iRTES Round 1 Recap: PCA Sim Racing 963 Wins Homestead Thriller as Moradness Squad Takes GT3 Honors
The Champion Motorsports iRacing Team Endurance Series opened its season with a demanding four-hour race at Homestead-Miami Speedway Road Course B, where track position, traffic management, and survival proved just as important as raw pace.
Round 1 delivered exactly the kind of endurance challenge that makes iRTES unique. The Homestead layout proved extremely difficult to pass on, placing a premium on qualifying, clean pit cycles, and maintaining position once established. The high-speed transitions on and off the oval and into the infield section also tested every team throughout the event, contributing to four Code-60 safety car periods over the four-hour race.
The event also produced one of the most visually striking races in recent CMS memory. The race began at 4:00 PM in-sim track time in Miami and ran into the night, creating a spectacular day-to-evening-to-night transition. As the sun dropped and the track evolved, drivers had to adapt to changing grip, visibility, braking references, and traffic conditions.
When the checkered flag fell, PCA Sim Racing 963 stood on top in GTP after a race-long battle with GermanPitbullzRacing Alpha, while Moradness Squad delivered a composed and convincing victory in GT3.
The GT3 Field gets ready to Rumble at Homestead-Miami (above)
Race Story: Track Position Rules at Homestead
Homestead-Miami Road Course B quickly established itself as a circuit where passing was possible, but rarely easy. The infield offered several technical braking zones, but the combination of narrow racing lines, corner sequencing, and high-speed oval transitions meant drivers had to be precise and patient when attempting moves.
That made qualifying and early track position critical. In GTP, the first two starters became the first two finishers, though not in the same order. GermanPitbullzRacing Alpha started from the pole and showed race-leading pace, while PCA Sim Racing 963 started second and remained close enough to turn the race into a four-hour fight.
In GT3, Moradness Squad started third in class and eighth overall, then used pace, patience, and race execution to move to the front. Behind them, Quokka Racing and SOELPEC Precision Racing kept the pressure on, but Moradness had the combination needed to win the class on a day when overtaking was at a premium.
GTP: PCA Sim Racing 963 Beats GermanPitbullzRacing Alpha in Lead Battle
The headline battle of the race came in GTP, where PCA Sim Racing 963 and GermanPitbullzRacing Alpha exchanged the lead several times over the four-hour contest.
GermanPitbullzRacing Alpha had the fastest car on outright pace. The No. 50 Porsche 963 started from pole, led a race-high 118 laps, and set the fastest GTP lap of the race at 1:08.048. Christopher Kindler and Leon Friedrisczyk gave the team a strong performance and looked capable of controlling the race for long stretches.
But PCA Sim Racing 963 stayed close, kept applying pressure, and ultimately delivered the better final result. The No. 14 Porsche 963 of Chad Henson and Jonathan Waltman led 61 laps, completed the same 179-lap distance as GermanPitbullzRacing Alpha, and reached the finish 8.669 seconds ahead to take the first GTP victory of the season.
It was a classic endurance win: not simply the fastest single lap, but the best complete four-hour execution.
PCA Sim Racing 963 Puts it all together for a win to start the season (above)
The Organization Racing Scores Surprise GTP Podium
One of the best stories in GTP was the podium finish for The Organization Racing.
Starting fifth in class, the No. 12 BMW M Hybrid V8 of Eric Bruecker and Evan Bruecker kept the car clean, stayed out of trouble, and moved up to finish third in GTP. The Organization completed 178 laps, just one lap behind the leaders, and finished with only nine incidents, the lowest total among the classified GTP teams.
For a team built around experience and steady execution, it was an ideal way to open the season.
cmsracing.com Endurance finished fourth in GTP with the No. 77 Acura ARX-06. Tarcisio Carvalho, James Sauceman, and Douglas Hintze completed 178 laps and showed competitive pace, with the team’s fastest lap coming in at 1:08.396.
360 Motorsports had race-winning speed in flashes, including a strong 1:08.280 best lap in the Cadillac V-Series.R, but the team was eventually classified as disconnected after 136 laps.
cmsracing.com Titanium was a last-minute technical scratch and was unable to grid. Due to a timing issue reviewed and approved by Race Control and the admin team, the Titanium entry was awarded last-place points in class.
GTP Results
| Class Pos. | Team | Drivers | Car | Start | Laps | Best Lap | Inc. | Points | Status / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PCA Sim Racing 963 | Chad Henson / Jonathan Waltman | Porsche 963 GTP | 2nd | 179 | 1:08.429 | 12 | 35 | Winner |
| 2 | GermanPitbullzRacing Alpha | Christopher Kindler / Leon Friedrisczyk | Porsche 963 GTP | 1st | 179 | 1:08.048 | 12 | 32 | Finished +8.669 |
| 3 | The Organization Racing | Eric Bruecker / Evan Bruecker | BMW M Hybrid V8 | 5th | 178 | 1:08.462 | 9 | 30 | Finished -1 lap |
| 4 | cmsracing.com Endurance | Tarcisio Carvalho / James Sauceman / Douglas Hintze | Acura ARX-06 GTP | 3rd | 178 | 1:08.396 | 16 | 28 | Finished -1 lap |
| 5 | 360 Motorsports | Luca Gray / Aiden Coleman | Cadillac V-Series.R GTP | 4th | 136 | 1:08.280 | 24 | 26 | Disconnected |
| 6 | cmsracing.com Titanium | Technical scratch | Cadillac V-Series.R GTP | DNS | 0 | — | — | Admin-awarded | Last-place class points awarded by Race Control/Admin |
GT3: Moradness Squad Delivers the Win
In GT3, Moradness Squad put together the most complete performance of the class.
The No. 87 Mercedes-AMG GT3 started third in class and eighth overall, but Miguel Colon and Dion Fiallo had both the pace and the racecraft to move forward. Moradness Squad completed 169 laps, won the GT3 class, and set the fastest GT3 lap of the race at 1:14.356.
That performance mattered because the competition behind them was strong. Quokka Racing finished second in class with the No. 27 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO, while SOELPEC Precision Racing completed the podium in third with the No. 62 Mercedes-AMG GT3.
The top three GT3 teams all completed 169 laps, showing how tightly matched the front of the class was despite the limited passing opportunities. Moradness Squad had to earn the win through execution rather than waiting for the race to come to them.
Moradness Squad Does some Burn out Win Party Time at Homestead (above)
Team Brake Fade Charges Through the GT3 Field
Another major GT3 storyline was the drive from Team Brake Fade.
Starting 13th in class and 18th overall, the No. 1 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO of James Foster and Brian Blanchette climbed to fourth in GT3 and eighth overall. That was a nine-position class gain, the biggest forward move in GT3 among the classified finishers.
On a track where passing was difficult all race long, that result stood out. It was exactly the type of recovery drive that can matter later in a championship, especially in a season where consistency and minimizing bad days will be critical.
GT3 Results
| Class Pos. | Team | Drivers | Car | Class Start | Laps | Best Lap | Inc. | Points | Status / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moradness Squad | Miguel Colon / Dion Fiallo | Mercedes-AMG GT3 2020 | 3rd | 169 | 1:14.356 | 8 | 35 | GT3 winner |
| 2 | Quokka Racing | John Marjoribanks / Christian Youngwall | Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO | 1st | 169 | 1:14.457 | 14 | 32 | Finished on lead GT3 lap |
| 3 | SOELPEC Precision Racing | Robby Prescott / Carsten Quint / Emmett Lindquist | Mercedes-AMG GT3 2020 | 5th | 169 | 1:14.625 | 21 | 30 | GT3 podium |
| 4 | Team Brake Fade | James Foster / Brian Blanchette | McLaren 720S GT3 EVO | 13th | 168 | 1:14.866 | 11 | 28 | Biggest GT3 class mover, +9 |
| 5 | PCA Sim Racing GT3 | Shea A. McNeely / David T. Glenn | Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 2nd | 167 | 1:14.429 | 10 | 26 | Second-fastest GT3 race lap |
| 6 | Schadenfreude Fodder | Jeff D. Williams / Volker Krebs | Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 8th | 166 | 1:15.226 | 17 | 25 | Finished -13 laps overall |
| 7 | Longhorn Racing – Chrome | Marc Johnson / C. Michael Parker | Mercedes-AMG GT3 2020 | 12th | 166 | 1:14.925 | 7 | 24 | Cleanest classified GT3 finisher |
| 8 | ThumbTech Motorsport | Simon Taggart / Arthur Jaworski / Cody Lundquist | Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 6th | 166 | 1:14.884 | 11 | 23 | Finished -13 laps overall |
| 9 | Longhorn Racing – Carbon | Larry Ford / Mike Tyler | Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 10th | 166 | 1:15.275 | 32 | 22 | Finished -13 laps overall |
| 10 | Sim Racers Room | Morne Du Plooy / Jayden Harrison | Mercedes-AMG GT3 2020 | 4th | 166 | 1:14.463 | 28 | 21 | Showed strong pace but lost class positions |
| 11 | Schadenfreude Fodder II | Robert Cottle / Chip Witt | Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 7th | 166 | 1:15.012 | 36 | 20 | Finished -13 laps overall |
| 12 | SimHQ Motorsports WHITE | Shawn Harvey / James Andrew | Ferrari 296 GT3 | 14th | 165 | 1:15.347 | 15 | 19 | Finished -14 laps overall |
| 13 | Dark Thunder Racing | Ryan-Paulbert Reyes / Allen Holden / Matthew Overton | Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO | 15th | 164 | 1:15.420 | 18 | 18 | Finished -15 laps overall |
| 14 | Team Black | Christopher Black / James Kelly / Crisdean MacCoinnigh | BMW M4 GT3 EVO | 11th | 163 | 1:14.960 | 28 | 17 | Finished -16 laps overall |
| 15 | cmsracing.com AM | David Nelson | Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 9th | Retired | 1:14.891 | 5 | 16 | Early retirement due to team-driver availability issue |
GT3 Manufacturer Storyline
The pre-race Sprint Race had looked heavily Porsche-oriented, but the four-hour feature told a more varied story.
Moradness Squad won in the Mercedes-AMG GT3. Quokka Racing finished second in the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO. SOELPEC Precision Racing completed the podium in another Mercedes. Team Brake Fade brought the McLaren 720S GT3 EVO home fourth. PCA Sim Racing GT3 was the top Porsche in fifth.
That diversity matters heading into the rest of the season. Porsche had strength in numbers during the final tune-up, but Homestead showed that Mercedes, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche, Ferrari, and BMW all have roles to play as the championship develops.
Key Storylines from Round 1
1. Track Position Was Everything
Homestead proved difficult to pass on, and the results reflected that. The GTP battle was largely controlled by the front row starters, while the GT3 winner started inside the top three in class. Teams that qualified well had a major advantage, and teams forced to recover had to work extremely hard to make progress.
2. Four Code-60s Changed the Rhythm
The high-speed transitions between the oval and the infield section were among the most demanding parts of the track. Over four hours, those sections contributed to mistakes, incidents, and four Code-60 safety car periods. Managing restarts and staying composed after interruptions became a major part of the race.
3. PCA Beat the Fastest Car in GTP
GermanPitbullzRacing Alpha had the fastest lap and led the most laps, but PCA Sim Racing 963 won the race. That will be one of the defining takeaways from Round 1: in endurance racing, pace matters, but execution wins.
4. Moradness Squad Made a Statement
Moradness Squad had speed, racecraft, and the fastest GT3 lap. Their win immediately makes them a team to watch in the GT3 championship.
5. The Organization Racing Delivered the Surprise Podium
The Organization Racing’s third-place GTP finish was an excellent result. Starting fifth and finishing third on a difficult passing circuit is a strong statement for a team built around patience and experience.
6. Team Brake Fade Was the GT3 Hard Charger
Team Brake Fade’s rise from 13th to fourth in GT3 was one of the drives of the race. On a track where passing came at a premium, that was a standout recovery effort.
7. Several Teams Had Complicated Starts to the Season
Octo Sins v1Kings was unable to attend Homestead, with drivers not back and ready after the 24 Hours of Spa on the same weekend. cmsracing.com Titanium was a late technical scratch but received Race Control/Admin-approved last-place class points due to a timing issue. cmsracing.com AM had an early retirement after only being able to field one driver, with Lance Williams arriving late to the drivers meeting and not being added to the team before the green flag.
The GTP Field lining up at Homestead for what would be a memorable race to start season 6 (above)
Looking Ahead: Red Bull Ring on August 9
Next up, iRTES heads to the Red Bull Ring for a five-hour race on August 9.
The Austrian circuit will present a very different challenge from Homestead. Red Bull Ring is short, fast, and deceptively technical, with only 10 corners over 4.326 km. The lap is compact, but the elevation changes, heavy braking zones, aggressive curbs, and long acceleration sections make it a circuit where small mistakes can have major consequences.
For GTP teams, traffic management could be intense. A short lap means prototypes may catch GT3 traffic more frequently, and the big braking zones into Turns 1, 3, and 4 could become key passing areas. The challenge will be timing those moves without compromising exits or creating unnecessary risk.
For GT3 teams, the Red Bull Ring should reward cars that are stable under braking and strong off slow corners. The uphill run early in the lap, the braking zones at the top of the circuit, and the fast final sector will all test setup balance. Over five hours, tire life, consistency over curbs, and avoiding off-track penalties may be just as important as outright speed.
Weather could also become part of the story. Spielberg can see meaningful summer rain in August, and the region is known for changeable conditions. If rain enters the picture, the Red Bull Ring becomes a very different race: braking zones get longer, curbs become more dangerous, and traffic management becomes even more delicate.
After Homestead, the championship heads to Austria with several early questions. Can PCA Sim Racing 963 carry its GTP momentum forward? Will GermanPitbullzRacing Alpha convert its pace into a win? Can Moradness Squad establish itself as the GT3 team to beat? And which teams will use the longer five-hour distance at Red Bull Ring to bounce back?
Round 1 set the tone. Round 2 will test whether speed, strategy, and discipline can survive one more hour, a faster circuit, and the possibility of changing weather.