Coming into the 2023 TC America Powered by Skip Barber Racing season, Colin Garrett only had one goal in mind – winning the championship. After finishing runner-up the prior year by only a mere two points, Garrett was striving for perfection this time around. Accumulating six wins and seven podium finishes over the course of fourteen rounds, he not only clinched the TCX Class title, but put on a simply dominant performance over the course of the entire year.
“This season we came into the year with the mentality of winning the championship, nothing else,” said Colin Garrett. “We knew we had to extract as many points as possible, which is why we treated each and every race as an opportunity to reset and refocus. My goal was to be as perfect as I could be in every corner at every track, and by doing that I knew it would give us the best shot at the title.”
The Rooster Hall Racing driver finished in the Top 3 in all but one race this season, and while it could be said that the results speak for themselves, there was a lot more going on behind the scenes that Garrett and the team had to balance in order to achieve this level of success, including a double effort in both TC America and Pirelli GT4 America championships.
“We had to reset and start from scratch on a lot of things at the beginning of the season,” he explained. “Plus on top of that, I had started racing in GT4 America with Johan Schwartz, so having to balance that program on top of the Touring Car program was probably the hardest aspect. I had a phenomenal group around me that made sure the transition between cars and sessions went as smoothly as it could so we could perform at the level that we needed to. Knowing that we were a threat at the front of the pack in both series is something that you just have to take a step back to reminisce and be proud of.”
Following a strong season with numerous highlights, including four back-to-back wins from Road America and Sebring International Raceway, and a sizable lead at the top of the standings, clinching the championship title did not come as much of a surprise to him due to the unwavering focus and concentration he had exhibited from the start.
“It had been the goal for the entire year and we had led the points battle from the first race until the last,” he added. “After I won the championship, I didn’t really have time to let it sink in because I still had a job to do. My Sundays in 2023 were spent in back-to-back races. I knew as soon as I got out of my BMW M2 CS Cup that I was headed to hop in my BMW M4 GT4.”
However, getting to finally celebrate as a team made the moment all the sweeter.
“Everyone on this team worked so hard to provide me with a car capable enough of winning races. The real celebration took place afterwards back at the Rooster Hall Racing hauler where we celebrated over lunch before the rig was loaded up and we all headed back to Virginia.”
Motorsport enthusiasts should keep a keen eye on TC America’s social media platforms and on the website for upcoming team announcements. Additionally, don't forget to mark your calendars for our season-opener at Sonoma Raceway, which promises thrilling on-track action and unforgettable moments. Tickets for this highly anticipated event are now on sale, so make sure to secure your spot now! Stay tuned for more TC America updates and don’t forget to follow us to be part of the incredible journey as we gear up for an unforgettable 2024 season.