Race Weekend Central

Entry Lists: Pirelli World Challenge at Sonoma

This weekend, championships will be decided in Pirelli World Challenge’s GT, GTA, GT Cup and GTSA classes at Sonoma Raceway.  In the case of GT, the Sprint title and the overall GT title is up for grabs.

For the GT/GTA/GT Cup races, 21 cars are currently entered.  Outside of the championship, the big story of the week will be Memo Gidley’s return to racing in the TKO Motorsports No. 101 Porsche.  It will be his first Pirelli World Challenge GT class start.

Absolute Racing was originally entered with their No. 88 Bentley for Adderly Fong.  However, the team has chosen to withdraw.

In the point standings, Wright Motorsports’ Patrick Long is looking for the double (both the GT Sprint title and the overall GT title).  Of the two, the overall title is more likely.  In the overall standings, Long leads by 28 points over K-PAX Racing’s Àlvaro Parente by 28 points.  That is more than one race.  Cadillac Racing’s Michael Cooper is the only other driver still eligible for the title.  A maximum of 26 points are available per race.  However, to score any points at all, a driver must complete half of the race.  The No.  8 Cadillac with Jordan Taylor at the wheel getting wrecked on the first lap of the final Sprint-X race at Circuit of the Americas severely hampered Cooper’s championship chances.

Also of note, Dream Racing Motorsport has entered the No. 27 Lamborghini in the GT class for Cedric Sbirrazzuoli.  Whether the Huracan GT3 emerges from the transporter this weekend is up for interpretation.  The car has been entered for GT races multiple times this year, but never appeared.

Long’s lead over Parente in the GT Sprint championship is much smaller, a mere five points.  With 52 points available, that effectively makes it a toss-up.  Cooper is still in contention as well, but just barely.  Entering the weekend 44 points back, Cooper can only win the title with excellent form and both Long and Parente likely failing to finish both races.  Teammate Johnny O’Connell is in even worse shape at 49 points back, but still technically alive.  TR3 Racing’s Daniel Mancinelli is fifth and will be eliminated from contention as soon as Long completes 50 percent of either race this weekend.

In GTA, James Sofronas leads the standings by comfortable margins in both championships.  He is 22 points ahead of Wright Motorsports’ Michael Schein in the overall GT championship.  In the GTA Sprint points, Sofronas is 30 points ahead of Magnus Racing owner-driver John Potter.  For GT Cup, only Dream Racing Motorsport’s Yuki Harata is entered.  He has already clinched the championship.

Entry List: Pirelli World Challenge GT/GTA/GT Cup Classes at Sonoma

ClassTeamDriverCar
GT2 - CRP RacingRyan DalzielMercedes-AMG GT3
GT3 - Cadillac RacingJohnny O'ConnellCadillac ATS-V.R.
GT4 - Magnus RacingPierre KafferAudi R8 LMS GT3
GT6 - K-PAX RacingBryan SellersMcLaren 650S GT3
GT8 - Cadillac RacingMichael CooperCadillac ATS-V.R.
GT9 - K-PAX RacingÀlvaro ParenteMcLaren 650S GT3
GTA14 - GMG RacingJames SofronasPorsche 911 GT3 R
GTA16 - Wright MotorsportsMichael ScheinPorsche 911 GT3 R
GT17 - GMG RacingAlec UdellPorsche 911 GT3 R
GT27 - Dream Racing MotorsportCedric SbirrazzuoliLamborghini Huracan GT3
GT31 - TR3 RacingDaniel MancinelliFerrari 488 GT3
GT43 - RealTime RacingRyan EversleyAcura NSX GT3
GTA44 - Magnus RacingJohn PotterAudi R8 LMS GT3
GTA54 - Black Swan RacingTim PappasMercedes-AMG GT3
GT Cup55 - Dream Racing MotorsportYuki HarataLamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo
GT58 - Wright MotorsportsPatrick LongPorsche 911 GT3 R
GTA69 - Champ 1Pablo Perez CompancMercedes-AMG GT3
GTA77 - Calvert DynamicsDr. Preston CalvertPorsche 911 GT3 R
GT93 - RealTime RacingPeter KoxAcura NSX GT3
GT99 - GAINSCO/Bob Stallings RacingJon FogartyPorsche 911 GT3 R
GT101 - TKO MotorsportsMemo GidleyPorsche 911 GT3 R

In the GTS/GTSA races, 21 more cars are entered.  The GTS class has only eight of those entries.  Blackdog Speed Shop’s Lawson Aschenbach has already clinched the GTS title and leads by nearly 2.5 races over Team Panoz Racing’s Ian James.  However, there are some races further down the order.  James is 17 points in front of Mantella Autosport’s Martin Barkey.  Flying Lizard Motorsports teammates Rodrigo Baptista and Nate Stacy are tied for fourth (Baptista gets the tiebreaker by virtue of wins).

Former INDYCAR racer Alex Lloyd will drive the No. 22 Porsche for CRP Racing that debuted in Austin, replacing Cody Ellsworth.  With Lloyd at the wheel, the car is now in the GTS class as opposed to GTSA.

GTSA will go the way of GMG Racing’s George Kurtz.  Entering Sonoma with eight consecutive victories, Kurtz is up to sixth in overall GTS points and could actually break into the top five there if one of the Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsches has issues and fails to score in one of the races.

In GTA points, Kurtz has a 51-point lead over Blackdog Speed Shop’s Tony Gaples.  That means that all Kurtz needs to do to clinch is complete 50 percent of one of the races this weekend.

Kurtz will have 12 other drivers to do battle with.  No real surprises in the class.  The No. 25 ANSA Motorsports KTM that was driven by Dakota Dickerson in Austin currently does not have a driver listed.  Also, since Sonoma Raceway is the home race for The Racers Group, they have entered an Aston Martin for Derek DeBoer.

Entry List: Pirelli World Challenge GTS/GTSA Classes at Sonoma

ClassTeamDriverCar
GTSA007 - TRG-Aston Martin RacingDerek DeBoerAston Martin Vantage GT4
GTSA04 - GMG RacingGeorge KurtzMcLaren 570S GT4
GTSA017 - Case-It RacingAdam MerzonPorsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
GTSA018 - Case-It RacingCameron CasselsPorsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
GTSA2 - Racers Edge MotorsportsJason BellSIN R1 GT4
GTS3 - Flying Lizard MotorsportsRodrigo BaptistaPorsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
GTSA7 - GMG RacingCarter YeungPorsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
GTSA9 - ANSA MotorsportsBill ZieglerKTM X-Bow GT4
GTS10 - Blackdog Speed ShopLawson AschenbachChevrolet Camaro GT4.R
GTSA11 - Blackdog Speed ShopTony GaplesChevrolet Camaro GT4.R
GTS12 - Ian Lacy RacingDrew StaveleyGinetta G55 GT4
GTS14 - Flying Lizard MotorsportsNate StacyPorsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
GTS19 - PMG MotorsportsParker ChaseGinetta G55 GT4
GTS22 - CRP RacingAlex LloydPorsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
GTSA24 - Ian Lacy RacingFrank GannettGinetta G55 GT4
GTSA25 - ANSA MotorsportsTBAKTM X-Bow GT4
GTSA45 - Racers Edge MotorsportsBob MichaelianSIN R1 GT4
GTSA47 - NOLAsportKeith JensenPorsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
GTS50 - Team Panoz RacingIan JamesPanoz Avezzano GT
GTSA62 - KPRMark KleninMcLaren 570S GT4
GTS80 - Mantella AutosportMartin BarkeyKTM X-Bow GT4

 

About the author

Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the site's FREE e-mail newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the site's Sports Car racing editor.

Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.

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