GT World Challenge America - Round 1 - Debut victory for JMF Motorsports, while Random Vandals fly at Sonoma!

The opening round of the 2025 GT World Challenge America season brings us to the picturesque Sonoma Raceway, where battles ensued for Pro and Pro-Am classes, resulting in breath-taking overtakes and action throughout.

Photo: Fred Hardy

QUALIFYING

Qualifying kicked off for the first time in 2025 for the GT World Challenge America series, where Kenton Koch shined in the #99 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3 Evo, closely followed by the Pro-Am #91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo entry of Philip Ellis, who was just six-hundredths slower. Michai Stephens in the #34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes managed to qualify third overall, second in the Pro class, while Allam Khodair in the #16 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 qualified fourth with a 1:34.336. Bill Auberlen in the sister Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 wasn’t able to set a qualifying time, therefore would start the first race from the back of the grid.

The second qualifying session, to set the grid for the second race of the weekend saw Colin Braun in the #04 CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo take pole position with a 1:37.739, while the highest qualifying Pro car was the #99 Random Vandals Racing BMW of Connor De Phillippi. Many cars were unable to set lap times in this session due to an early red flag caused by a large incident by Kyle Marcelli in the #92 LAB Motorsport by GT Racing Porsche 992 GT3 R, which crashed coming out of turn two of the hilly circuit. The Porsche was withdrawn from the meeting due to damage.

Photo: Fabian Lagunas

RACE 1

An additional formation lap was run due to the lower temperatures at the circuit, as well as the no tyre-warmers present in the series. As the race went green, it was a clean first lap, but far from quiet as Bill Auberlen put on a masterclass in the opening-lap, charging from eighteenth to eleventh in just a single lap, meanwhile the battle in Pro-Am started to heat up quickly. A scrap between the #11 DXDT Racing Corvette and #27 CRP Racing Mercedes machines for P4, which would see multiple twists later in the race.

Penalties soon came into play, where the #6 Dollahite Racing Ford Mustang GT3 and #163 AF Corse Ferrari were handed ten-second penalties for pre-race infractions, and the #6 Mustang team made a crucial mistake by trying to serve their penalty too early, forcing them to serve it again during the mandatory stop, costing them any potential points. Just minutes later, Elias Sabo in the #8 Flying Lizard Motorsports BMW M4 GT3 Evo had a dramatic off-track moment at turn one, bringing attention to the tricky early race conditions, and also bringing an eye from the stewards, who investigated him for cutting the course in order to rejoin the circuit.

At the front, a brilliant move by Ellis saw the #91 Regulator Racing Mercedes pass the #99 Random Vandals BMW of Koch for the lead of the race, both drivers also leading their respective classes. After a strong opening stint, Ellis pitted with forty-three minutes to go to hand over to Jeff Burton, and the team opted not to change tyres, their decision only to adjust the pressures hinted at a bold double-stint strategy. Speed was not on Burton’s side, where his lead eventually evaporated quickly as Mikaël Grenier in the #34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes powered through, followed shortly by Connor De Phillippi in the #99 BMW, dropping the #91 down the order.

The Pro-Am battle exploded mid-race, with Robby Foley in the #29 Turner Motorsport BMW surging up the order, overtaking Marcelo Hahn in the #16 Ferrari for second position, then shortly dispatched Burton to take the Pro-Am lead with just over twenty minutes to go. With seventeen minutes to go, Colin Braun and Isaac Sherman went three wide with Jeff Burton for third position in class, dropping Burton to fifth, and moments later Braun pulled off a brave move into second, going around the outside at the final corner over the Ferrari of Hahn. 

Photo: Fabian Lagunas

In the final laps, Michael Cooper in the #2 Racers Edge Motorsport Aston Martin added to Burton’s woes, demoting him to sixth in Pro-Am, while a late lunge attempt from Sherman in the #27 CRP Racing Mercedes on the #16 Ferrari of Hahn in turn seven nearly shook things up, but Hahn held his third position.

The white flag waved as the final lap came along with Grenier leading De Phillippi by just over a second. Despite intense pressure, Grenier held on to take the chequered flag by a narrow 0.8 seconds, securing a debut win for JMF Motorsports, a monumental achievement. Meanwhile in Pro-Am, Foley completed a flawless drive to take the class victory 4.5 seconds ahead of Braun, with Hahn rounding out the podium. The Am class, which saw a solitary finisher of Oswaldo Negri Jr. and Jay Schreibman take the class win, two laps behind the overall leaders, but completing a clean run. 

Photo: Fabian Lagunas

RACE 2

The second race of the weekend delivered another action-packed showdown, marked by bold overtakes, strategy swings, and a masterclass from Kenton Koch and Philip Ellis to take victory in their respective classes. With the formation laps underway, all eyes were on the grid, while confusion struck early as the #11 DXDT Racing Corvette inexplicably ran off-track before the race had even started. The highest Pro car lined up in only fifth position, setting the stage for a charge to the front.

As the green flag dropped, the #04 CrowdStrike Racing Mercedes rocketed off the line, seizing the early advantage, while Jan Heylen began a feisty battle with Jeff Burton for fifth overall, while #8 Andy Lee quietly carved his way through the field in the early laps, making up plenty of places.

Isaac Sherman made a few mistakes during the race, proving the fact that this weekend was his first in GT3 competition, spinning into the grass at turn four, while Oswaldo Negri lost three positions in one corner, while not fighting for class position. 

Burton made a mistake into the final chicane, getting caught in a three-wide squeeze between the #50 Corvette and #51 BMW, losing valuable track positions. Moments later, contact came between Sherman and Darren Turner in the #24 Heart of Racing Aston Martin, forcing the Aston Martin back several spots. The final straw came when Sherman binned it completely at the final chicane, catching the grass and spinning him around, narrowly missing any other competitors.

The Regulator Racing #91 Mercedes was the first car to pit, with Burton handing over to Ellis to attempt to charge through the field and get the class victory, while the leading #04 Mercedes handed over to George Kurtz, looking to maintain track position. The #18 RennSport1 Porsche of Alex Sedgwick emerged the fastest, snatching the overall lead from Kurtz with just thirty minutes remaining, in a bold move, and more importantly just before disaster struck.

Jay Schreibman in the #163 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 found himself in the barriers at the final corner, bringing out a full course yellow, and serious front-end damage left the car stranded and leaking water and other fluids.

Photo: Fabian Lagunas

As the field resumed racing, treacherous damp patches at the final corner caught out several drivers, but not Sedgwick, who blasted away at the restart, with Kenton Koch going around the outside of Kurtz in a breath-taking move at turn one, setting up for a three-way battle for the lead that would define the final stretch. Philip Ellis expectedly made moves, taking the Pro-Am lead from Kurtz with just fifteen minutes to go, capping off a brilliant second stint for the #91, after their earlier struggles in race one. 

Moments later, a three-car fight for the lead between Sedgwick, Koch and Stephens ensued, while the Racers Edge Aston Martin dropped out of the points paying positions after an off-track excursion, and with just minutes left, Koch began his final push. Firstly a failed move was followed by an excellent dive to the inside at turn one, securing the race lead up the hill into turn three. As the clock struck zero, Koch flew past the line with just seven tenths remaining, triggering one final lap to seal the deal. 

The Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3 Evo of Kenton Koch took the race two win, holding off the Porsche by 1.3 seconds after an electrifying final push. Burton and Ellis take their maiden 2025 victory, stamping their force and strategy calls as ones to anticipate for future race meetings.

CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS AWAITS

The second round of the championship heads to the Circuit of the Americas on the 25th - 27th April, with the #99 Random Vandals Racing BMW leading the championship by just three points over the debuting JMF Motorsports. A strong second race from the RS1 Porsche see them third in the championship, while the #51 BMW sits three points behind in fourth.

After a race one victory, and podium in race two, the #29 Turner Motorsport BMW leads the Pro-Am championship by four points over the #04 CrowdStrike Racing Mercedes, with the Burton/Ellis Mercedes in third.