World-class GT3 racing returns to Barber Motorsports Park this weekend

By John Goolsby, Prep Sports Editor

LEEDS, Ala. – The Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS sportcar series returns to Barber Motorsports Park this weekend for the first time in eight years.

Thirteen GT3 teams will contest two 90-minute races on the picturesque 2.38-mile, 17-turn track before heading to the season finale at Indianapolis on October 6.

This year, the series raced on some of the most famous road courses in the United States: Sonoma Raceway, Sebring, Circuit of the Americas, VIR, and Road America.

GT3 cars are easily recognizable, high-performance, specially-built race cars based on manufacturers’ street models. They have advanced aerodynamics and are constructed from lightweight materials.

Six different manufacturers will be represented in the two Fanatec GT races on Saturday and Sunday:

BMW M4 GT3

Porsche 992 GT3

#92 Porsche 992 GT3-R of Jean-Frederic Laberge and Kyle Marcelli, MMG, GT World Challenge America, Pro-Am, FANATEC GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS, SRO America, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI August 16 – 18 2024. | Fabian Lagunas / SRO

Mercedes AMG GT3

#91 Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Jeff Burton and Philip Ellis, Regulator Racing, GT World Challenge America, Pro-Am, SRO America, FANATEC GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI August 16 – 18 2024. | Fabian Lagunas / SRO

Corvette Z06 GT3

#63 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Alec Udell and Tommy Milner, DXDT Racing, GT World Challenge America, Pro, SRO America, FANATEC GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI August 16 – 18 2024. | Fabian Lagunas / SRO

Ferrari 296 GT3

#163 Ferrari 296 GT3 of Jay Schreibman and Oswaldo Negri, AF Course, GT World Challenge America, Am, FANATEC GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS, SRO America, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI August 16 – 18 2024. | Fabian Lagunas / SRO

Acura NSX GT3 EVO22

#93 Acura NSX GT3 EVO22 of Luca Mars and Zach Veach, Racers Edge Motorsports, GT World Challenge America, Pro, FANATEC GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS, SRO America, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI August 16 – 18 2024. | Fabian Lagunas / SRO

SRO Motorsports Group sanctions the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS series. The group manages and promotes the GT World Challenge, the Intercontinental GT Challenge (which includes the famed Spa 24 Hours and Bathurst 12 Hour), the British GT Championship, and the GT4 European Series.

Two drivers take turns driving the racecar during the race. The FIA, the world’s governing motorsports body, rates drivers based on skill, experience, and accomplishments. The ratings range from Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

Pro teams are made up of drivers with Platinum, Gold or Silver ratings. Pro-Am teams must have a Bronze driver paired with a driver of a higher rating.

American Tommy Milner, a two-time 24 Hours of LeMans and a 24 Hours of Daytona class winner in Corvettes, will be behind the wheel of the #63 DXDT Racing Corvette in the Pro Class. Milner sits second in the Pro Class standings. The #63 has won six races in a row. The veteran racer has won races in three generations of the Corvette: C6.R, C7.R, and C8.R. Milner is currently 6th in the IMSA GTD PRO standings, where he contests the #4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports.

IndyCar driver Conor Daly will co-pilot the #99 Random Vandals BMW. This past weekend, Daly finished third at the NTT IndyCar Series race on the Milwaukee Mile. The veteran driver also finished 10th at the 2024 Indy 500, leading 22 laps.

Currently second in the IMSA GTD PRO standings, Bryan Sellers will co-drive the #64 DXDT Corvette.

Former IndyCar driver Zack Veach will co-pilot the #93 Racers Edge Motorsports BMW. Veach currently sits fourth in the Pro Driver standings. The four-time Indy 500 finisher raced four times in an IndyCar at Barber and three times in IndyLights with a win and a third-place finish.

Adam Alderson and Elliott Skeer lead the Pro Driver standings in their #120 Wright Motorsports Porsche

Samantha Tan and Neil Verhagen lead the Pro-AM Driver standings in their #38 ST Racing BMW.

Fanatec GT World Challenge cars will be on track Friday at 10:00 AM and 3:15 PM for their first practice sessions.

Qualifying will take place at 9:05 AM Saturday, and the first race will take place at 3:15 PM.

The second race takes place Sunday at 2:15 PM.

Four other series, GT America Powered by AWS, Pirelli GT4 America, TC America powered by Skip Barber, and Toyota GR Cup North America, will support the headlining Fanatec GT World Challenge.