Just six AMR crews travel to the brickyard for the end of season GT and GT4 America Series
Tuesday, October 01, 2024
It may also be that and that many an Aston Martin Racing powered team may not have done as well as they might have hoped has resulted in one of the lowest AMR powered team participation within these events for some time.
Stateside, we see just three AMR powered crews taking part within each of this weekend’s final two races of the GT America and GT4 America Series from the historical home of American racing at the Brickyard. Within the solo driven bronze rated GT America Series, we welcome back the #2 Flying Lizard AMR Vantage GT3 Evo of Jason Bell alongside the #007 Prosport Competition AMR Vantage GT3 of Tim Savage as well as the only AMR Vantage GT4 of the Heart of Racing #25 car for Gray Newell.
2024 saw a big step up the GT racing ladder for the presently still reigning GT America GT4 Champion Jason Bell which to his credit, he and his Flying Lizard team have stuck with all season as he brought himself up to speed with his new car even after his teammate (Elias Sabo) elected to walk from his own AMR part way through this season.
Savage, meanwhile, has been getting to grip with his ex. The Racers Group 16A AMR Vantage GT3. Again, that has not always gone according to plan with both technically or accident induced issues on track that has kept him usually towards the rear of the GT3 field, but again, this is still his first year within a GT3 platform.
Then there is the HoRT AMR Vantage GT4 of Newell. Consistent throughout the season is certainly the case but unfortunately usually only the bridesmaid to Isaac Sherman as the Porsche racer has won all but three of the rounds so far (then two were in second place) with Newell usually ending up fighting for either second or third in class to stand third within the GT4 Drivers Championship with not much else place to go apart from sneaking P2 in the championship from Curt Swearingin if he could.
Then within the sister GT4 America Series, we have both Heart of Racing AMR entries for both Newell and Roman de Angelis within the teams #24 Pro-Am entry alongside the #26 silver entry for both Hannah Grisham and Hannah Greenemeier.
Within the Pro-Am class, there is still a championship to be won as Newell/De Angelis stand just thirty points behind the leaders with still fifty points on the table whilst the two young ladies find themselves in the bizarre position of having their names and points listed within all three classes of the series.
Having originally started the year in Am, they were soon moved across to Pro-Am after scoring well within the first four races before being moved again to the silver class in time for race 6 at VIR. No championship possibility for them this weekend but they have already done themselves and their team more than proud already so another class podium finish this weekend like they had last time out at Barber would be a brilliant way to finish the year.
The #16 Skip Barber Racing AMR Vantage GT4 will complete the racing trilogy this season with another new pairing as both Alex and Michael Garcia both set up the racing ladder themselves from the TC Class and into GT4 which one or both hope to continue with the team into 2025.
Due to the extended/combined eight-hour GT world Challenge America / Intercontinental GT Challenge, the GT America races will be run over both Friday and Sunday whilst the GT4 America Series will run as usual over both Saturday and Sunday.
Photo credits – Team / Series / social media