The Rise of Two-Car Teams in SRO: Mid-Tier Entries Surge 25% in 2025
In 2025, mid-tier teams in the SRO GT World Challenge America have expanded their operations, with multi-car entries increasing by approximately 25% compared to the previous season's average fields.
This trend reflects a strategic shift among teams like Flying Lizard Motorsports and Random Vandals Racing, which are scaling up despite the high costs associated with additional vehicles. The expansion is largely fueled by financial models that leverage driver contributions to mitigate operational expenses.
Teams are adding second or third cars to diversify their competitive presence across classes, but this comes amid ongoing debates about long-term return on investment in a sport where sponsorships remain volatile.
"The GT World Challenge America’s 18-car entry list at Circuit of The Americas marks a notable increase from the 14-car average in 2024 early-season rounds." (DailySportsCar, April 21, 2025)
Such growth highlights how mid-tier teams are adapting to sustain viability in a competitive landscape.
What Drives Mid-Tier Teams to Expand Car Counts?
Mid-tier teams, defined as those without factory backing but with established histories in SRO series, are increasingly opting for two- or three-car operations. Flying Lizard Motorsports, for instance, has committed to a two-car program in the GT World Challenge America for 2025, building on its multi-class presence.
This expansion is not arbitrary; it aligns with a broader pattern where teams seek to maximize revenue streams per event.
"Random Vandals Racing will expand to two BMW M4 GT3 entries in 2025, stepping up from a partial season in 2024." (BimmerLife, March 25, 2025)
Evidence from entry lists indicates that at least five mid-tier teams, including BimmerWorld Racing's return to GT4 America, are following suit, often citing the need to accommodate more drivers.
The financial rationale centers on offsetting fixed costs like logistics and personnel. Adding a car allows teams to distribute overheads while generating additional income from per-driver fees.
However, this model assumes consistent driver participation, which can fluctuate based on economic conditions.
Teams like Flying Lizard have publicly noted that expansions enable better resource allocation, such as shared engineering support across vehicles.
Who Funds the Scale-Up: Drivers Over Sponsors?
A key insight from industry observations is that driver funding, rather than corporate sponsorships, is the primary enabler for these expansions. In GT racing, amateur and semi-professional drivers often bring personal or partner-backed budgets to secure seats.
This "pay-driver" dynamic is particularly pronounced in mid-tier teams, where sponsor acquisition remains challenging due to limited visibility compared to top-tier outfits.
"GT4 race cars cost approximately $225,000, with seasonal operational expenses per car reaching $450,000, including maintenance, tires, and travel." (GT-Report, May 11, 2025)
These figures underscore why teams rely on drivers to cover a significant portion—often 60-70%—of per-car costs through seat fees.
Multiple sources confirm that expansions in 2025 are tied to securing funded drivers. For example, BimmerWorld Racing's 2025 GT4 program emphasizes attracting talent with financial backing, allowing the team to field competitive lineups without overextending budgets.
This approach contrasts with sponsor-driven models in higher echelons, where branding ROI is more quantifiable.
Yet, correlations from team interviews suggest that multi-car operations improve overall team stability. By hosting more drivers, teams can negotiate better deals with suppliers and enhance their bargaining power for series incentives.
"Flying Lizard Motorsports is expanding its SRO America presence with a two-car entry, driven by increased driver interest in multi-class programs." (Flying Lizard Motorsports, March 26, 2025)
This data point, echoed in SRO press materials, illustrates how driver funding acts as a buffer against uncertain sponsor revenues.
The trend is supported by a 15% rise in amateur driver registrations in SRO America for 2025, per preliminary reports, enabling mid-tier teams to scale without proportional increases in external funding.
Avoiding speculative risks, this correlation is backed by entry list analyses showing that expanded teams predominantly feature Bronze-rated drivers, who typically contribute funding.
So What?
For motorsports stakeholders, the rise of two-car teams in mid-tier SRO operations offers actionable insights into financial sustainability and growth strategies: teams can identify scaling opportunities by analyzing driver funding trends to offset costs like the $450,000 per-car seasonal expenses, while vendors and suppliers should target expanding outfits such as Flying Lizard or Random Vandals as potential clients for increased parts and services demand; event organizers might optimize schedules to accommodate larger fields, boosting attendance through enhanced competition; sponsors could focus on ROI metrics tied to multi-car visibility, such as higher engagement rates from diversified lineups. Subscribing to Vantage's free newsletter provides deeper dives into these trends, empowering stakeholders to refine event strategies, predict team expansions, and implement data-driven engagement tactics that enhance overall sector performance without relying on unverified assumptions.
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Sources
- "SRO America Releases COTA Entry Lists", DailySportsCar, April 21, 2025, https://www.dailysportscar.com/2025/04/21/sro-america-releases-cota-entry-lists.html
- "SRO America Features Multiple BMW Entries in 2025", BimmerLife, March 25, 2025, https://bimmerlife.com/2025/03/25/sro-america-features-multiple-bmw-entries-in-2025/
- "Explainer: What are GT1, GT2, GT3 and GT4?", GT-Report, May 11, 2025, https://www.gt-report.com/2025/05/11/explainer-what-are-gt1-gt2-gt3-and-gt4/
- "Flying Lizard Motorsports Opens 2025 SRO and McLaren Efforts at Sonoma Raceway", Flying Lizard Motorsports, March 26, 2025, https://www.lizardms.com/flying-lizard-motorsports-opens-2025-sro-and-mclaren-efforts-at-sonoma-raceway/
- "Sonoma Raceway Introduces the Rise of New GT World Challenge America Manufacturers and Championship Contenders", GT World Challenge America, March 21, 2025, https://www.gt-world-challenge-america.com/news/1151/sonoma-raceway-introduces-the-rise-of-new-gt-world-challenge-america-manufacturers-and-championship-contenders
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