SRO Official Fan Guide 2023

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It features RGB LED-backlit front buttons, backlit 12-position rotary switches, custom thumb encoders, dual-action magnetic shifters, dual-Hall sensor clutch paddles, and more.

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2023 SEASON WELCOME TO THE

Our drivers, teams, and manufacturers are geared up for a championship run in their respective series including Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS series, GT competition of the GT America powered by AWS series, Pirelli GT4 America, and TC America powered by Skip Barber series.

While we observe traditions, SRO Motorsports America is an organization that thrives off innovation and change. We’ve seen great success in the rules and consistencies our CEO and Founder Stephan Ratel has set forth in the sport of racing. Now, we find greater purpose as we are now part of The Climate Pledge. The Pledge is an initiative co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism, which is committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

As mentioned, we’re growing again. This year we’re celebrating the addition of the single-make series, the Toyota GR Cup North America. In addition, Toyota is the new official vehicle partner of SRO Motorsports America. We now have 21 manufacturers who call our organization home. We’re thankful for all their continued participation and for bringing the most developed technology seen in the automotive industry to race tracks across North America.

We hope that through our many off-track activities, you meet some of our sports current and future stars. Our drivers are second to none and put on amazing shows where you are sure to share in their adrenaline. We pride ourselves on our open paddock allowing fans to immerse themselves in our world and get to know the men and women who make each weekend possible. We want you to get to know our environment as much as you learn about our racing.

If you can’t join us for all the races you have your eye on, don’t forget that you can live stream all of our series on YouTube by following the GT World channel. We also stream on Twitch under the handle SRO Motorsports. CBS Sports will continue to carry Fanatec GT World Challenge America with highlight packages of our other series. We encourage you to follow your favorite series on social media for even more behind-the-scenes content.

We’re thrilled to get the 2023 race season underway. There is always excitement when it seems anything could happen; anyone could win. All of us at SRO Motorsports America will continue to take pride in a presentation we hope you enjoy and support.

S. Greg Gill President & CEO SRO Motorsports America

Race Fans, welcome to the 2023 season of SRO Motorsports America. We’re thrilled to have you join us in another year of growth and competition.

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SRO MOTORSPORTS GROUP

HISTORY

For the last three decades, SRO Motorsports Group has been the steward of global GT racing. Long before it took a controlling stake in what is now SRO Motorsports America and permanently linked the North American Pirelli World Challenge series with championships around the world, founder and CEO Stephane Ratel was backing the cause of production-based GT racing on the world stage at a time when the concept was withering on the vine.

The introduction of the highly successful Group C and GTP regulations in the 1980s and 1990s saw the rapid rise of prototypes in sports car racing in Europe and the United States. As prototype grids continued to expand, Grand Touring cars were shuffled to the side. The result was prototype-only grids at many of the world’s most prestigious sports car races.

From 1986 to 1992, there was no space for GTs at many of the most significant

events on the calendar, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But, with the demise of the World SportsCar Championship, fueled by skyrocketing price tags to purchase and run the exotic prototypes, an opportunity arose for a GT resurgence.

After his recent success in organizing the Gentleman Driver’s Trophy single-make series for the exotic Venturi 400 supercar the previous year, Ratel orchestrated GT racing’s return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1993. Following a record-low entry of just 30 cars for 1992, all of their prototypes, a full 48 cars, including seven Venturis upgraded to a special Le Man’s homologation, took the start the following year. It was a smashing success. Now armed with upgraded cars but no series to compete in after Le Mans, Ratel banded together with race promoter Patrick Peter and Porsche single-make series organizer Jurgen Barth to create a groundbreaking global GT championship:

BPR (Barth, Peter, Ratel). That decision sparked the meteoric rise of GT racing around the world.

Massive manufacturer interest and close, intense racing with some of the era’s most iconic cars drew the FIA’s attention, christening the FIA GT Championship in 1997. In 2001, the famed 24 Hours of Spa was converted from a race for touring cars to the crown jewel in the international GT calendar, a distinction it retains today. By 2010 the series had evolved into a full FIA World Championship for GT cars and drivers, a development that proved to be seminal in the effect of the modern SRO.

On the one hand, the FIA GT1 World Championship featured some of the most iconic cars and famed drivers of the era racing at prestigious venues across the globe. On the other, the cost for manufacturers to compete at the highest level and on an international scale while the world recovered from a significant economic downturn proved unsustainable. As such, the championship was not renewed after its third season in 2012.

But from the ashes of the FIA GT1 World Championship emerged the foundations of the global Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS, the standard-bearer for GT racing today.

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Already sensing an over-reliance on factory involvement in the World Championship, Ratel and SRO launched the Blancpain Endurance Series in 2011, centered around the 24 Hours of Spa.

A sprint championship followed in 2014. Along the way, SRO moved away from the awe-inspiring-yet-cost-prohibitive GT1 and GT2 regulations and embraced a GT3 ruleset developed through SRO, FIA, and RACB cooperation. The privateer-focused platform flourished and is still in use today.

SRO also pioneered a Balance of Performance to keep costs in check yet encourage the kind of automotive diversity that makes sports car racing a feast for the senses. Despite initial pushback, the move proved ahead of its time as B.o.P is a fixture of modern sports car racing in series worldwide.

SRO went global in 2016 with the launch of the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli. The series links classic long-distance races at Spa, Bathurst, and Suzuka, while building a new endurance racing legacy at famed venues such as Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and the India-

napolis Motor Speedway. Expansion into the Asian market in 2017 was followed by an acquisition of a controlling stake in the Pirelli World Challenge the following year. Australia joined the family in 2021 to create a multi-faceted global Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS linked by standard rules and regulations.

SRO’s involvement extends even further with its global GT4 and GT2 regulations, a partnership with the FIA in the multi-disciplinary FIA World Motorsport Games, pioneering vision in integrating esports into the global motorsports landscape, and more. Never before has GT racing been so united in a shared vision and purpose worldwide.

Today, with hundreds of GT cars racing in dozens of SRO series around the globe, it is hard to imagine a world without exotic production-based sports cars competing on auto racing’s grandest stages. Since the early 1990s, SRO has been the torchbearer leading GT racing back to its rightful place of prominence. The sport has emerged more vital than ever and is ready to climb to even greater heights.

SRO ALSO PIONEERED A BALANCE OF PERFORMANCE TO KEEP COSTS IN CHECK YET ENCOURAGE THE KIND OF AUTOMOTIVE DIVERSITY THAT MAKES SPORTS CAR RACING A FEAST FOR THE SENSES.

WE ENGINEERED THE QUIT OUT OF IT

FANATEC GT

WORLD CHALLENGE AMERICA

BY AWS

Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS is the premier North American GT series, contributing to the global GT World Challenge championship. Racing across the best circuits in the United States from Sonoma to Indianapolis, the 2023 season will focus on upper-echelon GT3 racing with the return of the PRO-pairing class.

The three-day race event features 90-minute double-header races for excitingly packed weekends. The competition hosts major manufacturers and teams competing under the direction of two drivers per entry. The three classes are delegated by the rating of those two drivers with the PRO Class, PRO/ AM Class, and AM Class.

A very simple labeling system is noted on each entry to track the racer’s progress in each class. A labeled number decal on the side panel, hood, and read bumper of each car will show what class the auto represents. For the PRO Class, the decal is white, The PRO/AM Class is black, and the AM Class is red.

Nearly all of the world’s finest GT3 makes can be found in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS. From Lamborghini and Ferrari to Porsche and Mercedes. Fans can find all their favorite racing brands with big names behind the wheel such as Mario Farnbacher in an Acura NSX GT3 or Bill Auberlen in the BMW M4 GT3. This ultra-competitive series has it all.

In addition, the top-level GT racing continues to have a global impact, and outreach as the series helps host the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli Indianapolis 8 Hours and a 24 Hours of Spa tie-in with Crowdstrike as the new title sponsor.

The previous race season suggests this years PRO Class Championship is up for grabs with Andrea Caldarelli and K-PAX Racing letting their legacy hang on the 2022 championship win. The PRO/AM Class Championship won by Ashton Harrison and Mario Farnbacher from Racers Edge Motorsports was a nail biter, fought to the final race while Charlie Scardina and Onofrio Triarsi of Triarsi Competizione were victorious in their AM Class Championship.

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HOW AND WHERE TO WATCH

In 2023 the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS takes on racetracks coast to coast. The opening rounds take place on Sonoma Raceway followed by NOLA Motorsports Park, Circuit of The Americas, VIRginia International Raceway, Road America, and Sebring International Raceway. The grand finale takes place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In addition, the top-level GT racing continues to have a global impact, and

outreach as the series helps host the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli Indianapolis 8 Hours and a 24 Hours of Spa tie-in with Crowdstrike as the new title sponsor.

The races are streamed live on GT World via YouTube and Twitch, with CBS Sports supporting through airing live and time-delayed broadcasts of each race. To watch past seasons or previous races, the GT World YouTube page is perfect for reliving the action.

Website: gt-world-challenge-america.com

Twitter: @gtworldcham

Facebook: @gtworldchallengeamerica

Instagram: @gtworldchallengeamerica

GT3 EXCLUSIVE SERIES

TWO 90-MIN RACES OVER A THREE-DAY RACE WEEKEND

EXCLUSIVE MEDIA COVERAGE WITH DEDICATED TV, LIVE TV BROADCASTS, AND REAL-TIME LIVE STREAMS WITH WORLDWIDE AVAILABILITY

CLASSES: OVERALL, PRO-AM, AM

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FANATEC GT WORLD CHALLENGE AMERICA

POWERED BY AWS

ELIGIBLE PLATFORMS

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HOMOLOGATION

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Porsche 911 GT3 R (991) GT3 041

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BMW F13 M6 GT3 GT3 043

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FANATEC GT WORLD CHALLENGE AMERICA

POWERED BY AWS

ELIGIBLE PLATFORMS

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Porsche 911 GT3-R (991.ii) GT3 050

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BMW M4 GT4 GT3 052

LamborghiniHuracan GT3 2023 EVOGT3 xx

Porsche 911 GT3 R GT3 xx

Ferrari 296 GT3 GT3 xx

McLaren 720 S GT3 EVO GT3 xx

PIRELLI TIRES

WITH SRO MOTORSPORTS AMERICA

Pirelli Tires is a leading manufacturer of high-performance tires, catering to both the automotive and motorsports industries. Founded in Milan, Italy, in 1872, Pirelli has since established itself as synonymous with quality, innovation, and cutting-edge technology.

Awide range of tires falls under the Pirelli umbrella, including passenger, motorcycle, and commercial tires. They are renowned for their premium performance tires, designed to provide exceptional handling and grip, even in

extreme conditions. Pirelli has also made significant contributions to developing run-flat and eco-friendly tires.

SRO Motorsports America has enjoyed a partnership with Pirelli Tires since 2016, providing high-performance

tires to teams competing in this premier North American sports car racing series. SRO America works with Pirelli to offer durable tires to some of the world’s most iconic sports car brands, including Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, and Aston

Martin, competing in a range of races across North America.

Pirelli’s involvement in the SRO America series has allowed Pirelli to demonstrate its expertise in creating high-performance tires that can withstand the demands of the racetrack. Pirelli’s tires have been developed to provide exceptional grip, handling, and stability, enabling drivers to push their vehicles to the limit and achieve the best possible performance on the track. With Pirelli tires, drivers can be confident that they are equipped with the best possible equipment to tackle the GT World Challenge America challenges.

Pirelli Tires has been involved in motorsports for over a century and has established itself as a critical player in the industry. Pirelli is the exclusive tire supplier to the Formula 1 World Championship, World Rally Championship, and many more.

The tire company’s involvement in motorsports has not only helped cement its reputation as a premium tire brand but has also contributed to developing new tire technologies. Pirelli’s experience in the high-pressure environment has allowed the tire manufacturer to refine its designs and create durable tires that provide outstanding performance.

Motorsports also enable Pirelli to test new materials and compounds, which can be incorporated into its commercial tires, allowing customers to benefit from the latest tire technology. Overall, Pirelli’s involvement in motorsports has been instrumental in driving innovation and advancing the tire industry.

Pirelli’s success can be attributed to its focus on quality and innovation. The

company invests heavily in research and development, with state-of-the-art tire design and testing facilities. Pirelli’s focus on sustainability is also evident in its tire manufacturing process, with a commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and using eco-friendly materials.

Pirelli Tires is a respected and established brand known for its commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability. Its focus on performance and involvement in motorsports has allowed them to stay at the forefront of the industry. The dedication to eco-friendly practices ensures that its tires will continue to be a leader in the industry for years to come.

SRO America and Pirelli share a focus on becoming more eco-friendly and greener. Pirelli is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint and using eco-friendly

materials in its tire manufacturing process. Pirelli has developed innovative technologies to minimize tires’ environmental impact, including using bio-based materials and developing eco-friendly compounds.

Pirelli tires can be found in many locations, including tire dealerships, auto repair shops, and online retailers. Pirelli has a network of authorized dealerships and service centers across the globe, making it easy for customers to find and purchase Pirelli tires. In addition, Pirelli tires are also available from various online retailers, including major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Tire Rack, and Discount Tire.

Pirelli also partners with several major automotive manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, and more. As a result, Pirelli tires can be found as original equipment on many high-end vehicles. Customers looking to replace their vehicle’s tires may find that Pirelli tires are the recommended option, providing them with the same exceptional performance and handling that came with their original tires.

Overall, Pirelli tires are widely available and can be found in various locations, making it easy for customers to purchase and install them on their vehicles. Whether you’re looking for performance tires for your sports car or all-season tires for your SUV, Pirelli has a tire option to meet your needs.

A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

MDK MOTORSPORTS IS EXCITED TO JOIN THE WORLD RENOWNED SRO-MOTORSPORT GROUP, AND COMPETE FOR THE GT WORLD CHALLENGE NORTH AMERICA CHAMPIONSHIP, FOR THE FIRST TIME.

MDK MOTORSPORTS’ MISSION IS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE DRIVERS LEARN, IMPROVE, AND WIN. WE PROVIDE DRIVERS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND PARTNERS THE BEST ON-TRACK EXPERIENCE.

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GT AMERICA

PREVIEW

SRO Motorsports America welcomed the GT America powered by AWS series in 2021 for what proved to be a highly competitive inaugural season. The series provided SRO Motorsports America with a link to its past as a single-driver sprint race format and a home for some of the more modern cars in the SRO portfolio.

GT

America powered by AWS features a single-driver 40-minute sprint race format reserved for Bronze-rated drivers, making this series a gentleman driver favorite. The series includes three classes segmented by car type- GT3, GT2, and GT4. The single-driver teams represent major brands like As-

ton Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, Toyota, and more. Each race weekend provides challengers with two sprint races making for a thrilling three days of on-track action.

The output created by the engine alongside varying power and drivetrain configurations easily differentiates each

car specified per class. The GT2 car is the new kid on the block, with the most power but less downforce, followed by the GT3 and finally the GT4. While looks also provide a giveaway for what class the auto belongs in so do the side number panel and rear bumper number panel via label and color. The GT3 decal panel is red, GT2 is blue, and the GT4 is yellow.

Mercedes-AMG continues to be a favorite of the drivers and teams fielding cars in the 2023 season as it claims the most entries for the GT3 Class. Aston Martin takes top honors with the most entries in the GT4 Class. The GT2 Class is up for grabs when it comes to manufacturer

GT AMERICA

domination. You can also catch some of the biggest names in racing when it comes to stand-out teams such as Flying Lizard Motorsports, CrowdStrike by Riley, Heart of Racing, and many more on the grid.

With the minimum car count hovering over 20 cars and the maximum count tipping into 30 cars, the wheel-to-wheel action is sure not to disappoint on race day. GT America powered by AWS also stands out as the only SRO Motorsports America series to take on two street courses over the course of its season. Catch the grid in St. Petersburg, Florida for its kickoff event and on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee.

In 2022 the series saw George Kurtz with CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports take home the GT3 Class championship having been challenged but rarely defeated. The GT4 Championship went to Ross Chouest of Chouest Povoledo Racing who fought to the final race of the season for his crown. Finally, CJ Moses of GMG Racing took home the win in the GT2 Class Championship after an accomplished season.

GT AMERICA

HOW AND WHERE TO WATCH

The 2023 calendar kicks off with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, a street course the series shares with the INDYCAR Series. Then the GT America powered by AWS series joins the host of SRO Motorsports America championships at Sonoma Raceway, NOLA Motorsports Park, Circuit of The Americas, and VIRginia International Raceway before taking on its second street course in Nashville, Tennessee, for the Music City Grand Prix with the INDYCAR Series again. The season then finishes with appearances at Road America, Sebring International Raceway, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The races are streamed live on GT World via YouTube and Twitch, with CBS Sports supporting through airing live and time-delayed broadcasts of each race. To watch past seasons or previous races, the GT World YouTube page is perfect for reliving the action.

STAY UP TO SPEED WITH #GTAMERICA

Website: gt-world-challenge-america.com

Twitter: @gt_america_

Facebook: @gtamerica

Instagram: @gt_america

GT Machinery Mix

Two, 40-Minute Races per Weekend

Classes: SRO3, GT2, And GT4

Two Street Courses

Live YouTube Coverage

ELIGIBLE PLATFORMS

MAKE MODEL

HOMOLOGATION

Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport GT2 001

Audi R8 LMS GT2 GT2 002

KTM X-Bow GT2 GT2 xx

Maserati MC20 GT2 GT2 xx

Audi R8 LMS GT3 017

Chevrolet Callaway Corvette Z06R GT3GT3 026

GT AMERICA POWERED BY AWS

MAKE MODEL HOMOLOGATION

Mercedes-AMG GT3 GT3 053

BMW M4 GT3 GT3 043

Chevrolet Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-RGT3 045

Toyota Lexus RC F GT3 GT3 046

Acura NSX GT3 EVO22 GT3 047

Nissan GT-R GT3 2018 GT3 049

Aston MartinVantage AMR GT3 GT3 051

LamborghiniHuracan GT3 2023 EVOGT3 xx

Porsche 911 GT3 R GT3 xx

Ferrari 296 GT3 GT3 xx

McLaren 720 S GT3 EVO GT3 xx

Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R GT4 031

Ford Mustang GT4 GT4-027

McLaren 570S GT4 MY2019 GT4 030

Saleen S1 GT4 032

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MRGT4 024

Audi R8 LMS GT4 GT4 038

BMW M4 GT4 GT4 029

Mercedes-AMG GT4 GT4 033

Alpine A110 GT4 GT4 034

Aston MartinVantage AMR GT4 GT4 036

Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4GT4 039

Ginetta G56 GT4 GT4 041

Lotus Emira GT4 GT4 xx

Nissan Z GT3 GT4 xx

McLaren Artura GT4 GT4 xx

BMW F82 M4 GT4  GT4 xx

PIRELLI GT4 AMERICA

The Pirelli GT4 America championship has seen explosive growth since its inauguration in 2020 by offering up the best wheel-to-wheel racing in North America. Utilizing GT4 homologated race cars, an array of manufacturers top the time sheets and championship standings.

Pirelli GT4 America runs the sprint format, a 60-minute race with driving duties split by two drivers. Two-driver teams compete in double-header weekends representing manufacturers such as Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Ford, Porsche, and Toyota. Within the series, there are three classes created by driver rating combinations. A mix of professional and gentleman drivers represents the PRO-AM Class. The Silver Class includes amateurs and up-and-coming professional drivers, and finally, the AM Class is a combination of two amateur drivers.

Similar to other race series in SRO Motorsports America classes can easily be recognized on track through colored and labeled number decals on the side panel, hood, and rear bumper. The Silver Class is silver in color, the PRO-AM Class is blue, and the AM Class is yellow.

The GT4 car has always been a customer-oriented race car. It has seen great success since its introduction via SRO into racing in 2006 within Europe’s FIA GT Championship era. Dutch GT4 Championship adopted it in 2008 as SRO’s first franchise agreement. GT4 competition has grown steadily since the GT4 racing concept was brought to

North America in 2020. To this day the homologation is looked after by RACB, Royal Automobile Club Belgium, with the Balance of Performance controlled by the SRO.

In 2023 the Pirelli GT4 America series will again see growth. It’s one of two series where spectators can see the GT4 car compete but by far the largest series of GT4 competition in North America. A grid that hovers near 40 entries has a sound more welcoming than any other to spectators. It also guarantees exciting race days. This comes in part with the top teams in North America partaking in the competition. Fans can catch powerhouses like BimmerWorld, The Racers Group, and GMG Racing amongst other favorites in the Pirelli GT4 America series.

Great racing includes close racing. Stevan McAleer and Eric Filgueiras of RS1 won the 2022 Silver Championship with the competition hot on their trail while Scott Noble and Jason Hart of NOLASport took home the PRO-AM Class Championship by the skin of their teeth. The AM Championship winners James Clay and Charlie Postins with BimmerWorld had a stand-out year being the only driver pairing to clench their championship earlier in the season.

“GREAT RACING INCLUDES CLOSE RACING.”

GT4 AMERICA | 68 JOHNGEESBREGHT KEVINCONWAY 67 ISABELLAROBUSTO JOEYDESILVA

GR CUP | 68 MIALOVELL 67 JOEYDESILVA 66 DRIVERX

HOW AND WHERE TO WATCH

Competing at some of the most iconic circuits in North America, the Pirelli GT4 America championship travels coast to coast. The season kicks off at Sonoma Raceway with the entire SRO Motorsports lineup and is followed by NOLA Motorsports Park, Circuit of The Amer-

STAY UP TO SPEED WITH #GT4America

icas, VIRginia International Raceway, Road America, Sebring International Raceway, and joins in the grand finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of the Indianapolis 8 Hour weekend.

Following the same format that makes GT World Challenge America GT3 racing successful, the series benefits from global live streaming and CBS Sports broadcasts of race weekends. Leading the charge in North American and international GT4 racing, Pirelli GT4 America is on the path of continued growth.

Website: tcamerica.com

Twitter: @tc_america

Facebook: @touringcaramerica

Instagram: @touringcaramerica

Pro Touring Car championship

Two 40-minute races over three days

Classes: TCX, TC, TCA

Free Livestream coverage

PIRELLI GT4 AMERICA

ELIGIBLE PLATFORMS

MAKE MODEL HOMOLOGATION

GT4 031 Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R

GT4 027 Ford Mustang GT4

GT4 030 McLaren 570S GT4 MY2019

GT4 032 Saleen S1

GT4 024 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR

GT4 038 Audi R8 LMS GT4

GT4 029

GT4 033

BMW M4 GT4

Mercedes-AMG GT4

ALWAYS BE READY

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TC AMERICA POWERED BY SKIP BARBER T

TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School championship continues to be a destination for professional touring car racing and enjoys the benefits of a multi-year partnership with Skip Barber Racing Schools as a presenting partner.

he TC championship is North America’s main kickoff point for professional racing. Once drivers learn and develop racecraft at the famed Skip Barber Racing Schools, many will seek out the competition of the TC America powered by Skip Barber series to cut their teeth in racing. Making TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School the best place to catch your up-and-coming driver favorites as they navigate professional circuit racing. Comprised of three competition classes TCX, TC, and TCA, the series utilizes factory-built or supported turn-key race cars. Drivers are charged with two 40-min Sprint races per race weekend, sharing the track weekends with partner GT World Challenge America, GT America, and GT4

America series. To delineate which car belongs in which class look to the numbered decal panel on the hood, side panel, and rear bumper. The decals are labeled by class and color for fans and competitors to spot the competition easily. The TCX Class decal panel is red, the TC Class is blue, and the TCA Class is white. With grid counts nearing 40 cars, understanding class leaders will be very important.

Major teams use TC America powered by Skip Barber as a prime training ground with the likes of Bryan Herta Autosport, TechSport Racing, and Skip Barber Racing School amongst the growing list. While the TC series is considered a great starting point that doesn’t mean the machinery is any less i pressive. Fan favorite brands

such as BMW, Subaru, Mini Cooper, and Honda make up the field. These manufacturers provide premier support to these teams and their drivers.

The close racing keeps drivers, teams, and manufacturers invested in a title fight all season long. In 2022, the TCX championship, won by Jacob Rudd and Fast Track Racing, was decided by a mere two points. 2022 TC Champion Kevin Boehm and TCA Champion Gresham Wagnor were also kept honest each race weekend by fellow competitors.

HOW AND WHERE TO WATCH

Representing all levels of TC America, manufacturers such as Audi Sport,

BMW Motorsports, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, MINI, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen are represented across the competition grids. Premier circuit destinations include Sonoma Raceway, NOLA Motorsports Park, Circuit of The Americas, VIRginia International Raceway, Road America, Sebring International Raceway, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The races are streamed live on GT World via YouTube and Twitch, with CBS Sports supporting through airing live and time-delayed broadcasts of each race. To watch past seasons or previous races, the GT World YouTube page is perfect for reliving the action.

Website: tcamerica.com

Twitter: @tc_america

Facebook: @touringcaramerica

Instagram: @touringcaramerica

Pro Touring Car championship

Two 40-minute races over three days

Classes: TCX, TC, TCA Free Livestream coverage

Go from amateur to pro with the Skip Barber Racing SRO TC America pro-ladder system.

Since 1975, the Skip Barber Racing School has taken great drivers and made them champions. Today, we’re training the next generation of winners with our amateur-to-pro ladder system.

You start with our three-day and two-day advanced racing school and qualify for an SRO Competition License. The next step is advanced coaching in a Skip Barber professional touring car and then a spot on the grid of the SRO TC America series race powered by Skip Barber.

It’s the fastest, most affordable way to turn your dreams of going from an amateur to a pro. Attend a TC America race and speak to one of our team members. Visit our website, or call us today at 866-932-1949 and start your path to the podium.

ELIGIBLE PLATFORMS

TC AMERICA TCX

TC AMERICA POWERED BY SKIP BARBER

Drive like a champion.

HPD’s Academy gives drivers the opportunity to learn from the best champions in motorsports.

One of HPD’s core principles is to support drivers in achieving their racing dreams.

The HPD Academy embodies this by providing extensive track time in the Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 and Civic Type R TCR, access to champion sports car drivers, HPD engineering and trackside support staff, and SRO and IMSA Championship engineers and team owners.

Working along side Racers Edge Motorsports, academy students will receive “on-track” and “off-track” experience in the following:

• Managing tires and fuel

• Achieving race strategy targets

• Driving for conditions

• Clear communication between team, driver, and spotter

• How to develop a common language with race engineers and the team

• Data analysis

• Social/digital media

• Sponsorship acquisition

• and much more.

Supporting driver development is a fundamental value of Honda Performance Development. The HPD Academy represents the latest demonstration of this commitement

If you are interested in applying for the Academy, please submit your motorsport resume, CV and desired goals to: Lee Niffenegger, Program Manager lniffenegger@na.honda.com

ELIGIBLE PLATFORMS

TC AMERICA TCA

TC AMERICA POWERED BY SKIP BARBER

ACTIONS, NOT WORDS!

SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS

While at the track, look for the Patriot Car Corral. Hosted with Operation Motorsport, the VIP Corral offers an exclusive experience to join fellow car enthusiasts in an all-make environment with premium parking with your sports car. Depending upon the venue, this may include an ontrack parade lap, access to the Operation Motorsports Welcome Tent, paddock tours, and more.

Operation Motorsport is a Veteran Led and Operated 501(c)(3) Not Profit, serving American & Canadian medically-retired service members and veterans and was founded based on three simple words: Ex-

cite, Engage and Empower. The premise is to engage service members and veterans affected by military service through Motorsport activities to aid their recovery and rehabilitation. Some of their members will work with select SRO teams in the shop and at the track.

Operation Motorsport helps beneficiaries discover a new way to find purpose and pride. As in the military, in motor-

sports, the goal is accomplishing the mission, winning as a team, collectively celebrating successes, and supporting teammates through the losses. Operation Motorsport believes in the power of Team, Identity, and Purpose. Recovery is One At A Time. Operation Motorsport is the Official Veterans Charity of SRO America & the Skip Barber Racing School.

GREEN IS MORE THAN A FLAG COLORSUSTAINABLE MOTORSPORTS

SRO Motorsports Group joined a host of highly influential companies by signing up for The Climate Pledge. The Pledge is an initiative co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism, committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

This ambitious target is 10 years ahead of the objective set by the Paris Agreement, a landmark treaty adopted at the COP 21 UN Climate Change Conference in 2015. Meeting the goal will further enhance the world’s chances of limiting the global temperature rise and, in turn, fighting back against the climate emergency.

In joining them, SRO has committed to three main areas of action: measuring and reporting its greenhouse gas emissions on a regular basis; implementing decarbonization strategies in line with the Paris Agreement; and acting to neutralize any remaining emissions with additional, quantifiable, real, permanent, and socially beneficial offsets to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Crucially, the initiative acknowledges that the world must move faster in its effort to build a low-carbon future.

Committing to The Climate Pledge further reinforces SRO’s wide-ranging focus on sustainability. During 2022 the compa-

ny supported environmental projects on four continents while taking further steps to prioritize electric vehicles and power sources, utilize biofuel, eliminate single-use plastic, minimize waste and maximize recycling at its events. These efforts resulted in 66 percent carbon neutrality, while all competitor fleets ran 100 percent carbon neutral.

The coming season will see an increased offer of biofuel, further efforts to improve tire circularity, and greater support for environmental initiatives that are local to SRO’s on-track activities. These actions will ensure that sustainability remains at the heart of the company’s operations during a crucial battle against climate change.

ALL RACERS WELCOME

At the 2021 SRO season finale in Indianapolis, SRO and AWS hosted an open discussion about diversity and inclusion within motorsports and the extended industry. For SRO, it wasn’t a “we need to do X” to look good or check a box.

This was a public talk among the already diverse SRO paddock about how we can continue our success and improve. Improvement is always the goal since no racer is ever satisfied if they think they can go faster.

With more women racing and winning than in any other road racing paddock in America, SRO can grow our sport by being open and welcoming to everyone. Our challenge to fans is to bring a newbie to a race or enjoy a live SRO stream with someone who may have yet to experience our sport. Our greatest strength as a community is in welcoming new people.

Less Heat, More Power. Stay Frosty® Race-Ready Coolant

Stay

Prototype shown. Professional driver on closed course. Do not attempt. Horsepower: Ratings achieved using the required premium unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 91 or higher. If premium fuel is not used, performance will decrease. ©2023 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

The rst-ever GR Corolla.

300 HP. GR-FOUR AWD. Manual only. Get behind the wheel of this wild child.

TOYOTA’S GR CUP

SET TO DEBUT UNDER SRO BANNER IN 2023

Toyota Gazoo Racing North America (TGRNA) announced the formation of the GR Cup, Toyota’s all-new single-make racing series, in the spring of 2022.

The experience of the GR Cup is intended to be fully immersive. While the racing is the most exciting feature, each event will also offer an excellent environment for comradery among like-minded car enthusiasts.

From first-class, exclusive hospitality to partner-sponsored displays, it’s sure to be a celebration of everything car and racing enthusiasts love- car culture and motorsports. Guests and competitors alike will revel in the beauty and capability of the Toyota machinery while enjoying an unmatched atmosphere of SRO quality events.

Originally a stock GR86, the vehicle will be transformed into the GR86 Cup car in TGRNA’s brand-new, state-of-theart facility in Mooresville, North Carolina. Here it will be fitted with Bosch engine management, custom Borla exhaust, SADEV 6-speed sequential transmission, Alcon brakes, JRI adjustable shocks, OMP safety equipment, roll cage, carbon fiber rear wing, 22-gallon fuel cell, TGRNA designed MacPherson strut, Stratasys custom bodywork, a TGRNA designed splitter and more.

SRO

Motorsports America sanctions the GR Cup because of its tested reputation as an established leader in GT racing for the past 30 years. The GR Cup offers affordable competition in 14 races at seven prestigious circuits across the United States. This new racing series will help reinforce and validate the track-inspired engineering bred into every Toyota GR vehicle.

Single-make series racing, or onemake racing, is a category of motorsports where all drivers compete using identical (homologated) cars from the same manufacturer. This provides an even playing field for the competition, where most of the race will be up to the team and driver to correctly identify the nuances of the track and turn consistent laps. The GR86 has been designated as the race vehicle in Toyota’s GR Cup.

These race efforts are not simply designed to build fans for Toyota vehicles and the GR Brand but to allow learnings on the track to make ever-better vehicles for the road by Toyota engineers. In turn, the GR Cup will also educate drivers on the quality of Toyota products. The combined trust of engineering and drivability is a win-win for everyone. And with these efforts, a new series within Toyota Gazoo Racing North America is born.

The fun doesn’t stop once the checkered flag waves. GR Cup will also offer

The Toyota Racing team is not your traditional team. That’s because every member — from the drivers, to the pit crews, to the fans — plays an equal part in building something greater: a legacy of speed that cannot be ignored. So join us this season, and let’s be a part of something greater.

©2023 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

participants one million dollars in total purse and prizes thanks to several great partners that have teamed with Toyota Gazoo Racing North America in this unique series. With competitors taking home more than a trophy at the end of the weekend, the anticipated excitement will only grow as the season progresses.

The top-eight finishes will be awarded after each race, with race winners earning up to $12,000 and the season champion winning $50,000. This is possible thanks to the founding partners Toyota Gazoo Racing North America welcomes as the series takes to the track in 2023. These partners include- Mobil 1, Continental, Gearwrench, Yahoo, Racing Spirit, JBL, OMP, and Stratasys.

Fans can also watch amazing racing taken on by names they love like Shea Holbrook with BSI Racing and Kevin Conway along with his Smooge Racing crew. TRD Development driver Tyler Gonzales joins Toyota GR Cup in the VGRT entry. He alongside seven other

development drivers will make appearances in the fledgling series.

Fans will enjoy a diverse group of upand-coming racers, with many familiar names in the paddock from various racing backgrounds including stock cars, sprint cars, sports cars, and more. Each looking to enhance their racing careers by winning the inaugural GR Cup North America championship.

“THE COMBINED TRUST OF ENGINEERING AND DRIVABILITY IS A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYONE.”

2023 EVENTS

SONOMA RACEWAY

Sonoma Raceway was the site of the first-ever World Challenge race over three decades ago in the rolling hills of California’s wine country. It will open the 2023 season for all SRO America championships except GT America. The 12-turn road course features a course-wide 160-foot elevation change from the peak at Turn 3a to the valley floor that is Turn 10. The blue-and-gold berms have been newly refurbished to green and gold, reflecting the iconic Sonoma Valley.

SONOMA, CA CIRCUIT: 12 Turns | TRACK LENGTH: 2.385 miles

NOLA MOTORSPORTS PARK

New Orleans is known for vibrancy and enthusiasm. NOLA Motorsports Park presents the same tradition while racing the 16-turn track at the 40-acre facility. Competitors bring the 2.75-mile track to life with constant action from the four SRO series and, as close racing almost always permits, high emotions. 2023 is the track’s second year presenting SRO Motorsports America to fans of the famous port city.

NEW ORLEANS, LA CIRCUIT: 16 Turns | TRACK LENGTH: 2.75 miles

CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS

Circuit of The Americas (COTA) holds an esteemed position as the only FIA- purpose-built track in the United States, as its intention was always to host Formula 1. The track is known for its state-of-the-art campus and challenging course as Turn 1 pushes competitors and cars alike up a 133 ft. climb. The climb immediately twists and unveils the 12-turn course along the flatland of the Austin city limits.

AUSTIN, TX CIRCUIT: 12 Turns | TRACK LENGTH: 3.427 miles

JUNE 16

JUNE 17

VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

America’s first “Motorsport Resort,” historic VIRginia International Raceway, is one of America’s first permanent road racing tracks. Paul Newman once said, “If there is a heaven on earth, it is VIR.” The 17-turn course is known for its high-speed straights, challenging turns and dramatic elevation changes. The 1300-acre property features world-class facilities and resort amenities that truly set itself apart.

ALTON, VA CIRCUIT: 17 Turns | TRACK LENGTH: 3.27 miles

MUSIC CITY GRAND PRIX

The streets of Nashville come alive for the Music City Grand Prix, a three-day festival of speed that features music, food, and racing. GT America powered by AWS offers a taste of GT racing during the INDYCAR weekend featuring a diverse mix of GT3, GT2, and GT4 machinery. The event is poised to surpass its debut last season with an even better experience and a bigger crowd in Music City.

NASHVILLE, TN STREET CIRCUIT: 11 turns | TRACK LENGTH: 2.17 miles GTAM

ROAD AMERICA

In the early 1950s, sports car races were run on the streets in and around Elkhart Lake. When the state legislature banned racing on public roads, a man named Cliff Tufte organized a group of influential local citizens with a plan to build a racetrack and what became Road America. Aptly named America’s National Park of Speed, the track is 4.048 miles long, with 14 turns. The circuit is virtually the same today as it was when it was first laid out and is acknowledged as one of the world’s finest and most challenging road courses.

ELKHART LAKE, WI CIRCUIT: 14 Turns | TRACK LENGTH: 4.048 miles

SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

Sebring Raceway occupies the site of Hendricks Army Airfield, a training base for B-17 pilots in the 1940s, that was converted into a racetrack and staged its first endurance race in 1950. Its long straights are old concrete airstrips that have defined Sebring’s wild nature over decades. Driver’s must ‘respect the bumps’ to conquer the 17-turn, 3.741-mile course featuring the best racing.

SEBRING, FL CIRCUIT: 17 Turns | TRACK LENGTH: 3.741 miles

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the world’s most iconic tracks and a fitting location for the SRO America series finales. The Brickyard, a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) rectangular oval, is the world’s third-oldest permanent automobile race track and is partially incorporated into the FIA-approved infield road course completed in 2000, measuring 2.605 miles (4.192 km). It’s a fitting stop for the globe-trotting Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli and the season finales for all SRO America championships.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN CIRCUIT: 14 Turns | TRACK LENGTH: 2.605 miles

A NEW WORLD CHALLENGE.

RealTime Racing, the most successful team in World Challenge history, has amassed 15 Drivers’ Championships and 14 Manufacturers’ titles. As change is the only constant in life, the team races into 2023 with a pair of Bartone Bros Mercedes-AMG GT3s and the driver lineup of Andy Pilgrim and Anthony Bartone. One a proven sportscar veteran, the other a promising young hot-shoe who has already shown his potential in GT racing.

Our past wins don’t matter. Nor do our failures. With every day, the clock resets and we fight for what could be.

bartonebrosracing.com

realtimerl.com

SO WHAT HAPPENED IN 2022?

The honor roll of champions and special awards was lengthy, reflecting an amazing depth of talent across multiple classes for seasoned professionals and highly accomplished amateurs. Over 180 racers took part in 57 races across four series. The total 60 hours of competition took place on nine different circuits.

FANATEC GT WORLD CHALLENGE POWERED BY AWS

In the Pro category, Lamborghini team K-PAX Racing won the first six races of 2022, giving Andrea Caldarelli a strong early season points lead. Close behind was Michael Dinan and Robby Foley in the Turner Motorsports BMW, who scored two wins, including the Indianapolis 8-Hour. The Pro-Am class was intensely competitive, with the Racers Edge Motorsports Acura of Mario Farnbacher and Ashton Harrison earned the hard fought championship. Harrison was also named Rookie of the Year.

• Drivers Champion (Pro): Andrea Caldarelli (K-PAX Racing)

• Drivers Champions (Pro-Am): Ashton Harrison & Mario Farnbacher (Racers Edge Motorsports)

• Drivers Champions (Am): Charlie Scardina & Onofrio Triarsi (Triarsi Competizione)

• Team Champion (Pro): K-PAX Racing

• Team Champion (Pro-Am): Racers Edge Motorsports

• Team Champion (Am): Triarsi Competizione

• Crew of the Year: Wright Motorsports

• Rookie of the Year: Ashton Harrison (Racers Edge Motorsports)

• CrowdStrike Fast Lap Award: Andrea Caldarelli (K-PAX Racing)

• Team Manufacturer Award Winner: K-PAX Racing

• Manufacturer Champion: Lamborghini Squadra Corse

GT AMERICA POWERED BY AWS

In the SRO3 Class, George Kurtz and his CrowdStrike Racing with Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG were challenged, but seldom defeated. Kurtz scored 10 wins from the 16 races, including the final five races of the year. Meanwhile a total of 10 racers scored wins in GT4.

• Drivers Champion (SRO3): George Kurtz (CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports)

• Drivers Champion (GT4): Ross Chouest (Chouest Povoledo Racing)

• Drivers Champion (GT2): CJ Moses (GMG Racing)

• Team Champion (SRO3): CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports

• Team Champion (GT4): Chouest Povoledo Racing

• Crew of the Year: Triarsi Competizione

• Rookie of the Year: Seth Lucas (Hattori Motorsport)

• CrowdStrike Fast Lap Award: George Kurtz (CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports)

• Manufacturer Champion: Mercedes-AMG

PIRELLI GT4 AMERICA

The Silver class RS1 Porsche of Eric Filgueiras and Stevan McAleer secured 11 wins from 14 races. Two wins and points scoring finishes in 13 of 14 races delivered the PRO/AM championship to Jason Hart and Scott Noble in the NOLASport Porsche. It was a great year for BimmerWorld in the AM Class, with James Clay and Charlie Postins taking their BMW to seven wins and a championship. Postins also earned the Rookieof-the-Year award.

• Drivers Champions (Silver): Stevan McAleer & Eric Filgueiras (RS1)

• Drivers Champions (Pro-Am): Scott Noble & Jason Hart (NOLASport)

• Drivers Champions (Am): Charlie Postins & James Clay (BimmerWorld)

• Team Champion (Silver): RS1

• Team Champion (Pro-Am): NOLASport

• Team Champion (Am): BimmerWorld

• Crew of the Year: Auto Technic Racing

• Rookie of the Year: Charlie Postins (BimmerWorld)

• CrowdStrike Fast Lap Award: Steven McAleer (RS1)

• Team Manufacturer Award Winner: RS1

• Manufacturer Champion: Porsche

TC AMERICA POWERED BY SKIP BARBER RACING SCHOOL

Jacob Ruud of Fast Track Racing BMW scored seven wins and the championship. TCA was a season-long dogfight with Gresham Wagner (Tech Sport Racing Subaru) acoming out on top with seven wins and ten podiums. Wagner also earned the title of Rookie of the Year.

• Drivers Champion (TCX): Jacob Ruud (Fast Track Racing)

• Drivers Champion (TC): Kevin Boehm (CrowdStrike Racing by Skip Barber)

• Drivers Champion (TCA): Gresham Wagner (TechSport Racing)

• Team Champion (TCX): Fast Track Racing

• Team Champion (TC): Skip Barber Racing

• Team Champion (TCA): TechSport Racing

• Rookie of the Year: Gresham Wagner (TechSport Racing)

• Crew of the Year (TCX): Fast Track Racing

• Crew of the Year (TC): GenRacer

• Crew of the Year (TCA): Skip Barber Racing

• CrowdStrike Fast Lap Award: Jacob Ruud (Fast Track Racing)

• Team Manufacturer Award Winner: Fast Track Racing

• Manufacturer Champion (TCX): BMW Motorsport

• Manufacturer Champion (TC): Honda Performance Development

• Manufacturer Champion (TCA): Honda Performance Development

SPECIAL AWARDS:

In addition to on-track performance being recognized, three very special endof-season awards were made to individuals for their contributions to the sport.

• Alberto Pena from CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports was named the 2022 Jerome Zimmermann Award winner.

• Robert Thompson from the SRO Medical Team was the Mike Pasquale Memorial Award winner.

• Tigh Isaac of Zelus Motorsports was the Jim Cook Award recipient

RELIVE THE ACTION

Complete video coverage of all of the 2022 races can be viewed on the GT World YouTube channel.

Speed is Power

It’s as true in technology as it is in sports. South 6’s awardwinning cybersecurity response team sets the standard for real-time incident response to a wide range of IT security breaches. That’s why Dell named South 6 their Best Global Partner in a Crisis in 2021. And South 6 is now generally regarded by its clients as the first choice partner for cybersecurity and IT talent on a contract or permanent basis. Any skill set. Any industry. Remote or on-site.

South 6 - Simply the best, highly vetted, and most responsive source for cybersecurity and IT talent in the nation. Contact us for a single consultant or let us put an entire team together for you.

Elite cybersecurity talent at the speed of Life.

info@southsix.com

Elite Cybersecurity Talent

25 YEARS OF RACING

Conquest Racing has competed at the highest levels of motor racing for twenty-five years and is proud to enter the premier North American GT series, Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, in 2023. Manny Franco and Alessandro Balzan will drive

the No. 21 Corsa Horizon Ferrari 296 GT3 in the Pro category.

conquestracing.com

COMPETITION IS COMPETITION

The SRO Motorsports Group continues its commitment to technological advancement through Esport with the Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports powered by Mobileye. The virtual racing championship began in 2021 as regional sprint series around the globe, including America, Asia and Europe. In 2022, endurance rounds and the Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports powered by Mobileye were created, forming the global e-racing community we see today.

The multi-class championships feature Silver and Professional rated drivers who battle on some of the most renowned tracks in the sport. The season includes 15 sprints divided amongst America, Asia and Europe, and five endurance rounds stunningly brought to life in the official simulation of Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS: Assetto Corsa Competizione.

What’s the format of a race? Two formats used during a season are very fa-

miliar to motor racing fans. One format is sprint. The Sprint races occur in regional rounds- Europe Sprint, America Sprint and Asia Sprint. Each region hosts five races on circuits from around the globe. These races are short in time and would be raced by one driver. The other format is endurance. The Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports powered by Mobileye series uses the endurance format. The endurance series includes virtual versions of SRO classics, including the 12 Hours

of Bathurst, 24 Hours of Spa, 8 Hours of Indianapolis, 9 Hours of Kylami and 10 Hours of Suzuka. A combination of three drivers would share driving duties at these races. Each race is scored, and at the end of the season, drivers’ score from the sprint races is combined with the points scored by a car in an endurance race.

Great, but what is the qualifying format for these races? Qualifying differs slightly per sprint and endurance format but remains the same for both PRO and Silver

drivers or entries. The Endurance format requires two cars from each represented manufacturer within the series. Once that minimum is reached, each team’s driver set hot laps on a qualifying server on two race circuits. At each track, the best lap time of all three drivers is combined to create a team average lap time. The team average lap time from each track is then added together to make a total lap time. Qualifying for sprint races is very similar, with the single driver of the entry setting hot laps on

a qualifying server at two race circuits, with the driver’s average of those hot lap times being posted on the leaderboard.

OK, so what is a professional Esport driver? In the Intercontinental GT Challenge Esport series, these are focused drivers who scored at least 25 points in a sum accrued in the regional sprint races and endurance races from the previous year. Drivers nominated by manufacturers are also automatically considered PRO. To identify a PRO entry for the endurance races, a minimum of two drivers must meet the qualifications above. The Silver driver, in turn, is a driver who did not earn the needed 25 points or did not compete in the previous season. Silver entries are identified as having only one PRO driver for the endurance races. If you’re a fan of large car counts, you may be surprised to know there are grid spots for 24 PRO drivers and 24 Silver drivers per race.

Now, let’s talk about what’s on the line. Each regional sprint series and the endurance championship offer a cash prize to winners. The Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports powered by Mobileye awards €35,000 Euro amongst the Top 10 teams per PRO class with additional prizes worth over €8,000 Euros. For Silver entries, the

Top 10 teams per class split a prize pool of €15,000 Euros with an extra prize package worth over €4,000 Euros offered.

The Europe Sprint Series cash prize for the PRO category offers €10,000 Euros to the Top 10 drivers with an additional €5,000 Euros worth of prizes awarded. The European Silver class is given €5,000 Euros to the Top 10 drivers per class with an additional allocation of prizes valued at over €3,000 Euros. The American Sprint Series awards the PRO drivers a product prize pool valued at $12,500 Dollars. The Silver drivers win a prize pool valued at $5,000 Dollars. The Asia Sprint, Series PRO drivers are offered a prize pool valued at €12,500 Euro and the Silver drivers are offered a prize pool valued at €5,000 Euro.

Follow GT World on YouTube and the SRO Esports Facebook page to watch the races live and post-event.

INDY 8 HOUR

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, nicknamed the Brickyard or Yard of Bricks, is one of the most historically significant tracks in the United States and the world. At 111 years old, it is the oldest continually operating racetrack in the U.S. It’s the home of the Indianapolis 500, appropriately, the endurance race of open-wheel racing. With a permanent seat count of 250,000, it also hosts the world’s largest single-day sporting event.

Despite a history dating back to 1909, the inaugural running of the Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS was the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s first professional endurance sports car race. Teams from as far afield as Germany, Italy, and Belgium flocked to “The Brickyard,” with famed German team Walkenhorst claiming victory for BMW in the event’s debut.

As the victor count grows, the hallowed ground of Victory Circle, located outside of the iconic Pagoda, continues to serve as a fitting backdrop for the SRO Motorsports America champions to receive their coronations.

With a historical motorsport significance like Indianapolis, the stakes are high for every competitor regardless of the championship. An anticipated car count featuring full-season American entrants alongside international powerhouses makes the race an all-star event. Points are awarded for Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli competitors. At the same time, IMS will again serve as the finale and title decider for all SRO Motorsports America series- Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, GT America powered by AWS, Pire-

The world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway plays host to the season finale of the SRO Motorsports America and the Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS.

lli GT4 America, and TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School.

Perhaps even more significant is the chance to win at one of the most iconic circuits on the planet, culminating with a traditional kiss on the Yard of Bricks. The row of bricks denotes the start/ finish line of the superspeedway’s road course and oval. It’s a nod to the circuit’s history, as it was once entirely paved with bricks. Since NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett kissed the bricks after winning the 1996 Brickyard 400, it’s been a tradition to pucker up after a long-fought battle. The sport’s finest names have earned the right, including Mario Andretti, Michael Schumacher, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Jaques Villeneuve.

The North American leg of the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli weekend has quickly cemented itself as a significant global sports car racing calendar event. Fans can expect top GT teams, manufacturers, and all four of SRO’s domestic American championships. This year Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS, serves as the penultimate event of the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli. The series travels the globe to events at Bathurst in Australia, Kyalami Circuit in South Africa, Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps, and Yas Marina Circuit in the United Arab Emirates, which hosts the final round. Similar to the 2022 race, this year’s Indianapolis 8 Hour will be a GT3-only affair, bringing the race closer to the SRO’s blue-ribbon 24 Hours of Spa.

Proven on the racetrack, unleashed on the streets.

Used by the Turner Motorsport Race Team in their Championship winning BMWs!

With LIQUI MOLY, these same products that provide us a racing advantage are the exact same products used daily in servicing our customers’ cars.

Will Turner, Turner Motorsport

B AWS & CROWDSTRIKE ACCELERATES AND PROTECTS RACERS

& BUSINESSES

Occasionally fans need clarification about why company A is sponsoring sport B. “What’s the connection?” is often the thought. Ideally, those sponsorships are mutually beneficial. Sometimes the success is below the surface. This is especially true when discussing business-to-business marketing versus the prominent consumer programs designed to sell more beer or soda.

esides the fantastic GTs and Touring Cars, SRO Motorsports America is a paddock full of successful businesspeople and many C-suite executives who use motorsports to blend business and sport. Getting to these executives at their primary office is a challenge. Approaching them in their “fun space” has proven very effective for two significant partners within the SRO paddock.

SRO Motorsports America CEO Greg Gill said, “We hate the s-word. Our business partners are more than just sponsors. With Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Crowdstrike, we have two tech leaders helping us create great racing and showcase their segment-leading services in front of a paddock full of decision-makers. They give our team peace of mind to do their jobs without concern over data security.”

WHY RACING?

SPEED:

A key metric for most race drivers is the exit speed onto the longest straightaway. One lousy turn can destroy the lap time. A critical rate in modern business is often upload speed.

In cybersecurity, speed is essential for stopping the threats posed in today’s environment. Identifying, mitigating, and preventing the threats posed is critical to a successful cybersecurity campaign. CrowdStrike’s cloud-based tools push identifying that threat from an individual computer to the cloud, so threats become visible well before they attack a system. Speed is essential to beating those threats.

Those two can be measured at an SRO World Challenge race – MPH & Mbps, thanks to AWS. By moving all of SRO’s rich data to the cloud, it improves SRO’s ability to identify, research, and mitigate issues that come in front of the series. Speed is essential for a series such as SRO.

SAFETY:

Motorsports is a high-speed sport with serious risks. The key to safety for a race driver has the best possible safety equipment. SRO requires the latest FIA-rated helmets, HANS devices, and firesuits. Essential to modern corporate safety is data protection. Thanks to Crowdstrike, those two can be measured at an SRO Motorsports America race.

Steve Groom, Chief Technical Officer for SRO, noted, “Crowdstrike is the ideal partner in that they add valuable protection without giving us more work. The Falcon’s complete service continually

monitors our equipment, and specialists are on hand if any interventions need to be escalated. That gives us peace of mind and more time to concentrate on running world-class events.”

The SRO World Challenge has benefitted from technical support from these two key organizations, experts in their fields, who have helped SRO maintain its position as the leader in Global GT racing.

“One of the most difficult tasks in modern racing is developing the balance of performance. These complex algorithms allow over a dozen automakers to compete equally on various circuits. AWS has given us cutting-edge cloud storage and computing to make this happen. Similarly, Crowdstrike protects our data just as our safety systems protect the racers,” said Joe Legan, Technical Manager, SRO Motorsports America. “We work with up to 50 GB of data per race. AWS and Crowdstrike keep our current and legacy data

accessible and secure on local devices and in the cloud.”

SECURITY:

Racing series are unique organizations maintaining a significant level of precious and confidential data. SRO identified the risks associated with protecting this data within its systems early and has worked diligently with CrowdStrike to implement the latest technologies to protect client records, financial records, OEM performance data, video/photo content, race history, and related prying eyes.

TEAMWORK:

It is not just the driver that wins races. It is the whole team that works together to achieve the goal. Both AWS and CrowdStrike have found that working with SRO. They share mutual goals and objectives in the programs.

Before the on-track action, CrowdStrike CXO summits have proven to be valuable tools for CrowdStrike and AWS to bring together industry leaders to discuss the issues of today’s cyber world. These SRO-facilitated executive experiences build relationships and trust between the parties involved.

Additionally, the three companies work together with other series partners, like Fanatec, to enhance the fan experience and work to build programs that have significant marketing and brand reach for all the parties involved.

APPLICATIONS & SUCCESSES TO DATE

THE CLOUD:

One of the first integrations was the migration of valuable SRO assets to the AWS Cloud. By placing this valuable content in the cloud and working with the AWS team, SRO could quickly organize, sort, and search content that was largely unavailable to them in prior years. Today this content is readily available for review by series officials, TV and streaming production departments, and PR / Social departments, allowing them to quickly access and distribute relevant content closer to the need than ever before.

RACE VISION:

AWS and SRO are partnering in developing the latest technologies, combining the data collected in the cloud with custom algorithms to deliver information to the broadcast team that enhances the race fan experience. Working together, they engage viewer participation in the show and educate the audience on some of the unique characteristics of the SRO cars, teams, and drivers.

STREAMING:

At the beginning of the 2021 season, SRO added some of the new AWS Elemental Link encoding hardware units into the existing, remotely managed stream workflow. These new products merged directly into the existing workflow and worked seamlessly from day one.

SRO Esports has taken off with more than 40 live events alongside the three-

sprint series and the intercontinental endurance series. Naturally, these global Esports competitions needed global solutions, with drivers joining from all over the world. The American, European and Asian SRO GT World Challenge Esports series took full advantage of the global AWS network in its Sprint and Endurance championships. The championships were streamed via AWS Elemental services to CDNs, social media platforms, and broadcasters. And the content collected and stored within the cloud.

Julian Elkan, Digital Manager for SRO Motorsports, “We have used the AWS Elemental infrastructure to deliver fast and reliable feed globally. Technically challenging transfer of broadcast IP feeds from global region to region are now part of our regular workflow. An example would be that our live European broadcasts are now transferred over IP Live between Europe and South America for local commentators to add their Spanish-language commentary and re-stream out to their platforms.

“Our streams are now available to broadcasters as a single stream with embedded multichannel audio. This allows a broadcaster to receive synchronized audio for their OTT platforms, thus allowing the end viewer to switch seamlessly between languages. This ability within our IP stream options will become even more important as we believe there will be

increased demand by OTT platforms requiring commentary in multiple languages. SRO, AWS, and Crowdstrike all share a global mindset.”

FULLY REMOTE CAPABILITY:

The adoption of AWS solutions by SRO has allowed SRO to adapt quickly to the continuing production challenges of travel. All Live streaming and broadcast deliverables are managed remotely from a single MCR (Master Control Room), providing a consistent point of contact for broadcasters and bringing a consistent workflow to all SRO productions. The nature of SROs global footprint means it can have as many as three international race events happening over any given weekend. Managing stream broadcasts in America, Europe, and Australia has been made possible by the AWS Elemental tools.

TV BROADCAST DELIVERABLES:

SRO completed the move to AWS S3 storage in 2021. 100% of SRO broadcast recordings and highlight packages originate from AWS Cloud storage services. This represents 21.5TB of SRO broadcast files in the cloud. Each race weekend generates over 500GB of TV broadcast recordings, all needing to be uploaded to the SRO S3 storage by the Sunday night of a race weekend.

To see SRO, AWS, and Crowdstrike in high-speed action, visit www.sro-motorsports.com and make plans to join us at the track or online in 2022.

FANATEC is the leading dedicated sim racing hardware brand, including force feedback steering wheels, pedals, and complete cockpits for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC-based racing simulators. Featuring enthusiast-grade equipment, built by sim racers, for sim racers designed and engineered in Germany. Fanatec racing simulation hardware is built to the highest standards so that you can perform at your best.

www.fanatec.com

CrowdStrike returns as the Official CyberSecurity Provider of SRO Motorsports America. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity technology company, is the leader in cloud-delivered endpoint protection. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform offers instant visibility and protection across the enterprise and prevents attacks on endpoints on or off the network.

www.crowdstrike.com

EBOOST provides clean performance products such as daily energy products, pre-workout and recovery - that increase energy, focus, and all-around well-being. Through its new partnership with SRO, EBOOST’s SUPER FUEL is a sparkling natural energy drink like no other, crafted with plant-based caffeine and fortified with vitamins, minerals, nootropics, electrolytes, and antioxidants. Try one today at SRO’s Hospitality Center located in the SRO paddock.

www.eboost.com

Amazon Web Services (AWS), the new global presenting sponsor of Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS, continues to be the Official Cloud and Machine Learning Provider for SRO globally. AWS is a secure cloud services platform, offering compute power, database storage, content delivery and other functionality to help businesses scale and grow. Explore how millions of customers are currently leveraging AWS cloud products and solutions to build sophisticated applications with increased flexibility, scalability and reliability.

www.aws.amazon.com

Pirelli’s motorsport excellence is based on a tradition of innovation and reliability in competition and is the number one tire choice for the world’s most exciting racing series. Pirelli has consolidated its position as the leading tire supplier to GT racing throughout the world with the arrival of the Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS: a global championship that brings together the SRO’s GT series in America, Europe and Asia. Pirelli is also headline sponsor of the new Pirelli GT4 America series: one of the fastest-growing categories in the series.

www.us.pirelli.com

ROWE offers a full range of products with a high vertical production range, always manufactured in audited sustainable processes. In addition to many motor oils and winter chemicals for many various types of vehicles, we also offer lubricants for a wide variety of other utilizations and applications. ROWE’s commitment to motorsport is not just simply about a passion for the sport or creating an image. Utilizing the “driving laboratory” enables ROWE to research new lubricants, optimizes formulations and thereby create what cannot be replicated in any laboratory in the world: the practical test implemented under extreme conditions.

www.rowe-oil.com

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing embodies TOYOTA’s commitment to overcoming every limit to make “ever-better” cars. Motorsports initiatives have given Toyota broad perspective and deep experience, which the company has applied to the development of numerous production cars. Some of these model line-ups are ideally suited for passing on the special motorsports DNA, particularly Toyota’s GR Series such as GR COROLLA, GR SUPRA, and GR86. SRO America is excited to welcome Toyota as the Official Vehicle for the 2023 season.

www.toyota.com/racing/tgrna

Stay Frosty® Race Ready coolant reduces engine temps by up to 30°F compared to conventional glycol-based coolants. Formulated for high-compression, high-heat racing engines and SRO America’s Official Coolant. Stay Frosty Race Ready racing coolant is 100% water-based and biodegradable, plus it provides greater advantages to just using water in the radiator.

www.vpracingfuels.com

Skip Barber Racing School is the premier racing school in North America, conducting racing schools, driving schools and corporate team building events at road racing tracks across the country including Lime Rock Park, Laguna Seca, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Road Atlanta, and Sebring International Raceway. Since 1983, the Skip Barber Racing School has trained over one-third of all Indy 500 competitors and one-quarter of the NASCAR Cup competitors. Skip Barber Racing alumni have won every major U.S. auto racing championship.

www.skipbarber.com

VP is now recognized by many as the world leader in race fuel technology, with a catalog of more than 80 fuel blends and a growing roster of VP-fueled champions across the entire spectrum of motorsports. VP Racing is the Official and Spec Fuel for all SRO America championships. The passion and dedication of VP’s development team to staying on the leading edge of technology is legendary. Most of VP’s employees are or have been racers in one form or another and are driven by the competitive will to win. Together, the VP team intends to solidify its position as the true World Leader in Race Fuel Technology for years to come.

www.vpracingfuels.com

OPTIMA Batteries, manufactured by Johnson Controls, Inc., provides industry-leading batteries which represent premium performance. OPTIMA will continue to strengthen its position in the aftermarket performance automotive industry by maintaining the position of Official Battery of SRO Motorsports America series. OPTIMA Batteries will also continue to offer awards for all podium finishing teams.

www.optimabatteries.com

5.11 joins SRO America as the Official Apparel Partner for GT World Challenge America. With offices around the globe, 5.11 works directly with end users to create purpose-built apparel, footwear and gear designed specifically to enhance the safety, accuracy, speed, and performance of tactical professionals and technical enthusiasts worldwide. 5.11 products exceed rigorous standards, which have allowed the brand to establish a reputation for innovation and authenticity, and become the premier choice for those who always have to be ready.

www.511tactical.com

THE ACTION BE APART

TUNE-IN

Catch all the races streamed live for free at:

GTWorld SROMotorsports Plus, catch the broadcasts on CBS Sports Network

*Check series websites for airing dates

OF

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