The No. 29 Fast Track Racing CLASSIC BMW BMW M4 team is just five points from the lead in SprintX East points. [photo courtesy TB Communications]
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (Sept. 18, 2019) – The Pirelli GT4 America sports car action will be hot and heavy this weekend (Sept. 20-22) at the legendary Road America four-mile circuit as road racing championships are on the line and Fast Track Racing/CLASSIC BMW’s SprintX team of Justin Raphael and Stevan McAleer are in the thick of the title chase.
Driving the No. 29 Raphael & Associates/CLASSIC BMW BMW M4 GT4 sports car in the GT4 SprintX East Pro-Am category, the Raphael/McAleer pairing have been in the championship fight since the series’ opening weekend at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in March and now trail current series point leader Karl Wittmer by just five points entering this weekend’s (Saturday, 5:00 p.m. MDT and Sunday, 12:10 p.m. MDT) GT4 SprintX doubleheader at Road America.
Raphael and McAleer have recorded one race victory at VIR in April in 2019 along with two runner-up finishes, a third place and four fourth places in the first eight races of the ten-event SprintX East Pro-Am campaign.
“We are just five points out of the Pro-Am point lead and there are three cars fighting for the title in the final weekend at Road America,” said veteran McAleer. “We are going all out for this Championship with our No. 29 CLASSIC BMW M4. I expect some wild racing in both events at the popular Road America circuit. Justin and I will be ready to go.”
“I know we are excited for the Road America weekend and a run for the SprintX Pro-Am title,” said Raphael. “Road America is such a classic road course and so thrilling to drive. We are set for quite a battle for the point championship. It should be a great weekend.”
Raphael will handle double duties at Road America with an entry in the two 50-minute GT4 Sprint races (Saturday, 1:10 p.m. MDT and Sunday, 10:05 a.m. MDT) this weekend in the No. 26 Raphael & Associates/CLASSIC BMW BMW M4 GT4 car in addition to the SprintX action.
Joining the Raphael/McAleer duo for the Fast Track Racing/CLASSIC BMW squad will be the No. 92 VETS Indexes/CLASSIC BMW BMW M4 GT4 machine for Chris Ohmacht and Toby Grahovec, who currently ranked third in the GT4 SprintX Pro-Am national division. The pair are seeking their first 2019 race win at Road America after scoring two seconds and two thirds earlier this year.
“We are always ready to drive at a great circuit like Road America,” said Ohmacht, who won two 2018 SprintX Am races with Grahovec. “It’s such a classic course. We believe the BMW M4 GT4 car will be good on that four-mile track. Toby and I have a great time teaming up and we’ll hope for more podium appearances this weekend.”
Grahovec, the team manager of the Fast Track Racing/CLASSIC BMW racing organization, will compete in two divisions at Road America, the GT4 SprintX Pro-Am category with Ohmacht and in Touring Car in the No. 26 CLASSIC BMW BMW M240iR sedan.
Grahovec will team up with Breton Williams of Clinton, Iowa., in the Fast Track Racing TC lineup with Williams in the No. 29 First Wealth Financial Group/CLASSIC BMW BMW M240iR machine for two 40-minute sprint events set for Saturday at 12:15 p.m. MDT and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. MDT.
“Growing up in the Chicago area, Road America was like a home track for us,” said Grahovec, a college hockey star at Robert Morris University in Chicago. “So, I get excited going back to that classic circuit. We have some important races this weekend for the point championships and the Fast Track Racing team has our five BMWs well-prepared for the battles in the double races. We think the BMW cars will be strong at Road America this weekend.”
All SprintX races will be streamed live on www.gt4-america.com with TC races at www.tc-america.com and via audio simulcast on SiriusXM satellite radio Ch. 385 (980 on the web stream). CBS Sports Network highlights coverage for GT4 SprintX races at Road America will air at Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. EDT (SprintX) and 3 p.m. EDT (Sprint) with TC coverage is set for Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. EDT.
