The GT World Challenge America powered by aws ran their penultimate double header event at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) this weekend. Participating in his first-ever 24 Hours of Le Mans, full season Wright Motorsports driver Max Root was forced to miss the two races at Circuit of the Americas. Jan Heylen will act as substitute for the young American, joining Fred Poordad in the Wright Motorsports No. 20 Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Race One

Martin Fuentes and Rodrigo Baptista piloted their Ferrari 488 GT3 to a convincing Pro/Am and overall GT World Challenge America powered by AWS Series victory at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) Saturday afternoon. Shelby Blackstock and Trent Hindman guided their Acura NSX GT3 to a second overall finish and Silver division win.

The Houston, Texas Winward Racing team of Alec Udell and Russell Ward in the number 33 Mercedes-AMG GT3 finished third overall in the race and second in the Silver category. Fred Poordad and Jan Heylen in the number 20 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.II) finished second in Pro/Am, while David Askew and Ryan Dalziel finished third in Pro/Am in the number 63 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.

From pole, Fuentes, in the number1 Squadra Corse Ferrari 488 GT3, led the field to green and launched into the lead. Behind him a number of competitors contacted through turn 1 with Poordad, in the number 20 Porsche and GT Sports Club competitor Jason Bell number 2 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT2 RS CS caught up through the turn. Poordad would later come into pit lane for minor repairs.

While Fuentes grew a 1.6 second lead by lap 2, Blackstock, in the number 93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3, and Udell, in the number 33 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 began a multi-lap battle for position, with the driver of the number 93 machine defending successfully never opening a window of opportunity for the pilot of the number 33 machine.

As the clocked clicked down to the pit window opening at the 45-minute mark of the race, both Blackstock and Udell closed within a second of the leader Fuentes. And when the window opened, both Fuentes and Blackstock came into the pits immediately to changeover to Baptista and Hindman respectively. Udell remained out on track to attempt to gain valuable seconds. Udell was the last competitor into the pits before the closing of the window and once the charts recycled Baptista remained in the lead, with Hindman now up into second, and Ward, who took over for Udell, now in third. Heylen, now in the number 20 machine sat fourth overall and third in class, while Dalziel, in the number 63 machine sat in fifth overall and third in class.

From there Baptista hit his marks and grew his lead taking the chequered 6.7 seconds ahead of Hindman, and over 40 seconds ahead of Ward.

Race Two

Martin Fuentes and Rodrigo Baptista piloted their Ferrari 488 GT3 to a second straight Pro/Am and overall GT World Challenge America powered by AWS Series victory at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) Sunday afternoon. Shelby Blackstock and Trent Hindman took their Acura NSX GT3 to a second straight Silver division win.

Fred Poordad and Jan Heylen finished third overall in the race and second in Pro/Am. David Askew and Ryan Dalziel finished third in Pro/Am. Alec Udell and Russell Ward in the number 33 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 finished second in the Silver division.

Baptista led the field to green in the number 1 Squadra Corse Ferrari 488 GT3. Heylen in number 20 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.II), who started second, drag raced to the inside and squeezed through into the lead through turn 1. Baptista slotted into second. Hindman, in the number 93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 and Kyle Marcelli, in the Racer's Edge number 80 Acura NSX GT3 both moved around Ryan Dalziel, in the #63 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.

With Heylen building a 1.5 second lead over Baptista by lap 5, the two leaders had pulled away from the pack. Hindman, Marcelli and Dalziel closed up to battle for third overall. By lap 8, Marcelli closed on Hindman, with Dalziel waiting in the wings. On lap 14, Hindman and Marcelli went door-to-door through turn 11 and drag raced down the back straight. Marcelli out braked through turn 12 to complete the pass. Then on lap 22, Dalziel would pass Hindman through turn 11, just as the pit window opened at the 45-minute mark. At the window, Heylen held a six-second advantage over Baptista.

The leaders Heylen, Baptista, Dalziel and Hindman all stayed out until near the end of the pit window. The focus then switched to the action on pit road as Heylen came in for Poordad, Baptista changed over to Fuentes, Dalziel gave the seat over to Askew, and Hindman handed the reins to Blackstock.

Once the charts recycled, Poordad remained in the lead by 2.9 seconds over Fuentes, with Askew and Blackstock third and fourth.

By lap 27, Blackstock had closed on Askew and passed for position through turn 12. A lap later Fuentes had closed the gap on Poordad and passed for the lead sweeping around the outside of turns 16 and 17. Blackstock then pursued Poordad and by lap 34 moved up into second overall through turn 11.

From there the leaders held position and Fuentes crossed the line 7.9 seconds ahead of Blackstock. With the win, Fuentes and Baptista lead in the Pro/Am Division Driver's Championship by 49 points.