously winning the Silver class in 2022 before going on to do the same the following year in the Pro class in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS championship.
For Kenton Koch and Kevin Boehm, victory is still well within reach, and they’ve proven they are always a threat in the No. 97 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4. They have won twice so far this year, including the inaugural three-hour Lonestar Enduro at Circuit of The Americas, which was worth crucial double points.
Zac Anderson is a driver that is no stranger to victory, as the 2023 Silver class champion is hungry to secure back-to-back championships in the No. 51 AutoTechnic Racing BMW M4 GT4, this time with rookie teammate Colin Garrett. The pair sit a further 22 points behind, but this class championship has seen many ebbs and flows, and there are still plenty of opportunities to capitalize on.
Pro-Am Class
ACI Motorsports have been in top form in the Pro-Am class, as Curt Swearingin and Kay van Berlo hold a substantial 46-point buffer with their No. 7 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. The teammates have displayed very strong performances, with three victories and four second-place results, only failing to land on the podium on two occasions. Notably, Swearingin has scooped up additional hardware on his own in the GT America powered by AWS championship, proving that winning has become a welcomed habit.
As for the Heart of Racing Team’s Roman De Angelis and Gray Newell, they finally scored their first win of the year in Race 2 at Road America, although they have come close a handful times before, with three prior top-three finishes. While they are still in contention for the title, their path ahead is a little less straightforward, as Tyler McQuarrie and James Walker Jr. will be on the attack in the No. 82 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4.
The BimmerWorld duo, who finished as the runner-ups by one single point in last year’s edition of the championship, have won twice so far this season, including the endurance event in Austin. Alas, they have also faced misfortunes that have in turn seen them not score any points in certain rounds.
Am Class
The No. 98 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 was a dominant force for most of the season in the Am class, consistently finishing on the podium in every race. However, following an on-track incident at Road America that brought their weekend to an early end, the fight for the lead has been substantially reduced.
As Paul Sparta and Kris Wilson were unfortunately sidelined in Wisconsin, Rotek Racing’s Robb Holland and Jaden Lander took home double victories with the No. 099 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, closing in on the frontrunners as they now stand just 13 points away. With Michael Kanisczak now stepping in for Sparta in Alabama, the battle between the two main contending teams will undoubtedly be one to watch.
Meanwhile, a similar tale is unfolding for third place in the rankings, as Carrus Callas Raceteam’s Nicholas Shanny and Chris Walsh, who currently occupy the position in the No. 20 BMW M4 GT4 G82, are only marginally ahead of last year’s Am class champions James Clay and Charlie Postins in the No. 36 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4.
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- September 6th-8th: Barber Motorsports Park
- October 3rd-6th: Indianapolis Motor Speedway