4/12/2025
- Justin Rothberg Emerges Victorious in Intense SRO3 Race
- Kunzle Victorious in GT2 Class
- Holt Triumphs at Home in GT4
- Provisional Results
The Grand Prix of Long Beach delivered a thrilling spectacle on Saturday afternoon as GT America Powered by AWS unleashed its full force on the iconic street circuit. Under blazing sunshine and clear skies, the field roared through the palm-lined streets in Race 1, serving up 40 minutes of action that kept fans on edge until the very last lap.
The race ran nearly incident-free, with the only caution coming with just two minutes remaining. It was triggered by a heartbreaking mechanical issue that stripped the race leader of a likely win.
Justin Rothberg stormed back from an early setback to claim victory in the SRO3 Class. In GT2, Adrian Kunzle cruised to a commanding win, while Judson Holt delivered a strong debut in GT4 at his home track.
SRO3 Class
The SRO3 Class brought nonstop action to Long Beach. From the start, James Sofronas took the lead from polesitter Gray Newell on Lap 1 and held onto it, until heartbreak struck on the final lap.
While Sofronas built a gap up front, the battle behind him was in full effect. Kyle Washington muscled his No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 992 GT3 R into third with a bold move, while Justin Rothberg, who had shuffled down to fourth in the No. 29 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT3 EVO, kept relentless pressure on the lead pack to claw his way back up.
Rothberg eventually cleared Washington for third and then made a decisive move past Newell with under 20 minutes to go. The most heated battle of the race remained the fight for third between Newell and Washington, until the latter pulled off a bold pass with just two minutes left on the clock.
But just as that overtake was made, Sofronas’ No. 14 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVOII came to a halt, dashing his hopes of victory and promoting Rothberg to the top step of the podium, followed by Washington in second and Newell in third.
“I saw a car slowing down on the front straight and wasn’t sure what was happening, then I realized it was James,” explained Rothberg. “ I don’t like to root for anyone’s misfortune, but I will admit that seeing the race leader broken down meant that I would win the race, which made me happy. It was an amazing race. Everyone was respectful and gave space. It was some of the best racing I’ve ever participated in and one of the most fun races I’ve done.”
“This win means a lot,” he added. “A street circuit like Long Beach makes it feel that much more earned. It was a hard fight, I dropped back to fourth or fifth at the start, so we had to claw our way forward. To come out on top at such a historic track… it’s just an incredible feeling.”
Kyle Washington earned the Super Fuel Hard Charger Award thanks to his stellar performance that saw him rise from 7th place to 2nd place.
GT2 Class
Drama unfolded before the green flag waved in the GT2 class, as CJ Moses pulled into pit lane during the formation lap and was unable to take the start in his No. 58 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT2.
With his primary rival out, Adrian Kunzle had a clear path and capitalized, driving his No. 142 MLT Motorsports Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2 to an uncontested victory.
“Mixed-class racing is something I really enjoy, it’s a lot of fun,” said Kunzle. “At the start, we mixed it up with the GT3s a bit before they pulled away. Then once we started lapping GT4 traffic, it became all about making smart moves, especially on a track like this, where one mistake can cost you everything.”
GT4 Class
Paul Sparta led the GT4 field to green in his No. 98 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4, with Judson Holt glued to his rear bumper in the No. 188 Fast Track Racing BMW M4 GT4.
As pressure mounted, Sparta ran off track, opening the door for Holt to snatch the lead. Sparta rejoined behind Ricco Shlaimoun in the No. 7 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, who moved up into second. However, Shlaimoun was handed a five-second post-race penalty for a start violation, relegating him to third.
“It was a great race, and I’m so grateful for Paul and Ricco, what a great time we had out there,” said Holt. “It was an absolute blast. The racing was close, we were battling all the way through, and in the end, one turn made the difference. Just incredible competitors, and I’m thankful to be out here with them.”
Let’s Get Racing
The GT America Powered by AWS field will return to the track for Race 2 on Sunday, April 13th at 11:40 AM PDT to close out the Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend.
If you can’t make it to Long Beach, be sure to tune-in to SRO’s free livestreams all weekend long on YouTube (GTWorld) and Twitch (SROMotorsports) and follow all the action through our social media channels and the event hashtag #GTLongBeach.
