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Mercedes-AMG GT3 Teams Regulator Racing And JMF Motorsports Secure Victories At Circuit Of The Americas
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams achieved a remarkable performance at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) during the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS. Regulator Racing, JMF Motorsports, and CRP Racing secured top positions in both Pro and Pro-Am classes. Jeff Burton and Philip Ellis clinched the overall and Pro-Am class victory in the No. 91 Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Mikael Grenier and Michai Stephens excelled in the Pro class, finishing second overall with the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3. This marked their second win of the season after a successful race at Sonoma Raceway last month. Isaac Sherman and Jason Daskalos, driving the No. 27 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, secured second place in Pro-Am and fourth overall.
All three teams faced challenges, including on-track incidents and penalties. The No. 91 team overcame penalties in both 90-minute races over the weekend. Benefiting from a safety car period, Ellis advanced from fourth to first with strategic moves during the final 29 minutes of racing.
The No. 34 car led the Pro class late in Sunday's race with Stephens driving. Both cars maintained strong positions, leading their respective classes until Ellis made a decisive pass to secure victory with 15 minutes left. The No. 91 finished just under two seconds ahead of the No. 34.
The JMF No. 34 nearly claimed two wins over the weekend but faced a penalty for missing minimum pit stop time on Saturday, costing them first place despite crossing the line first. Despite missing practice time due to repairs, they managed strong finishes.
The CRP Racing team also dealt with setbacks after a multi-car accident on Saturday but repaired their car for Sunday's race, achieving a commendable second-place finish in Pro-Am.
Lone Star Enduro Performance
In another event, Texas-based Lone Star Racing competed fiercely in Saturday's Pirelli GT4 America Lone Star Enduro, finishing fourth in Am-class after losing track position during a caution period.
Co-drivers Marc Austin and Jason Golan were competitive throughout but fell behind due to slower competitors ahead during a "wave around." Austin restarted fourth but was unable to close the gap to reach the podium positions.
Upcoming Challenges
The next challenge for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams is scheduled at Sebring International Raceway from May 16-18 as part of SRO America's ongoing competition series.
"It's all about seat time," said Jeff Burton of Regulator Racing about his experience with the Mercedes-AMG GT3. He emphasised learning from teammate Philip Ellis and adapting to COTA's challenging track conditions.
Philip Ellis acknowledged luck played a role in their recent success but praised Burton's consistent performance: "Another good result, and now we just have to repeat it."
Driver Insights
Mikael Grenier highlighted the importance of wins for championship success: "We have to keep scoring points." Michai Stephens expressed gratitude towards JMF Motorsports' support: "This victory is certainly for them."
Isaac Sherman shared his excitement about competing in his first GT3 season: "I think by the end of this year we're going to be really competitive." Jason Daskalos praised Sherman's performance: "The guy's driving phenomenal so we'll take this podium."
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