The Audi brand is very well represented in the Pirelli World Challenge this year. GMG Racing is fielding a full set of Audi R8 LMS cars, with their driver James Sofronas still in contention for the driver's title. In addition to GMG and JCR Motorsports, DragonSpeed has also joined the demanding SCCA series with their Audi R8 LMS ultra, a premiere for the new spec car in top North American sportscar racing.
Here is a video from the Pirelli World Challenge official Youtube channel showing how committed Audi Sport customer racing is in the series. Technical support for the privateer teams, with one big target: the championship title. Audi is also looking forward to a strong 2014 campaign as Pirelli World Challenge is set to welcome full specification FIA GT3 cars in their GT class.
The penultimate round of the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge headed to Sonoma, round eight of the season. It turned into a very consistent weekend for the Audis.
Four Audis were entered this weekend. Three Audi R8 LMS cars from GMG Racing, and one Audi R8 LMS ultra from DragonSpeed.
The Audis placed well during practice and qualifying yielded the highest placed Audi in fourth, the #14 GMG car of James Sofronas. It was a chaotic start to the race, which saw both championship contenders spun around in different incidents on the first lap: Sofronas in the Audi and Johnny O'Connell in the Cadillac. Sofronas was able to recover, helped by an early safety car period, and finished the race in third place.
Duncan Ende (#24 GMG R8 LMS) was the highest placed Audi, having taken second place. Elton Julian (#80 DragonSpeed R8 LMS ultra) finished fifth, followed by Bill Ziegler (#95 GMG R8 LMS) in eighth place, all four Audis within the top ten. The race was won by Andy Pilgrim in the factory #8 Cadillac CTS-V.R.
Houston will be hosting the finale of the Pirelli World Challenge in October. The Houston Grand Prix will be the scene for an Audi (James Sofronas) versus Cadillac (Johnny O'Connell and Andy Pilgrim) fight for the driver's title.
DragonSpeed has already announced that they are intending to compete in the 2014 Pirelli World Challenge. At the beginning of this week they announced a last minute deal which saw them competing in round eight of the 2013 World Challenge season at Sonoma this weekend. DragonSpeed was the first North American to acquire an Audi R8 LMS ultra, and this weekend’s participation at Sonoma also marked the North American track debut for an Audi R8 LMS ultra competing in the country.
Very exciting news coming from the United States today. DragonSpeed, the only North American team with an Audi R8 LMS ultra, will soon be making their home-soil debut with their Audi in professional sportscar racing. The team managed by Elton Julian will field their car at Sonoma this coming weekend. The Californian track will be hosting the eighth meeting of the Pirelli World Challenge. This will be the first time ever that an Audi R8 LMS ultra will be competing in the SCCA (Sportscar Club of America) sanctioned series. The car will be driven by Elton Julian at Sonoma.
DragonSpeed's entry will strengthen the Audi presence in the Pirelli World Challenge. At Sonoma they will join the series regulars from GMG Racing. DragonSpeed also recently announced that they are planning to take part in the Pirelli World Challenge next year.
Earlier this season DragonSpeed debuted their Audi with two successful endurance races at the Dubai 24 Hours and the Bathurst 12 Hours. In addition to their Audi R8 LMS ultra, the team is also managing an LMPC car in the American Le Mans Series.
