- Gonzalez and Wagner Victorious in Silver
- Alex Vogel and Matt Bell Clinch in Pro-Am
- Laura Hayes, Allen Patten Claim the Am Win
- Provisional Race 2 Results
Race 2 of the Pirelli GT4 America championship at Barber Motorsports Park delivered non-stop drama across all three classes, with late-race battles, punctures, and strategy swings shaping the final results for the conclusion of the UAB Medicine GT World Alabama benefiting Teal Wings of Hope event. RAFA Racing Team triumphed in Silver, P1 Groupe snatched the Pro-Am win, and Thunder Bunny Racing came out on top in Am.
Silver Class
Tyler Gonzalez got the jump at the start in the No. 68 RAFA Racing Team Toyota Supra GT4, building an early gap while Mads Siljehaug in the No. 71 Marco Polo Motorsports Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO2 stayed within a second. Behind them, the JMF Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 entries ran in formation before pitting simultaneously at the start of the pit window.
A lengthy full-course caution bunched the field with 17 minutes to go, setting the stage for a chaotic restart. Mike David Ortmann in the No. 4 JMF machine was roughed off into the grass but held on to third, just behind teammate Jesse Webb. The JMF duo then locked into a fierce intra-team duel for runner-up honors.
Meanwhile, championship leaders Kenton Koch and Kevin Boehm saw their weekend hopes unravel when a puncture forced the No. 97 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 to retire, eliminating the possibility of clinching the title early.
In the end, Gresham Wagner converted Gonzalez’s strong opening stint to victory, giving RAFA Racing Team a 4.5-second margin at the flag. Ortmann secured second for JMF, with Webb rounding out the podium in third.
“I definitely didn't want to see that full course yellow because Tyler did an amazing job to get us a huge gap at the start,” admitted Gresham Wagner. “It went from management to then having to ace the restart and build a little bit of a gap on my own. It was a tricky first couple laps, but when I looked back after a little while, I had a bit of a buffer, so at that point I just had to bring the car home. We finally nailed the set up today and stayed really consistent through the run and really predictable. I’m really glad to have this Toyota under me.”
“I just want to thank this crew at RAFA Racing Team,” expressed Tyler Gonzalez. “It was a bit of a bloodbath yesterday. They worked all night to get this Toyota put back together, made some pretty big set up changes, and the car felt amazing today. We couldn't have done it without them. We were where we needed to be and I’m just happy to be up here for Toyota.”
Pro-Am Class
Michael Cooper wasted no time pulling away from overall pole in the No. 33 Blackdog Racing McLaren Artura GT4, stretching a commanding 24-second advantage before handing off to teammate Tony Gaples. But fortune turned when a puncture for the No. 9 ACI Motorsports Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS Clubsport of Loek Hartog triggered a full-course yellow, erasing Blackdog Racing’s lead.
On the restart, a frantic shuffle saw Gaples lose the top spot as Riley Dickinson surged to the front in the No. 7 ACI Porsche. Close behind, Matt Bell hustled the No. 43 P1 Groupe McLaren Artura GT4 into second and pressed Dickinson relentlessly. With just under eight minutes left, Bell made the decisive pass to take the class victory. Dickinson held firm in second, while Sam Craven kept the No. 94 Random Vandals Racing BMW in third, banking valuable championship points.
“This is super satisfying,” exclaimed Alex Vogel. “To come back today with the car that was that good, and put in those laps, and to hand it over to Matt to do his magic, it was awesome.”
“Our goal for this year was just to be in striking range,” explained Matt Bell. “Alex just keeps learning and exceeding our goals. Today, he was flying out there. Everyone on the team did a great job giving us a car that we needed. This track suits the car really well and we maximized it. It was great!”
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Am Class
The Am category produced its own share of fireworks, beginning with Charles Postins spinning on lap one in the No. 36 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4. Darius Trinka initially led in the No. 98 Random Vandals BMW, though a wide moment on pit entry handed momentum to Laura Hayes.
Hayes carved through the pack in the No. 606 Thunder Bunny Racing BMW M4 GT4, seizing the lead and fending off a late challenge from James Clay in the BimmerWorld entry. Alex Garcia added more excitement by slipping past Paul Sparta to secure the final podium spot in the No. 07 Skip Barber Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4.
At the checkered flag, Hayes stood tall with the Am Class victory, claiming the team's first victory of the season, while Clay crossed the line in second, and Garcia claimed third.
“It wasn't the easiest drive, so I did what I could,” expressed Laura Hayes. “Allen put me in a great position. It finally came together, so it feels pretty good.”
“This was just a big weight off our back,” echoed Allen Patten. “We’ve had a bunch of misfortunes throughout the year, so hopefully we got it all out of the way this year and next year can be way better.”
Up Next
The Pirelli GT4 America field will return for Rounds 12 and 13 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from October 16th to 19th for the season finale. Purchase your tickets now!