20 Cars Entered At Sonoma For GT World Challenge America Opener
The entry list for the opening round of the 2022 Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season at Sonoma Raceway has been released. The 20-car entry list is the largest field for the series since the 2019 season, before the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Eight different manufacturers will be represented, including the series debut of the new BMW M4 GT3.
Returning champions K-PAX Racing are here to defend their Pro title with Jordan Pepper and Andrea Caldarelli in the #1 Lamborghini Huracán GT3, and face some very worthy competitors. Monrovia, California outfit US Racetronics is running their #6 Mercedes-AMG GT3 piloted by Steven Aghakhani and Loris Spinelli, then, rounding out the Pro championship are Winward Racing with the #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3, driven by Russell Ward and Philip Ellis.
Joining these three Pro Cup teams is a deep field of 15 Pro-Am Cup teams.
Defending 2020 and 2021 GT World Challenge America Pro-Am champions Wright Motorsports are fielding the only Porsche in the field, the #45 GT3-R driven by Charlie Luck and Jan Heylen.
Wisconsin road racing institution RealTime Racing makes their return to SRO with the #43 Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 driven by Erin Vogel and Michael Cooper. The only other Acura in the field is the #93 Racers Edge entry, piloted by Ashton Harrison and Mario Farnbacher.
BMW will have a strong showing with three teams running the new M4 GT3. Chandler Hull and veteran Bill Auberlen will team up in the #94 BimmerWorld car, while Michael Dinan and Robby Foley will share the #94 Turner Motorsports entry. Samantha Tan and Nick Wittmer make the move up to GT3 after seasons in Pirelli GT4 America and TC America, the Canadian duo will pilot the #38 ST Racing M4 GT3.
Bimmerworld lost their #36 BMW M4 GT3 in a testing crash at VIRginia International Raceway, and due to this chassis’ lack of availability at present, unfortunately had to withdraw.
Several teams are fielding Lamborghini Huracán GT3s, including the #3 K-PAX Racing car driven by Misha Goikhberg and Giacomo Altoè, Ziad Ghandour and Michele Beretta in the #9 TR3 Racing entry, Jason Harward and Madison Snow in the #88 Zelus Motorsports entry, as well as Jeff Burton and Corey Lewis in the #191 Zelus Motorsports sister car.
Sporting the Mercedes-AMG GT3 in Pro-Am are Scott Smithson and Bryan Sellers in the #08, and David Askew and Dirt Mueller in the #63, DXDT Racing rigs. Crowdstrike Racing by Riley Motorsports make up the third Affalterbach-equipped Mercedes, campaigning the #04 car driven by George Kurtz and Colin Braun.
Finally, Ian Lacy Racing will field the #12 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 with Frank Gannett and Drew Staveley behind the wheel, and Triarsi Competizione will debut their #13 Ferrari 488 GT3 with Justin Wetherill and Ryan Dalziel at the helm.
Rounding out the field for Sonoma are two Am Cup cars. Triarsi Competizione will also bring to battle the #23 Ferrari 488 GT3 piloted by Onofrio Triarsi and Charlie Scardina, up against 2021 defending champions AF Corse in the competing #61 Ferrari 488 GT3, with Jean-Claude Saada and Conrad Grunewald in the driver’s seat.
Clear, sunny skies, and comfortable temperatures just north of 20°C are forecast for race weekend. The 2022 GT World Challenge America season begins with races on 16-17 April.
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