Porsche Endurance Challenge’s Wild West Showdown at Sonoma

Photo: Porsche

Porsche Endurance Challenge North America by Yokohama reached its halfway point of the season this past weekend, and the sweeping corners of Sonoma Raceway proved to be a fitting setting.

Drivers have now gone coast-to-coast in the championship fight, having started at Sebring International Raceway in Florida last month. And in similar fashion, Sunday’s 90-minute race saw risky strategy calls, beautiful weather and most importantly, exceptional racing.

Capturing the overall win was the 992 GT3 Cup Am class duo of John Conley and Blake McDonald, the latter of whom joined the Kellymoss squad as a substitute for the weekend. As the starting driver, Conley kept the car clean, but also dabbled in exciting racing of his own with other class competitors.

The pair swapped spots behind the wheel, but ran second behind Charlie Hayes and his teammate, Reinhold Krahn. The Hayes/Krahn duo ran an alternative strategy to other teams, taking their mandatory pit stop nearly 20 minutes after most competitors. Ultimately, the strategy did not pan out and handed Conley and McDonald the win, while winding up third.

Scott Blind, the Am class winner at Sebring, finished second.

The 992 GT3 Cup Pro-Am class featured the most thrilling action, as the professional trio of Andy Lee, Riley Dickinson and Zachary Vanier vied for the win.

Running nose-to-tail, Lee fended off Dickinson for more than 20 minutes and all the way until the hairpin coming to the white flag. Dickinson sent his Porsche inside Lee’s and the two made contact, sending Lee around and Dickinson receiving a penalty.

Lurking behind was JDX Racing’s Zachary Vanier, who drove by Lee’s wayward car and finished within Dickson’s time penalty window. Being in the right place at the right time gave him and co-driver Mike Mim the win.

Also coming down to the wire was the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport class, which went to Kellymoss’ additional entry of Tom Kopczynski and Eric Filgueiras. Longtime Porsche Sprint Challenge driver Kopczynski started the race with Filgueiras closing, and the latter made the winning move with less than 15 minutes remaining.

The move came on Brandon Chappell, who partnered with Charles Espenlaub, and the pair tally the runner-up finish to their victory from Sebring.

Third place was decided even closer to the finish, as professional driver Matt Bell used his expertise to navigate past series newcomer Anna Cecchi with four minutes left in the contest. Bell co-drove with Greg Herback.

Rounding out the list of victors was the family pairing of Reginald and Emanual Tartaglione for ProSport Competition. The Tartagliones had to run clean, green-to-checkered to capture the win and were successful in doing so over second-place Bill Fenech and Chris Hall.

The third of four Porsche Endurance Challenge North America by Yokohama events is approaching quickly – taking place on May 16-18. Circuit of The Americas in Austin will host the enduro, along with the next rounds of Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and USA West by Yokohama.

Porsche Endurance Challenge North America by Yokohama Results

992 GT3 Cup Pro-Am:
1. Mike Mim/Zachary Vanier
2. Brannan Hankins/Andy Lee
3. John Gilliland/Riley Dickinson

992 GT3 Cup Am:
1. John Conley/Blake McDonald
2. Scott Blind
3. Charlie Hayes/Reinhold Krahn

718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport Pro-Am:
1. Tom Kopczynski/Eric Filgueiras
2. Charles Espenalub/Brandon Chappell
3. Greg Herback/Matt Bell

718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport Am:
1. Reginald Tartaglione/Emanuel Tartaglione
2. Bill Fenech/Chris Hall