GMG Racing Press Release
Running in his first-ever Pirelli World Challenge race, 19-year old Andrew Palmer claimed victory in his class, and third overall, during today’s season-opening round at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
“It was a great day!” stated Palmer. “I wasn’t sure what to expect this weekend given all the great cars and drivers. I knew I would have to stay calm and stay patient, and that strategy worked really well. I kept my focus on just running a clean, consistent race. We had a great start and a fantastic battle with the two Ferrari’s during the race. They were faster on the straights, but we had the advantage on the brakes. I was able to make the most of it and pass both of them in the braking zones. It was fun, tactical racing! I can’t thank everyone at GMG enough for all of their advice and support to get me here, as well as all of the partners who’ve played a big role in my career development especially O’Gara Motorsports and The Thermal Club.”
With rain cancelling yesterday’s opening round of the champinship, Palmer’s ninth-place qualifying would transfer to today’s event. Having the distinction as the top Audi qualifier, the Pomona College student knew that a clean start would be instrumental in guiding his No. 21 Audi R8 LMS through a successful race. Getting away cleanly, Palmer made an impressive start going from ninth to second, and eventually settling into the top five once the race began to settle in. Through most of the race Palmer was also the leader of the all-new GT-A category, a classification reserved for drivers who do not make a professional living in motorsports.
For Global Motorsports Group (GMG) team owner James Sofronas, the cultivation of such a tremendous talent is a big source of pride for the organization.
“It’s been such a thrill to see Andrew elevate the way he has,” stated Sofronas. “Andrew’s raw talent has been one thing, but the maturity he’s carried both in and out of the car has been truly impressive. We make a really conscious effort to give our drivers all the tools they need to succeed and it’s been immensely satisfying to see Andrew thrive. He earned this one, but he can’t celebrate too much as he has classes tomorrow!”
As for Sofronas, a uniquely quiet race was in store for the driver/team owner. Driving the No. 14 Spyder / The Thermal Club Audi R8 LMS ultra, the defending race winner struggled all weekend to match the pace of the other marques. Qualifying 12th, Sofronas drove a measured race to quietly take seventh place.
“Honestly, I was just running a conservative race and picking my battles,” stated Sofronas. “There are so many new cars and marques in the series this year, it’s going to take some time for the balance-of-performance to completely shake out. We were all driving as hard as we could, and the car was very good on the brakes, so I was able to make three passes and it definitely showed the potential of the car. This series has so much potential, it was great to race with so many different makes of car!”
“It was a fun race,” stated Curtis. “The series has gotten so big that you’re always fighting traffic and always racing someone, and it made for a non-stop event. The car was well prepared and it allowed me to fight for the whole run, unfortunately I was hit in turn one and that bent my suspension, making the rest of the race difficult to handle. I’m glad we could come away with a solid finish. I’m looking forward to even better results at Long Beach.”
Finally, slight misfortune would befall the No. 95 Swisher Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra of Bill Ziegler, but the local racer would still manage to take the checkered flag eighth in class and 17th overall. Starting in 23rd, an early incident would send Bill to the pits for a tire repair placing him a lap down, but he would manage a clean race afterwards to see the checkered flag.
“It’s my home race so it would have been nice to have avoided incident, but otherwise it was a good day,” stated Ziegler. “The race wasn’t perfect, but the guys did a good job of giving me a competitive car and they were very quick in the pits to get me back out, so overall it could have been a lot worse. I’m enjoying the series and look forward to Long Beach.”
Practice begins on Friday, April 11, with the race taking place on the afternoon of Sunday, April 13th. GMG will continue to provide updates throughout the event.
About GMG
Founded in 2001 by James Sofronas and Fabryce Kutyba, GMG has quickly established itself as North America’s premier performance tuning and racing facility. What began as a small 1200 sq. ft. shop, maintaining two race cars, has grown into a 30,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility located in (Orange County) Santa Ana, California. The staff's experience, attention to detail, and passion are what make GMG the choice of professionals and enthusiasts world wide. Whether you want to maximize the performance of your street car, or race wheel-to-wheel on both amateur and professional racing series across North America, GMG’s reputation for service and quality is unmatched.
Learn more at www.gmgracing.com
About Spyder
Spyder was founded by avid skier and outdoor athlete David Jacobs. He rose to world-class rankings as a competitive skier, and stayed connected to the sport he loves by coaching, designing related products, and building one of the most powerful brands in the industry. His dedication to the sport of skiing and the Spyder brand is as inspiring as it is intriguing. Spyder's growth exploded over the turn of the century, and the company is now the largest ski-specialty brand in the world. David has recently discovered the adrenaline rush in racing classic Formula One cars, finding success - not surprisingly - in this new pastime. For a man who's thrived on sports, technology, and professional advancement, the world is sure to see David go a few more times around the track.
Learn more at www.spyder.com
About The Thermal Club
The Thermal Club is the premier private motorsports facility in the world. In addition to 4.5 miles of members-only racetrack, the Club facilities include a fully amenitized Clubhouse and Village unrivaled in the motorsports world. All 4.5 miles of our exquisite racetrack are designed to push both amateurs and professionals to their limit, giving members the thrill of driving at peak performance amidst the endless desert skies. Featuring three different private circuit configurations, trackside villas, a motorsport village with a state-of-the-art clubhouse, tuning shop, a fuel island, as well as member storage garages, The Thermal Club will bring the country club lifestyle to Southern California’s diverse car culture. More information can be found at www.thethermalclub.com.
Photo credit: GMG Racing
