- Bell Clocks Sub-2-Minute Lap To Lead Pro-Am, Overalls
- Grenier Paces Pro Class
- Gattuso Quickest in Am Class
- Provisional Practice 1 Results
A field of fifteen GT3 cars took to Sebring International Raceway’s treacherous concrete confines to commence weekend activity for the third race event of the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season. The competitors met warm temperatures under the sunny Sebring morning skies in the one-hour Practice 1 session, with most entries changing drivers roughly halfway through the session as temperatures increased.
After DXDT Racing led Friday morning’s GT America powered by AWS Practice 2 with Blake McDonald in his entry, his teammate Matt Bell did the same in the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS Practice 1. Driving a similar No. 11 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, Bell was the first driver to lap the track in under 2 minutes. His best time of 1:59.757 came just over 20 minutes into the session, and stood as the best lap both in Pro-Am and overall. JMF Motorsports’ outfit laid the best lap in the Pro class, recording the best third lap overall.
Pro Class
The battle of brands in the Pro class saw Mercedes-AMG lead the way early on at Sebring. Mikaël Grenier, in the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 he shares with Michai Stephens, set a flying time of 2:00.228 just over 15 minutes into the session. That time stood as the best in class by 0.522 of a second.
BMW and Porsche came next, respectively. Kenton Koch was second in his No. 99 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO he shares with Connor De Phillippi. Jan Heylen was third in his No. 18 RS1 Porsche 992 GT3 R, whom Alex Sedgwick co-drives, ahead of the second Pro class BMW, Varun Choksey and Bill Auberlen in the No. 51 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO.
Pro-Am Class
Bell’s early sub-2-minute lap in his No. 11 DXDT Corvette served as the benchmark for others in the Pro-Am class to hit. Aaron Telitz came closest, once he took over the No. 88 Archangel Motorsports McLaren 720S GT3 EVO from Todd Coleman. Telitz clocked in at 2:00.134, just 0.377 off the leading time.
Aaron Povoledo came in third in the No. 50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R. The No. 91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, co-commanded by Swiss sensation Philip Ellis and American veteran driver Jeff Burton, was fourth. Jean-Frédéric Laberge and Kyle Marcelli came in fifth in the No. 92 LAB Motorsport by GT Racing Porsche 992 GT3 R was fifth and the No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO driven by Robby Foley and Justin Rothberg, was sixth. Dollahite Racing’s new addition Stefano Gattuso led the way in Am in the No. 6 Ford Mustang GT3 he shares with Scott Dollahite.
Let’s Get Racing
The GT World Challenge America powered by AWS will return to the track for Practice 2 on Friday afternoon, May 16th at 2:30 PM ET.
If you can’t make it to Sebring International Raceway, be sure to tune-in to SRO’s free live streams all weekend long on YouTube (GTWorld) and Twitch (SROMotorsports) and follow all the action through our social media channels and the event hashtag #GTSebring.