LONG BEACH — Justin Rothberg won the SRO GT America race at the Grand Prix of Long Beach for the second day in a row Sunday, and James Sofronas ran into bad luck again in the closing laps.
Rothberg, driving a BMW M4 GT3 EVO for Turner Motorsports, won the 40-minute race and crossed the finish line 2.676 seconds ahead of Kyle Washington. Sofronas, who was challenging Rothberg for the lead in the final minute of the race, made contact in the hairpin Turn 11 just before the white flag flew and dropped out of contention.
“Pretty unaware of what was going on behind me,” Rothberg said. “I knew I had a sizable gap that as long as I kept hitting my mark, running good lap times and didn’t make an egregious error, I could hold on to win.”
Sofronas, driving an Audi R8 LMS GT3, was leading the GT America race on Saturday when his car lost power on the frontstretch and stalled. Rothberg passed him for the lead and won the race two laps later.
Rothberg had a comfortable lead for most of Sunday’s race and didn’t need another mishap on the track to win the race.
“I just had to focus and stay clear-headed and not worry about what’s behind me,” Rothberg said.
“There was never having to run a defensive line or anything. But there’s always moments like you get stuck behind a GT4 or a GT2 and start panicking and not knowing what’s happening. It’s very easy to lose yourself in those moments.”
Washington, in a Porsche 992 GT3 R for GMG Racing, was the runner-up for the second day in a row.
Blake McDonald, driving a Chevrolet Corvette for DXDT Racing, was third.
Sofronas crossed the finish line in seventh place.
“I’m thrilled. While it’s not like the grandest surprise ever, it’s pretty damn unexpected, especially two wins,” Rothberg said.
Romak wins Historic Formula Exhibition race
Steph Romak, driving a 1976 March 761, won the Historic Formula Exhibition race, finishing ahead of Jamie Constable in a 1983 Tyrrell 011B.
Romak, who’s from Walnut Creek, attended his first Grand Prix of Long Beach in 1976.
“The car that I’m driving today was in that race,” Romak said Sunday after the 16-lap race. “So it’s a special touch to the day.”
The Historic Formula Exhibition pits cars from the three eras of racing, Formula 5000, Formula 1 and IndyCar, at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
“It’s a pleasure and a blast to be down here running,” Romak said.
Constable, who’s from London, England, was driving a car Danny Sullivan raced at the Grand Prix of Long Beach in 1983. It finished seventh in that race.
“First time I’ve been here,” Constable said. “I like to support the track. It was great fun today.”
Mikel Miller from Tacoma, Washington in a 1974 March 741, was third.
Cheek wins Stadium Super Trucks
Myles Cheek won the Stadium Truck Series race, finishing ahead of Matt Brabham.
Cheek was the runner-up in the Stadium Super Trucks race on Saturday.
Max Gordon was third in Sunday’s race.
Gordon won the Stadium Super Trucks race on Saturday.
Stuke wins Formula Drift Super Drift Challenge
Daniel Stuke, driving a Nissan Silvia for MspeK Performance, won the Formula Drift Super Drift Challenge over Rome Charpentier on Saturday night.
It was a rematch of the final between Stuke and Charpentier on Friday.
Charpentier won on Friday in a E82 BMW for Garagastic.
Jeff Jones in a Nissan 370Z for Evol Auto Works, was third.
“Formula Drift and the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach have a long and storied history together,” said Ryan Sage, president of Formula Drift. “They were one of the first groups that truly embraced the sport of drifting.”
That partnership led to adding a stand-alone event in Long Beach in the Formula Drift series.
“A brand new layout and a stand-alone event will be constructed to replace Irwindale Speedway Round 8 of the Formula Drift Pro Championship,” Sage said.
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