ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (August 4, 2024) – James Sofronas took the Pro-Am class lead on the first lap of the 40-minute IMSA Carrera Cup North America sprint at Road America and went on to score his third race win of the season in the No. 14 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Sunday on the 4-mile Wisconsin road course.
Sofronas passed Pro-Am polesitter Pedro Torres with a convincing outside move in Turn 5 and led every lap for the victory, which is his fifth series win in just 10 career Carrera Cup race starts. Sofronas, a multiple sports car racing series champion, swept the Pro-Am class wins in his Carrera Cup debut in 2023’s season-ending race at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). In addition to Sunday’s win, Sofronas started the 2024 season with a victory at Sebring International Raceway and also won at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal in June. The three 2024 victories lead the Carrera Cup Pro-Am class even with Sofronas not scheduled to compete in the full season and not participating in last month’s doubleheader at Watkins Glen International.
“This was a total team effort, and I knew right away we had a great car,” said Sofronas, who is the Founder and Principal of GMG Racing. “Our car wasn’t quite there in Saturday’s race but all credit to the guys for getting it right today. We put our heads together and this win is a result of the efforts of everybody on the team.”
Sunday’s win also came in the first race for Sofronas at Road America since he was sidelined for four months after sustaining an injury in a testing incident at the track last August.
“The COTA sweep made for a successful and somewhat emotional return to racing last year,” Sofronas said. “That race proved to me that I could still do this, that I can still run at the same competitive level I have for the last three decades. But coming back to Road America after last year was another important step in reaffirming my race craft. I began my professional driving career right here at Road America back in 1994, so it is fantastic to be able to mark that 30-year anniversary, especially after last year’s incident, with a win today.”
Sofronas finished second in Pro-Am in Saturday’s opening Carrera Cup race while veteran GMG Racing competitor Kyle Washington secured a weekend-best fifth-place Masters Class finish in the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the same race.
Also in Saturday’s race, debuting team driver Yves Baltas charged from the back of the field for a top-10 Pro Class finish in the No. 15 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Baltas, who was sent to the rear of the grid for a non-performance related sensor issue, passed a race-high 22 cars in his charge to the front.
About GMG Racing: Founded in 2001, GMG Racing quickly established itself as North America’s premier performance tuning facility. What began as a small 1,200 sq. ft. shop, maintaining two race cars, has grown into a 30,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility located in Santa Ana, California in Orange County and with a trackside motorsports facility at 28,000 sq. ft. currently being built at The Thermal Club. The staff, attention to detail, and passion are what make GMG the choice of professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. GMG, in its early years, was located directly across the street from Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA). This close proximity allowed GMG to build a strong relationship with the legendary racing brand which has helped us support our customers to the highest level possible. From club racing to Sebring, Daytona and Spa, GMG can take you as far as you want to go. More information can be found at www.gmgracing.com.
