GMG Racing, the multi-series professional racing team and premier performance tuning facility for European vehicles in Southern California, pulled a little switcheroo for a tough pair of Pirelli World Challenge rounds last weekend at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix as two of the drivers swapped cars for the events.

“Long yellows made the races less than exciting,” pointed out GMG Racing president, co-founder, and lead driver James Sofronas about Rounds 5 and 6 of Pirelli World Challenge.  “The team never really got a chance to contest for the podium though we raced hard whenever we saw green.”

Perhaps the biggest excitement came before the races began.  Sofronas and David Welch had been discussing having David join the team as he looked for a ride for the Detroit races.  Sofronas decided to step aside and put Welch into his #14 car which then carried the #77 and David’s sponsors.  Sofronas then drove another car from the GMG stable which the team prepped just days before the event.

Welch impressively went on to finish in 6^th in the GT class in both the Saturday and Sunday races behind the wheel of the No. 77 Numerix / StopTech / GMG Racing 911 GT3 Cup.  Sofronas, who was working with Welch to get him up to speed, was his wing man for both races as they ran nose to tail for both races.

“David had a good run both days and loved the GMG Porsche,” summarized Sofronas.  “Any GMG Porsche will be very easy to drive, especially compared to the Ferrari 430 he has been piloting, but he really proved himself a quick driver and a good study of the car especially considering he had never driven a Porsche before.”  Sofronas indicated that Welch would drive again on the GMG team.

Anders Hainer came in 10^th on Saturday behind the wheel of the world’s first World Challenge Audi R8 LMS.  Hainer, who jumped into the car for its debut season with limited opportunity to test the vehicle, has been doing quite well considering the level of competition in World Challenge racing this year while seeing most of these tracks for the first time.

Sunday proved a rougher challenge for Hainer.  The car cut a tire in the race with little wiggle room and a wall looming ahead.  The 2006 Grand-Am Champion called on his skills to keep the car under control and narrowly missed a damaging impact with the wall.  The incident cost him a few spots but Hainer brought the car in 13^th for a complete race.

2009 Rookie of the Year Bill Ziegler did not make off so lucky in the GTS class.  Ziegler got off to a great start but the Volvo of Randy Pobst stalled on the line.  “It was a mad scramble to get around the car as the field scattered to avoid hitting Randy,” recalled Sofronas.  “Bill was the unfortunate one that hit him and his race ended right there.”

“David did well and I did okay, but Bill had an obviously horrible weekend and Anders left narrowly escaping damage,” said Sofronas.  “Now we learn and move on to the next race, as always supported by our great crew and invaluable sponsors including StopTech, Mobil 1, Pirelli Tires, APS, Under Armour and Swisher.”

The Pirelli World Challenge heads off to Canada next for Rounds 8 and 9 at the Mosport International Raceway Doubleheader June 22-24.  Last weekend’s Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix will air on the NBC Sports Network, Saturday, July 7th at 5-7 PM eastern.

For more information about GMG Racing, visit www.GMGracing.com or keep up to date through Facebook (Team GMG), Twitter (@GMGracing) and YouTube (/GMGracing).

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