Shift Up Now Athletes Sarah Montgomery, Charlotte Traynor, Hannah Grisham, Michele Abbate, and Alana Carter strengthened AE Victory Racing's position at the top of the World Racing League (WRL) GTO National Championship this weekend at Watkins Glen International, earning a 1-2 finish in Saturday's eight-hour race before adding another podium finish Sunday. With both Toyota Supra GT4 EVO2 entries delivering valuable championship points while providing another showcase of the team's all-female driver development program.
The No. 120 Toyota Supra GT4 EVO2, driven by Montgomery, Traynor, and teammate Flame Airikkala, took the overall victory Saturday, followed by the No. 119, driven by Grisham, Abbate, and Carter, in second. The result marked a strong start to the weekend for the team, which entered Watkins Glen holding the top two positions in the GTO National Championship.
Sunday brought another seven hours of competition, with the No. 120 finishing third and the No. 119 fifth. The combined results added another significant haul of championship points as AE Victory Racing continues to lead the GTO National Championship with both entries.
The weekend began with both Supras immediately showing pace, leading the charts during Thursday's practice sessions despite intermittent rain and high humidity. With the cars performing well straight out of the box, the drivers and engineering team used the available track time to experiment with setup and build confidence ahead of the weekend's endurance races.
Watkins Glen also marked a significant milestone for Flame Airikkala, who made her U.S. racing debut with AE Victory Racing after stepping in to fill 2026 Shootout winner Brenna Schubert’s shoes for the weekend. She approached the weekend methodically, learning the Toyota Supra and the 3.54-mile circuit while steadily improving her lap times throughout the weekend.
Friday's qualifying session saw the AE Victory Racing entries initially qualify sixth and 10th. Following post-qualifying disqualifications for two cars ahead, the team moved up to fourth and sixth on the starting grid.
Saturday's race quickly developed into a strategic battle. Hannah Grisham started the No. 120, while Sarah Montgomery started the No. 119. After early contact from a competitor involving the No. 119, both cars settled into a consistent rhythm as the crew managed several Code 35 periods and worked through the eight-hour race.
Fuel reserves became a key part of strategy as much of the field had already made fuel stops before both AE Victory Racing entries had to come in early on. Late in the race, when a code 35 came, both cars were able to pit for fresh fuel and return to the track in strong positions for a sprint to the finish.
The strategy, combined with strong driver performances and efficient pit work, gave the team a 1-2 finish. Charlotte Traynor delivered an exceptional stint as noted by several teammates, while Michele Abbate was recognized by the World Racing League broadcast team as Driver of the Day.
Sunday's race presented a different challenge, with three red-flag stoppages interrupting the seven-hour event. Once again, the team's driver changes were executed cleanly and efficiently, with the crew carefully managing track time to maximize each driver's contribution. The No. 120 ultimately secured its second podium finish of the weekend in third, while the No. 119 finished fifth after running as high as fourth late in the race.
The No. 119 was in position to challenge for fourth in the closing stages, with Traynor behind the wheel, but a red flag restart landed a prototype between the Supra and the fourth-place competitor, and limited the time available for a final push.
Despite the interruptions, both cars finished strong, a testament to the consistency of the drivers, engineering team and pit crew. The weekend also provided another opportunity for AE Victory Racing's development drivers to build experience at one of North America's most demanding circuits.
Carter continued to show significant improvement in pace compared with her performance at Watkins Glen last year, while Traynor's strong stints demonstrated the value of the seat time and mentorship provided through AE Victory Racing's program. For Airikkala, the weekend represented an opportunity that began with the team's January Driver Shootout and has now taken her to her first U.S. race.
"To finish first and second on Saturday and then come back with another podium on Sunday is a great result for this team," said Erin Vogel, Team Owner of AE Victory Racing. "More importantly, we saw so many of the things we are trying to build through this program. I’m really proud of our team this weekend both for their performances and their willingness to continuously learn from and teach one another. These are the kinds of weekends that build championship results while also creating real opportunities for our drivers."
With four podium finishes across the two races, including a 1-2 sweep on Saturday, AE Victory Racing leaves Watkins Glen with valuable championship points and momentum as it continues its pursuit of the World Racing League GTO National Championship.
The results also reinforce the team's larger mission: to provide women drivers with the seat time, mentorship and professional opportunities necessary to compete at the highest levels of endurance racing.
Next up, WRL heads to the Utah Motorsports Campus for the eighth event of the season on September 25-27, 2026.
