Sebring International Raceway is a special place for all who attempt to conquer it, but it holds a little more meaning for Florida’s very own TR3 Racing. For one of the paddock’s longtime teams, this weekend at Sebring International Raceway feels like a homecoming in every sense of the word.
Founded by the Romanelli brothers as the motorsports arm of South Florida-based TR3 Performance, the team quickly became one of the series’ most recognizable operations. From the final years of the Pirelli World Challenge era through the transition into GT World Challenge America, TR3 Racing established itself as a constant presence in the SRO America paddock. They saw success throughout multiple iterations and manufacturers, earning wins and podiums that further cemented their household name.
Now, after briefly stepping away following the 2023 season to focus on expanding other areas of the team, they are back for 2026 with renewed energy, strong ambitions, a familiar core group, and they are ready for the next chapter ahead. As they take on the third round of the season at Sebring, they relish the opportunity to compete in their home state.
“Sebring's like a second home for us,” team owner Gregory Romanelli said. “We do a lot of testing here in the off-season, and during the season as well. We've had a lot of success here at Sebring in various different categories. It's always a pleasure to be here, I love Sebring. I know the heat and the humidity can be tough to handle, but it adds character to the track. We're extremely happy to be here. If you can be fast here, you can be fast anywhere.”
Although they are already an established name in the paddock, the 2026 season has seen both old and new elements blend together as the team navigates another exciting chapter. This year’s program centers around the No. 9 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo competing in the Pro-Am class with drivers Brayton Williams and Daniel Morad, with the latter returning to the lineup after having already raced with the team previously.
“We’re thrilled to have been able to come back to SRO after a two-year break with the proper team and the proper drivers in order to put something very competitive together. Daniel came to race with TR3 when we were with Mercedes in ’23. Once we got this year’s program back up and running, Daniel was always in the back of my mind to have in the car, and we're happy to have him back. He's a stellar driver on and off track, and makes everyone laugh. The whole team atmosphere has been tremendous ever since he came back to the program.”
Equally important has been the continuity behind the scenes. Much of the team’s core personnel has remained for the revived effort, creating an environment that Romanelli says immediately felt natural again.
“The main group and the organization are very similar,” he said. “Everyone knows each other very well. Even though maybe they didn't work all together on this program, they’ve worked on different programs as well, so everyone's very familiar with each other.”
That level of camaraderie has helped accelerate the development of Brayton Williams, who is making his GT World Challenge America debut this season after progressing through a long-standing relationship with the team. Romanelli first connected with the Williams family through track-day programs at The Concours Club in Florida, where Brayton quickly demonstrated his potential.
“Brayton being pretty much the first year professionally racing, he's done a phenomenal job in and out of the car,” Romanelli said. “GT3 is the highest level of racing you can go racing in, and being in SRO, the paddock's extremely competitive. For being his first season here, he's right where he needs to be in order to be competitive. We’re taking everything race by race and ensuring that the environment is comfortable in order to best encourage progression, which only further helps us progress as a team as well.”
The preparation for Williams’ transition to GT3 machinery included extensive testing with Mercedes-AMG support, much of it conducted at Sebring itself, and all the pieces came together at the right time ahead of their full-season campaign.
“This is where Brayton drove a GT3 car for the first time,” Romanelli noted. “His first laps this weekend were just as fast as the last ones from our most recent test. Our preparation as a team going into a race is the same as all the other races, but for Sebring, it’s a little bonus that instead of flying somewhere, we get to drive in. For us, it's always about trying to give it our best that we can.”
That partnership with Mercedes-AMG has also become a defining piece of the team’s current identity, with a lot of credit going to the open and communicative nature of the customer racing relationship.
“What we have with Mercedes is honestly something special,” Romanelli said. “They made us feel at home. As soon as we switched to them in 2023, that's mainly the reason why we came back to them. The product is phenomenal. The car is still extremely competitive in any championship that you look at worldwide.”
Although results have not yet fully reflected the pace the team knows it possesses, Romanelli remains confident the ingredients are in place for TR3 Racing to reestablish itself near the front of the field as GT World Challenge America continues to evolve with its new single-race, three-hour format.
“I really like the format change,” he said. “I think it's the right direction. It feels more competitive and entertaining, in addition to being more optimal structurally.”
For TR3 Racing, though, this weekend is about more than format changes or future plans. It is about returning to familiar ground, both literally and figuratively. Sebring is woven into the team’s history and roots. Long before competing professionally, the Romanelli family spent weekends at the legendary Florida circuit during track-day events, building memories that still resonate today.
“I'm a Florida boy,” Romanelli said with a smile. “I love Sebring. For me, everything around here is entertaining. I mean, the track is awesome, and they have great food here as well. I always send my father a picture if I get a breakfast sandwich here. That's what we were doing when we were kids here. The whole atmosphere around here is very different, and it's the history of Sebring that makes it special.”
To watch TR3 Racing at Sebring International Raceway this weekend, get your #GTSebring tickets now, or tune-in to SRO’s free live streams on YouTube (GTWorld) and Twitch (SROMotorsports) and follow all the action through our social media channels and the event hashtag #GTSebring.
