The Heart of Racing Heads to Sonoma Raceway for SRO America Season Opener
Sonoma, Calif. (1 April 2024) - The Heart of Racing will kick off its 2024 SRO America GT4 campaign this weekend at Sonoma Raceway. The team will compete in three different championships, Pirelli GT4 America - AM, Pirelli GT4 America - PRO/AM and GT America powered by AWS.
Hannah Grisham will be joined by Hannah Greenemeier in the No. 26 Heart of Racing Aston Martin GT4. Last season Grisham made her Pirelli GT4 America debut at Sonoma Raceway, scoring the second fastest qualifying time in class, unfortunately an incident on lap one in turn one ended her first race early. Grisham scored 10th in the second race to open the 2024 season, and then closed the year on a winning note with victory at Indianapolis.
“I’m looking forward to our first race after a bit of a hiatus since Indy last year,” said Grisham. “Sonoma is one of my favorite tracks we go to this year and it will be interesting finding the intricacies with the newly repaved surface. Sonoma will mark Hannah and I’s first race together, I think we make a strong pairing and I’m looking forward to hopefully starting the season off on a high note.”
Greenemeier will look to Grisham for guidance as she makes her Pirelli GT4 America debut. The Colorado native also looks to make her first start on the 2.520 mile Sonoma track after competing on the raceway’s karting track several times. Greenemeier has had several test days in the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 to prepare for the upcoming race weekend.
“I’m really looking forward to Sonoma,” said Greenemeier. “The biggest thing I’m looking forward to is just finally being able to do my first race under The Heart of Racing colors. I’m excited to learn from Hannah, Roman and Gray and the rest of the team during my first weekend of GT4 racing. It’s been a long off season, but I know the team and I have put in a lot of work and it’s time to put all the pieces into place. Sonoma has a special place in my heart from karting and I hope at the end of the race weekend it will have one for cars too.”
Roman De Angelis and Gray Newell are teamed up in the No. 24 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 once again this season. De Angelis will be making his first start at Sonoma Raceway with the Heart of Racing after joining the GT4 squad at the second Pirelli GT4 America event at NOLA Motorsports Park. The De Angelis/Newell duo scored three wins during their 2023 Pirelli GT4 America championship campaign.
“I’m looking forward to kicking off the 2024 SRO GT4 season with my teammate Gray after a pretty successful season last year,” said De Angelis. “Gray continues to get faster and faster so I think the wins and podiums we collected last year can hopefully lead us to fighting for the championship. I haven’t driven Sonoma in many years so I’m also really looking forward to getting back on that circuit in our Aston Martin Vantage GT4.”
Newell will be pulling double duty in Pirelli GT4 America as well as GT America powered by AWS. Last season at Sonoma Raceway, Newell was teamed up with Team Principal Ian James where the pair secured two eleventh place finishes.
This will be Newell’s fourth consecutive season competing in both series. The Washington state native scored two pole positions in his 2023 GT America campaign with five podium finishes to round out the season.
“This year will be season four behind the wheel of a car for me,” said Newell. “Sonoma is always an important place to return to as it was the first race of my career. My goal this time is to make sure I’ve ridden myself of the bad habits and muscle memory my inexperienced self developed on that first weekend. The track is now re-surfaced and I am looking forward to the opportunity to re-learn Sonoma in its new form.”
Both Pirelli GT4 America and GT America powered by AWS races will be streamed live on SRO’s YouTube channel. The first race will be GT America on Saturday at 4:00pm ET followed by the Pirelli GT4 America race at 7:50pm ET. Sunday’s races will take the green flag at 11:55am ET (GT America) and 1:55pm ET (Pirelli GT4 America).
