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]
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]
The 2017 British GT Championship was the 25th British GT Championship, a sports car championship promoted by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO). The season began on 15 April at Oulton Park and finished on 24 September at Donington Park, after ten rounds held over seven meetings.
The 2018 Continental Tire SportsCar Championship is the nineteenth season of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and the fifth season organized by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA).
The 2019 Michelin Pilot Challenge is the twentieth season of the IMSA SportsCar Challenge and the sixth season organized by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). Michelin is set to become the new official tire supplier of the series, following the departure of Continental Tire at the end of 2018.
The 2019 Blancpain GT World Challenge America was the 30th season of the United States Auto Club's Blancpain GT World Challenge America. It was the first under Blancpain sponsorship, taking over from the longtime Pirelli sponsorship, as part of the standardisation of names of Stéphane Ratel Organisation-run GT3 sprint racing series globally, following the series' acquisition by the SRO Motorsports Group. It was also the last under Blancpain sponsorship, after they and the SRO concluded their partnership at the end of 2019. The season began on 2 March in Austin and ended on 20 October at Las Vegas.
The 2019 Pirelli GT4 America Series was the inaugural season of the GT4 America Series. It took over the GTS class of the Pirelli World Challenge, which adopted global GT4 technical regulations in 2018, and it is a Blancpain GT World Challenge America support series. GT4 America Series is split into a Sprint series, which features 50-minute races with one driver per car, and a SprintX series, which features one-hour races with two drivers per car and a mandatory driver change during Pit stops. Also East and West regional championships are awarded. The season began on 2 March in Austin and ended on 20 October in Las Vegas.
The 2020 Michelin Pilot Challenge is the twenty-first season of the IMSA SportsCar Challenge and the seventh season organized by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA).
The 2020 Pirelli GT4 America Series was the second season of the GT4 America Series. The series is split into a Sprint series, which features 50-minute races with one driver per car, and a SprintX series, which features one-hour races with two drivers per car and a mandatory driver change during Pit stops. The season begins on 7 March at Circuit of the Americas and ends on 3 October at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 2020 TC America Series is the second season of the TC America Series. The series consists of 3 classes: TCR, TCA, and TC. All races are 40 minutes in length with 4 per weekend; 2 for TCR & TCA cars, and 2 for TC cars.
Jade Marcus Buford is an American professional racing driver with experience in open-wheel, sports car, and stock car racing. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro for Big Machine Racing.
The 2021 Michelin Pilot Challenge is the twenty-second season of the IMSA SportsCar Challenge and the eighth season organized by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA).
Mason Filippi is an American auto racing driver who competes in the TCR class of the Michelin Pilot Challenge for Bryan Herta Autosport. He previously raced for Bryan Herta Autosport, finishing the Michelin Pilot Challenge in second place in 2019 and third in 2020. Filippi also piloted touring cars in the TC America Series and the Pirelli World Challenge from 2017 to 2019, finishing in the top five of the standings each season. Prior to racing touring cars, he drove Spec Miatas, competing in the Global MX-5 Cup and the Teen Mazda Challenge and winning the 25 Hours of Thunderhill race in 2015 and 2016.
James Sofronas is an American racing driver and the founder of Global Motorsports Group.
The 2022 Pirelli GT4 America Series is the fourth season of the GT4 America Series. The season began on April 15 at Sonoma Raceway and will end on October 9 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 2022 Michelin Pilot Challenge was the twenty-third season of the IMSA SportsCar Challenge and the ninth season organized by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). The season began on January 27 at Daytona International Speedway and concluded on October 1 at Road Atlanta. This season also saw the return of former IndyCar driver Robert Wickens after his horrific accident at the 2018 ABC Supply 500 left him as a paraplegic.
Taylor Hagler is an American racing driver who currently competes for Bryan Herta Autosport in the TCR class of the Michelin Pilot Challenge.
DXDT Racing is a professional sports car team based in Statesville, North Carolina, founded by competitive off-shore sailor and businessman David Askew in 2014. With an early history in IMSA's Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, the team now primarily races in SRO America's GT World Challenge America, continuing a long term run as a Mercedes AMG Customer Racing team.
Sebastian "Seb" Priaulx is a British racing driver who competes for AO Racing Team in the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
The 2023 Michelin Pilot Challenge is the twenty-fourth season of the IMSA SportsCar Challenge and the tenth season organized by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). The season began on January 26 at Daytona International Speedway and concludes on October 14 at Road Atlanta.
Stevan Gordon McAleer is a British racing driver who competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, GT World Challenge Europe, and Michelin Pilot Challenge.
Kenton Koch is an American racing driver who competes in the GT4 America Series, Michelin Pilot Challenge, and IMSA SportsCar Championship.
↑ 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.
↑ 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.
↑ 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.
↑ 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.
↑ "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.
↑ 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.
↑ 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.
↑ 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.
↑ 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.
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