Turner Motorsport made a strong impression on its Pro class debut in the 2026 GT World Challenge (GTWC) America powered by AWS season opener at Sonoma Raceway. The team’s No. 29 LATICRETE BMW M4 GT3 EVO, driven by Robby Foley and Justin Rothberg, secured a hard-fought fourth-place finish in the new three-hour race format.
Notably, the result marked a positive start for the duo as they stepped up into a more competitive category while continuing their third season together.
Early strategy lays foundation for success for Turner Motorsport at 2026 GTWC America opener at Sonoma
Rothberg began the race from fifth in class and eighth overall, immediately facing the challenge of maintaining position in a tightly packed field. However, the team quickly adapted to the evolving race conditions.
Taking advantage of an early caution period, Turner Motorsport opted to pit for fuel. This strategic decision allowed the BMW to cycle through the order and regain track position as the race unfolded.
As the stint progressed, Rothberg built confidence and pace. Importantly, he set his fastest laps before handing the car over to Foley while running fourth in class, keeping the team firmly in contention.
Rothberg acknowledged both the positives and the learning curve of stepping into the Pro category. He said: “My first race in the pro class went pretty well. I think we figured out a decent strategy, but we’re still learning the new format. But it was a fun race overall. I definitely have some more time to find, but it was a good start to the season.”
Foley applies late pressure to secure P4 in race
Following the driver change, Foley continued the team’s forward momentum. He steadily reduced the gap to the cars ahead and applied sustained pressure on the third-place runner during the final hour.
Despite closing to within striking distance, overtaking proved difficult on the technical Sonoma layout. Nevertheless, Foley maintained strong pace and control to secure fourth place at the chequered flag.
Foley highlighted the team’s strategy and overall performance, while also noting the challenges of racing at Sonoma. He said, “We had a good day today. We lost a little bit of time on track at the beginning but tried to do a couple clever strategy things. First time in the pro class, it’s obviously more competition, and Justin did a great job getting back up to speed after not driving since Indy. We had a great car today.
“We got within 30 seconds behind P3 and caught him, but unfortunately, it’s just tough to pass here. It was a good battle, and I tried to generate a couple runs, but I couldn’t do much.
“We definitely had good pace today, but not quite enough to overtake anybody, which I think you saw in general. [Sonoma is] an amazing track to drive, just tough to race. So we’ll take the points and move forward to COTA.”
Turner Motorsport builds positive momentum heading to COTA
Although the team narrowly missed out on a podium, the performance demonstrated clear potential. Their combination of strategy, consistency, and race pace positions them well for the remainder of the season.
With valuable points secured and experience gained in the new endurance format, Turner Motorsport now shifts focus to the next round at Circuit of the Americas on 24–26 April, where they will look to build on a promising start.
