GTWS Exhibition 3 Manufacturer’s Cup Season Recap
Filling mirrors and forcing mistakes since 2025
Hello and Happy New Year! We have big plans for 2026 but before we get to that, let’s recap the November Gran Turismo World Series Exhibition 3 Manufacturer’s Cup. We’re racing for Porsche this season with a special 75th anniversary of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) livery and hoping to improve on our debut Nations’ Cup results.
The Manufacturer’s Cup opened at Spa‑Francorchamps, where early practice sessions teased the possibility of rain and the kind of strategic chaos Spa is famous for. But when the lights went out, the skies stayed stubbornly dry, turning the race into a 30‑lap exercise in discipline. Starting from fifth, I focused on 9/10ths pace and racing my own race. I stuck to the bumper of traffic ahead and as the laps ticked down the constant pressure campaign forced mistakes, allowing me to move up the field. Correct pit strategy and a mistake-free run opened the door to a very satisfying second place. It was a calm, confident start that set the tone for most of the season and a welcome change of pace from the frantic Nations Cup.
That momentum carried into Road Atlanta, where the Georgia heat turned tire management into the defining variable. Starting sixth, the plan was familiar: stay clean, stay patient, and let the race come to me. Once again, the RSR rewarded consistency. A perfectly timed pit window dropped me into open track, and from there it became a matter of hitting marks and avoiding the small mistakes that Road Atlanta loves to punish. Another second place finish bolstered my confidence and hinted that the season was shaping into something special.
Hunting down a pack of Ferrari 458 at a rainy Red Bull Ring
And then there was Interlagos, which brought the first major shift of the season as we swapped into the Cayman GT4 Clubsport for an intense Group 4 sprint. The track’s long straights and uphill climbs heavily favored the V8‑powered entries, and it was clear from the opening laps that myself and the Cayman were off the pace. Starting 11th, I focused on racing my race as clean as possible. With no chance at a podium this one had me thinking about the championship and that meant minimizing losses in the race. By the checkered flag, I’d worked my way up to eighth — not a podium threat, but a disciplined drive that kept the championship effort intact.
The return to the Red Bull Ring in Round 4 carried a different kind of weight. The memory of spinning on pit exit at a wet Red Bull Ring in the opening round of the Nations Cup lingering in the background. Conditions were similar and I was determined to not make the same mistake twice. Starting seventh, I leaned on the confidence built in earlier wet races and my growing familiarity with the 911 RSR, finding the grip to stay planted as the track transitioned lap by lap. What followed was a relentless chase through spray and traffic, picking off Ferraris one by one until the race settled into a fight just outside the podium and a fourth-place finish. Redemption. Clean race, good battles, and no major mistakes make this one of the races I’m most proud of this season.
Blue Moon Bay in Round 5 delivered the season’s biggest curveball. After qualifying 8th, two cars tangled directly in front of me coming onto the oval section on the opening lap. With nowhere to go, I hit the duo, sending the Cayman spinning into the infield and leaving me half a lap down before the race had even begun. Finding myself in a broken car directly in front of the pit entrance I decided to get the mandatory stop completed immediately. The rest of the race became a long, methodical climb back through the field. I would make the most of the open track ahead and despite the Cayman’s straight‑line disadvantage, clean laps and measured aggression brought me all the way back to 8th. Like Interlagos, this race turned into an exercise in damage control. Considering the lack of outright pace for myself in the Cayman, matching my qualifying position puts me roughly where I’d likely end up without the wreck. Lemons turned into lemonade.
Opening lap spin at Blue Moon Bay Infield
The season closed at Deep Forest Raceway, a technical, flowing circuit that always offers up good racing. Back in the RSR, I started 6th and deployed my strategy that had worked at Spa and Road Atlanta. Running 9/10th pace, applying pressure to the car ahead, and nailing pit strategy allowed me to run clean and stay in the fight. This race would end with a twist when the race leader forgot to serve his mandatory pit stop and tire swap, incurring a full minute penalty. I crossed the line in 4th place, just feet off the bumper of the 3rd place Ferrari. But as the final results came in and penalties were dealt with I was promoted to 3rd! A return to form — and a return to the podium — to finish out the season.
Close racing and an even closer finish end the season at Deep Forest Raceway
Race Results
| Date | Series | Event | Location | Class | Car | Laps | Start Pos. | Finish Pos. | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11/12/2025 - 11/29/2025 | Gran Turismo World Series Exhibition 3 Manufacturer's Cup | 1st (WA) 14th (US) 142nd (North America) |
478 | ||||||
| 10/15/2025 | Manufacturers Cup | Round 1 | Spa-Francorchamps | Group 3 | Porsche 911 RSR (991) | 20 | 5th | 2nd | 95 |
| 11/15/2025 | Manufacturers Cup | Round 2 | Road Atlanta | Group 3 | Porshe 911 RSR (991) | 30 | 6th | 2nd | 100 |
| 11/19/2025 | Manufacturers Cup | Round 3 | Interlagos | Group 4 | Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport | 12 | 11th | 8th | 81 |
| 11/22/2025 | Manufacturers Cup | Round 4 | Red Bull Ring | Group 3 | Porsche 911 RSR (991) | 28 | 7th | 4th | 99 |
| 11/26/2025 | Manufacturers Cup | Round 5 | Blue Moon Bay - Infield A | Group 4 | Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport | 23 | 8th | 8th | 83 |
| 11/29/2025 | Manufacturers Cup | Round 6 | Deep Forest Raceway | Group 3 | Porsche 911 RSR (991) | 15 | 6th | 3rd | 101 |
Final Standings
Across the season, the consistency paid off. I finished 1st overall in Washington State, 14th in the United States, and 142nd in the North American region. An improvement in consistency translated to an overall improvement for the season compared to our Nations Cup debut results of 4th in Washington and 80th in the US.
Porsche secured the Manufacturer’s Championship globally, finishing ahead of Ferrari and Nissan. Congratulations to all my fellow Porsche drivers this series!
Racing for a Cause
Throughout the Manufacturer’s Cup, Big Rock Racing proudly carried special liveries celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Since 1950, MDA has led the way in advancing research and treatment for neuromuscular diseases, and this season we committed to donating based on points scored. With 478 total points, the series drops your worst result, Big Rock Racing has donated $478 to MDA — a contribution we’re honored to make in support of the incredible work they do.
Thank you for reading and following Big Rock Racing! As I’m writing this we’re already two races into the next official series, the Gran Turismo World Series 2026 Online Qualifiers! More to come on that and other developments soon.
