- Racers Edge Motorsports earns first Pro class victory in NSX GT3 Evo22 Sunday; podium finish Saturday in season-opening race at Sonoma
- Thrilling last lap, last turn pass secures the victory for Mario Farnbacher and Ashton Harrison
Mario Farnbacher and Ashton Harrison earned their first Pro class victory in the SRO GT World Challenge America series in a nail-biting finish Sunday.
Farnbacher started at the head of the Pro class pack and fifth overall in the Racers Edge Motorsports NSX GT3 Evo22 on Sunday, defending his position for almost 35 minutes of racing until contact from Spencer Pumpelly in Turn 11 sent Farnbacher spinning. Farnbacher quickly turned his undamaged machine around, but fell to 11th overall and fourth in class as a result.
Thanks to the team's pit strategy, which kept Farnbacher on track for as long as possible, Harrison started her stint third in class and eighth overall. Harrison regained first in Pro with less than 25 minutes remaining, passing Manny Franco and Seth Lucas.
On the final lap of the 90-minute contest, Franco passed Harrison in Turn 2, with the two drivers making contact as they fought for the lead. Harrison saw her last chance to retake the lead and squeezed through the inside of Turn 11, passing Franco just before the checkered flag, bringing Racers Edge Motorsports to its first Pro class victory in GT World Challenge competition.
On Saturday, a red flag and traffic in qualifying for the opening race in the double-header race weekend hindered Harrison's chance at starting near the front of the grid, landing her fifth in class and 14th overall at race start. Harrison was quick to recover, however, gaining six positions in less than 22 minutes of racing. Near the end of her stint, Harrison gained another position to seventh overall, putting the team just behind the rest of the Pro class pack before Farnbacher took the wheel.
Farnbacher passed Alessandro Balzan early in his stint, then Trenton Estep with less than 15 minutes remaining, taking the checkers in third to place Racers Edge Motorsports on the Pro class podium for the first time. The team gained eight positions overall in the race.
Quote
Ashton Harrison (#93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 Evo22), following Sunday's race win: "I knew that it was going to be tough at the end, so I was picking up pace in the last couple laps and maintaining my tires, preparing for the fight. I wasn't willing to give up that spot; [Franco] wanted to take it from me, and I knew I had no other shot. I went into the last corner thinking I'm either going to fly straight past him, or it was going to stick. I couldn't believe it worked."
Next
The Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 will head to NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, Louisiana, for Rounds 3 & 4 on April 28 – 30.
Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS Saturday Race Results
3rd Pro - #93 Ashton Harrison and Mario Farnbacher, Racers Edge Motorsports NSX GT3
Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS Sunday Race Results
1st Pro - #93 Ashton Harrison and Mario Farnbacher, Racers Edge Motorsports NSX GT3
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