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GMG Racing’s double-podium result in the top-tier 992 class in last Saturday’s Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca provided some momentum for the team’s double-series campaign this weekend in the IMSA Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), September 15 – 17. Kyle Washington scored second and third place Sprint Challenge podium finishes at Laguna Seca in his No. 234 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and joins the team in riding that success to a different type of doubleheader at the famous “Brickyard” this weekend.

Washington and GMG Racing will compete in both Saturday’s four-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Indianapolis Motor Speedway 240 in the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport and a pair of IMSA Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America races in the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

Competing this year in multiple racing series, Washington’s pair of top-three finishes in the Sprint Challenge 992 Am class Saturday on the newly repaved Laguna Seca road course build on GMG Racing’s trio of podium showings in the Sprint Challenge race weekend at Utah Motorsports Campus earlier this summer.

“I was thoroughly impressed with Kyle’s pace and results at Laguna Seca this past weekend,” said GMG Racing Founder and Principal James Sofronas. “He could have been even higher up in the results column overall but had some issues in qualifying. He just didn’t get all that he needed, but ended up setting the second fastest race lap overall of the weekend in Saturday afternoon’s race. He had the pace but just needed to start further up on the grid. It shows his progress is going well forward and we are going to build on that success this weekend at Indy and when we return to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in a few weeks for the Carrera Cup at Rennsport Reunion.”

Washington challenged from the start in both Laguna Seca Sprint Challenge rounds on Saturday even though a spate of yellow flags kept green flag racing to a minimum. A lengthy caution in damp conditions in Saturday morning’s first race even factored into Washington’s race but ultimately didn’t take away from an otherwise top day at the track. Washington moved into the Am-class lead as the race was slowed but – despite crossing the finish line first – was later dropped to second after race officials determined the pass was made just as the race went yellow.

Washington continued to fight in the Am division lead pack throughout Saturday afternoon’s fast and at times frantic finale.

“I love racing with that group in the Porsche Sprint Challenge series,” Washington said. “A great track last weekend with Laguna Seca and the new pavement. Kind of like Road America with its new surface, you had to be very technical, very precise, which I am probably not the best at! Like in Saturday’s second race, I had so many offs but still hung in there somehow. I got a bit lucky but the car was super fast, which was good when I was on line. I am pumped, we had good pace, and one of the last laps in the final race was one of the fastest overall of the whole weekend. That gives me confidence. It felt good, and we are coming back for Rennsport Reunion with our Carrera Cup car, which we will have at Indy this week too.”

Washington also visited victory lane earlier this season in the highly-competitive IMSA Carrera Cup series, which returns to action this weekend with twin 40-minute sprints Saturday and Sunday. The GMG Racing team and Washington earned their best Carrera Cup result of the year in the opening race at the Grand Prix of Miami, improving 20 race positions to finish in the top-10 overall and third in the Pro-Am class.

This weekend at Indy, Washington and GMG Racing teammate Jeroen Bleekemolen also take part in Saturday’s four-hour Pilot Challenge race in the top-tier Grand Sport (GS) class. The twilight format will see GMG Racing and their competitors take the green flag at 4:30 p.m. EDT and race into darkness for the checkered flag at 8:30 p.m. EDT.

“We are also running our Cayman Clubsport in Saturday night’s four-hour GS race,” Washington said. “We will have a lot of track time. There is no question that when you get more laps, you get faster, and to be able do it on the hallowed ground of Indianapolis Motor Speedway makes it really cool. Obviously, Jeroen is a pleasure to work with and he has become one of my great friends.”

A race and championship-winning driver in his own right, Sofronas is recovering well from a back injury sustained in an incident at Road America last month and is making the most of his time out of the car.

“For me, being able to step back and watch Kyle in a team owner role was impressive,” Sofronas said. “This was solid success that he can carry forward, the momentum is swinging in Kyle’s direction, and the GMG Racing team is working very well with him. We have four more events in the next six weeks. We return to Laguna Seca for Rennsport, and this weekend’s IMSA races at Indy will be followed by the SRO weekend at the Brickyard in October. We will also compete in the Carrera Cup races on Formula 1 weekend at Circuit of The Americas in this busy stretch.”

In addition to practice sessions for both series, Friday’s opening day schedule for the Battle on the Bricks includes Carrera Cup qualifying at 5:30 p.m. EDT. Pilot Challenge GS qualifying takes place on Saturday at 11:20 a.m. EDT to set the starting grid for the four-hour race later that day that goes green at 4:30 p.m. EDT.

GMG Racing wraps up its Indy schedule Sunday with the final Carrera Cup sprint race at 9:40 a.m. EDT.

GMG Racing persevered during a busy SRO Motorsports America weekend at Road America, its second race event within a month at the recently repaved 4.048-mile natural terrain road course.

The team achieved eight top-10 finishes in class across eight races in three different series: Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, GT America powered by AWS and Pirelli GT4 America.

The highlight result was a top-five finish in the Pro-Am class achieved by Todd Parriott and Tom Dyer, driving the No. 13 GMG Racing Aston Martin AMR Vantage GT4, in Sunday’s second Pirelli GT4 America race of the weekend.

These results followed a trio of top-five results in class that Parriott and Kyle Washington achieved during the IMSA Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America races at the track in late July.

Parriott and Washington continued their progression and volume of track time as the busiest GMG Racing drivers, competing in four races apiece. Co-drivers Dyer and Jeroen Bleekemolen joined Parriott and Washington for the pair of GT4 America and GT World Challenge races, respectively.

GMG Racing Founder and Principal James Sofronas planned to race as well in GT America in his No. 14 Audi R8 LMS EVO II. However, he was sidelined from competition after an incident that occurred during Thursday’s test session.

Although Sofronas was ruled out of driving, he remained active supporting the team during the weekend. Correspondingly, the GMG Racing team rallied to support Sofronas and checked in regularly to ensure progress in his recovery and get him back to the race track as soon as possible.

“While I’m dealing with some back pain, it was nice to see Kyle and Todd come out with strong showings and results,” Sofronas said. “That helps me deal with the pain a bit better! We have become close friends, they were very gracious taking care of me, as was the entire team, including Joe Foster.”

Parriott ran the same No. 13 GMG Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 in both GT4 America and the single driver GT America series. Parriott finished 10th in GT4 on Saturday and improved to ninth on Sunday. Alongside Dyer in the 60-minute GT4 America races, Parriott was seventh in Pro-Am on Saturday and fifth on Sunday. The latter result saw Dyer lead in Pro-Am early, turn the car over to Parriott during the pit stop cycle, and then entrust him to finish the race in a strong position in his first GT4 America weekend with a new chassis.

“The car is amazing, and GMG did a phenomenal job getting it prepared for us,” Parriott said. “Tom stayed on target and put us in a great spot. It’s been an exciting weekend. It takes so much pressure off of you when the car is so good and handles so nicely. You just then have to do what you’ve been doing all weekend, and it’s a great time to be out there. The competition is fierce and fun at the same time. Can’t find a better environment.”

Dyer added of Parriott, “His stint the end of this race was by far his best of the weekend. He kept building through 11 sessions. We just wanted to tick the boxes to accumulate data, experience and information and he did it with flying colors.”

Washington debuted a brand new, vibrant, multicolored 992-generation No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R), racing alongside Bleekemolen in GT World Challenge. They finished seventh on Saturday and sixth on Sunday in Pro-Am in the pair of 90-minute races. Running solo in the previous 991.2 generation chassis, Washington finished seventh and eighth in the red, white and blue No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R in the two GT America 40-minute sprint races.

“It was a fun weekend for sure with lots of racing and seat time,” Washington said. “The old car runs great, and we got to know the new car over the weekend. It drives nice and we’re hopeful it gets even faster for further weekends.”

After a pair of race weekends in Wisconsin, GMG Racing heads to the Southwest to shift back to the next round of the USAC Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West by Yokohama at Circuit of The Americas this weekend, August 25 – 27, where Parriott and Washington will compete in the 992 Porsche GT3 Cup Am division.

The last time out at Utah Motorsports Campus (UMC), GMG Racing banked a trio of podium finishes with Sofronas scoring two podiums and Washington one.

“Kyle and Todd will try to continue their push for the am championship,” Sofronas said. “They have busy schedules but we’re hopeful their test day on Thursday will aid them at the circuit.

“Todd showed this weekend his lap times were within a second of his peers, so there’s no question he can drive the car fast. He’s learning other series; gaining more racecraft and discovering when to be aggressive and push versus not. We gained a lot of experience and have had a lot of dialogue to go forward. He’s very excited about the prospects and talking about the future.”

Parriott added, “I’m really excited about it. I just crossed my one-year mark back on August 11, so I feel very good about my growth and what they’re doing for me. Going into COTA it’s going to be a hot one, so I feel prepared in good shape to take the heat. Hope that will help with some of the prep.”

Sofronas summarized his focus as he looks to get back on track soon and reiterated his thanks to the GMG Racing team for its tireless work during the time in Wisconsin.

“We basically had two brand new cars and eight races this weekend. The guys were pushed to the limits and performed at an exceptional level,” he explained. “I’m very proud of the effort and strong results, especially for Todd and Tom to get the top five in Pro-Am. Kyle fought hard and almost had a chance for the podium in Pro-Am on Sunday.

“Despite my physical setback this weekend, I was watching with immense focus and helping from the sidelines. I’m a fighter; it takes a lot to put me down. I’m already feeling better psychologically, that’ll get me behind the wheel. The question is how long until I get my doctor’s blessing. I want my guys to achieve the best the rest of the season.”

GMG Racing embarks on a busy schedule of competition at Road America this weekend within three different SRO America series. Team drivers Kyle Washington, Todd Parriott, James Sofronas, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Tom Dyer will compete in a total of 10 races across the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, GT America powered by AWS and Pirelli GT4 America series this Friday through Sunday on the 4.048-mile Elkhart Lake road course.

Washington competes in both Fanatec GT World Challenge and GT America in a pair of No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R cars for a total of four races. He debuts a new 992 Porsche 911 GT3 R co-driving with Bleekemolen in GT World Challenge, which are two 90-minute races with a driver change.

In the single-driver GT America races, Washington wheels his previous generation No. 32 Porsche 991.2 GT3 R in the weekend’s pair of 40-minute sprints.

Parriott continues his first-year learning and development program with GMG Racing and will have a similar busy weekend of four races. He’ll compete in a debuting No. 13 GMG Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 in the Pirelli GT4 America series, co-driving with Dyer, in addition to running the same car solo in the GT America GT4 class. The two-driver Pirelli GT4 races are 60-minute sprints.

Adding to the eight-pack of races mentioned above, GMG Racing Principal and Founder Sofronas will also be back in action in his No. 14 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS EVO II, a GT3-specification car, in GT America. His two sprints complete the 10 total races GMG Racing will compete in at Road America.

GMG Racing is no stranger to running multiple cars in multiple series across the same weekend, so Sofronas is keen on the challenge that presents itself at the freshly repaved 4.048-mile, 14-turn permanent, natural terrain road course.

“Four cars aren’t unfamiliar to us, but we are running a total of 10 races,” Sofronas said. “It’s two for each Porsche GT3 R, four for the Aston and then my two races. I’m actually looking forward to it. We’ve run a lot of cars in one event, so we are prepared when it comes to the logistics, crew support and technical preparation. Our team is prepared and so are our drivers, so we are as ready as we can be!”

Both Washington and Parriott recently competed at the IMSA Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America races as part of the NASCAR Xfinity Series weekend at Road America last month. That experience of four races should behoove them as they head back to the track for four more races apiece.

“I haven’t driven it yet, but both Kyle and Todd have advised me that off line is very slick,” Sofronas said. “The track hasn’t fully cured yet, and it has a lot of nuances. Some curbs you can use, while there are others you can’t. That will be something to get used to and give yourself the margin of error.”

Washington, who has driven the track, explained the challenges and learnings he discovered during the Carrera Cup weekend as he prepares for SRO weekend.

“This newly repaved track is the hardest thing I’ve ever driven, by far,” Washington said. “If you go two tire widths off the line, you’re gone. It forces you to dial in your focus and avoid the snap lock that can happen. The competition level in Carrera Cup is amazing, and all that provided valuable time for me. Knowing the track for the time we did last month should be an advantage for us for SRO weekend.”

Sofronas explained how important the extra track time across all these races will be for Washington and Parriott.

“This is Todd’s first full year, so he’s where Kyle was a few years ago in terms of experience level,” Sofronas said. “They both push themselves as they have bigger plans in the future. Kyle has been committed to multiple series and platforms, so he’s gathered a ton of seat time. For Todd, this year is about learning the tracks, getting comfortable with our racing program and utilizing all of our experience and knowledge. They’re both extremely fit, so, as they progress, they’re learning how to get used to racing pace and managing different levels of competition. They’re successful businessmen and entrepreneurs, so they’re striving for challenges like SRO America and Carrera Cup.”

A three-day event weekend, Friday features two practice sessions apiece for all three series. Qualifying takes place on Saturday for GT America at 8:05 a.m. CDT, GT World Challenge at 9:05 a.m. CDT and GT4 America at 10:25 a.m. CDT.

The race action begins after lunch on Saturday with GT America at 12:55 p.m. CDT, GT World Challenge at 3:10 p.m. CDT and GT4 America at 5:00 p.m. CDT.

Sunday’s second set of races conclude the weekend with GT America at 8:45 a.m. CDT, GT4 America at 10:55 a.m. CDT and GT World Challenge at 2:15 p.m. CDT.

GMG Racing Car Overview:

– Kyle Washington/Jeroen Bleekemolen, No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, GT World Challenge, Pro-Am (2 races)

– Kyle Washington, No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, GT America, SRO3 (2 races)

– Todd Parriott/Tom Dyer, No. 13 GMG Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4, GT4 America, Pro-Am (2 races)

– Todd Parriott, No. 13 GMG Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4, GT America, GT4 (2 races)

– James Sofronas, No. 14 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS EVO II, GT America, SRO3 (2 races)

GMG Racing and team drivers Kyle Washington and Todd Parriott turned in three top-five results in class during the pair of IMSA Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America races at Road America, part of the NASCAR Xfinity Series race weekend. Washington drove the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and Parriott competed in the No. 89 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the Carrera Cup Pro-Am class.

After racing in street course events at the Grand Prix of Long Beach and Grand Prix of Miami, the freshly repaved 4.048-mile Road America road course marked the first permanent, natural terrain road course starts of the season for GMG Racing within Carrera Cup competition. As such, Washington and Parriott spent Thursday’s two practice sessions and Friday’s single qualifying session gaining valuable laps and experience on the new surface and improved their lap times by several seconds from session-to-session.

“In any type of competition, or sport, when you play against the best it elevates your game,” said James Sofronas, GMG Racing Principal and Founder. “Returning to Porsche Carrera Cup after a few races away, you know you’re going to be pushed.”

In Friday’s opening round of the weekend, Washington and Parriott rolled off from seventh and eighth in Pro-Am. Parriott recovered quickly after another competitor turned him around at the first corner. Washington used heads-up driving to gain three positions from seventh to fourth by the end of the second lap, passing another car and snaking through an incident at the Kink.

That incident brought out a red flag that lasted more than 20 minutes of the 40-minute sprint race and led to a restart. Washington lost a spot after the restart after going off at Turn 6 of the 14-turn track, but still secured his second top-five finish of the season in fifth place. Parriott secured a season-best result of sixth place. Both drivers delivered consistent lap time improvement in the three-lap sprint to the finish.

Washington described his viewpoint as he navigated the incident in front of him on Friday, drawing on the experience gained from similar driving to get up to a podium in Miami.

“It looked chaotic, but I carved my way through it, trying to avoid where the debris was littered all over the track,” Washington said. “Even during the red flag, I was planning how to go from fourth to third. While I was off at Turn 6, I learned from the great GMG Racing team and from the data I saw later, I was in the wrong gear. It was a good learning experience for Saturday and when we come back here in a few weeks.”

Saturday’s second round started with cooler temperatures and more incident evasion. Parriott leapt from sixth on the grid to fourth ahead of Washington in fifth as several cars ran into problems on the opening lap. Trouble struck both drivers in Turn 14 with 15 minutes remaining in the race, forcing them into the pits for repairs. Parriott was able to resume on course and continue on to a season-best fourth place finish, with Washington able to bank a second consecutive top-five result for the weekend, and third of the season.

For Parriott, finishing both races and continuing his methodical development in his first-year racing with GMG Racing was key as he makes gains throughout the season.

“All the class drivers are fast, from top young drivers at the front of the field to our Pro-Am class competitors and down to the Am class drivers,” Sofronas said. “There’s a lot to aspire to when you race here and it helps these guys really focus, so we’re thankful to bring home these top-five results.”

Part of the GMG Racing plan at Road America in Carrera Cup competition was to gain additional knowledge ahead of the SRO America weekend held at the same track August 18 – 20, 2023. Specific details regarding GMG Racing entries fielded across multiple SRO America race series follow in the near future.

GMG Racing and team drivers Kyle Washington and Todd Parriott will contest the remaining rounds of the 2023 IMSA Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America beginning with this weekend’s Friday and Saturday doubleheader as part of the NASCAR Xfinity race weekend at Road America. Washington, Parriott and GMG Racing return to closeout the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup season after contesting earlier series races this year at the Grand Prix of Long Beach and the Grand Prix of Miami. Competing in the Carrera Cup Pro-Am class, Washington drives the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup while Parriott wheels the No. 89 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the weekend’s pair of 40-minute sprints.

“We are up for the challenge that the IMSA Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup presents because it is ultra competitive with top teams and drivers in the series,” said James Sofronas, GMG Racing Principal and Founder. “We always look forward to the competition in Carrera Cup because you know if you do well and produce some results, you are earning it against the best in North America.”

The four-mile Road America road course will be a major shift for GMG and its drivers this weekend. Although well familiar with the 14-turn Wisconsin circuit, Road America will be the team’s first Carrera Cup races of the season on a permanent road course after competing on the Long Beach street circuit and the similar temporary layout at the Miami Formula 1 race.

This year’s best race result for GMG in Carrera Cup was delivered by Washington in the opening race at Miami where he improved an incredible 20 race positions to finish in the top-10 overall and third in Pro-Am. Parriott’s best run of the year came in the Long Beach opener with a seventh-place Pro-Am finish.

“Kyle is coming off a podium in Miami and looks to continue that momentum,” Sofronas said. “Todd keeps improving every time out and he and Kyle each earned a seventh-place finish in our first Carrera Cup weekend of the season in April on the tight Long Beach circuit. We enjoyed the challenge of the temporary circuits at Long Beach and Miami but it will be a nice change to run our first permanent and natural terrain road course in our Carrera Cup season this weekend at legendary Road America.”

A Thursday through Saturday event, the Carrera Cup schedule at Road America begins with morning and afternoon practice sessions on Thursday. Qualifying at 10:45 a.m. CDT on Friday paves the way for that afternoon’s opening 40-minute race at 2:55 p.m. CDT. Saturday’s second and final race is scheduled to go green at 12:15 p.m. CDT.

GMG Racing secured a trio of podium finishes Saturday with a competitive performance in the USAC Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West by Yokohama same-day doubleheader at Utah Motorsports Campus (UMC). Kyle Washington, Todd Parriott and GMG Racing Principal and Founder James Sofronas all competed in the top-tier 992 GT3 Cup division in two different classes on the 3.048-mile UMC road course just outside of Salt Lake City.

Washington kept his 992 Am-class championship title bid alive with a third-place finish in Saturday’s first sprint race in his No. 234 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup while Sofronas finished second overall and in the 992 Pro-Am class in both races. Parriott in turn added to the team’s solid weekend of results with a pair of on-pace finishes just outside of the top five in his GMG Racing No. 289 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

If not for a late incident in Saturday’s second race, Washington was on track to join Sofronas as a double podium finisher at UMC.

“This weekend was all about getting back on the horse,” Sofronas said. “We had the long trip to Spa with the three of us and wanted to get back to some GT3 Cup car competition in the Porsche Sprint Challenge series. For Kyle, getting a third place finish in the first race was excellent, but in the day’s second race he got caught up with a competitor and that took him out of contention while running third. It was really unfortunate because he had great pace all weekend and was on track for multiple podiums like we expected. He still did a great job to recover for a fourth place finish after the contact which could be key in the Am championship in the final half of the season.”

Parriott’s best showing was in Saturday’s first race with a sixth-place finish, improving a position after starting seventh.

“Todd did a great job getting back in the saddle and pushing through a full schedule with back-to-back Saturday races,” Sofronas said. “He kept improving every session, even with the with minimal track time we all had over the two days, and put together a pair of solid finishes he can definitely build on going forward.”

Sofronas kept the heat on the overall and 992 Pro-Am race winner to the finish in both Saturday races. A lengthy mid-race caution minimized green flag opportunities in the opening race, but Sofronas pressured from the start in Saturday’s final sprint.

“I had a chance to pass the leader early,” Sofronas said. “At the start I knew I would get up to second place but then the leader was bobbling a little bit and I should have made a move in turn five. It was definitely a missed opportunity but I figured we would have more pace because we were on a different strategy. I was right there with the leader but then three lapped cars all from the same team made it very difficult to pass and that was the race.”

The Utah event brought the 2023 Sprint Challenge USA West championship to the mid-season point with the year’s remaining rounds set for Circuit of The Americas (COTA), WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and the 2023 finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMSA). The COTA and IMS weekends are national events with the USA West series competing alongside their peer competitors in the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama that races primarily in the eastern U.S.

“I am excited to go to COTA,” Sofronas said. “We are going to be fast there. There is going to be a test day at Indy and a test day at COTA and I am really looking forward to those. The main issue we had in Utah is that we were not able to test on the Wednesday and Thursday before the race when every other team was testing when we showed up. Along with Kyle and Todd, we all have busy lives with a lot of commitments on and off the track. We just couldn’t get to Utah early enough to test, but it is a huge credit to the GMG Racing team that showed they are up to the task of getting the cars competitive and quick right off of the trailer. We were on pace from the very first session.”

The COTA event weekend is the next order of business on GMG’s Sprint Challenge schedule, August 25 – 27, on the 3.462-mile Grand Prix circuit in Austin, Texas.