Although Justin Rothberg is a newcomer to the SRO America paddocks, the driver of the No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 has already made a lasting impression by pulling double duty this season, competing in both GT America Powered by AWS and Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS championships.
After a highly successful 2023 season in Ferrari Challenge North America, where he clinched the Pro-Am championship, Justin knew it was time to take the next step in his racing trajectory.
“I wanted to move up into GT3 machinery because I wanted to try my hand at another level of racing in a purpose-built race car,” he explained. “SRO is a highly competitive field, but it’s also a lot of fun and a great atmosphere overall.”
In GT World Challenge America, Rothberg co-drives alongside seasoned talent Robby Foley, whom Justin described as being “one of the best out there. He’s a great co-driver and coach, which is really important.”
The first race weekend of the season was a significant learning opportunity, gaining experience as he got up to speed with the team; “It wasn’t a perfect weekend, I had some adjustments to make and things to adapt to, but I felt very comfortable in the car, it all felt very familiar to me. This feels like a natural progression. Robby and the whole Turner Motorsport team obviously know the car extremely well, and they did a great job at providing me with a good setup and giving me guidance.”
After completing the opening round at Sonoma Raceway, he now shifts his focus to go racing in the California streets for the Grand Prix of Long Beach presented by 5.11, the second round of the GT America championship taking place from April 19th to 21st.
“I’m excited for the Long Beach event,” he expressed. “I’ve had experience driving on narrow street circuits before, and running in the rain last year in Montreal taught me a lot about hitting your marks and getting comfortable running close to the walls. There’s less of a threshold for error around Long Beach, so hopefully we can keep it clean, stay out of trouble, and get a good result.”
“I’m also looking forward to welcoming some guests from Laticrete,” he continued. “I’m hoping to be able to put on a good show for them.”
Looking ahead to the following round at Sebring International Raceway, Rothberg is confident that the team will be able to challenge at the front of the field; “We know we have a competitive car and we’re a strong team. Our objective is to consistently be running at the front and fighting for podium positions.”
Though Justin Rothberg performed extremely well on track, his dog Lola was the center of attention at Sonoma, "she stole the show, she didn't mind the noise at all," concluded Justin.
