WRL: AE Victory Racing overcomes adversities, secures top-5 and double top-10 finishes at Road America
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AE Victory Racing fought through a series of challenges at Road America to secure a top 5 finish for Hannah Grisham, Michele Abbate and Alana Carter in a demanding WRL double-header, where the sister #119 entry of Sarah Montgomery, Charlotte Traynor and Brenna Schubert finished twice in the top 10.
AE Victory Racing continued its 2026 World Racing League campaign with a top five finish for #120 crew of Hannah Grisham, Michele Abbate and Alana Carter, in a demanding double-header at Road America, where the sister #119 entry of Sarah Montgomery, Charlotte Traynor and Brenna Schubert finished twice in the top 10 at one of North America’s most challenging circuits.
The iconic 4-mile track, renowned for its long straights, high-speed corners and minimal margin for error, provided a test from the outset for the all-female team owned and managed by GT World Challenge America race winner Erin Vogel. Thursday’s test sessions focused on driver development. AE Victory Racing’s programme, this year's extended to a two-car operation with the arrival of several new supported talents, placed particular emphasis on building confidence among its drivers.
Experienced Sarah Montgomery and Hannah Grisham guided development drivers through critical sections such as the Carousel, the Kink, and Turn 14.
Conditions shifted on Friday, with early damp patches giving way to a drying track. By running different setup configurations across the #119 and #120 Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 entries, the team gathered comparative data: Montgomery ultimately opted to transfer the #120 setup philosophy to the sister car, accelerating the process of finding a competitive baseline while maximizing valuable track time.
In qualifying, the #120 car, driven by Grisham, Abbate and Carter secured fourth for the opening race. Meanwhile, the #119 entry of Montgomery, Traynor, and Schubert improved lap times in the closing stages and were eleventh ahead of the opening 8 hour-contest.
Saturday’s endurance race proved eventful and frequently interrupted, with both cars navigating a series of cautions. The #120 Toyota quickly established itself as a front-runner: Hannah Grisham delivered a strong opening stint to move into the top three, and the car remained in podium contention through much of the race thanks to consistent driving from all three drivers.
The #119 also made early gains, climbing through the order as Montgomery managed traffic effectively. However, her race was cut short by a medical setback that forced an early driver change. The situation meant that development drivers Schubert and Traynor would have to share the car for an extended driving time, but both were up to the challenge with long and consistent stints.
Through multiple full-course cautions and pit cycles, the #119 encountered further adversity following on-track contact that resulted in a penalty, but the team fought through adversities, focusing on clean execution and consistent lap times. Schubert, in particular, stood out with a 2:24.0 lap, showcasing her growing confidence on a high-speed circuit like Road America.
Ahead, the #120 Supra continued to run at the front despite intense competition, managing traffic, heat, and strategy. Late-race fuel calculations and close battles in the final hour added further challenges, but the car ultimately secured a top-five finish in P5. Both AE Victory Racing entries crossed the line inside the top ten, with the #119 crew finishing P10 despite the challenges faced.
Sunday brought a fresh set of obstacles, beginning with overnight repairs and early setup changes. The WRL paddock proved once again a collaborative environment, as competitor teams provided borrow parts to ensure cars remained race-ready.
From the green flag, the race was once again heavily interrupted, featuring multiple full-course cautions and even a red flag for extensive cleanup. Despite this, both AE Victory Racing entries settled into a steady rhythm. The #120 entry surged to the front during the middle stages, with Michele Abbate taking the overall lead during her stint before pit strategy cycled the car back into the top ten. However, a post-incident penalty later dropped the entry down the order, requiring another recovery drive.
The #119 sister car maintained its development-focused approach, prioritizing consistency and clean runs. Traynor delivered her fastest lap of the weekend, a 2:23.4, however the team lost a lap during a caution sequence. Both cars nevertheless executed clean pit stops and remained reliable throughout the race.
In the closing stages, further incidents triggered additional cautions, ultimately leading to a safety car finish. Both AE Victory Racing entries once again secured top-10 finishes, with the #120 of Grisham, Abbate and Carter completing the 7 hour contest in P7, one position ahead of the #119 of Montgomery, Traynor and Schubert in eighth.
“Road America is a track that demands respect—it exposes everything, from driver confidence to team execution", stated team owner Erin Vogel. "What I’m most proud of is how this group responded to every challenge. We had penalties, changing conditions, and nonstop adjustments, but no one lost focus."
"This weekend was about growth—drivers pushing themselves in high-speed environments, engineers adapting quickly, and the entire team continuing to gel as a unit. That’s how we build something sustainable, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
Drivers echoed that sentiment. Montgomery described the event as “a hard fight” in extremely competitive conditions, while Traynor highlighted the valuable progress made despite results not fully reflecting their potential. Schubert pointed to the resilience shown in overcoming setbacks to secure two top-10 finishes.
Hannah Grisham praised the team’s pace and execution: “Road America showed the strength we have as a team", she commented. "The pace was really strong, pit stops were perfect and it was great to see how well both Alana and Michele performed. I’ve loved watching Michele get more comfortable in the Supra and her progression so far this year, and it was great to drive with Alana for the first time."
Abbate's progress was particularly impressive, improving lap times throughout the weekend and contributing to the #120’s strong run on Saturday. Back to the team after last racing for AE Victory Racing last year, Alana Carter's performance also reflected on the team’s growth in 2026.
With valuable data gathered and another pair of solid results secured, AE Victory Racing leaves Road America now looking ahead to the next round at Daytona.