Premier Racing Rides Long Beach Wave into Sonoma
Fresh off its first top-ten finish in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands, Premier Racing returns to the heated GT4 competition of the SRO America this week in California. Rounds 3 and 4 of the SRO GT America Powered by AWS as well as Rounds 1 and 2 of the SRO Pirelli GT4 America will be held at Sonoma Raceway, April 14 – 17. The weekend marks the first time since the SRO season-opening rounds in late February for the Las Vegas-based team to field the previous generation Porsche GT4 racer in a pair of 40-minute GT America races for Adam Adelson (Las Vegas, Nevada). It will be the first time in 2022 for Adelson to share driving duties with Premier co-driver and coach, Elliott Skeer (San Diego, California), in the two, 60-minute, two-driver, GT4 America rounds.
SRO weekends which include both GT4 series are a perfect opportunity to maximize track time with the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. Adelson is new to many of the tracks the team faces in 2022, however, the third-year driver raced this same Porsche on the 2.51 miles (4.032 km), 12-turn natural terrain road course in the Sonoma Valley of California last year. He raced to fourth-place and fifth-place finishes in the GT4 class of Races 1 and 2 respectively here in 2021. That levels the playing field for the Porsche team, allowing the Kent Moore-led operation to attack the setup of the mid-engine machine more aggressively. The addition of Skeer, a sports car veteran, for the GT4 America sessions brings another element to quickly gain information.
An open test day on Thursday, April 14 will give the Premier team its first opportunity to experience the Sonoma track. After that the weekend schedule pounds on at a relentless pace. Beginning on Friday morning, April 15, GT America practice opens at 9:25 a.m. PT, followed by a Pirelli GT4 America practice at 12:10 p.m. local time. GT America Practice 2 comes at 2:25 p.m. PT and the day closes with a 45-minute GT4 America practice at 5:10 p.m. GT America qualifying starts at 9:00 a.m. PT Saturday morning with GT4 America qualifications following at 10:50 a.m. PT with a session each for Adelson and Skeer. The 40-minute GT America Race 1 takes the green flag at 12:15 p.m. PT while the Pirelli GT4 America race gets underway at 4:55 p.m., the two-driver race taking the checkered flag at 5:55 p.m. PT. Sunday morning will open with 40-minutes of GT America action for Adelson at 9:30 a.m. local time followed at 11:30 a.m. PT with the one-hour GT4 America race.
All sessions will be streamed live at: www.youtube.com/user/gt1world .
Adam Adelson, No. 120 Premier Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport |
“I absolutely love Sonoma, especially the configuration with the chicane that SRO uses. That probably has something to do with the amount of overtakes I was able to do into the chicane last time we were here! Even though we're in the old generation car, I still think we will be able to compete at the front of the field, as we have been here before and know how to be fast around here. I'm also incredibly excited to be racing with Elliott the first time this season. He has been an amazing coach and has also become a great friend of mine. The skill and experience he brings to the table for this series is invaluable. I'm excited to see what we can accomplish as a team this weekend."
Elliott Skeer, No. 120 Premier Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport |
“No better way to kickstart a race season than the opener at Sonoma! Coming off a strong season finale in 2021 for both Adam and I, all has shaped-up for a forward-focused 2022. I can feel the excitement and anticipation within the Premier team and the momentum on bringing our Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport home as high up the results sheet as possible. We feel ready. . . ready to walk into battle as a team with our heads held high!”
Kent Moore, No. 120 Premier Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport |
“The top-ten finish in the Porsche Carrera Cup at Long Beach was a good boost to the team. We showed what preparation and attention to detail can do. That should give everyone a good feeling going into Sonoma, but we need to keep performing. It doesn’t get easier; we don’t have a break coming anytime soon. We have a lot of young talent on the team and no matter what has been thrown at them – and we have had a lot thrown at us this season already – everyone keeps stepping up.
Adam is getting to return to some tracks now. His experience will get us up to speed right from the start. Getting Elliott back in the car will also give us additional feedback that will help setup the car for both GT4 and GT America. Having raced in the series last season, we know the rhythm of the SRO and the consistent weekend we had at Long Beach adds to the confidence. Altogether, I am feeling good going into a busy weekend with four races, two drivers and one car.”