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GMG Racing’s Washington and Sofronas Achieve Masters Class Podium and Pro-Am Victory in Porsche Carrera Cup at Canadian Grand Prix
For the second time this season, GMG Racing’s Kyle Washington and James Sofronas combined for a Masters division podium and Pro-Am class victory in IMSA Carrera Cup North America by Yokohama competition in a wet and chaotic 40-minute race Saturday at the Canadian Grand Prix Formula 1 race in Montreal.
Replicating their collective performance in March’s season-opening doubleheader at Sebring International Raceway, Washington finished third in Masters in his No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup while Sofronas scored his second Pro-Am victory of the season in the No. 14 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
Decisive driving in the race’s only two green-flag laps proved to be key to the twin podium results for both Washington and Sofronas. The race was run in damp conditions throughout, started behind the safety car for one lap, and was green for just laps two and three before a full-course caution was shown for declining track conditions.
That was all the time Sofronas needed to pull off the winning Pro-Am pass just before the yellow flag waved. A red-flag period soon followed for a full-field switch to wet-weather Yokohamas, but after a 20-minute stoppage, attempts to return to green-flag racing conditions under more yellow flag laps were unsuccessful. The time-certain race ended the way it started: behind the safety car.
“I usually try to make a move right away in any sprint race, but it was absolutely necessary on Saturday,” said Sofronas, the Founder and Principal of GMG Racing. “When I saw the yellow right after taking the lead, I was really relieved, but I honestly would have loved to have been able to race in full and flat out green conditions. Montreal is a great race in front of some of the most enthusiastic race fans in the world and we all came a long way to put on a show for them.”
Washington’s green-flag time was spent defending his third-place starting and on-track position, which he capably did for his second career Carrera Cup podium on a Formula 1 race weekend. Washington also finished third in a Carrera Cup sprint supporting last year’s Grand Prix of Miami F1 race.
“I couldn’t see how Kyle was doing behind me, but just staying on track in those conditions, let alone defending your position or pulling off a pass, is so difficult,” Sofronas said. “He did a great job, and it is awesome to leave our only appearance in Canada with the podium and victory. The only bummer was not having our friend and teammate Ofir Levy on track with us. He was uninjured in a contact incident in opening practice on Friday, but his car was too damaged to continue on with the weekend. We know he will bounce back, however, and we are already looking ahead to his next race.”
Next up for GMG Racing in single-make Porsche series competition is the Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, June 21 – 23, where the team is planning to field four Type 992 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup entries.