Skip Barber opens GT4 America program with a Sonoma podium

The Skip Barber Race Team scored a podium finish in the season-opener and debut of its GT4 America program this past weekend at Sonoma Raceway. Matt Forbush and Carter Fartuch, pilots of the No. 37 Skip Barber Racing School Toyota GR Supra GT4, showed consistent improvement throughout the weekend and paid off with a second-place f inish in Pro-Am and third-place finish overall.

The lap times began to fall from practice to qualifying as the drivers gained confidence in the car and the techs dialed in the setup. In Qualifying 1, Forbush placed the car in 15th in Pro-Am, setting their starting position for Race 1. In Qualifying 2, Fartuch was able to improve their starting position marginally, placing them 12th in Pro-Am.

Forbush took the green flag for Race 1 but unavoidable contact caused a flat tire and brought the GR Supra GT4 into the pits early. With 22 minutes remaining, Forbush brought the car in for the mandatory pit stop and driver swap. In the first race for the Skip Barber Race Team in GT4 America, Fartuch took the checkered flag in 13th place in Pro-Am class.

For Race 2, Fartuch began the race from 17th overall on the grid. Throughout the race, Fartuch slowly picked his way up through the Pro-Am field. With 10 minutes remaining, Fartuch had driven the car to second place in class and came into the pits for the driver swap as the full course caution came out. Because of the extensive clean up from the incident, the race ended under yellow as the Skip Barber Race Team claimed their first GT4 podium finish in their first weekend of competition.