Mixed AMR fortunes at a weather affected GT America visit to Road America
Sunday, August 18, 2024
The GT America Series again delivered on both incident and accident with its two latest races around what quickly became a rain-soaked Road America circuit for this sixth round of the season this weekend.
With Aston Martin Racing again more than adequately represented within this solo bronze rated driver only series in both the GT3 and GT4 classes, it was (unsurprisingly) Mother Nature who had most control over the track programme for much of the weekend as most sessions were affected by the constant heavy rainfall.
Saturday’s opening forty-minute race of the weekend started from behind the Safety Car for the opening ten minutes of the race clock, such were track conditions with the two Vantage GT3’s of #2 Jason Bell and the #007 of Tim Savage at the rear of the pack. Within GT4, the #25 Heart of Racing car of Gray Newell and the #31 Flying Lizard car of Todd Parriott were better placed in P2 and P3 respectively.
Savage’s race was quickly doomed after a DTP was awarded for a pit lane infringement prior to start but Bell had quickly moved up to fifth before spinning the rear tyres coming out of the final corner put the #2 car hard into the tyre wall.
Despite deteriorating conditions, the Aston Martin GT4’s benefit from a puncture for the then race leading Porsche before a last lap lunge from the GT4 Championship leader saw the Porsche pass the Aston Martin to take the class win, Newell second and Pariott claiming his first podium position in the Series.
Sunday’s race was under slightly better conditions in that it wasn’t raining at the time although the threat was always there.
Bell was absent from the proceedings due to ill-health, so the GT3 class was left to Savage to represent from the rear of the grid whilst Newell and Parriott did likewise in the staggered grid but an early spin for the #25 car dropped Newell from second to last in class.
Parriott was having another terrific race holding third as Newell battled for track space on his recovery drive up the order, but Savage would have to settle for the position of tail end Charlie (P7 in class) within his older iteration Vantage GT3 against mainly newer Evo models from other OEM’s.
Just outside the final five minutes, Newell passed stablemate Parriott for the final podium position in class, with Parriott in fourth as the Aston Martin again had to yield to the faster Porsche.
Photo credits – Team / Series / social media
