Random Vandals Racing delivered a masterclass in dominance on Saturday at Sebring International Raceway, sweeping the opening round of the Pirelli GT4 America and making it a three-win day across SRO competition. After Kenton Koch and Connor De Phillippi brought home the team’s first win in GT World Challenge America powered by AWS earlier in the day, the Paul Sparta-led outfit wasn’t finished. With commanding performances in both the Silver and Pro-Am classes, the BMW M4 GT4 (G82) EVO proved unbeatable under the Florida sun.
Silver Class
Kevin Boehm started the No. 97 BMW M4 GT4 in sixth overall, but it didn’t take long for the Random Vandals Racing driver to claw his way forward. A calculated stint saw him reach third by the opening pit window, maintaining parity with the No. 39 van der Steur Racing Aston Martin, which ran a lap longer before pitting.
That strategy proved decisive. When the stops cycled through, Koch emerged with the lead and never looked back, pacing the field to a decisive 12.378-second victory.
The real fireworks came in the battle for second. The No. 39 Aston Martin of Max Hewitt and the No. 52 Auto Technic Racing BMW with Zac Anderson and Colin Garrett waged a furious duel, closely shadowed by the No. 68 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 of Tyler Gonzalez and Gresham Wagner. Anderson narrowly edged out Hewitt at the flag by just 0.233 seconds, but not before both were upstaged by Josh Green’s dramatic final-lap move.
Green, leading the Pro-Am field, went three-wide into Turn 17, slipping past both Silver contenders with a daring pass that underscored the relentless pace of the Vandals’ operation.
“It’s tough, when you’re trying to stay in touch with the leaders, you’ve really got to feel it out,” Boehm said after the race. “The track was slippery, and I was just trying to figure out how much I could push without it all falling off a cliff. I think I found that limit pretty well and started making some moves. Before I knew it, my stint was over. Huge credit to Kenton for taking over and doing what he does best.”
“Let’s do it again tomorrow!” added Koch. “And honestly, I’m not exhausted, thankfully the AC works really well in these cars. Big thanks to BMW for making a solid AC system. We even had a fresh compressor in there, and you guys probably caught some of that earlier, it definitely came in handy today. Kevin made an incredible pass on his in-lap. I was watching from pit lane, waiting for him to come in. I thought, ‘Well, that’s going to make my life a lot easier.’ It was a great strategy call for us to stay out when the others boxed, and we got a bit lucky on the out-lap. I am thankful for the Vandals.”
Pro-Am Class
The Pro-Am contest was initially shaped by the No. 9 ACI Motorsports Porsche of Dan Sibille and Kay van Berlo, who started from overall pole. Van Berlo controlled the early going, but a pit stop miscue—Sibille struggling to secure his harness—cost the Porsche squad critical time. They tumbled to ninth in class.
That opened the door for a charging No. 69 JTR Motorsports Toyota Supra, with Anthony McIntosh looking to add to his earlier GT America victory. But it was the No. 94 Random Vandals BMW, driven by Green and Sam Craven, that delivered the day’s most electrifying moment.
With just 18 minutes to go, Green executed a stunning pass at the end of the 3.74-mile circuit to take the Pro-Am lead. On the final lap, he threaded the needle through two Silver-class cars going three-wide into Turn 17—clinching second overall and the class win in spectacular fashion.
“I’m just doing the best I can, and I’m happy to be here talking to you again,” Craven said. “I used to be a mechanic working on these race cars, and now to be out here competing with guys like him, it’s incredible. For him to coach me and help me get as fast as I am today is just amazing.”
Am Class
In the Am class, early leaders Laura Hayes and Allen Patten looked poised to deliver a victory for Thunder Bunny Racing. But a pit stop penalty for a short stop—just 1.68 seconds under the minimum—cost them dearly, dropping the No. 606 Toyota Supra to second.
That slip allowed BimmerWorld Racing’s James Clay and Charlie Postins to capitalize. Their No. 36 BMW M4 GT4 (G82) EVO secured the final Pirelli GT4 America win of the day for the Bavarian brand, marking a BMW sweep across all three GT4 classes.
“We’re in championship form,” Postins said. “We’re on a roll right now. Let’s see what tomorrow brings, but the car’s been great and the team is really clicking. It’s awesome.”
Three classes, two wins, one team at the center of it all—Random Vandals Racing left no doubt about their championship intentions at Sebring. With momentum squarely on their side, Sunday’s Race 2 is shaping up to be another thriller.