The 2023 Pirelli GT4 America season was a masterclass in what a dominant pairing looks like. In the No. 51 AutoTechnic Racing BMW M4 GT4, Zac Anderson and I were the standard. We built a lead that essentially guaranteed a championship, proving at every stop—from the technical turns of Sonoma to the high-speed commitment of Watkins Glen—that we were the fastest duo in the Silver Class.
However, the final points table tells a story that doesn’t quite match the reality on the track. While Zac was crowned the 2023 Silver Class Champion, I finished just behind him in the standings.
The Narrow Margin
In racing, your greatest opponent isn't always the car in the next lane; sometimes, it’s just bad luck. During the height of our charge, an injury forced me to miss a single race weekend.
In a championship battle this tight, where every session counts, that one absence was the difference-maker. Because Zac was able to compete in every round, he accumulated the points from that weekend that I couldn't. Despite us sharing every win, every pole, and every podium for the rest of the season, that mathematical gap remained.
Champion in Spirit and Speed
While the record books show a points lead for Zac, the paddock and the team know that the championship was a joint effort. We developed the G82 BMW together, we executed the strategies together, and we dominated the field as a unit.
Watching the car you’ve worked so hard on secure a title is a bittersweet feeling when you're sidelined, but it’s a testament to the work we put in early in the season to make that title possible. Zac is a phenomenal champion, and I’m proud of what we achieved as a team at AutoTechnic.
The Comeback
That experience only added fuel to the fire. Coming back from that injury and jumping into the car this year, I’m hungrier than ever. The speed never left—if anything, the time away made me appreciate the limit even more.
The 2023 season was a championship run in every sense of the word, regardless of what the final points tally says.
— John Dubets