Kurtz Sweeps Sebring, Sabo Wins GT4 as Bell Re-Takes Points Lead
George Kurtz clinched the GT America series’ SRO3 Championship yesterday in Race 1, and he completed a weekend sweep with a hard-fought overall win in Race 2.
Kurtz and his #04 CrowdStrike Racing with Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 won the pole for this morning’s 40-minute race by way of setting the fastest lap en route to his title-clinching victory. He got a rocket start when the green flag dropped, but soon, the colourful #88 Zelus Motorsports Lamborghini Huracán GT3 of Jason Harward was close behind.
In a repeat of yesterday’s race, the Mercedes and Lamborghini ran tail-to-nose for several laps, while breaking away from the other three cars in the top class. On lap 10, Harward got a fantastic run out of Sunset Bend (turn 17), tucked into the slipstream of Kurtz, and took the lead with a clean pass up the inside of turn one.
Harward was in search of his first win since Race 2 at Sonoma Raceway, all the way back in April. He was starting to stretch out a gap over Kurtz, but with eight minutes left in the race, Harward nearly lost control over the bumps at Sunset Bend. He avoided stuffing his “Bullnicorn” Lamborghini in the tyre barriers, but Kurtz was able to drive through around the inside and re-take the lead.
From there, Harward’s pace diminished, and Kurtz was able to drive away to a commanding victory by over 15 seconds. It’s his eighth win of a phenomenal season.
Kurtz may have clinched the SRO3 title yesterday, but there’s still a battle to be settled for second in the standings. Harward consolidated second place for the second time this weekend. And with the #27 Daskalos Motorsports Audi R8 LMS Ultra of Jason Daskalos retiring from the race after 12 laps, Harward will go to Indianapolis just 13 points behind Daskalos in the standings.
With his fifth straight third-place finish of the season, the #70 MISHUmotors Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R of Mirco Schultis is only 21 points back of Dasakalos.
Jeff Burton (#191 TR3 Racing Lamborghini) came away with two fourth-place finishes, getting his season back on track after a few rough weekends.
In the GT4 class, the tan and black #8 Flying Lizard Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 of Elias Sabo scored their first win of the season.
Sabo set the fastest lap in Race 1, giving him the pole for Race 2 today. The Aston Martins were strong at Sebring, and Sabo was finally able to convert his pace into his first win of the GT4 campaign for the legendary Flying Lizards squad.
This completes a great turn-around for Sabo – after the shocking multi-car accident which ended Race 2 in Road America, Sabo was originally classified first in class, before he was given penalties for overtaking under yellows and overspeeding in a Full Course Yellow zone. He fought his way through the field in Race 1, set the fastest lap, and finally got that first win in Race 2.
Sabo won this battle for the race win, but Jason Bell took back the lead in the battle for the GT4 Championship, finishing second in his #2 GMG Racing Vantage GT4. That was another strong bounce-back performance after the late-race collision with Ross Chouest (#50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Vantage GT4) caused him to spin off into the tyre barriers yesterday.
Adam Adelson (#120 Premier Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport) got a fantastic from seventh on the GT4 grid, going almost to the left-side concrete wall into turn one, and eventually making up four places on the opening lap. While Race 1 winner Moisey Uretsky (#55 Accelerating Performance Vantage GT4) dropped three places after nearly losing it in turn one.
Adelson and Uretsky would battle all race long for third place, but Adelson would hold on for the final podium position.
This keeps Adelson within two points of Bell heading into Indianapolis. Uretsky moved up to third in the championship, 27 points behind Bell.
Marko Radisic (#22 SRQ Motorsports BMW M4 GT4), Seth Lucas (#016 Hattori Motorsports Toyota GR Supra GT4), and Bryan Putt (#15 BSport Racing Vantage GT4) finished fifth through seventh.
It was a tough day for both Robb Holland (#99 Rotek Racing Cayman RS), and Chouest, who finished eighth and ninth in class. Chouest is now 28 points behind Bell, and Holland is 35 points behind.
There is one additional wrinkle in this GT4 championship battle to consider: The lowest weekend score for each driver will be dropped at the end of the season.
That climax happens at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with Race 1 on Friday, 7 October – and Race 2 on Sunday, 9 October, following the Indianapolis 8 Hour Race on Saturday.
Images © Brian Cleary, Fabian Lagunas / SRO Motorsports Group America.
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