COTA Friday Notebook

Photo: Jonathan Grace

***A JMF Motorsports spokesperson told Sportscar365 that the team is awaiting delivery of welding materials to complete right-front suspension repairs to its No. 34 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo following an incident in first practice that brought out a red flag. Despite not turning laps in Practice 2 as a result of the sustained damage, the team remains confident that the car will be ready for the start of tomorrow’s 9:20 a.m. CST qualifying session.

***Chouest Povoledo Racing team principal/driver Aaron Povoledo said he feels his program is “ahead of schedule” as they head into their tenth total weekend of GT3 racing. The team currently runs a dual GT World Challenge America powered by AWS and GT America powered by AWS campaign with Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R machinery.

***Povoledo told Sportscar365: “We operate like a veteran, highly, highly organized team. I can’t give enough praise to [crew chief] Charles Price and the work he’s done behind the scenes, whipping the crew into shape, getting the cars ready and being able to run through all the run plans. I think we are ahead of schedule.”

***The No. 20 FASTMD Racing by Remstar Audi R8 LMS GT4 of Farhan Siddiqi and Jagger Jones has been withdrawn from the Pirelli GT4 America grid this weekend, resulting in a reduced 29-car entry for the second-ever Lone Star Enduro tomorrow evening.

***The McLaren Trophy America field has also been reduced by one, with the Moonfire Motorsports McLaren Artura Trophy Evo entry of Vince Zampella and Kezia Dawn being a no-show, resulting in a 16-car field for its second weekend of racing.

***Kevin “KC” King, the car owner of GMG Racing’s No. 4 McLaren, is missing his second consecutive event in order to focus on a personal matter, but has been replaced by Andre Solano, who makes his series debut. It came after the seat was filled by Andrew Chinnici, who claimed the first-ever pole position at Sonoma Raceway.

***Team owner James Sofronas said: “Kevin has been the driving force in bringing our McLaren program to life. We will miss him again for the second race in a row, but we are excited to welcome his co-driver Andre Solano. Kevin and Andre compete together in Porsches and McLarens in Central America, and we can’t wait to give him a start in the No. 4 at McLaren.”

***Sofronas added: “Andrew is one of our top driver coaches and colleagues with our extensive on-track programs at The Thermal Club, and we want to thank him for doing such a great job at Sonoma in his professional race debut. We have no doubt JCD and Andre will once again keep the No. 4 McLaren in top contention at COTA.”

***In GT America powered by AWS, as expected, Mirco Schultis is not present with his Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R due to previous obligations in Germany, although the entry has remained at 14 cars due to the late addition of Denny Stripling in the No. 188 Fast Track Racing BMW M4 GT4 EVO.

***Following a review of Thursday’s GR Cup test session data, race control updated and clarified its parameters for enforcing track limits for the series’ race. A memo was sent to competitors on Friday morning, outlining the stricter penalties for track limit violations.

***This memo was later expounded on in the GR Cup drivers briefing following Practice 1. First violations earn competitors a drive-through penalty, with stop-and-hold penalties of increasing severity issued for subsequent violations. Special attention will be paid to track limits on the exits of Turns 12, 15, 19 and 20, as well as on the inside of Turns 2, 8, 9 and 19. 

***Justin Rothberg is running with additional weight on both of his Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVOs this weekend following a driver categorization derogation decision by the SRO America sporting board.

***Rothberg, who is categorized as Silver by the FIA, will again run as a Bronze* but will carry 13 kg of additional ballast in GT America and GTWC America races. His categorization will revert to Silver should he change team, car or co-drivers.

***The GT America SRO3 class championship leader would be ineligible to compete in the Bronze-only series should he lose his derogation.

***The No. 88 Archangel Motorsports McLaren 720S GT3 Evo of Todd Coleman and Aaron Telitz was given a five-minute stop-and-hold penalty at the beginning of GTWC America Practice 1 for incident responsibility during the Paid Bronze Test on Thursday, in which Coleman was driving.

***Sportscar365 understands the race format of GTWC America is under evaluation for next year, with routine dialogue ongoing between competitors and SRO America. It’s believed the current two-race 90-minute format could be replaced with a single longer race for each or selected weekends, although the series is seeking further feedback before finalizing any possible changes.

***All cars competing this weekend assembled for a group photo on Wednesday evening (pictured above). COTA marks the second weekend with the new-f0r-2025 McLaren Trophy America series in addition to fellow SRO America-run single-make series, Toyota GR Cup North America, along with TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School, GT America, GT4 America and GTWC America.

***This weekend’s marks SRO America’s ‘home’ event, with many of the series’ staff, including President and CEO Greg Gill and VP, marketing communications  and business development Robbie Montinola based in the Austin area.

***Qualifying for most SRO America series are scheduled for Saturday morning, with GT America the first race of the day at 11:20 a.m. CST, followed by the opening GTWC America race of the weekend at 1:05 p.m. CST. McLaren Trophy America and GR Cup races follow, culminating with the three-hour Lone Star Enduro for GT4 America, which gets underway at 5 p.m. CST.

***All races, plus GTWC America qualifying, will be streamed live on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel and on Twitch. Ryan Myrehn and Calvin Fish are again in the booth this weekend, joined by Amanda Busick on pit lane. Coverage will also be available on MAVTV and on SRO Motorsports Group’s Twitch channel.

Jonathan Grace contributed to this report.