The second half of the Indianapolis 8 Hour, the season finale of the SRO Fanatec GT World Challenge, was a thrilling spectacle filled with high-stakes battles and unexpected twists as drivers fought through the night to close out the 2024 season. In a race that saw fortunes swing repeatedly, the No. 31 Team WRT BMW emerged victorious, not only claiming the overall win but also securing the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) championship title.
In the FGTWCA Pro class, Wright Motorsports dominated, taking the class win and clinching the championship. The Pro-Am category, however, went down to the wire, with Turner Motorsport edging out their rivals to take the North American championship by a razor-thin margin of just one point, despite Herberth Motorsport crossing the line first.
Cautions and Comebacks
The fifth hour began with a caution as Random Vandals Racing triggered the yellow flag early in the race’s second half. Once the green flag waved again, Elliott Skeer in the No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 992 GT3 R seized the opportunity to overtake Tommy Milner’s No. 63 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, snatching the FGTWCA Pro class lead.
Milner’s struggles continued as he dropped to third behind Philipp Eng in the No. 28 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3. Trent Hindman in the No. 85 RS1 Porsche 992 GT3 R applied pressure, keeping the battle alive.
Another caution followed when Andy Lee’s No. 8 Flying Lizard Motorsports BMW M4 GT3 pulled off the track with oil pressure issues. A wave of pit stops and driver changes ensued before the race resumed with less than three and a half hours remaining. ST Racing faced more troubles as Neil Verhagen had to limp back to the pits, causing yet another caution.
Pit Strategies Shake Up the Field
As cars pitted under the full course yellow, some teams strategically hit the pits earlier, gaining an advantage. DXDT Racing capitalized, returning to the front but quickly lost ground to the dialed-in Wright Motorsports Porsche, which executed another clean overtake, reclaiming the lead.
GruppeM Racing also made a move, adjusting their strategy by resetting driver stints, allowing Jules Gounon to gain track positions. Despite this, Sheldon van der Linde of Team WRT remained laser-focused, pulling off a clean maneuver to reclaim the IGTC Pro class lead with just over two and a half hours remaining.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing, as the No. 33 Team WRT BMW suffered a setback, needing extensive pit repairs for a broken rear diffuser. Random Vandals Racing faced further difficulties, pulling off the track for the second time and bringing out another safety car with just over two hours left.
Championship Hopes on the Line
As the sun set, drivers switched places, and the race resumed with 1 hour and 52 minutes left. Heinrich led the way for Wright Motorsports, with the championship crown in sight. Meanwhile, Turner Motorsport made steady gains in the Pro-Am category, inching closer to their title goal.
Another caution was brought out as the No. 88 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 required towing after being stranded. The No. 33 Team WRT BMW’s diffuser issues persisted, forcing them behind the wall once again, which elevated Lone Star Racing’s Mercedes into an IGTC Pro podium spot.
With the final hour approaching, leaders Wright Motorsports and Team WRT pitted to reset their drivers’ stints, setting up an intense finale.
Final Push and Championship Deciders
The final hour saw teams executing their last pit stops, with everything hanging in the balance. Wright Motorsports faced a critical challenge as they received a 5-second post-race time penalty for a pit lane protocol violation, meaning Heinrich had to maintain a gap to preserve their win. Despite his efforts, Team WRT’s Vanthoor closed the gap, crossing the line just 4.7 seconds behind and securing the overall victory. This marked a consecutive Indianapolis 8 Hour win for Team WRT.
In the IGTC Pro class, GruppeM Racing finished second with Maro Engel at the helm, and Lone Star Racing rounded off the podium, thanks to Fabian Schiller’s strong final stint.
Wright Motorsports clinched the FGTWCA Pro class victory, as Elliott Skeer and Adam Adelson took home the championship. Despite facing drive-through penalties, Racers Edge Motorsports finished second in class, with DXDT Racing completing the podium.
Skeer expressed his joy, “It doesn’t get any better than this. Coming into the race, it was the exact same scenario as last year—two cars against each other, and whoever wins takes the championship. Last year didn’t go as planned, but this year, we won. It’s just an unbelievable feeling.”
Adelson echoed the sentiment, highlighting the significance of the win after near misses in previous championships. “To come into the Pro class, win on track, and do it with Elliott—it means everything.”
Pro-Am: Turner Motorsport Snatches the Title
In the Pro-Am category, Turner Motorsport claimed the North American championship title by a single point, despite finishing second. Herberth Motorsport’s win did not count towards the American championship, allowing Turner to clinch the title. Phillip Ellis delivered a stellar drive for Regulator Racing, earning another podium finish for the team.
Turner driver Justin Rothberg was overwhelmed by the outcome. “I didn’t even bring a suit because I honestly didn’t think we were going to win this,” he admitted. “It really feels like the stars aligned.”
Teammate Robby Foley added, “What a day! It was a long shot coming in, but we had a great race, great strategy, and a fantastic car. It’s a dream situation and an amazing result, especially for Justin as well.”
The dramatic Indianapolis 8 Hour finale was a fitting end to an action-packed season, with intense battles, strategic brilliance, and emotional triumphs. As the lights went out on the 2024 SRO Fanatec GT World Challenge season, it was clear that every team had left it all on the track.
