Forget strategic trickery, the 2nd round of the GSI Endurance Series by IVRA was all about pace. Urano Esports, both in LMP2 and GT3 Pro, had that in abundance to become the first team to win two categories in one race this season. 

Maniti Racing came out on top in GT3 by over a minute in a race that was characterised by a long green flag run to end. It would be reigning champions Archer Brothers who took pole in that class, and gave them a decent challenge, but they would finish down in 5th. 

The pole position in GT3 Pro was a much more lively conversation, with four cars involved in a close fight. In the end, Puresims Esports took it in the end, with Orion Race Team springing a slight surprise in LMP2. 

All three of those pole sitters would have good getaways, the leads stayed put on the opening lap, but it would be Puresims Esports to come under pressure first. In fact, they would continue to slide through the order during the first stint, eventually pitting in 6th after an hour. 

In LMP2, Satellite Racing would disrupt the strategy by pitting early and taking the lead after the first stops, while pole sitters Orion Race Team suffered a 60 second penalty. Archer Brothers Esports held the GT3 lead in the first hour, but needed a second stop shortly after their first due to damage, allowing Maniti Racing to hold GT3 Pro and GT3 leads. 

The first and only caution of the race would come during the 2nd LMP2 stops, allowing two strategies to emerge in a similar way to Road America. Veloce stayed out in LMP2 to lead, but threw that away immediately as they went wide at Turn 1 on the restart. 

Eventually, Veloce and Urano Esports’ strategy of staying out came to be the correct one due to the pace of the pair, and so the fight for the overall win would be between them. Sim City Racing took the GT3 Pro lead, and Prestanda NOMAD headed the GT3 field for now. 

Despite their damage, and due to the caution, Archer Brothers Esports were able to lead again in GT3 as Lap 100 approached. By this point, Urano Esports had battled their way to the front of GT3 Pro, while Urano’s LMP2 lead was made bigger by a Veloce penalty. 

Govand Keanie was on a charge in GT3 Pro. He had gotten into 2nd place, and now challenged Urano’s lead. He got to the inside of Turn 13, and as the Urano Esports LMP2 passed them both, he took the GT3 Pro lead for Team PGZ. 

As the half points were about to be handed out at the halfway mark, Tim Matzke was closing in on Archer Brothers Esports for the GT3 lead. With still 7 laps until halfway, he got Maniti Racing into the lead at Turn 12. 

After the points were given out, Team PGZ and Urano Esports made another pitstop, with the latter receiving the lead on the way out, and the gap extending during the next stint. With 80 laps to go, Urano Esports also had a 15 second lead to Veloce in LMP2, but a 10 second penalty for causing a collision with Team PGZ made it a much more nail-biting affair. 

That incident, along with some shorter stops by Urano, gave them a much more comfortable GT3 Pro lead. With all three leaders avoiding a splash and dash at the end, and Archer Brothers Esports falling away dramatically in GT3, it would be a relatively calm run to the flag for all three class winners. 

Urano’s GT3 Pro and Maniti’s GT3 wins were the second of the season already, while it was a redemptive win for the Urano LMP2 squad. They will all be looking to replicate those results in the final race of 2022, the 12 Hours of Daytona, which will mark the halfway stage in the GSI Endurance Series by IVRA 2022/23.