Despite torrential rains providing tricky conditions, Global Motorsports Group’s (GMG) Alec Udell drove an impressive run from the back of the field to collect back-to-back podium finishes with third during Race Two of the Grand Prix of Texas, the second round of the Pirelli World Challenge.

“The rain just seemed to never end, so I’m glad we were able to get another podium and valuable points,” stated Udell. “The conditions made for a very challenging day as it was, but after getting hit from behind I had to push hard during the whole race. Luckily everyone at GMG put together a great car that took to the conditions very well. I’m glad we were able to recover and gain some solid points that put us firmly in the championship hunt.”

Starting in the third position of the GT Cup class in his No. 17 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 991, 19-year-old Udell began the race with all focus on another podium. Following a spirited fight for third during Saturday’s Race One, the Texas native knew a podium was within reach, however with a heavy rain shower and limited experience in Porsche machinery, the primary emphasis was on patience.

Running a strong opening few laps, a quick hit from behind in Turn 11 would send the driver spinning, avoiding impact however falling to the back of the field in the process. Immediately back on pace, Alec knew that victory had escaped his grasp, setting his sights on returning to a podium position. Gaining positions in a matter of laps, Udell never looked back to cross the line in third.

In the GT class, literally seeing his machine for the first time this weekend, Madison Snow continued his streak of running as GMG’s top overall contender to move from 11th to 6th overall. Having only driven his first race in the No. 21 Santa Cruz Bicycles/UIS Audi R8 LMS ultra yesterday, the heavy rain shower proved even more treacherous for the IMSA veteran, with Snow driving flawlessly to stay in contention. Finding himself in endless battles throughout the event, the Utah native found himself against experienced names like Johnny O’Connell and Olivier Beretta, making a series of impressive passes to gain five spots and ultimately take sixth.

“The rain made for an awesome race!” stated Snow. “It was a lot of fun. The start was scary as it was very difficult to see and we were all so close to one another entering turn one. It felt as though we were six-wide on the entry but I managed to sneak through unscathed. The entire first lap I was pushing very, very hard and made up a few more positions. This was one of the best races I have had as I was able to work my way up from 11th and have a great battle with everyone along the way. It was always clean and fair racing so I can’t complain about anything. The team also worked very hard on set-up changes to get the car rain worthy for me, and that was the big difference. We threw everything we had at it for the rain and it worked beautifully. It was a grand experience running with GMG and I hope to be able to do it again!”

Rounding out the team’s GT lineup, team owner James Sofronas ran yet another flawless event in the No. 14 Spyder / The Thermal Club / Mobil 1 Audi R8 LMS ultra, gaining four spots to take 11th on the day. Utilizing his vast experience to avoid chaos during the race’s signature standing start, the Villa Park, California resident kept a steady pace throughout his race, making a series of impressive passes to just miss out on the top-10.

“Any time one of our drivers can walk away double podiums, I call it a success,” stated Sofronas. “Alec had never raced in a Porsche before this weekend, and he saw double podiums. Madison had never raced an Audi before, and he was able to pass some of the biggest names in the business. Between that and Alex and I running fairly smooth, I’d say it was a great way to open our year.”

Finally, driving in the GTA category with his No. 76 machine, Alex Welch would take 13th place honors without major incident. Starting from the 14th row, the Colorado resident put his multiple seasons of experience to good use, surviving a quick spin in wet conditions to resume without damage. Holding his own and driving patient, Welch would see the checkered flag without a scratch on the car, setting him and his team up well for their next event.

“I’m happy with the weekend overall,” stated Welch. “It’s amazing how competitive this series has become this year, the GT and GTA categories are just amazing. I’m really enjoying being a part of it and GMG has done a great job getting us ready. We’re looking forward to the next event. We’re off to a great start.”

With the first Pirelli World Challenge weekend now in the books, the series will resume in just three weeks, taking to the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida from March 27-29.