Rothberg extends GT America championship lead with commanding Race 1 win

The GT America powered by AWS grid set off for their first race of the weekend under the blistering hot sun at VIRginia International Raceway. As temperatures soared, the action on track heated up to match.

Justin Rothberg put in a dominant performance in Race 1, converting pole position into a flag-to-flag victory in the No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3. The win not only adds to his growing list of 2025 accomplishments but also extends his lead in the SRO3 class championship standings. In GT2 and GT4, it was CJ Moses and Michael Fitzpatrick who went on to score their respective class wins.

SRO3 class

Rothberg was untouchable in the opening stages, steadily building a gap over Memo Gidley in the No. 56 SKI Autosports Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II with each lap as the field began to spread out behind. Gidley remained comfortably in second in the first minutes, but the real action unfolded behind them in a tight battle between Ross Chouest in the No. 50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R and Jason Bell in the No. 2 Racers Edge Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO.

Bell's race took a turn with just under 15 minutes to go when he went wide and into the tire barriers, bringing out a full course yellow. The field bunched up for a restart, giving Gidley a fresh shot at Rothberg for the lead with 6 minutes left on the clock. Despite a strong attack, Rothberg held his ground and quickly reasserted control of the race.

In the closing laps, Kyle Washington in the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 992 GT3 R began to apply heavy pressure on Chouest for third, but a small mistake during his passing attempt cost him valuable momentum and saw him run wide into the dirt, allowing Chouest to hang on to the final podium spot.

GT2 & GT4 classes

In the GT2 class, CJ Moses brought home a clean and calculated victory in the No. 58 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT2, showcasing his consistent form.

The GT4 field saw Michael Fitzpatrick deliver a strong performance, earning a well-deserved win behind the wheel of the No. 89 89x Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4. His teammate John Dean encountered overheating issues early on and was forced to pit, ending his race early. He’ll be eager to bounce back in Race 2 on Sunday.

The GT America powered by AWS will return to the track for Race 2 on Sunday at 9:15am ET. Stream the race on the RACER+ app. You can find out more about the RACER+ App at racerplus.com.