GMG Racing Founder and Team Principal Clinch Driver and Two Team Titles with Final Round Race Win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (October 17, 2025) – GMG Racing founder and Team Principal James Sofronas ended the 2025 McLaren Trophy America season as a winner on multiple levels.
Sofronas drove the No. 14 GMG Racing McLaren Trophy Evo to victory in the second race of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway doubleheader weekend Friday, clinching Am class Team and Driver championships and the Overall Team title in the series in the inaugural season for the single-make series featuring identical McLaren Artura Trophy Evo race cars.
Rolling off third, Sofronas gained a position on the opening lap and emerged in the class lead about three-quarters of the way through Friday’s 50-minute race. He pulled away to a 31.428-second margin of victory over Colin Harrison, who also finished second to Sofronas in the championship.
Sofronas and GMG Racing won five of 10 races this year, including a doubleheader sweep at Circuit of the Americas in Texas. His other wins came at Sonoma Raceway and VIRginia International Raceway. Early season success with a second No. 4 GMG Racing entry in the Pro and Pro-Am classes combined with the No. 14’s achievements to secure the overall McLaren Trophy team championship for GMG Racing as well.
This is the fifth championship in SRO competition for Sofronas – and first since 2018 – and the sixth driver title for GMG Racing.
“After a little misstep yesterday, I wanted to end on a high note and really make a statement about the competitiveness of our team and our program,” said Sofronas, who finished second to Harrison Friday in Race 1 at Indianapolis after incurring a penalty for an early launch from his mandatory pit stop. “We knew if we finished in the top three, we’d clinch the championship, but the goal was always to win and control our own destiny.”
Sofronas started racing in 1994 in an Oldsmobile Achieva touring car and founded GMG Racing in 2001. GMG now fields entries in four classes spread among three series in SRO-sanctioned competition.
“I’m getting emotional because I’ve been doing this a long time and it’s not easy to win these championships,” Sofronas said from the Speedway’s famed elevated Victory Circle. “When you do, you’ve got to enjoy them. Now we’re going to have a little bit of a celebration because the guys deserve it. They’ve been working six months straight, so hats off to them.”
Sofronas has curtailed his own driving program in recent years to focus on building GMG Racing’s clientele. Competing in the McLaren Trophy series enabled him to set the table for GMG’s future in the class as a provider of turn-key customer racing programs.
“I wanted to run the series myself so I could speak first-hand about how amazing the experience has been,” Sofronas said. “The car is fun to drive, and McLaren’s support and hospitality is second to none. More importantly, I wanted to develop our program for gentleman drivers and showcase the car as easy to drive and manage. It doesn’t overwork you. I can’t say enough about how much I enjoy the car, and winning a championship really puts a stamp on that. We’re coming away with a driver’s championship and a team championship, and we’re geared up for a big 2026 for GMG Racing.”
Sofronas was keen to pay tribute to the hard work of GMG Racing and Technical Director Tate Fredlow.
“We won the Team championship, which really is a testament to the guys at GMG and all the preparation and planning from the beginning of the season when we got the first cars,” Sofronas said. “We had zero mechanical issues all year. McLaren builds a great car, but it’s still race teams that make the difference. The car was absolutely bulletproof, and that’s not usually the case for a new platform.
“Tate and the entire team stepped up and provided an unbelievable program. “Newport Beach McLaren has been a huge supporter, and pivotal partner in the development of our program, and Mobil 1 really stepped up this year as always.”
Sofronas turned 57 last month but competes at the same level today as he did when he started his driving career over 30 years ago. His first championship of this decade was particularly rewarding after all of these years.
“I’ve won five championships, but they were all in 2017 and ’18,” Sofronas reflected. “So, this was nice to get another one after a bit of a hiatus. I knew I could commit to five event weekends this year, and the championship was always the goal. You always set goals in racing, but you don’t always achieve them. To get this one accomplished means a lot.”
GMG Racing’s schedule at the Brickyard continues tomorrow when team drivers Kyle Washington, Tom Sargent and Klaus Bachler compete in the GT World Challenge America Pro-Am class in the Intercontinental GT Challenge Indianapolis 8 Hour. Washington and his teammates co-drive the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R.
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 state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility relocated last year to The Thermal Club and a 28,000 sq. ft. trackside motorsports facility. 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 the company support its customers to the highest level possible. We have since won several Championships, not only with Porsche, but with Audi, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and McLaren. From club racing to Sebring, Daytona, Spa, Montreal, COTA and The Thermal Club, GMG can take you as far as you want to go. More information can be found at www.gmgracing.com.
