Harry Gottsacker
Nationality American
Born (1999-07-28) July 28, 1999
Alamo Heights, Texas, United States
Michelin Pilot Challenge career
Debut season2019
Current teamBryan Herta Autosport
Racing licence FIA Silver
Car number33
Starts50
Wins5
Podiums18
Poles7
Fastest laps2
Previous series
2019–2021
2018
2017
2016–2018
2016		GT4 America Series
IMSA Prototype Challenge
British GT Championship
Pirelli World Challenge
Global Rallycross
Championship titles
2023
2019		Michelin Pilot Challenge – TCR
GT4 America Series – West Pro-Am Cup
Last updated on: November 4, 2023.

Harry Gottsacker (born July 28, 1999) is an American racing driver who currently competes for Bryan Herta Autosport in the TCR class of the Michelin Pilot Challenge.[1]

Career

Early career

Gottsacker was introduced to motorsports through his grandfather, who brought him to drag racing events when Gottsacker was young.[2] Gottsacker began racing himself through karting at age 13, competing in a wealth of SKUSA-sanctioned championships. At 14, he was selected to represent the United States at the KZ2 World Championship.[3] Despite graduating from full-time karting at the end of 2017, Gottsacker continues to compete to maintain sharpness during the winter offseason.[4]

Rallycross

Gottsacker's GRC Lites car in 2016.

For 2016, Gottsacker embarked upon a part-time campaign in the Global Rallycross Championship, driving in the GRC Lites class for PMG Rallysport.[5] In his rookie season, he registered five starts and a best finish of 5th, at both the Fair Park and Marine Corps Air Station New River events. Gottsacker ended the season 13th in the points classification, level on points with teammate Parker Chase.

Sports car racing

Alongside his Rallycross debut, Gottsacker completed a half-season with Performance Motorsports Group in the Pirelli World Challenge for 2016. Driving a Ginetta G55 GT4,[6] he finished a season-best fifth place at Laguna Seca, finishing 13th in the GTS classification. Gottsacker expanded his relationship with Ginetta the following season, joining the marque's Young Driver Development Program for 2017.[7] The first class, which included Gottsacker and fellow American driver Parker Chase, made up the backbone of Century Motorsport's factory-backed Ginetta GT3 entry into the 2017 British GT Championship.[8] Joining team boss Nathan Freke, Gottsacker would only compete in the first three rounds of the campaign, taking the Silver class victory in the opening round at Oulton Park. Shortly before the round at Snetterton, Chase and Gottsacker both withdrew from the program, citing a desire to pursue other motorsport ventures.[9]

Following his short tenure in British GT, Gottsacker began an additional part-time campaign in the Pirelli World Challenge, returning to Performance Motorsports Group. Entered into the GTSA class for the opening round at St. Pete, he scored the class victory in the second race of the weekend. In subsequent appearances in 2017, he was classified as a Pro driver, only eligible for the GTS class championship at large. Gottsacker returned to the championship at Road America,[10] taking his first overall GTS podium at Mid-Ohio the following month.[11] In May of that year, Gottsacker made his debut in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, pairing with Chase in a TRG-entered Porsche 911 GT3 R in the GTD class.[12]

For 2018, Gottsacker stepped up to a full-time drive in the Pirelli World Challenge, joining Racers Edge Motorsports.[13] The move was accompanied by a change in manufacturer, with Gottsacker piloting a GT4-homologated SIN R1, once again in the GTS class. He scored his first podium of the season at COTA in March, beginning his SprintX campaign on a high note. After a difficult round at VIR and a pair of strong finishes at Lime Rock, Gottsacker would score his first GTS victory at Portland. After taking pole for the first race of the weekend,[14] he would win race two, holding a nine-second gap over the second-placed Panoz Avezzano of Ian James and Matt Keegan.[15] Gottsacker added another victory in the final round of the season at Utah Motorsports Campus, but would miss out on the GTS class title by three points to James Sofronas and Alex Welch.[16] To close his 2018 campaign, Gottsacker joined Extreme Speed Motorsports in the IMSA Prototype Challenge, finishing fourth in a one-off appearance at Road Atlanta alongside co-driver Max Hanratty.[17]

2019 saw Gottsacker swap manufacturers once again, joining ST Racing's BMW entry into the new GT4 America Series following the dissolution of the Pirelli World Challenge at the end of 2018.[18] He and co-driver Jon Miller competed in the West Pro-Am sub-classification, taking the title at year's end after winning six of the ten races on the schedule.[19] Sweeping the weekends at COTA and Las Vegas, alongside one each at Laguna Seca[20] and Portland,[21] the duo claimed the title by a sizable 68 points over the sister BMW of Samantha Tan and Jason Wolfe. The following season, Gottsacker paired with Nick Wittmer, entering the championship's Silver Cup class.[22] The duo collected four race victories, with two class wins at COTA and one each at VIR and Road America, en route to a second-place points finish. The championship came down to the final race of the season, with Gottsacker and Wittmer falling six points short of champions Jarett Andretti and Colin Mullan.[23]

Gottsacker returned to a reduced GT4 schedule in 2021, making only a one-off appearance for ST Racing at Road America.[24] Joining fellow Hyundai TCR driver Tyler Maxson, the duo rebounded from a difficult first race to take the Silver Cup victory in the second race of the weekend.[25] 2022 saw Gottsacker continue his relationship with the team, joining the team's customer debut of the BMW M4 GT3 at the 24 Hours of Dubai.[26] Later that year, Gottsacker took part in the 24 Hours of Spa[27] and Indianapolis 8 Hours with the team, winning the Silver class in the latter as the only entrant.[28]

In early 2022, Gottsacker made his debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring, joining Mühlner Motorsport as a late replacement for Moritz Kranz.[29] Driving alongside Alec Udell and Ugo de Wilde, the team finished ninth in the LMP3 class following an accident.

Gottsacker returned to GT4 racing in 2023, joining Chandler Hull in a Silver Cup entry for STR38 Motorsports in the 2023 GT4 America Series, beginning with the round at NOLA Motorsports Park.[30] Through ten races, Gottsacker claimed two class podium finishes, ending the season eighth in the Silver Cup championship.

TCR

Gottsacker's Hyundai Elantra N TCR in 2022

To begin 2019, Gottsacker was contracted to drive the new-for-2019 Hyundai Veloster N TCR, serving as one of Hyundai's North America-based factory drivers for the 2019 Michelin Pilot Challenge season.[31] Paired with Mason Filippi, the two scored three podiums and one race victory in 2019, finishing second in the championship; 23 points adrift of the sister entry. Said victory came in dramatic fashion, after a drive-time penalty dropped the race-winning HART entry to the back of the TCR classification, elevating Filippi and Gottsacker to the race victory.[32] Gottsacker returned to the team in 2020, paired with new co-driver Mark Wilkins.[33] Gottsacker would match his second-place result from 2019, taking two victories and four total podiums. The duo swept the two rounds at Sebring,[34][35] falling 11 points short of the sister No. 33 entry of Gabby Chaves and Ryan Norman.

The following season saw Hyundai debut the Elantra N TCR, with Gottsacker continuing to pair with Wilkins, this time behind the wheel of Bryan Herta Autosport's No. 33 entry.[36] The two claimed their only victory of the season at Laguna Seca,[37] finishing fifth in the championship. Gottsacker returned to the team in 2022, this time in the team's No. 98 entry alongside long-time teammate Parker Chase.[38] The two scored their first victory of the season at Mid-Ohio in May,[39] registering two total podiums en route to a fifth-place finish in the class championship.

The team's reduction to three entries for 2023 saw Gottsacker change co-drivers, running alongside Robert Wickens. The duo tallied seven podium finishes over the course of the 10-race season, claiming the TCR-class championship by 60 points over teammates Filippi and Wilkins without scoring a race victory.[40][41] In addition, Gottsacker was also included in Hyundai North America's lineup for the 2023 Nürburgring 24 Hours, where he'd make his debut alongside fellow factory drivers Michael Lewis, Mason Filippi, and Taylor Hagler.[42] In the months leading up to the race, Gottsacker chronicled his journey to the race in a Sportscar365 column, outlining the team's efforts in the Nürburgring Endurance Series VT2 class with the Hyundai i30 N.[43]

Personal life

Gottsacker is an avid fisher,[44] and received his Eagle Scout certification while in high school.[45]

Racing record

Career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2016 Pirelli World Challenge - GTS Performance Motorsports Group 13 0 0 0 0 691 13th
Global RallyCross Championship - GRC Lites 5 0 0 0 0 85 13th
2017 Pirelli World Challenge - GTS Performance Motorsports Group 8 0 1 1 2 129 11th
Pirelli World Challenge - GTSA 2 1 0 0 1 36 20th
British GT Championship - GT3 Century Motorsport 3 0 0 0 0 8 18th
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD TRG 1 0 0 0 0 15 75th
2018 Pirelli World Challenge SprintX - GTS Racers Edge Motorsports 10 2 4 2 6 173 2nd
Pirelli World Challenge - GTS 8 0 0 0 2 128 5th
IMSA Prototype Challenge - LMP3 Extreme Speed Motorsports 1 0 0 0 0 28 38th
2019 Michelin Pilot Challenge - TCR Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian 10 1 0 0 3 268 2nd
GT4 America Series SprintX - West Pro-Am ST Racing 10 5 2 1 9 216 1st
24H Series Continents - GT4 1 0 0 0 1 24 16th
2020 GT4 America Series SprintX - Silver ST Racing 14 4 5 4 10 245 2nd
Michelin Pilot Challenge - TCR Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian 10 2 3 0 4 278 2nd
2021 GT4 America Series - Silver ST Racing 2 1 0 0 1 29 11th
Michelin Pilot Challenge - TCR Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian 10 1 1 1 2 2550 5th
2022 Michelin Pilot Challenge - TCR Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian 10 1 1 1 2 2580 5th
IMSA SportsCar Championship - LMP3 Mühlner Motorsports America 1 0 0 0 0 250 35th
24H Series Continents - GT3 Pro-Am ST Racing 1 0 0 0 1 20 5th*
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2023 Michelin Pilot Challenge - TCR Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian 10 0 1 0 7 3010 1st
GT4 America Series - Silver STR38 Motorsports 10 0  ?  ? 2 108 8th
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCR Hyundai Motorsport N 1 0 0 0 1 N/A 2nd

* Season still in progress.

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team Class Make Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points
2017 TRG GTD Porsche 911 GT3 R Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY
 SEB
 LBH
 COA
16		 BEL
 WGL
 MOS
 LIM
 ELK
 VIR
 LGA
 PET
 75th 15
2022 Mühlner Motorsports America LMP3 Duqueine D-08 Nissan VK56DE 5.6 L V8 DAY
 SEB
9		 MDO
 WGL
 MOS
 ELK
 PET
 35th 250

References

  1. ↑ "Harry Gottsacker – IMSA". imsa.com. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  2. ↑ "DRIVER DOWNLOAD: Harry Gottsacker". gt4-america.com. SRO Motorsports Group America. March 26, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  3. ↑ "About Harry – Harry Gottsacker Racing". harrygottsackerracing.com. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Pirelli Paddock Pass: Harry Gottsacker". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. January 9, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  5. ↑ "DVIDS – Images – Red Bull Global Rallycross 2016 [Image 17 of 19]". dvidshub.net. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  6. ↑ Dagys, John (August 6, 2016). "Increased SprintX Entry for Utah". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 6, 2022. Five cars, meanwhile, are set to do battle for GTS class honors, with Performance Motorsports Group entering its two Ginetta G50 GT4s for Parker Chase and Harry Gottsacker.
  7. ↑ "Ginetta Announce Young Driver Development Programme". ginetta.com. January 13, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  8. ↑ Kilshaw, Jake (February 8, 2017). "Century Becomes Ginetta Factory Team for British GT". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 6, 2022. He will be joined by 17-year-old American Harry Gottsacker, who last year competed with Performance Motorsports Group in a G55 GT4 in the Pirelli World Challenge.
  9. ↑ Kilshaw, Jake (May 24, 2017). "Chase, Gottsacker Quit British GT; GT3 Ginettas to Skip Snetterton". johndagys.wpengine.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  10. ↑ Dagys, John (June 20, 2017). "PWC Returns to Sprint Racing at Road America". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 6, 2022. Twenty three GTS cars are listed, highlighted by the return of Performance Motorsports Group and drivers Parker Chase and Harry Gottsacker, who recently ended their planned full-season British GT Championship campaign.
  11. ↑ Myrehn, Ryan (July 29, 2017). "Aschenbach Scores First PWC Win for Camaro GT4.R at Mid-Ohio". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 6, 2022. Road America double-winner Ian James charged from eighth on the grid to finish second in the Panoz Avezzano GT, holding off Gottsacker by 0.364 seconds at the line.
  12. ↑ Allaway, Phil (April 28, 2017). "Parker Chase, Harry Gottsacker to Make IMSA Debut With TRG at COTA". frontstretch.com. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Gottsacker set for PWC GTS battle with Racer's Edge Motorsports". racer.com. February 16, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  14. ↑ Allaway, Phil (July 14, 2018). "Racers Edge Motorsports Sweeps Portland GTS SprintX Race No. 1 Front Row". frontstretch.com. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  15. ↑ "18-year-old Harry Gottsacker wins GTS SprintX Pirelli World Challenge race at Portland". autoweek.com. July 15, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  16. ↑ Bradley, Charles (August 12, 2018). "Utah PWC: Gottsacker wins SprintX GTS finale but misses title". motorsport.com. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Forty7 Norma Wins, Wright Takes IPC Title at Road Atlanta". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. October 12, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2022. Rounding out the podium was the No. 40 Polestar Motor Racing Ligier JS P3 of Keith Grant and David Grant, the duo's best finish of the season while Max Hanratty finished fourth in the No. 3 Extreme Speed Motorsports entry alongside co-driver Harry Gottsacker to finish third in the standings.
  18. ↑ Dagys, John (March 22, 2019). "Gottsacker, Miller Confirmed for Full GT4 West Season". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  19. ↑ Dagys, John (October 16, 2019). "GT4 SprintX, West Champions to be Decided in Vegas Finale". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  20. ↑ Dagys, John (March 29, 2019). "Miller, Gottsacker Win GT4 West Race 2 at Laguna". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Miller & Gottsacker Take Portland SprintX Spoils". speedsport.com. July 14, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  22. ↑ Kilshaw, Jake (March 2, 2020). "Weekly Racing Roundup (3.2.20)". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022. Harry Gottsacker will return to ST Racing at this weekend's Pirelli GT4 America at Circuit of The Americas, sharing the team's BMW M4 GT4 with Nick Wittmer.
  23. ↑ Dagys, John (October 2, 2020). "Foley, Dinan Win Race 2; Claim SprintX Pro-Am Title". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022. Andretti and Mullan entered the title-decider one point behind ST Racing's Harry Gottsacker and Nick Wittmer, who finished second in class and fourth overall on Friday.
  24. ↑ "Former SRO champions Gottsacker and Maxson join ST Racing for Road America". harrygottsackerracing.com. August 23, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  25. ↑ Dagys, John (August 29, 2021). "Quinlan, Liefooghe Win Race 2 Amid Late-Race Confusion". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022. Silver class honors went to the No. 28 ST Racing pairing of Harry Gottsacker and Tyler Maxston in their BMW.
  26. ↑ Dagys, John (December 7, 2021). "ST Racing Names Drivers for Two-Car 24H Dubai Effort". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  27. ↑ O'Connell, R.J. (July 12, 2022). "Samantha Tan Racing Confirms Drivers For 24 Hours of Spa Debut". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  28. ↑ "ST Racing Seals Silver Class Win At Indianapolis After Fighting Eight-Hour Run". insidetracknews.com. October 11, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  29. ↑ Dagys, John (March 18, 2022). "Bourdais Takes Sebring Pole in Record-Breaking Lap". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022. Gottsacker has been a late replacement for Moritz Kranz, who has been ruled out for unknown reasons at this time.
  30. ↑ Dagys, John (April 25, 2023). "Gottsacker Rejoins STR38 in Silver Cup BMW Entry". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  31. ↑ Dagys, John (January 14, 2019). "Hyundai Veloster N TCR Revealed; BHA Names Drivers". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  32. ↑ Lloyd, Daniel (August 3, 2019). "Liddell Makes Last-Ditch Pass on Wittmer to Win by 0.070s". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  33. ↑ Marchessault, Patrice (January 8, 2020). "Bryan Herta Autosport expands with a third Veloster N TCR for IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge". canadianracersnews.ca. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  34. ↑ Dagys, John (July 17, 2020). "CarBahn Audi Wins Weather-Impacted Sebring 120". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  35. ↑ Myrehn, Ryan (November 13, 2020). "Turner Wins; KohR Claims GS Title at Sebring". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  36. ↑ "BHA to Debut Hyundai Elantra N TCR in Two-Car Effort". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. December 15, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Gottsacker and Wilkins Win First Race of the Season". newspressusa.com. September 13, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  38. ↑ Dagys, John (January 6, 2022). "BHA Expands into Six-Car Hyundai TCR Effort". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  39. ↑ "Parker Chase and Harry Gottsacker avoid incidents to claim Mid-Ohio win". touringcars.net. May 15, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  40. ↑ The Associated Press (October 13, 2023). "Paralyzed Canadian race driver Robert Wickens wins championship at Road Atlanta". CBC. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  41. ↑ James, Richard S. (October 19, 2023). "Pilot Challenge TCR crowns special on many levels for Wickens and Gottsacker". Racer. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  42. ↑ Dagys, John (March 9, 2023). "Hyundai America to Compete in N24 With BHA Drivers". Sportscar365. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  43. ↑ Gottsacker, Harry (March 13, 2023). "GOTTSACKER: Getting Acquainted". Sportscar365. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  44. ↑ "Pirelli Paddock Pass: Harry Gottsacker". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. December 30, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  45. ↑ James, Richard (May 18, 2018). "Precocious Gottsacker chasing achievements on and off the track". racer.com. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
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