Taylor Hagler and Dakota Dickerson scored a double podium at Sonoma Raceway, finishing third in both races in the #93 Acura NSX GT3 Evo at the first 2021 event of the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season.

Sonoma Raceway was a proving ground of sorts for the inaugural HPD GT3 Academy grads who will pair up behind the wheel of the Racers Edge Acura machine for part of the GT World Challenge America season. Hagler and Dickerson faced many firsts in the two-race weekend: their first official sessions in a GT3 car, first qualifying sessions, and for Hagler, her first time as the race-finishing driver.  

Hagler qualified the car in P11 overall, P7 in class for race 1, which saw her take the green for her first GT3 race. She gained three positions in her stint, handing off the car to Dickerson in P8. Dickerson gained three more positions in the second half of the race, crossing the line with a top-five finish on the 3rd step of the Pro-Am class podium.

The Racers Edge crew had the Acura NSX GT3 Evo tuned and ready for the weekend’s challenge, and performed two quick pit stops to keep the car in position during each driver change.

In the second race, the drivers reversed roles, with Dickerson lining up sixth on the grid to take the green, turning the car over to Hagler in P5 overall, but third in class. Hagler pushed for second, closing the gap to under six seconds in the final lap, holding the team’s spot at third in the Pro-Am field at the checkered flag.

Dickerson had several exciting on-track battles with veteran driver Ryan Dalziel in the #63 DXDT Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo, and Hagler held her own against a charge from Erin Vogel in that team’s sister car.

The team returns to the track April 30-May 2 at Circuit of the Americas, where Hagler will be joined by another Academy grad, Jacob Abel.