The Racers Edge Motorsports pairing of Dakota Dickerson and Taylor Hagler headed a 1-2 Pro-Am result for Acura in Saturday’s opening race of the Fanatec GT World Challenge America, Powered by AWS race weekend at Road America.
With the third overall finish, HPD GT3 Academy alums Hagler and Dickerson scored their first SRO Pro-Am class win, while Hagler became the second woman to win a race in GT World Challenge competition, also in the highly-competitive Pro-Am category. In Sunday’s race, Dickerson started from the pole and led the opening 50 minutes of the 90-minute contest. Hagler then took over the driving duties, and maintained the pair’s Pro-Am class lead until a mechanical issue, resulting in a cut right front tire, ended their attempt at a weekend sweep.
Winners of Sunday’s race at Virginia International Raceway in June, the #77 Compass Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo of Michael Di Meo and Matt McMurry took the second step on the Pro-Am podium to complete the 1-2 Acura result. Unfortunately, and early-race mechanical issue ended their run in Sunday’s final race in the doubleheader weekend.
Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS Saturday Acura Road America Results
1st Pro-Am – #93 Taylor Hagler and Dakota Dickerson, Racers Edge Acura NSX GT3
2nd Pro-Am – #77 Michael Di Meo and Matt McMurry, Compass Racing Acura NSX GT3
Quotes:
Taylor Hagler (#93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 Evo) 1st Pro-Am, Third Overall on Saturday: “Honestly, this was probably one of my best drives to date. We didn’t get a lot of practice with the rain and a red flag [on Friday], so qualifying was like my practice. Then, in the race, I just kept getting better and better. Having both of our coaches, Ricky [Taylor] and Ryan [Eversley], here are a lot of help, and the team did a great job helping me get up to speed here. I’ve never driven a GT3 car at Road America before, but being able to follow the other [Compass Racing] Acura helped me get up to speed today. Then the team did an amazing job to put us in front. This has been a super-intense weekend, and I think Dakota [Dickerson] and I both had our best race of the season so far.”
Dakota Dickerson (#93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 Evo) 1st Pro-Am, Third Overall on Saturday: “It’s definitely intense leading a GT3 race, but the Racers Edge guys gave me another fantastic car and from there, it was just managing the pace. We had another really fast Acura NSX GT3 Evo behind us [Compass Racing], so was pushing hard at the beginning of my stint, then tried to save my tires in case there was a late-race restart. It was really fun, and I’m glad to get this first win. It boosted [co-driver] Taylor in the points as well, so it’s an awesome day.”
The SRO Fanatec GT World Challenge America, Powered by AWS continues next month with rounds 9 and 10, September 17-19, at Watkins Glen International Raceway in upstate New York.