- Schandorff and Perez Companc Break Through in Pro
- Daskalos and Ellis Deliver Superb Overall Victory in Pro-Am
- Schreibman and Simonsen Continue Strong Form in Am
- Provisional Race Results
Mixed conditions set the stage for an unpredictable three-hour GT World Challenge America powered by AWS race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Heavy rain before the start left the circuit damp with lingering wet patches, forcing teams to make difficult tire strategy decisions as the green flag flew. As the track dried and temperatures climbed, the intensity on track only increased, culminating in breakthrough victories for both AF Corse USA in the Pro class and JMF Motorsports in Pro-Am. With dramatic retirements, fierce battles, and championship implications across classes, SRO America’s return to Road Atlanta was certainly one to remember.
Pro Class
The No. 12 AF Corse USA Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO started from pole position with Matias Perez Companc at the wheel, but it was the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO of Michai Stephens that emerged with the early advantage, taking the lead by the end of the opening lap.
Cameron Lawrence quickly joined the fight in the No. 6 Dollahite Racing Ford Mustang GT3, passing the Ferrari in the opening laps to move into second.
With the circuit rapidly drying, strategy soon became the defining factor. Dollahite Racing was among the first to pit and switch from wet-weather tires to slicks, with AF Corse USA and JMF Motorsports following shortly thereafter. As the pit cycle played out, the leading contenders emerged nose-to-tail in a tightly contested battle for the race lead.
Twenty-six minutes into the race, Lawrence executed a bold move on Stephens to seize first place. But as the stint wore on, changing conditions continued to reshape the order. Around the 50-minute mark, Stephens was unsettled by a bump and ran slightly off-line, allowing Perez Companc to reclaim second position.
The race took another turn during the driver changes. Lawrence pitted from the lead, with Stephens stopping one lap later. Alex Sedgwick and Mikael Grenier took over their respective entries, and initially the No. 6 Mustang retained the advantage, but that lead proved short-lived.
Moments after returning to the track, the Dollahite Racing Mustang slowed dramatically with an apparent loss of power. The car was forced behind the wall and ultimately retired from the race while leading.
Another contender fell out of the fight with 1 hour and 11 minutes remaining when Robby Foley pulled the No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO to the side of the circuit with a mechanical issue, prompting a full-course yellow.
When pit lane opened under caution with just over an hour to go, most of the field dove in for service. JMF Motorsports emerged ahead of its Pro competitors and reclaimed the lead of the race, but post-race drama loomed as the No. 34 Mercedes-AMG was assessed a 1.27-second penalty for a short pit stop time. Additional trouble followed when JMF Motorsports received another five-second post-race penalty for improper pit procedures.
Despite knowing the penalties would be applied after the checkered flag, AF Corse USA left nothing to chance. Frederik Schandorff charged back past and overtook Mikael Grenier on track to secure the lead outright.
The victory marked AF Corse USA's first Pro win of the 2026 season, while JMF Motorsports' second-place finish allowed the team to extend its championship lead. McCann Racing completed the podium to secure its first top-three finish of the year.
"It was a tough weekend, but great for us,” shared Matias Perez Companc. “Different conditions with a wet track at the start and then drying throughout the race made it a great experience. We managed to get the win, so I'm really happy with the team and how they performed. Fred drove really well, so it's been a positive weekend and we're looking forward to Road America."
"It's good for the championship,” said Frederik Schandorff. “I'm sorry for these guys that we couldn't race them straight up on track. To be honest, I think we had the pace and the package today to win anyway. I'm really happy to be part of Matias's journey and see how much he's improved since Sebring. I'm excited to see how much he pushes me by the end of the season."
Pro-Am Class
Pro-Am polesitter Todd Coleman slipped backward in the No. 69 Archangel Motorsports McLaren 720S GT3 EVO as the race settled in, opening the door for Jason Daskalos in the No. 27 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO to assume the class lead while running third overall.
Championship leaders GMG Racing encountered adversity when they were assessed a 5.34-second penalty to be served at their next eligible stop. The penalty dropped the No. 32 Porsche deeper into the field following the driver change from Kyle Washington to Tom Sargent.
The race was neutralized 55 minutes in when the No. 99 Random Vandals Racing BMW of Derek DeBoer and the No. 28 RS1 Porsche of JP Martinez collided and slid into the runoff area.
After the driver changes, Philip Ellis took over from Daskalos and immediately began to build his advantage at the front as green flag racing resumed.
Behind him, the battle for the remaining podium positions intensified. Aaron Telitz brought the Archangel Motorsports machine back into contention with a pass for second place with 50 minutes remaining. Moments later, Andy Lee ran wide in the No. 14 Riley Motorsports BMW, opening the door for Tom Sargent to move into podium position as well. The fight between Telitz and Sargent continued throughout the final hour, with neither driver willing to yield.
With less than 15 minutes remaining, Ellis had not only surged past the Pro class AF Corse Ferrari, but also past his own Pro class JMF Motorsports sister car, moving into the overall lead and never looking back.
The victory marked the first win of the season for the No. 27 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, with Ellis delivering an incredible show in his one-off regular season appearance. Archangel Motorsports finally broke through for its first podium of the year with second place, while Washington and Sargent secured third and further strengthened their Pro-Am championship lead.
"I'm humble and I work hard, not only here at the racetrack, but at home,” said an emotional Jason Daskalos. “My whole family is here: my sister, my brother-in-law, my mom, my dad, my kids, my fiancée. This is amazing. We're flying to Greece tomorrow for a month, so this is just incredible."
"I was just in the zone,” stated Philip Ellis. “I was driving the car for what it could do and managing the tires and the heat. Initially, we didn't look too strong, so I didn't think we'd catch up. But I think we managed the tires better early in the final stint while the others ran out. We also had a tough call with the sister car because they were still fighting for the overall win. We felt we had more pace, so we focused on opening the gap rather than risking both wins."
Am Class
The No. 163 AF Corse USA Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO of Jay Schreibman and Benny Simonsen continued its impressive season with another commanding Am class victory. Schreibman laid the foundation with a strong opening stint, showcasing impressive pace throughout changing track conditions before handing the car over to Simonsen to bring the victory home.
"That was a mega experience,” exclaimed Benny Simonsen. “Road Atlanta is a bucket-list track to drive, and Jay did an awesome job. He was really the star of the show. His pace was incredible, and he did all the hard work. I just had to bring the car home. He drove absolutely awesome."
"Benny did an awesome job, and the team gave me a mega car,” added Jay Schreibman. “The pace was superb and I was having a lot of fun out there. I almost didn't want to give him the car. It was a great day, and a shoutout to my brother Oz."
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Up Next
We are now heading into the summer break, but the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS field will return for the fifth round of the season at Road America from August 28th to 30th, 2026.
Buy your Road America tickets now!