Mario Farnbacher is back in the GT World Challenge America. The driver from Ansbach in Bavaria will once again compete in the championship alongside Ashton Harrison with Racers Edge Motorsports. The duo pilots an Acura NSX GT3 Evo22. Together, Farnbacher and Harrison clinched four wins in the 2022 season on their way to being crowned champions in the Pro-Am category. In 2023, the Acura works driver and his American co-driver are moving up to the Pro class.

Continue reading “Starting the GT World Challenge America season”

Starting the motorsport season with the Daytona 24-hour race, has become a tradition for Mario Farnbacher. However, one thing was different in 2023: In addition to participation in the endurance classic in Florida, a guest appearance within the TCR scene was also on the agenda.

Continue reading “Rolex 24 fourth place and initial TCR experience gained”

Together with Ashton Harrison and Christina Nielsen, Mario Farnbacher was on the grid for the GT World Challenge America season’s last race. Venue for the eight-hour race and showdown for the championship final was the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In the end, the Racers Edge Motorsports trio ranked third in the race and thus clinched the longed-for title.

Continue reading “Title win in GT World Challenge America”

Mario Farnbacher and teammates Kyffin Simpson and Till Bechtolsheimer were at the start of the Petit Le Mans on the Road Atlanta. The Acura works driver was behind the wheel of the NSX GT3 for Team Gradient Racing again and fighting for a win of the 10-hour-race in the US state of Georgia. In the end, the Franconian was lost for words!

Ten years earlier, Mario Farnbacher drove his first race in the US on the circuit close to Atlanta and promptly won it. A decade later, history was to repeat itself, despite the fact that the odds before the race start seemed against the 30-year-old from Ansbach. “Right from the beginning, things weren’t quite right. The trainings didn’t go smoothly, and we couldn’t run through the programme. But we felt it was important not to give up, because a lot can happen in an endurance race”, said Farnbacher. Gradient Racing’s qualifying ended before even a lap was completed, meaning starting the race from the last row on the grid.

Farnbacher’s battle declaration for the race was accordingly rather cautious: ”Nothing seemed to go well for us up till now. We have to look ahead and keep our chins up. It’s a long race and we’ll wait and see where it takes us.” From the first race minute onwards, the big chase began. The trio steadily fought its way forwards position by position and later even took the lead.

After 10 nail-biting hours, Farnbacher triumphantly crossed the finish line in first place and got out of his car, totally overwhelmed. “Nobody really expected this. The team did a fantastic job, Kyffin and Till gave 100% in their stints. My last one was incredibly tough and I’m sure it gave me one or two grey hairs. The cars in the GTD-Pro class in front of me were in a fearsome battle and I wanted to stay out of harm’s way. At the same time, I had to look behind to stop our rival from finding a way past. It all worked out though, and nobody had reckoned with us winning right from the rear. Simply awesome!”, Farnbacher exclaimed after his victory.

The 30-year-old now heads directly to Indianapolis. The GT World Challenge America is visiting the traditional circuit and for Farnbacher it will mean fighting for the title in the Pro-Am class.

Together with Racers Edge Motorsports and Ashton Harrison, Mario Farnbacher was at the start of the GT World Challenge America’s fourth weekend from 22 to 24 July. Ranking third in the standings, the Acura works driver travelled to Watkins Glen with his teammate and focused on making a good points haul. Despite a few complications, the end of the weekend produced another podium.

Continue reading “Podium for Mario Farnbacher in Watkins Glen”

Mario Farnbacher was on the road in Virginia from 17 to 19 June. The 30-year-old was competing in the season’s fifth and sixth races against around 20 GT3 opponents, aiming to collect further points in the third event of the GT World Challenge America. Together with Racers Edge Motorsports and team colleague Ashton Harrison, he was hoping to repeat the positive results of the first two race weekends. 

As Farnbacher and Harrison couldn’t participate in the test days, the Acura duo first had to get a feel for the track during the practice sessions. Harrison qualified for the first race in fifth with the Acura NSX GT3 #93, while Farnbacher clinched pole for race two. “It was good to see we’re competitive, which is not what we were initially expecting. The team did everything in their power to support us”, said the Ansbach-born driver.

However, the races didn’t go as hoped: After a good start phase, Harrison was involved in a collision after a full-course yellow. This not only meant an early ending for the first race, but also a great deal of work for the crew. “The car was badly damaged, luckily Rick Ware Racing was nearby and helped us out with spare parts”, the Acura works-driver explained afterwards. “It’s not a given that another team is so helpful in view of a forthcoming event. It was only thanks to them that we could participate in the second race.”

Starting the second race from pole, Farnbacher developed a good lead. After the driver change, the German-American duo were still in the lead for a long time, until an error led to the loss of several positions. Harrison finally crossed the finish line with an overall tenth, which meant a sixth in the Pro-Am classification.

“Of course, it’s a shame we’re not the glorious victors after all, but those errors are part of the parcel. It’s happened to me too”, Farnbacher summarized. “Sometimes you only gain experience. I’m quite sure, that sooner or later our work will pay off. There are several races still to come, so we have further opportunities to prove our worth.”

There’ll be another chance for top results from 22 to 24 July, when the GT World Challenge America is guesting in Watkins Glen. Farnbacher himself will be competing on 26 June at the same spot in his next race – the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship “Six Hours of the Glen”.

Five weeks after the Sonoma season-opener, Mario Farnbacher travelled to the NOLA Motorsports Park in Louisiana for the second round of the GT World Challenge America. Together with Racers Edge Motorsports and team colleague Ashton Harrison, the Acura works driver was able to celebrate two podiums.

Originally, the race had been scheduled at the Ozark International Raceway, but was relocated to the track in Avondale, near New Orleans, at short notice. Despite a lack of practice possibilities, Farnbacher and Harrison delivered an encouraging performance right from the beginning and secured promising start positions for the races with a qualifying first and fourth. The 30-year-old was satisfied with the result: “After quite a difficult kick-off to the season, we pulled out all the stops and improved ourselves considerably. It’s so important we keep developing if we want to continue producing positive results.”

Both races saw the team smoothly continuing this strong performance. The duo clinched second place in the ProAm class on Saturday and topped it in the following race with a class win that meant an overall second. Thanks to this strong yield, the two Acura drivers moved up to third place in the ProAm championship.

All reason for the Ansbach-born native to feel happy: “Just last week, I celebrated a landmark birthday and now here’s a belated birthday present. The entire team did a great job, and we got the most out of the weekend. We’re playing a central role and aren’t just bystanders – we’ve certainly worked ourselves forward in the championship. We can see the positive trend and that’s how we’d like to keep it!”

The fifth and sixth races of the GT World Challenge America season are scheduled for 17 to 19 June on the Virginia International Raceway. However, things are moving fast for Farnbacher, and he’ll be heading for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring from 26 to 29 May.

Mario Farnbacher started from 16 to 19 March at the Sebring 12-hour race. Together with team mates Kyffin Simpson and Till Bechtolsheimer, the Acura works driver from Ansbach competed for Gradient Racing in Florida. It was the second race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and eleventh place due to an accident was the best possible result under the circumstances. 

„After Daytona, we were definitely hoping for more and we were generally fast enough to attack the podium. But sadly, things don’t always go as planned,” says the double GTD champion. „We lost a total of 17 laps to repairs because of the accident. We couldn’t really make progress after that.” 

Qualifying saw the Acura on the grid in tenth position. It should have been the big chase after that as the NSX GT3 had a good solid pace, however several spins and a touch with the track barrier meant simply crossing the line and cutting losses.

Mario Farnbacher expressed particular praise for his team. „I’m so grateful the team gave its all to get the car straightened up after the accident. And normally that would have been enough for a very good result. But sometimes plans just don’t work out and I’m sure we’ll get to fight in the next race and find the breakthrough.”

In April, Mario Farnbacher moves on to the next race. He’ll be driving with Ashton Harrison from 14 to 17 April in Sonoma at the Fanatec GT World Challenge America kickoff.

Mario Farnbacher and Gradient Racing began the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season’s first race on 29 January. Instead of achieving the hoped-for top result in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the team had to make do with a 13th place in the GTD category. Technical defects dashed the Franconian and his teammates’ chances of a better result in the #66 Acura NSX GT3 Evo22.

“The season kick-off was far from straightforward. Last weekend’s accident during the Roar before the 24 cost us valuable dry kilometres”, the twofold GTD champion said. “Due to the rain during the race weekend itself, conditions weren’t easy, making preparation also a problem. Nevertheless, I must say a huge thanks to the entire crew. They were incredibly committed throughout both weeks and despite all setbacks, gave their all to present us with the best possible car. I’m very proud of that!”

Having started the race from 16th on the grid, Mario Farnbacher, Till Bechtolsheimer, Marc Miller and Kyffin Simpson were set back initially by a penalty. However, the quartet stayed calm and worked their way steadily forwards. Bechtolsheimer delivered lap times on line with the GTD frontrunners in his double stint and underlined the Texas racing squad’s ambitions right from the beginning. Farnbacher took over and continued where his teammate had left off. The race saw the Acura #66 within striking distance of top-class positions and at times on the leader’s tail.

“We did a good job after the initial difficulties, but problems appeared during the night”, the 29-year-old explained. “First our lifting unit packed up, which meant losing a great deal of pitting time. Then another technical defect appeared and that finally finished all hopes of a top 6.”

Farnbacher and Gradient Racing’s next opportunity for a top result comes in March, when the 12 Hours of Sebring is scheduled for 18 and 19 March.

Mario Farnbacher starts the 60th running of the 24-hour race in Daytona in the Acura NSX GT3 of Gradient Racing. The two-time GTD champion competes alongside Till Bechtolsheimer, Kyffin Simpson and Marc Miller in the legendary endurance classic as part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, which takes place from 28th to 30th January 2022.

“Finally, we’re getting back in the car – I cannot wait,” says Farnbacher as he looks forward to his first race of 2022. “It will be the first time that I drive the new EVO model. Having jumped in to substitute last year, I am even more excited to be part of the team again.”

The HPD driver and instructor of the HPD Driver Academy is joined by one of his students. “Kyffin Simpson did a fantastic job last year and has made tremendous progress. It’s nice to see his development continue. It’s so cool that we worked together before and now get to share a car,” the 29-year-old added.

In addition to Daytona, further races this season are planned. Farnbacher will race with Racers Edge Motorsports in the GT World Challenge America, teaming up again with Ashton Harrison whom he mentored last year at the HPD Driver Academy. He will drive the Acura NSX GT3 together with the female racer. “Ashton and I drove together in the Indianapolis 8 Hour race in 2021, so we know each other well,” explains the Bavarian. “We want to pick up where we left off last year and now really go on the attack.”

For now, however, the focus is on Daytona. The lights for the race go green on Saturday, 29th January, at 13:40 local time (19:40 CET). Track action already starts a week earlier with the Roar Before The Rolex 24, the traditional pre-season test, taking place at the Daytona International Speedway.