Heart of Racing by SPS Achieves “Goal” of Best Non-Pro Entry

Photo: Gruppe C Photography/SRO

Heart of Racing Team by SPS achieved its “goal” of being the highest-placed non-Pro class entry in Sunday’s Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour according to team principal Ian James.

James, Zach Robichon and Ross Gunn, in a Bronze class Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, took top category honors, while finishing seventh overall and just one lap back from the overall race-winning Team WRT BMW M4 GT3s.

It came in an up-and-down race for the American-flagged team, which lost ground in the second hour after James was turned around by the No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG of Kenny Habul, who received a penalty for incident responsibility.

“It was pretty exciting in the beginning,” James told Sportscar365. “Obviously there was one car in particular that was knocking a lot of cars off the track.

“The car count was down but our goal was to try and beat the Pro-Ams and the Silvers and we managed to do that.

“To be only one lap behind the Pro cars right there in the end after 12 hours was pretty good going.

“We were there at the end and it was redemption from last year when we lost the win right at the end.”

The team, which featured James, Gunn and Alex Riberas last year, lost the chance of a near sure-fire Pro-Am class win after Gunn received a drive-through penalty for weaving his car on the restart.

That rule was since abolished for this year’s running.

“It was a pretty smooth sailing race,” said Gunn of Sunday’s race. “We did a really good job with the strategy, making the most of certain yellows.

“To be standing within a lap, or just over a lap of the Pro lineups is a testament to the amazing job that SPS and Heart of Racing have done this weekend.

“Just driving this circuit is so special. You can never get bored, even if you’re driving around on your own, it’s that exciting and exhilarating.

“I’m just so fortunate to be here and hopefully this won’t be the last time in here.”

Gunn said they had initially entered the race hoping to finish on the lead lap but the fuel-extending stints by the WRT BMWs ultimately foiled that prospect by the second half of the race.

“I think we had a little secret target of trying to stay on the lead lap,” he explained. “But it was quite difficult with the way the BMWs could extend most of their stints.

“It ended up changing strategy for them quite significantly.

“We had a little target, about halfway through the race, that was try to be the best of the non-Pro cars.”

For Robichon, it marked the end of his endurance triple header with the team that started with the Michelin 24H Dubai last month, prior to last weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona and Sunday’s run around Mount Panorama.

“It seems like every step of the three races got a little bit better,” he said. “We finished fourth in Dubai, third in Daytona and then to take home the win this weekend was super exciting.

“Honestly, it was the most fun I’ve ever had in a race car.

“Even if we weren’t part of any big battles, just driving this track is phenomenal. To be able to share it with these guys and be able to have these opportunities I’m super happy about.”