SONOMA, Calif., (March 30, 2025) – Flying Lizard Motorsports kicked off the 2025 race season with a strong showing at Sonoma Raceway, competing in the McLaren Trophy America, GT America, and GT World Challenge America championships. The team celebrated an early-season podium, with Elias Sabo securing a second-place finish in the No. 80 BMW M4 GT3 during the GT America season opener, reflecting significant progress made during the off-season.
“This past weekend, I experienced a sense of nostalgia returning to Sonoma Raceway, where we’ve been based for the past 20 years, and marking the start of our season,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “We had an excellent beginning to the year across both of our programs. The BMW M4 GT3, driven by Elias and Andy, demonstrated impressive pace, earning us our first podium of the season. In the newly launched McLaren Trophy Series, with an all-new driver lineup and a new car, we showcased our potential speed, culminating in both cars finishing in the top five. We are excited for the next event and the continued progress ahead.”
McLaren Trophy Race 1
Rookies George Lawrence and Brandon Kreutz made their professional racing debuts in the McLaren Trophy America series, starting from the back of the grid. Lawrence moved up two positions at the start to sixth in class, with Kreutz close behind in seventh. A full-course caution allowed them to hold steady before pitting at the halfway mark. Spencer Bucknum and Canaan O’Connell took over driving duties and quickly advanced: Bucknum cracked the top ten overall, running fourth in ProAm, while O’Connell held fifth. A pit stop infraction resulted in a time penalty for the No. 3, dropping it to fifth in class at the finish and promoting the No. 18 to fourth. Unfortunately, Sunday’s race was canceled due to inclement weather, halting the pairings’ chance to build on their momentum.
The McLaren Trophy America series resumes April 25–27 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
GT America Race 1
Sabo began the GT America season with a front-row start in the No. 80 BMW, qualifying alongside pole-sitter George Kurtz. He maintained position at the green flag, keeping the No. 70 of Mirco Schultis at bay while Kurtz created a gap. With skillful driving and strong focus, Sabo held firm under pressure, claiming a well-earned second-place finish and the team’s first podium of the season.
GT America Race 2
The weather took a dramatic turn for race two, with wet and slippery conditions replacing the previous day’s sun. Starting from third, Sabo opted for a cautious approach, a strategy that paid off as several competitors lost control and were taken out of the race. Mid-race, the No. 80 BMW spun but avoided contact, allowing Sabo to continue. Persistent rain and multiple incidents led to an early checkered flag, with Sabo collecting valuable championship points with a fourth-place result.
GT World Challenge America Race 1
After showing strong pace in practice, the team entered the weekend with high hopes. Sabo started race one from tenth under cool, sunny skies. An early spin cost valuable time, but he recovered cleanly, handing the car off to co-driver Andy Lee in 12th. Lee found his rhythm and climbed back into the top ten before the checkered flag, securing a solid result to open the season.
GT World Challenge America Race 2
An abbreviated qualifying session left Lee starting 11th, but a pre-race issue for the DXDT Corvette bumped him into the top ten before the green. Lee expertly held off pressure from Michael Cooper and began a charge through the field, overtaking Tom Sargent, Darren Turner, and Aaron Povoledo to reach fourth place. He handed the car over to Sabo with a 20-second gap to the podium. A few laps after the driver change, a full-course caution bunched the field. After an intense battle with several cars, Sabo secured seventh and held his position under pressure throughout the entire stint, maintaining his seventh-place position.
Up Next
Flying Lizard Motorsports returns to action at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 11–13, where the team will field the No. 80 BMW M4 GT3 in the GT America doubleheader with Elias Sabo.