The highly anticipated launch of the new SRO GT America series, the series that provides both a link to the series' past with a single driver sprint race format as well as providing a home to some of the most modern cars in the SRO's portfolio did not disappoint in the opening round under sunny sky’s at Sonoma Raceway on Saturday. Porsche Customer team Wright Motorsports took seconded place with GMC racing just missing out on a podium finish coming home in fourth place

Charlie Luck in the number 45 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3-R 991 opened is account in the debut SRO GT America Series with a well earned second place finishing five seconds behind the winning number 04 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 of George Kutz while Jason Harward in the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 completed the podium in third.

In GT4 the best placed Porsche was that of Adam Adelson in the number 120 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport of Premier Racing who crossed the line in fourth place in class.

George Kurtz in the number 04 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 and Jason Daskalos in the number 27 Daskalos Motorsports Audi R8 LMS started in the front row and took off at the drop of the green flag. Charlie Luck followed closely behind in third place Stewards deemed Kurtz' start was a bit premature and served him with a drive-through penalty. During the fourth lap, Daskalos' Audi experienced a mechanical issue; the car and driver were ultimately retired from the race.

Luck held on to third in the early laps of the forty minute sprint race while Kyle Washington in the number 32 GMC Porsche dropped a couple of places into ninth to the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 cars. The leading Mercedes proceeded to increase the gap from first to seconded while luck was putting Jason Daskalos seconded placed Audi R8 LMS J under pressure, soon after the Audi lost power on track prompting Luck into seconded but now under constant pressure from a train of Lamborghinis behind . A Lap 6 incident saw Novikov spin, allowing teammate number 191 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Jeff Burton and Harward to gain position and taking some of the pressure off Luck.

Black Swan Racing's Tim Pappas in the number 54 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport-MR after looking strong and challenging the leaders suffered a mechanical incident on the front suspension after contact that ended the team race.

The leading DXDT Mercedes who by now had a comfortable lead was served with a drive through penalty after have been deemed to jump the lead at the start promoting Luck into the race lead, meanwhile Washington in the GMC Porsche had made up places and was now running in fourth place

Behind George Kurtz in the DXDT Mercedes who had served the drive through had the bit between his teeth and was carving is way through the filed and was soon back in fourth place after taking the position of the GMC Porsche

While Luck and Harward battled for the top spot in front, several competitors lost positioning after on-track spinouts including Jeff Burton in third resulting in the top five all moving up one place. While luck battled to keep Harward in the Lamborghini behind him the the real threat was that of Kurtz was setting the fastest laps and closing the gap on the leading two. It did not take long long for Kurtz to catch the leading two and with only seven minutes remaining all three cars battled door to door for the lead with Kurtz soon finding a way past Harward to take second and now put he pressure on Luck in front. It did not take long for Kurtz to retake the lead after Luck was slightly hindered by one of the slower GT4 cars.

Luck held on to take second place overall and first in the Masters Class with the GMC Porsche taking fourth. Sunday's action begins with Kurtz and Quinlan, both Fast Race Lap holders in class, take their respective pole positions when the green flag drops at 8:45 am PST. Catch all the action at gtamerica.us/watch-live, on GTWorld YouTube channel, or audio simulcast on SiriusXM SXM 382 (web 992).