AE Victory Racing claims breakthrough WRL first overall victory and 1-2 at Thunderhill
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All-female AE Victory Racing enjoyed a breakthrough weekend at Thunderhill Raceway Park, securing the team’s first overall victory in the World Racing League while completing a historic 1–2 finish with Hannah Grisham, Michele Abbate and Laura Hayes claiming a win over the second 8-hour contest.
AE Victory Racing enjoyed a breakthrough weekend at Thunderhill Raceway Park, securing the team’s first overall victory in the World Racing League while completing a historic 1–2 finish.
Competing in just its second event running a two-car entry, the result marked a milestone for the team as it continues its rise through endurance racing.
Hannah Grisham, Michele Abbate and Laura Hayes claimed a win and a second place finish over the two 8-hour contests, while Sarah Montgomery, Ashley Freiberg and Brenna Schubert, piloting the #119 car, secured a second place in Race 2 after overcoming challenges on Saturday that demoted them to sixth while in contention for a podium.
Arriving at Thunderhill for the series’ debut at the Californian circuit, AE Victory Racing immediately demonstrated the strength of its preparation. Both Toyota Supra GT4 entries rolled out of the transporter in race-ready condition, allowing drivers and engineers to focus entirely on performance optimization.
Thunderhill’s abrasive surface and constantly evolving grip levels quickly became the weekend’s primary technical challenge during Thursday’s Max Track Time test sessions. Tire degradation proved significant, forcing the team to prioritize long-run consistency and tire management early in the event.
Drivers used the sessions to familiarize themselves with the track layout while working closely with engineers to analyze data and refine setups. Newly fabricated seat inserts also proved instrumental, enabling quicker and smoother driver changes.
One of the highlights of the weekend was newly selected Development Driver Brenna Schubert, whose progress was a key team's objective. Under the guidance of coach and professional driver Ashley Freiberg, the emphasis focused on racecraft, consistency, and confidence. The results were evident, as Schubert demonstrated improvements across all areas.
Friday qualifying confirmed AE Victory Racing’s outright competitiveness: on fresh tires, Hannah Grisham delivered a stellar performance, setting a 1:52.9 lap on her second flying run to secure the team’s first-ever pole position in World Racing League. Meanwhile, Sarah Montgomery placed the #119 Supra fourth on the grid, putting both entries in contention for the podium heading into the weekend’s double header.
The eight-hour race on Saturday began promisingly, with Montgomery launching strongly and immediately forming a 1–2 formation with pole-sitter Grisham through the opening corners. However, the early momentum was disrupted when the #119 car suffered a drivetrain issue just laps into the race.
Forced into an unscheduled garage stop, the crew quickly diagnosed the issue and carried out rapid repairs. Although the setback cost significant track position, the car eventually returned to the race and, aided by several retirements elsewhere in the field, recovered to finish inside the points.
At the front, the #120 entry meanwhile maintained a solid race pace, leading significant portions while carefully managing traffic, cautions, and fuel cycles. The team remained in victory contention until the closing stages, ultimately finishing second overall to secure AE Victory Racing’s first podium of the weekend.
Sunday’s seven-hour race however proved to be the highlight of the weekend. Starting second and third, both cars executed a meticulously planned strategy built around tire preservation, consistent pace, and flawless driver changes.
Montgomery delivered a strong opening stint in the #119, navigating traffic on qualifying tires before handing the car to Schubert, who produced the car’s fastest lap after rejoining on fresh rubber. Alongside Freiberg, the trio demonstrated consistent pace and clean execution throughout the race.
At the front, Laura Hayes controlled the early phases in the #120, maintaining track position despite repeated restarts and pit strategies. Driver rotations between Hayes, Michele Abbate, and Grisham kept the car in contention, with each stint maintaining competitive lap times.
As the race unfolded, perfectly timed late-race fuel stops allowed both AE Victory Racing entries to retain track position heading into the closing stages: when the checkered flag fell, the #120 Supra secured AE Victory Racing’s first overall World Racing League victory, while the #119 completed an emotional recovery drive to secure second place, sealing a milestone 1–2 finish for the team.
Team owner Erin Vogel emphasized the collective nature of the achievement, highlighting how the weekend reflected the evolution of the program: “Coming into this weekend, we knew we were still building", she commented. "This is only our second event running two cars, and so many of these individuals are still learning how to work together—not just as drivers, but as a complete team."
"On Friday, I told everyone that I no longer saw a group of individuals, I saw one team—and what happened after that proved it. Every challenge we faced, we faced together. From the crew jumping in to repair the 119, to the drivers adapting to changing conditions, to the engineers making the right calls at the right time. This win belongs to every single person here. It’s not just about standing on the top step, it’s about how we got there, and this weekend showed exactly who we are becoming.”
Drivers echoed that sentiment throughout the paddock. Montgomery praised the team’s resilience following Saturday’s mechanical setback: “This was a great weekend for the team at Thunderhill Raceway. Of course the #119 car was hoping for a better result on Saturday but I’m proud of the way the team came together to get us back out on track and for everyone to get a 1-2 finish on Sunday."
Freiberg highlighted the determination shown across both crews. “In Race 2, we pushed hard and took a chance with an alternate strategy", she said. "While it didn't fully play out in our favor, it was a valuable effort and showed the team's determination to fight for every position. Overall, I'm extremely proud of the team for securing both P1 and P2; an amazing result. Looking forward to building on this momentum for the rest of the season.”
“What an amazing weekend for the entire AE Victory Racing team", said Hannah Grisham, who described the weekend as a complete team effort capped by Sunday’s victory. "Saturday we brought it home P2, while our sister car #119 was unfortunately hit with some mechanical gremlins. Today we bounced back in the best way possible with a win, and to top it off, the sister car finished P2. Huge team effort all around. I couldn't be prouder to be involved with such an amazing team."
Laura Hayes, who had previously worked with the team on pitwall duties, emphasized the importance of adapting to extreme tire wear conditions. "We faced some unexpected challenges with track conditions that led to significant tire wear, but thanks to smart decisions and strong strategy from the team, we were able to adapt and manage the situation effectively—ultimately coming away with a win and a couple of P2s. Weekends with AE Victory Racing are always a highlight for me, and this was no exception."
With their first overall win secured and their strongest result to date achieved through a commanding 1–2 finish, AE Victory Racing leaves Thunderhill with renewed momentum, as it now turns its attention to the next round at Road America, aiming to build on a breakthrough weekend.