Around 300,000 entered and now just 12 remain.
After two days at the US GT Academy national final, the 32 best gamers where whittled down to these guys – only one of whom will follow Bryan Heitkotter and Steve Doherty into a race career.
The format of their weekend should be very familiar to anyone who’s been following GT Academy or GTPlanet in the last five years. An initial game-off to determine their on-the-spot speed and ability to handle pressure was backed up with a number of other tests, including a driving challenge in the Nismo 370Zs at New York’s Monticello Motor Club.
With all the attendees scored in every event, the final 12 represent the best all-round competitors and – like the UK GT Academy national final earlier in the month – all of the eventual finalists are GTPlanet members!
Along with last year’s unlucky Racer X winner Patrick Crider, 2013’s Racer X winner Armen Aghakhan has also won through to the final 12. The holder of the USA’s top time in the qualifier, Dan Reude, is in the mix too as are a number of previous national finalists like Joey Barbato, Nick McMillen and Brian Marsteller.
The race camp itself will be held over a week in September at the legendary Silverstone circuit venue and GTPlanet wishes all twelve finalists the very best of luck!
Thanks guys, I appreciate the support
Congrats and good luck to everyone. I’ve raced with a number of you and grew quite familiar with your back bumpers!!!
Wow, well done! My best to Nick and Barrett!
I’m going for Armen “Racer X” Aghakhan to win the entire GT Academy competition
+1
Come on Patrick, this is your time to shine my man. Go get them! And LVracer, show who got it the talent from Vegas!
And good luck to all! :D
I’m going with Tidgney!
And I hope those Nismo Z’s are in the game, they look better than fantastic.
Except that he’s a UK finalist…
My boy LVracerGT ;)
Haha :P
Superepicbromance
Congratulations LV! I knew you could do it!
Congrats LV! Show them what you are made of!
Congratz guys. :)
My money’s on the bloke who changed his name to Tyrrell…
Rooting for Patrick to win this one!
Yeah… In Australia, “rooting” has a TOTALLY different meaning…!
It was definitely an interesting turn of events over last years final. Kept us guessing the whole time with surprises through both days. Much more fun I must say. Monticello was a pleasant surprise and I think really helped us separate gamer from driver. Silverstone is gonna be tough this year as there’s a well qualified bunch of us. Things are gonna get interesting that’s for sure and I’m looking forward to it! And thanks dabney for the kind words! We S.N.A.L.S. are going to try to stick together and represent well.
It’s obvious that the ones in red are the finalists, the ones in the white shirts would be the judges like Boris Said and the one in the middle would be the host to the event. Nothing racist in the picture lol and good luck to all the finalists to become the dream of virtual to real life race car driver.
Go S.N.A.I.L. finalists! Good job Gumball, JoeyFast, BrianM, MartinAZ, and hillracing!
Is that Boris Said as one of the judges? They are all doomed!
That is Boris!!! Lol, I remember him competing in Trans Am sans sponsorship! Always a fan of his raw talent and speed… all those years ago. Happy to see him involved. Congrats to the finalists. Keep those wheels turning.
He races in Grand-AM, in a corvette in the GT class… If you didn’t already know.
Congrats to all!!!
For some strange reason (keep in mind that I’m Australian), I’m hoping Patrick gets through…
It could be the name – it sounds like a racer’s name!!
Good fortune to these U.S Academy finalists. You guys set an interesting but fun bar to climb in the U.S Regional. Good Job, heres to you :tup:
Bugger… I tried to be first!