- JMF Motorsport Convert Pole to Win
- Toyota, Hyundai, Complete Top 5
- Provisional Race 1 Results
The 2026 TC America season officially got underway at Sonoma Raceway, as drivers took to the track for the opening race of the weekend in a highly competitive field. With new faces, returning contenders, and a tightly packed grid, race one delivered a clean start before quickly evolving into a battle at the front.
Polesitter Braydon Arthur wasted no time asserting control in the No.4 JMF Motorsports Toyota GR Corolla TC, getting a strong launch and holding the lead through the opening laps. Behind him, early shuffles saw teammates Matan Rosenberg and Andre Castro lose positions off the start in their No. 77 and No. 78 Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evos. Castro recovered quickly to move back into second and begin his pursuit of the race leader.
Arthur maintained command through the opening ten minutes, but Castro soon began to apply pressure. Setting fastest laps from second position, he steadily closed the gap, forcing Arthur to respond. The two drivers ran at an incredibly similar pace, with Arthur at times just one hundredth of a second quicker as he worked to maintain track position.
Further back, Dean Lambros in the No. 7 Skip Barber Racing Acura Integra Type-S DE5 was putting on one of the standout drives of the race. After being forced to start from the rear due to a fire-related issue earlier in the weekend, Lambros carved his way through the field. He battled past the No. 18 Hyundai of Shelby Mills on lap eight before setting his sights on Mike Lamarra, aboard the No. 73 Precision Racing LA Acura Integra Type-S DE5, reeling him in at a rate of half a second per lap and completing the pass for sixth position on lap thirteen.
Elsewhere, Robert Bellevue made his series debut aboard the No. 53 DRS BMW M2 CS (Cup), marking the car’s first appearance in North American competition and adding another element of intrigue to the field.
As the race entered its final stages, Castro’s charge began to fade slightly. Around lap fourteen, the gap to Arthur stretched to nearly two seconds, suggesting tire wear may have started to play a role after his earlier push. From there, Arthur managed the gap effectively, keeping mistakes to a minimum and maintaining control out front.
At the checkered flag, it was Braydon Arthur who claimed victory in his TC America debut, delivering a composed and commanding performance under pressure. Castro secured second after a strong showing, while the rest of the field followed after a race defined by consistency and calculated aggression.
“It’s everything,” said Arthur post-race. “The start of my pro racing career has been because of the people around me, and I’m really excited to keep building on that. Andre kept me honest the whole race. I knew one small mistake, and he’d be right there. It’s going to be a tough season, but I’m ready for it.”
Let’s Get Racing
The TC America powered by Skip Barber field will return to the track for Race 2 on Saturday morning, March 28th at 9:40 AM PT.
If you can’t make it to Sonoma Raceway, be sure to tune-in to SRO’s free live streams all weekend long on YouTube (GTWorld) and Twitch (SROMotorsports) and follow all the action through our social media channels and the event hashtag #GTSonoma.