Cooper, Uretsky Win Sebring 120 After Massive Start-Line Pileup

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Michael Cooper and Moisey Uretsky came out on top in Friday’s Alan Jay Automotive Networks 120 at Sebring International Raceway, in a race marred by a nine-car GS class pileup at the start of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge round.

Cooper, in the No. 44 Ibiza Farm Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4, took a 2.506-second win over the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Daan Arrow and Bryce Ward.

It came after the first quarter of the two-hour contest was wiped out when nearly ten cars were eliminated before even taking the green flag that led to various strategy options in both classes.

While the No. 54 Panam Motorsport Toyota GR Supra GT4 of Caio Chaves stayed out and led at the halfway mark on a planned one-stop strategy, a two-stop race for the McLaren, and several others, ultimately paid off.

Chaves and co-driver Thiago Camilo came home fourth, behind the No. 95 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 EVO of Dillon Machavern and reigning class champion Luca Mars, which completed the GS podium in third.

The No. 27 Auto Technic Racing BMW of Stevan McAleer and Austin Krainz was fifth, with the No. 23 Koch-Copeland Motorsports Toyota of Jaxon Bell and Ford Koch in sixth.

Gregory Liefooghe finished seventh after a late-race battle with Nate Cicero, in another Ford Mustang GT4, which came home eighth.

The No. 59 KohR Motorsports Mustang GT4 was ninth after Billy Johnson was hit by the No. 12 RAFA Racing Team Toyota of Kiko Porto that resulted in a drive-through for Porto in the closing stages.

TCR class honors went to the No. 99 Victor Gonzalez Racing CUPRA Leon VZ TCR of Tyler Gonzalez and Argentinean TCR star Franco Girolami, who claimed his first victory in the U.S.

Gonzalez came home 13.988 seconds ahead of the second-placed No. 18 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR of Harry Gottsacker and Lance Bergstein.

The Nos. 33 and 98 BHA Hyundais were third and fourth, respectively.

There, however, was drama for the class points-leading No. 76 BHA Hyundai of Denis Dupont, which suffered a right-front puncture with 30 minutes to go while in a race-contending position.

A total of nine cars: No. 3 CSM, No. 83 BGB Motorsports and No. 91 VRC Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsports, No. 71 Rebel Rock Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Evo, No. 4 Medusa Motorsports, No. 60 KohR and No. 30 LAP Motorsports Mustang GT4s, No. 37 CarBahn with Peregrine Racing and No. 96 Turner BMWs ad No. 24 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 were collected in the crash.

All drivers were evaluated and released from the trackside medical center per an IMSA spokesperson.

Only the LAP Mustang GT4 returned to the track after the incident, finishing 34th overall and 19th in GS.

RESULTS: Alan Jay Automotive Networks 120

Source: Sports Car 365