Six Gran Turismo 6 gamers are now one giant step closer to becoming Nissan’s next professional race car driver. Following two intense days of competition at the U.S. 2015 Nissan GT Academy Finals in Nashville, the following competitors have earned the right to represent the United States during the International Race Camp at the legendary Silverstone Circuit in England, where the next GT Academy Champion will be crowned:
- Armen Agakhan – Glendale, California
- Max King – Franklinville, New Jersey
- JT Lauro – Seminole, Florida
- Ryan Lynch – Broomfield, Colorado
- Vladimir Skirda – Hermantown, Minnesota
- Tyler Utley – Santa Clara, Utah
These six finalists began the week as part of a group of the 20 best U.S. GT Academy gamers, who had each already defeated nearly 30,000 fellow online gamers in the past three months to reach the U.S. Finals in Nashville. Over the course of two days, the dedicated gamers took part in virtual races, fitness challenges, skill testing and on-track time trials in Nissan 370Z NISMOs Tuesday and Wednesday.
With the mid-summer sun shining and temperatures rising over 90 degrees, grueling fitness challenges late Wednesday morning included the “bleep test,” “planking challenge” and a push up competition. Contestants then took a short break for lunch before competing in time trials on the track Wednesday afternoon at Nashville Motor Speedway. Virtual and skill challenges were completed Tuesday.
Americans Agakhan, King, Lauro, Lynch, Skirda and Utley now join an elite group of 30 GT Academy finalists from around the world. These global finalists – with six competitors each from the U.S., Mexico, Turkey, North Africa and Australia – will take part in a week-long Race Camp competition held at the famous Silverstone Circuit.
Here, competitors will once again be tested on their strength, stamina, mental agility and on-track driving skills. Judges will look for pure talent, drive, passion, dedication and more to determine who will be the 2015 GT Academy Champion, Nissan’s next professional race car driver.
