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.
