Just two weeks after the Sebring event, the decisive GT World Challenge America round took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Indy 8 Hour saw Mario Farnbacher and the Racers Edge Motorsports team making the best out of the still intact championship prospects and despite a difficult race, they finished off the season with a strong second in the Pro class.
In combination with the Intercontinental GT Challenge, the participants of the GT World Challenge America were fighting in this joint season finale on the historical US circuit in Indiana for the season’s last points. Ahead of this decisive race, Farnbacher and Harrison were 22 points behind the championship’s leaders. The duo were supported this time by Kyle Marcelli.
Farnbacher, Harrison and Marcelli qualified in their Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 with a grid fifth in their class and an overall 15th position. Start driver Marcelli picked up several places in the initial phase, but it wasn’t long before the first setback occurred. The Canadian was roughly pushed out onto the grass by a competitor and fell back to the rear of the field. The trio then battled gamely forwards until another touch ensued, the resulting drive-through penalty finally dashed all hopes of realising what had been a possible title win.
“Luck just wasn’t on our side. We were giving everything we had and when unforeseeable things happen during the race, then sadly such is life,” said Mario Farnbacher after the chequered flag had fallen.
In the end, the Ansbach native Farnbacher and his team mates secured a class fourth and an overall classification 14th. Parallel to this result, Farnbacher and Harrison achieved second place in the championship after their eight-hour race.
Farnbacher commented, “It was really tough for us to make a good job of the race after the damage at the beginning and the other setbacks. Now we’ve simply got to be content with second place and not shed too many tears about the lost title. See you again next year!”
The big finale in Indianapolis ended a stressful GT World Challenge America season, full of highs and lows for Mario Farnbacher and Racers Edge Motorsports.
