Lone Star Racing delivered a highly competitive performance at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), marking a successful outing for the team’s expanded Mercedes-AMG GT3 programme. Competing on home soil, the Texas-based squad secured multiple strong finishes, highlighted by a runner-up result in the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS Am class.
Moreover, the weekend showcased the team’s growing depth, as both its GT World Challenge and GT America entries demonstrated pace, consistency, and discipline across a demanding race programme.
Strong team execution on home ground sees Lone Star Racing secure GTWC America podium at COTA
From the outset, Lone Star Racing approached the weekend with confidence and precision. Running two Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries for the first time at COTA, the team executed cleanly across all sessions and avoided costly mistakes.
As a result, both cars remained competitive throughout, while strong operational performance ensured maximum results in front of a home crowd.
“Everybody at Lone Star Racing did a great job all weekend with our first two-car Mercedes-AMG GT3 effort at Circuit of The Americas,” said Lone Star Racing Team Manager and Technical Director AJ Petersen. “The team in total executed very well, both driving and running the two cars with no penalties, and it was great support for our drivers and car owners. We had fans, family and friends from all over Texas supporting us all weekend, and we gave them some good results and put both cars back on the trailers in basically the same condition as when we arrived. It was a great weekend of ‘Lone Star’ racing from start to finish.”
Austin and Golan impress in GTWC America debut at COTA with Lone Star Racing
Marc Austin and Jason Golan emerged as one of the standout stories of the weekend. Competing in their first GT World Challenge America race, the duo quickly established themselves as contenders in the Am division.
Throughout the three-hour race, they remained locked in a close battle for victory. After executing a decisive mid-race pass to take the lead, they sustained pressure at the front before a late-race spin—caused by debris—cost them the win.
Nevertheless, they recovered strongly to secure second place, finishing just 11 seconds behind the leaders.
“It was a lot of fun, and we just did our best to be as fast as we could and stay out of trouble,” Austin said. “In that first stint, Jason and our Am competition had a really good battle. It was a good race, we had a good time, and the Mercedes-AMG GT3 came through as always. It was really exciting to see our car lead the race. We’re shooting to try to run more races this year, and hopefully, maybe pick up another one of these in GT World Challenge, because this is what we want to run. Our car is in good shape after this race. She’s ready to go!”
Golan on the spirit of competition
Golan also reflected on the spirit of competition within the Am category, emphasising respect and sportsmanship among drivers.
“Sometimes racing is about keeping it clean and knowing who you’re racing,” Golan said. “We are competing in a gentlemen class in a series that is more or less intended for that, so we watch out for and take care of each other out there.
He continued, “We all know each other, we’re all friends off the track, so it has to be a legitimate pass for it to count, because at the end of the day we’re out of there having a good time. We are competing with people we generally love seeing, which is probably one of the best things about racing. It starts with your own team, and Dan Knox is incredible, a great owner, and Lone Star Racing is one of my favorite teams to run with.
“Obviously, Marc is a great driver. I actually met him while we were racing one time, and after the race, he came up to me, and he said, ‘buddy, that was the best racing I’ve ever done. You left me room, and I left your room.’ And that’s how we became friends. He is a great teammate, Lone Star Racing has great coaches, great mechanics, and everybody knows so much about the Mercedes-AMG GT cars. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 and GT4 are some of the best cars out there.”
Knox returns with consistent GT America results
Alongside the GT World Challenge effort, Lone Star Racing also made a strong return to GT America powered by AWS competition. Team owner and driver Dan Knox competed in both sprint races and delivered consistent performances. Although he faced setup challenges, Knox maintained a competitive pace and secured sixth-place finishes in both races against a deep field.
“The competition is really better since the last time we raced here in GT America, which is good to see,” Knox said.“The series has gotten better. It was a great race weekend, but unfortunately, we just missed the setup. We didn’t have enough time testing with these tyres on the car, but it was great for about the first 20 to 30 minutes. Then they started falling off really hard, and we probably would have had better results at the end, but I still enjoyed it.
“It was good to get back in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 in SRO. I think everybody at Lone Star Racing did really well. The guys worked hard. They got everything going, but we just need that little bit more time with these tyres and a setup for my purposes, but the guys did a great job. I am happy with the results with Lone Star Racing having two cars here, and I think SRO has been very happy to see us here back in the paddock again. We will see where it goes for the rest of the season.”
Momentum builds ahead of Sebring
Overall, Lone Star Racing’s COTA performance highlighted both competitiveness and cohesion. The team not only demonstrated its ability to run multiple cars effectively but also proved capable of challenging for podiums across categories.
Looking ahead, the focus shifts to Sebring International Raceway, where both GT World Challenge America and GT America action will continue. Given their strong foundation and growing confidence, Lone Star Racing appears well-positioned to build on this momentum in the upcoming rounds.
