SKI Autosports’ Memo Gidley led flag-to-flag both Saturday and Sunday to sweep the weekend for GT America powered by AWS at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. He now has seven wins in eight races this season.
“It’s unbelievable,” Gidley told SRO America’s Amanda Busick Sunday afternoon. “The team is just superb; it’s one of the best teams I’ve ever been with. Everybody just gets it done and I’m so grateful to be here.”
Race No. 1
Gidley started from the overall pole in his SKI Autosports Audi. When the green came out, he did not take long to open up a gap over HP-TECH Motorsports’ Tony Davis.
Davis ended up in an immediate battle for second with R. Ferri Motorsport’s Marc Muzzo and Ruckus Racing’s Scott Blind. Eventually, Davis was able to pull away from the crowd and establish his position.
Gidley eventually expanded his advantage out to over eight seconds, then backed off in the final couple of laps. Regardless, he was easily able to hold on for the win.
Gidley won by 3.939 seconds over Davis. Muzzo was third, then Blind and GMG Racing’s Kyle Washington.
In GT4, Racers Edge Motorsports’ Jason Bell effectively won by default. His only competition, Colorado Motorsports by Flying Lizard’s Craig Lumsden, dropped out a couple of laps into the race.
Both Lawrence Tomlinson (GT2) and David Lecko (Cup) were running unopposed in their classes.
GT America powered by AWS: Road Atlanta Race No. 1 Results
Race No. 2
By virtue of setting the fastest lap of Race No. 1 Saturday (110.949 mph), Gidley once again started from the pole. When the green came out, the start was similar to Saturday. Gidley was able to slip past Davis and open up the advantage.
Unlike Saturday, the weather was very different. Saturday had bright sunshine, humidity and temperatures around 91°. Sunday saw cloudy skies and sprinkles falling. A developing thundershower just skirted the track.
Behind Davis, things were different. Washington was able to drive up to third in his Porsche. However, he made and got off-course exiting turn 7. That allowed Rennsport One’s Joel Cortes to take third.
Tomlinson was able to latch onto the back of the GT3 pack for the first half of the race before the tires went off on his Ginetta. He was still running seventh overall, ahead of three of the GT3 cars when he spun entering the chicane with seven minutes to go.
In the closing laps, Cortes was able to run down Davis for second. Washington was right there as well. Davis was able to hold off the late challenge. Meanwhile, Gidley was able to maintain to take the weekend sweep.
Gidley won by 4.804 seconds over Davis. Cortes tied his career-best in third, then Washington and Blind. Bell won GT4 by a lap over Lumsden.
GT America powered by AWS: Road Atlanta Race No. 2 Results
Next up for the teams will be a visit to Road Atlanta. Race No. 1 is scheduled for Aug. 29 and will stream live on the GT World YouTube channel.
Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the Frontstretch email newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the Frontstretch Sports Car racing editor.
Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.