Local Tom Sargentmade his debut in one of the world’s most demanding motorsport events over the weekend the legendary 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium. Driving the Number 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), Sargent joined forces with American stars Elliott Skeer and Adam Adelson, the reigning GT World Challenge America Pro champions.
The trio entered the race as underdogs in the highly competitive Gold Class, yet they finished an impressive fourth in class and 16th overall out of a field of 75 elite entries.
From his humble beginnings at the Grenfell karting “It’s honestly surreal,” Sargent told the media. “Just to be on the grid at Spa is an achievement in itself. Getting here has taken months of hard work from everyone involved. For us to finish where we did in our first attempt and I couldn’t be prouder.”
Sargent’s path to Spa included a full season in the GT World Challenge America and a strong performance at the Rolex 24 at Daytona earlier in the year. But even with that experience, nothing quite prepared him for the unrelenting chaos of the twice-around-the-clock Belgian classic.
“Daytona gives you moments to breathe,” he explained. “Spa doesn’t. You’re constantly in traffic, battling with cars from every class, in all conditions. It’s mentally and physically brutal.”
The no. 120 Porsche qualified 22nd overall a remarkable feat for a driver lineup making its first Spa appearance. The car featured an unusual combination of two Silver-rated drivers (Sargent and Adelson) and one Gold-rated (Skeer), but that didn’t stop them from competing with some of the biggest factory teams in the world.
“We brought what we know from America and just focused on consistency and teamwork,” Sargent said. “We trust each other, and we trust the car. That made all the difference.”
The Wright Motorsports crew, along with technical support from Herberth Motorsport, worked tirelessly in the lead-up to the event. Coming off the back of the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen in the U.S., the team had very little time to prepare.
“Our engineers and crew were running on almost no sleep,” Sargent said. “They were up late chasing every little gremlin. But that’s what put us in a great position to fight.”
For those who’ve followed Tom’s rise, his performance came as no surprise. A stand-out since his early karting days, Sargent’s discipline and maturity have always set him apart. His family, who made the journey to Belgium to cheer him on, have been behind him every step of the way. Sargent drove four gruelling stints, clocking more than 1200 kilometers at an average speed of 180kph. But for him, the result was just the beginning.
“We came here wanting to finish. To finish fourth in class is something I’ll never forget,” he said. “Now we reset, take what we’ve learned, and come back even stronger.”
From Grenfell to Spa Tom Sargent has officially arrived.
– Liam Stuart
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