One of two AMR Vantage GT4’s within this season’s full season entry saw the former karter, single seater and tin top racer have to pull upon his already limited GT4 racing experience to come away from California with a pair of podium finishes to get his season off to a flying start.
Racing with Tim Savage and his #007 Prosport Competition Aston Martin, there was twelve other runners within this weekend’s two race opener and whilst Saturday’s forty-minute opener would be run within the dry, Sundays finale was a much-shortened affair with two Full Course Yellows and an early end thwarting the efforts of many within the atrocious weather conditions.
For Savage, his return to the series with his Vantage GT4 didn’t last much longer than four laps before (?) technical issues aboard his 17A variant forced him to a halt. Hewitt, meanwhile, was making the most of his new opportunity to push hard from his P4 start to take second in class.
For Savage, his return to the series with his Vantage GT4 didn’t last much longer than four laps before (?) technical issues aboard his 17A variant forced him to a halt. Hewitt, meanwhile, was making the most of his new opportunity to push hard from his P4 start to take second in class.
Then pushing a bit too hard for P1, a wide line cost the #39 driver time for Hewitt to spend the rest of the race defending his position from the more experienced Porsche driver behind. Hewitt would eventually finish P9 overall, P2 in class.
Race two on Sunday was a wholly different affair as the rains from earlier in the week had returned and with a vengeance. Out early for their race, the GT America grid would start in single file formation in the hope of avoiding any unnecessary incidents on track considering the entire grid was made up of bronze ranked drivers.
Whilst the SRO3 (GT3) cars in front was losing their heads, both GT4 Astons picked their way through to be snapping upon the heels of the SRO3 runners even before the end of the opening lap. As the race leader and two other SRO3 cars spun off, Hewitt was already up to second in class with Savage not too far behind either.
Lost time with that FCY was quickly increased with further Safety Car intervention as the restart simply lead to more cars going off but Hewitt had already made his move. Utilising the experiences of his earlier GT4 Winter Series endeavours in Europe, the wet was no stranger to him and a bullish move had seen the #39 move up into the class lead before the second double waved yellow caution had come about.
This time however, there was tyre wall damage to repair and despite twenty minutes still being on the clock, the track workers were unable to facilitate repairs quick enough for the now much reduced grid size to get back to racing.
Calling time seven minutes early, Hewitt secured his second podium finish of the weekend P4 overall and P1 in class whilst Savage made up for his disappointment on Saturday with a P7 finish overall, P4 in class.
The series will now move onto the street circuit of Long Beach, California in two weeks’ time where all hope the weather will be a lightly more seasonal for them!
Photo credits – Team / Series / social media