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Some moments in motorsport only happen once—and GMG Racing seized the opportunity with both hands. In the debut race of the McLaren Trophy America series Saturday at Sonoma Raceway, GMG earned a historic overall and Pro-Am victory, while also securing a front-row lockout and a strong Am-class result.

John Capestro-Dubets (JCD) and Andrew Chinnici, in Chinnici’s professional racing debut, drove the No. 4 GMG Racing McLaren Artura Trophy Evo to victory from pole position. The win was made even more impressive considering the car had never turned a wheel prior to Thursday’s test session.

They were joined on the podium by James Sofronas, who qualified second overall and finished second in the Am class and fifth overall in the No. 14 GMG Racing McLaren Artura Trophy Evo.

Making History with a Victory

“Getting the first overall win was special—there’s only one chance to do that,” said Sofronas, GMG Racing Founder and Team Principal. “The team worked tirelessly to get these cars race-ready with no testing time. I had no doubt we’d be competitive, and the results speak for themselves.”

Chinnici started the race from pole after an intense qualifying session, narrowly edging out Sofronas by just 0.069 seconds. After a clean opening stint, JCD took over the car and regained the lead with under 10 minutes to go, holding it to the checkered flag with a margin of victory of 2.498 seconds.

“This feels incredible,” said Capestro-Dubets. “Andrew put me in a great position, and I’m grateful to him, to Kevin King—our car owner—and to everyone at GMG Racing. This win is for Kevin.”

Chinnici, who has previously only competed in SCCA and Skip Barber events, was stunned by his own pace and composure during his first professional race weekend.

“People told me this wasn’t enough notice to be competitive, but the team at GMG made this possible,” said Chinnici. “This was supposed to be a learning weekend, but to walk away with a pole and a win is surreal. I’m blown away.”

Sofronas, who also serves as a driver coach at GMG’s Thermal Club headquarters, spoke highly of Chinnici’s transition: “Andrew’s car control is elite, and it’s been rewarding to see his skills translate from coaching into racing at this level.”

Podium Pace for Sofronas Despite Pit Setback

After qualifying second overall and first in the Am class, Sofronas was set for a strong result until a pit lane timing issue extended his stop and cost him valuable track position.

“We had the pace, but a glitch with the pit timer meant we were stationary for far too long,” Sofronas said. “Still, we rallied, moved up to fifth overall, and salvaged second in class. These things happen, and we’ll tighten it up for Sunday.”

The Am-class podium finish was a promising sign for Sofronas and the No. 14 McLaren, which was running in its first race after just a few days of prep.

“The McLaren Trophy platform is phenomenal,” Sofronas added. “McLaren’s commitment to motorsport, the hospitality, the support—it’s a great environment for drivers and teams. We’re excited to grow our program and expand our lineup with more Arturas in the coming months.”

Looking Ahead

GMG Racing’s two McLaren entries at Sonoma are the first of five Arturas the team will campaign this season. Kevin King, owner and primary Am driver of the No. 4, missed Sonoma due to personal obligations but is expected to return at COTA.

“Kevin now owns the first McLaren Trophy-winning car in North America,” Sofronas said. “This win is a testament to what’s possible when preparation meets opportunity. We can’t wait to have him back in the seat and continue building this program.”

The second McLaren Trophy America race of the weekend is scheduled for Sunday at 10:25 a.m. PDT.

Watch live on MAVTV and the GTWorld YouTube channel at youtube.com/GTWorld.

GMG Racing is back in action this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, kicking off its 2025 SRO America campaign with a multi-faceted effort across three premier championships. The team will field four entries in GT World Challenge America, GT America, and the newly launched McLaren Trophy America, bringing Porsche and McLaren machinery to the forefront of competition.

All three series open their 2025 seasons with back-to-back races Saturday and Sunday on Sonoma’s 2.52-mile road course.

Returning in Force with GT3

Leading the effort is Kyle Washington, who returns for a second full-season campaign in GT World Challenge America alongside co-driver Tom Sargent in the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R. The duo competes in the Pro-Am class, looking to build on last season’s breakthrough win at VIR.

Washington will also contest a full season in GT America, piloting a second No. 32 Porsche 911 GT3 R in the single-driver SRO3 sprint race format.

“This marks my 31st season competing in SRO America, and I’m just as energized as ever,” said GMG Racing Founder and Principal James Sofronas. “Kyle is doubling down on his Porsche GT3 program, and we’re proud to support that with two full-season entries at the top level.”

Sofronas himself will make select appearances in GT America this season, starting with a confirmed entry at the 50th running of the Grand Prix of Long Beach next month in his No. 14 Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO2. He claimed his most recent SRO win in that car last year at Road America.

Also returning to the grid is longtime GMG Racing teammate CJ Moses, who will run a GT2-class campaign in the No. 58 Audi R8 LMS GT2, competing in as many rounds as his schedule allows.

“We’re excited to have CJ back with us,” Sofronas said. “He’s always a strong presence in the GT2 field, and we’re looking forward to seeing what he does this year.”

Debut of the McLaren Trophy America Program

Adding a new chapter to GMG Racing’s manufacturer partnerships, the team will campaign two full-season entries in the debut McLaren Trophy America series.

The No. 4 McLaren Artura, entered in the Pro-Am class, will be driven this weekend by Andrew Chinnici alongside pro driver John Capestro-Dubets, filling in for Kevin King, the car’s primary driver who is out due to a personal matter.

Sofronas will also compete in the Am-class with a solo drive in the No. 14 McLaren Artura Trophy EVO.

“This is a new and exciting step for us,” said Sofronas. “We’ve got five McLarens being delivered over the next six months, and this weekend at Sonoma is just the beginning of what we expect to be a long-term, successful collaboration with McLaren and McLaren Newport Beach.”

The cars were delivered to GMG Racing’s new headquarters at The Thermal Club just last week. With zero test mileage, the team had to convert them to Trophy specification in just three days before loading them straight onto the transport.

“Neither car had turned a wheel before we put them on the trailer,” Sofronas said. “But our team has always been up to the task, and we’re confident they’ll be ready to go for Thursday’s test sessions.”

Driver Development at the Core

Sofronas points to GMG Racing’s expanded presence at The Thermal Club as a key driver in the team’s multi-platform growth. With state-of-the-art facilities and access to world-class track time, GMG has deepened its client development programs across Porsche, Audi, and now McLaren platforms.

“All of this stems from the time we invest with drivers at Thermal,” Sofronas said. “Whether it’s Kyle building his GT3 experience or onboarding new McLaren Trophy drivers, the foundation is always strong preparation and high-level support. We’ve been busy all winter building out new programs, and now it’s time to go racing.”

Weekend Schedule & Broadcast Info

Testing kicks off Thursday, followed by official practice on Friday. Qualifying and race sessions begin Saturday morning:
Saturday:
• McLaren Trophy Race 1 – 12:05 p.m. PDT
• GT America Race 1 – 1:10 p.m. PDT
• GT World Challenge Race 1 – 3:15 p.m. PDT
Sunday:
• GT America Race 2 – 9:25 a.m. PDT
• McLaren Trophy Race 2 – 10:25 a.m. PDT
• GT World Challenge Race 2 – 3:00 p.m. PDT

All races will be streamed live on MAVTV and the GTWorld YouTube channel at youtube.com/GTWorld.

GMG Racing opened the IMSA Carrera Cup North America season with a pair of hard-fought fourth-place finishes in the Pro-Am class at Sebring International Raceway. Patrick Mulcahy and James Sofronas each secured a fourth-place result in the doubleheader event, while Kyle Washington fought his way to a Masters Class sixth-place finish in Friday’s race.

A Promising Start for Mulcahy and Sofronas

For Patrick Mulcahy, his first Carrera Cup outing in the No. 54 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup was a test of both skill and patience. After starting fifth, he quickly found his rhythm following a red flag and climbed his way to fourth in Thursday’s race.

“We had more pace than what qualifying showed, but I didn’t really get into a flow until after the red flag,” Mulcahy said. “Once we got going, I knew my race pace was strong. The biggest difference between this and Porsche Sprint Challenge is how tight the competition is—everyone is running nearly identical lap times, so you have to be precise and capitalize on any mistake ahead.”

In Friday’s race, Sofronas put his experience to work, recovering from a tough opening race to claim his own fourth-place finish in Pro-Am in the No. 14 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

“The level of competition in Carrera Cup gets stronger every year,” Sofronas said. “I didn’t get much seat time in the offseason with our move to The Thermal Club, and I could feel that in Race 1. I lost my splitter on the first lap, which really made it an uphill battle. But for Race 2, the GMG Racing crew gave me a great car, and I was able to push harder. We had the pace to be in the mix—I just needed a little more luck with race timing. I’ll take what I learned here and apply it to Miami in May.”

Sofronas also had the opportunity to race alongside Mulcahy for the first time in Carrera Cup after mentoring him through Porsche Sprint Challenge last year.

“I was really impressed with Patrick’s pace right out of the gate,” Sofronas said. “He showed that he’ll be a serious contender this year, which makes me really proud. Kyle also fought hard, and I know we have the pieces in place to get on the podium soon.”

Washington Faces a Deep Masters Class Field

After securing a podium finish in his Sebring debut last season, Kyle Washington found himself battling an even tougher Masters Class field this year. Despite finishing sixth in Friday’s race, he put in a strong performance in the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, embracing the challenge of Sebring’s notoriously bumpy track.

“Masters has stepped it up, no doubt about it,” Washington said. “Maybe I got a little lucky last year, but I felt like I put together a solid race on Friday. The GMG Racing Porsche was dialed in. Sebring is insane—those bumps make it feel like an off-road race, which I love, but I was looking for a drink and some Advil afterward.”

Both Washington and Sofronas competed in special Mobil 1 Pegasus-branded liveries, celebrating Mobil 1’s longtime presence at Sebring as part of the 73rd running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

“GMG Racing and I have been connected to Mobil 1 for almost 31 years, and I’m incredibly proud of that relationship,” Sofronas said. “Mobil 1 has been a leader in motorsports, and now we’re building something even bigger with Troy Lee Designs in the mix. We’ve got exciting things ahead.”

Next Stop: Miami Grand Prix Weekend

GMG Racing will return to Carrera Cup competition May 2–4 as part of the Formula One Miami Grand Prix support series.

All rounds of the IMSA Carrera Cup North America season are streamed live on NBC’s Peacock, IMSA.tv, and IMSA’s YouTube Channel, with replays of the Sebring races available on Peacock.

Championship-winning Porsche competitors GMG Racing and team drivers Kyle Washington, Patrick Mulcahy and James Sofronas will campaign a trio of Porsche 911 GT3 Cup entries in this week’s season-opening IMSA Carrera Cup North America doubleheader at Sebring International Raceway. Debuting series rookie Mulcahy and two-time Porsche racing champion Sofronas will each run their first full season Carrera Cup efforts in 2025 while Washington’s select schedule of races includes the Sebring opener, the season-ending race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and possible other rounds in between.

The Mobil 1 brand has had a longtime and valued relationship with Sofronas and GMG Racing, and both his No. 14 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and Washington’s similar No. 32 entry will carry special Mobil “Pegasus”-branded liveries in support of Saturday’s 73rd running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. The twin 40-minute Carrera Cup races Thursday and Friday on the 3.74-mile Sebring airport circuit are two of main support races for Saturday’s featured Mobil 1 Twelve Hour IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race.

“We’re very proud of our longstanding relationship with GMG Racing,” said Jei Gort, Global Sponsorships and Motorsports at ExxonMobil. “The team is among the premier Porsche organizations in North America, and we’re honored that GMG cars will carry Mobil ‘Pegasus’-branded liveries during one of our biggest weekends of the year. We can’t wait to see them on track in the Carrera Cup races.”

Mulcahy steps up to Carrera Cup after ascending the GMG Racing driver development ladder for the last few years. Starting with GMG Racing with lapping days and his first races at The Thermal Club – where GMG Racing opened its new headquarters operation in late 2024 – Mulcahy moved up to Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West competition last year. He progressed throughout the season, reaching the podium for the first time with a third place finish last August at Road America before closing out the year one race later with a season-best second-place finish at the Sonoma Raceway finale.

“Moving to Carrera Cup is a huge opportunity for me and the team, and it feels like a step in the right direction at the right time,” Mulcahy said. “Last season we made consistent progress, and at the end of the year I felt really comfortable running up front with the best guys. Stepping up to Carrera Cup, I know the competition will be even tougher – that’s for sure – and it’s obviously on a bigger stage, but that is exactly what I want. I want to race against the best and continue to improve. I love the Porsche car, and I am confident that with the right preparation, team and car – which I believe we have – we can be competitive from the start.”

Amazingly, Sofronas – who has been racing and winning championships in sports cars for nearly 30 years – joins Mulcahy as a first-time, full-season Carrera Cup competitor. Even though Sofronas has four career sports car racing championships to his credit – including the 2017 World Challenge GTA and SprintX GT Pro-Am titles in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – he did not make his first Carrera Cup starts until 2023.

“I won my first GT World Challenge Pro-Am Championship in a Porsche in 2017,” said Sofronas, who is the GMG Racing Founder and Team Principal. “Working closely with Porsche and their factory drivers in what was really my first full season in a top-flight GT3 car gave me the chance to focus 100% on winning a championship while developing our own GMG Racing driver development program. Kyle Washington has been a great example of a top driver moving up in the Porsche racing ranks with GMG the last few years, and now we are excited to showcase Patrick Mulcahy in a two-Porsche full-season entry in Carrera Cup Pro-Am. Patrick has been an integral part of our driver development program starting at The Thermal Club with his first competition laps in their GT race series. He stepped up to Porsche Sprint Challenge last year with a lot of success, and now he is excited to jump into Carrera Cup competition, which has some of the best drivers and teams in North America in a single-make series.”

Sofronas swept both rounds of his Carrera Cup debut in 2023’s season-ending race at Circuit of The Americas and picked up right where he left off with a third-straight win in last year’s first race of the season at Sebring. He captured additional victories last year at Montreal and Road America to build a strong record of five wins in his first 10 Carrera Cup races. This weekend’s pair of races will be just the 13th and 14th career Carrera Cup race starts for Sofronas.

“James Sofronas and GMG Racing have been a longtime supporter of Porsche Motorsport North America on and off the track, and we’re thrilled that James is going to step into his first full-time Carrera Cup North America season as a Pro-Am driver alongside Patrick this year,” Porsche Motorsport North America President and CEO Volker Holzmeyer said. “James has been successful behind the wheel of a Porsche for most of his sports car racing career, and his GMG Racing team has helped to bring even more participation into our programs. That includes the past couple of years with Kyle Washington in Porsche Sprint Challenge and Carrera Cup. We’re looking forward to seeing the GMG cars on track once again this season beginning at Sebring.”

The Porsche relationship is even stronger after Sofronas and his team opened up GMG Racing’s new and state-of-the art headquarters operation at The Thermal Club last year.

“Porsche has been an amazing partner with us going on 20 years,” Sofronas said. “We have such a strong relationship with Porsche on the street performance side as well, and the vast majority of that business is with the Porsche brand. And the R&D of our performance products, including our safety equipment, suspensions, wheels, brakes, exhaust, all of that transfers from the Porsche racing side into these products for our clients who are looking to put their street car on track. It can’t be said enough how important it is to have our new shop at the Thermal Club to be able to do all of this testing and development on site and to greatly expedite the process. Partnering with Porsche on both the competition and street performance sides just plain makes sense, and I think it has given us an advantage for not only us as a business but for our clients looking to improve their high-performance street cars or their racecraft to work their way up the GMG ladder program to make their way to the highest levels of motorsports success they are looking to achieve.”

Washington has ascended the GMG Racing driver development ladder exclusively in Porsches the last few years. He looks to move up a podium position or two this weekend after a third-place Masters finish in the Carrera Cup season opener last year. He already has a major win in a GMG Racing GT3 Porsche this year when he led overall and went on to take the Bronze class victory in a wet IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge race at Daytona International Speedway in January.

“Troy Lee Designs did an amazing job with the livery of the iconic Mobil 1 Pegasus, “Washington said. “This Troy Lee Designs and Mobil 1 collaboration is special, and I know the fans are going to love it, and we know there’s going to be a lot of them. I’ll make sure to pack my Advil for those famous bumps!”

Each round of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America season is available live, through NBC’s online streaming service Peacock as well as IMSA.tv and IMSA’s YouTube Channel.

A three-day event, the Sebring Carrera Cup schedule begins with a pair of practice sessions today. Qualifying takes place Thursday morning at 9:15 a.m. EDT with the weekend’s first 40-minute sprint scheduled to start that afternoon at 4:55 p.m. EDT. Friday’s final race on the Carrera Cup schedule is set to go green at 6:10 p.m. EDT for a race into the sunset.

Kyle Washington secures back-to-back podiums in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, bringing GMG Racing’s tally to three podiums in the first four races of 2025.

A Strong Start to the Season

Building on his Daytona win in January, Washington delivered another standout performance at Circuit of The Americas, finishing second and third in the weekend’s doubleheader. Racing the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, he showcased his ability to navigate heavy traffic and execute well-timed passes on COTA’s demanding 2.3-mile National course.

“This weekend proved invaluable for Kyle,” said GMG Racing Founder James Sofronas. “He had to dig deep, manage traffic, and set up passes early. He’s building experience that will carry into his other 2025 race programs.”

Battling at the Front

Washington, now three-for-four in podium finishes this season, fought hard against championship leader Samantha Tan and the fast BMW field. “Reeling in Samantha was a challenge, but second place in Race 2 was a step up from the morning,” Washington said. “This layout was relentless—no place to rest, just pure racing.”

Looking Ahead

With two strong weekends in the books, GMG Racing now turns its focus to the IMSA Carrera Cup opener at Sebring on March 12-14. A full team announcement is set to follow in the coming days.

In a thrilling start to the 2025 season, GMG Racing and veteran driver Kyle Washington celebrated a well-earned victory in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge at Daytona International Speedway. Piloting the No. 32 Porsche 911 GT3 R in the newly introduced GT Daytona X (GTDX) class, Washington mastered challenging rainy conditions to secure the win in Sunday’s 45-minute sprint.

A Stormy Start, A Smooth Finish

After a fourth-place Bronze Class finish in Saturday’s opening race, Washington delivered a masterclass in wet-weather racing on Sunday. From the first lap, he stormed from eighth on the grid to lead the Bronze Class, while briefly battling for the overall lead. Maintaining composure as the track dried, Washington prioritized the class victory, crossing the line nearly a second ahead of his nearest competitor.

“In the rain, it’s all about precision and control,” said GMG Racing Founder James Sofronas. “Kyle drove with incredible skill and maturity to secure the win.”

Daytona: A Historic Victory

For Washington, the victory was especially meaningful. “Daytona is racing’s sacred ground,” he said. “Winning here is like a rite of passage—it’s an unforgettable moment.” His triumph added another milestone to GMG Racing’s impressive 25-year history in motorsport.

Washington credited his rain-driving skills to his upbringing in Vancouver, Canada, where frequent wet conditions honed his technique. Despite drying conditions late in the race, he held firm to deliver a flawless performance.

Momentum Heading to COTA

With Daytona in the books, GMG Racing now looks ahead to Rounds 3 and 4 of the VP Racing Challenge at Circuit of The Americas, February 28–March 1. The team’s full 2025 competition lineup, spanning sprint and endurance formats, will be announced later this month.

Stay tuned as GMG Racing continues its pursuit of excellence in what promises to be an action-packed season.