Road Atlanta – Syndication Server

Merrill rockets from third to first and wins TA2 at Road Atlanta

Thomas Merrill was the class of the field in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series race at the Mission Foods Road Atlanta SpeedTour, taking the lead on lap eight and dominating for the rest of the day. Early in the race, Merrill battled with Rafa Matos and it appeared that the two would lead the field to the checkered flag, but Matos suffered a late-race tire puncture, giving way for Nitro Motorsports Young Guns Tyler Gonzalez and Thomas Annunziata to score podium finishes in the Bennett/BridgeHaul Classic TA2 race.

With rain resulting in the cancelation of Friday’s qualifying session, the starting grid for Saturday’s event was set by practice speeds, meaning two-time champion Matos’ No. 60 Concord American Flagpole/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang would lead the field to green alongside Annunziata’s No. 90 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang. When the green flag waved, Matos pulled out front and was followed by Merrill in the No. 26 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang, who started third and had an excellent start. It was not long before Matos and Merrill pulled ahead of the field, leaving Annunziata, Gonzalez in the No. 40 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang and Connor Mosack in the No. 77 Silver Hare Racing Camaro in their wake.

Mosack faced early trouble, bringing out the first full-course caution of the day on lap three when he suffered an exhaust issue, forcing him to pull off the racing surface. When racing resumed on lap seven, Merrill was all over the back of Matos and promptly took the lead from the two-time champion before circling back for lap eight. Second place was briefly taken by Annunziata, but Matos was able to regain the runner-up position by the following lap. Merrill and Matos pulled ahead of the field, while Young Gun Jake Drew (No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro) took on Josh Hurley (No. 20 Greenlight Simulation/BCR Ford Mustang) in a battle for the fifth position.

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Over a long green-flag run, veterans Merrill and Matos opened up an eight-second lead over third, but a double yellow flag bunched the field back up on lap 24. After the green flag on lap 28, Matos had a chance to fight for the lead, but Merrill’s restart was just too good, and the No. 26 pulled open a 1.6s gap in a single lap. It was then that Matos slowed in Turn 1 with a punctured tire, which required multiple visits to pit lane and relegated him to the 23rd position. A caution on lap 31 once again closed up the field, leading to a sprint to the finish when the race went green with two laps to go. Merrill, who never faltered after taking the lead, solidly held the point position until a yellow flag on the final lap ended the competition under caution. The 2022 champion was followed across the finish line by Annunziata, Gonzalez, Drew and Hurley.

“It was a great, great race; I had a lot of fun racing up front with Rafa [Matos] at the beginning,” said Merrill. “Once we got up front, we just set sail. It was such a good racecar that the Cope crew gave me today. Seeing all these Cope chassis up here makes me proud of all the work we’ve done over the last couple years. And obviously, huge congratulations to Keith for his 100-race brick. I’m very happy to put the HP tuners car on the top step. It’s just a great day. It was a pleasure to drive that race car, and I’m looking forward to the next one.”

Saturday also marked the 100th race for Keith Prociuk. He was presented with a commemorative trophy on the podium. While Prociuk initially crossed the finish line second in Pro/Am, he received a post-race penalty for avoidable contact.

“One hundred races is amazing,” said Prociuk. “TA2 is a fantastic series to race in, and Trans Am puts on a good show. It felt great out there. Michele [Abbate] raced from the back, and I was so happy to see her there. Barry [Boes] just dominated our race. For [Thomas] Merrill to win Pro, that’s just fantastic for us, fantastic for HP Tuners and Cope Race Cars.”

The highlight show of Saturday’s race will air on MAVTV on Thursday, March 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series next hit the track at the NOLA SpeedTour at NOLA Motorsports Park, April 11-14.

RESULTS

Dyson motors to first TA pole of 2024 at Road Atlanta

Chris Dyson claimed his first pole of the 2024 season with a blazing-fast time of 1m18.862s in his GYM WEED Ford Mustang at the for the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s Mission Foods Road Atlanta SpeedTour and will lead the field to green for …

“You know, it has been one of these weekends where it’s a little bit disjointed with the weather and some gusty winds, so the track has been different than it normally is here,” said Dyson. “I think that when we rolled off the truck with the GYM WEED car, relative to the opposition, we’ve been strong and we’re trying to put together a car that’s going to be not just quick over one lap, but it’s going to be quick in the race. But it’s nice to know that we have the performance in our hand and it’s great to put the car on pole. I think it’s going to be a great race. If you look down the order, I think we’ve got five cars within a second, so that’s going to be a great show for everybody. I just hope I’m at the front of it all.”

The TA/XGT/SGT/GT race will be contested Sunday at 12:10 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast live on MAVTV and streamed live here. The highlights show of the race will air on MAVTV on Thursday, March 28 at 9:00 p.m. ET.

RESULTS

Trans Am heads to Road Atlanta

The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli heads to Road Atlanta for the Mission Foods Road Atlanta SpeedTour, the second race of the 2024 season. Trans Am has been visiting the 54-year-old facility since 1972, holding 40 races at the Braselton, Ga., …

TA Qualifying:

Saturday, March 23

5:45-6:20 p.m.

Race:

Sunday, March 24

12:10-1:25 p.m.

Race Length: 40 Laps/75 Minutes

TV Broadcast:

LIVE on MAVTV

Highlights Show:

MAVTV

Thursday, March 28

9:00 p.m. ET

TA2 Qualifying:

Friday, March 22

2:25-3:00 p.m. ET

Race:

Saturday, March 23

12:45-2:00 p.m.

Race Length: 40 Laps/75 Minutes

TV Broadcast:

LIVE on MAVTV

Highlights Show:

MAVTV

Thursday, March 28

8:00 p.m. ET

Home Game for Bennett and BridgeHaul
The entitlement sponsors of this weekend’s TA/XGT/SGT/GT and CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series races are the Atlanta-based, woman-owned Bennett Family of Companies and BridgeHaul, with both races dubbed the Bennett/BridgeHaul Classic.

With their corporate headquarters located in the Atlanta suburb of McDonough, Bennett has found fast success in the city with their Bennett-sponsored NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Austin Hill earning the company three-consecutive hometown wins at nearby Atlanta Motor Speedway. Will the brand be lucky for our Road Atlanta contenders? Two drivers in this weekend’s races are sponsored by Bennett and BridgeHaul:

XGT
Ricky Sanders, No. 18 BridgeHaul/Bennett/Pitboxes.com Chevrolet Corvette
Danny Lowry, No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3

Scholarship Winners Begin 2024
Two drivers who were awarded the 2024 PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship will be making their first starts of 2024. Jenn Krpata (No. 93 Island Trees Auto Chevrolet Camaro) will make her Trans Am Series debut in the SGT class with her family-owned team after gaining experience competing in SCCA, NASA and SVRA over the last several seasons. In Trans Am’s CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, Michele Abbate will once again represent the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship class as she returns to Nitro Motorsports in the No. 30 GHOST Ford Mustang.

A New Iron Man
This weekend at Road Atlanta, Keith Prociuk in the No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang will hit a milestone few reach in their Trans Am careers: 100 starts. Prociuk, who has been racing in the Trans Am Series’ CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series since 2014, will be recognized at Saturday’s podium with a 100-race commemorative trophy. Prociuk will become only the 20th driver in the series to compete in 100 events. Simon Gregg currently holds the record for most Trans Am starts at 215. Drivers participating this weekend with more than 100 starts include Tomy Drissi (No. 8 Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro) with 171, Amy Ruman (No. 23 McNichols Co. Chevrolet Corvette) with 151, Tom Sheehan (No. 97 Vixen Cycle Co./LTK Insulation Ford Mustang) with 139, and Boris Said (No. 2 Weaver Racing/STEEL-IT Dodge Challenger) with 101.

Past Winners at Road Atlanta
There are a number of drivers in this weekend’s field who have stood on the top step of the podium at Road Atlanta in the past. Chris Dyson and Billy Griffin are tied with the most wins of any entrants in this weekend’s competition with four. For both Dyson and Amy Ruman, Road Atlanta was home to their first-career Trans Am wins.

TA
Boris Said, No. 2 Weaver Racing/STEEL-IT Dodge Challenger: 2021, 2002
Wally Dallenbach, No. 4 Ultimate Headers Ford Mustang: 2023 (TAH), 2022 (TAH)
Billy Griffin, No. 14 Griffin Auto Care/Sheehan’s Towing Ford Mustang: 2023 (GT), 2022 (GT), 2020 II (GT), 2020 I (GT)
Chris Dyson, No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang: 2023, 2022, 2020 II, 2018
Adam Andretti, No. 17 Top Liner/Go Share Chevrolet Camaro: 2014 (TA2)
Amy Ruman, No. 23 McNichols Co. Chevrolet Corvette: 2016, 2015, 2011

XGT
Ricky Sanders, No. 18 BridgeHaul/Bennett/PitBoxes.com Chevrolet Corvette: 2023 (GT)
Danny Lowry, No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3 (SGT)

SGT
Lee Saunders, No. 84 LandSearch LLC Dodge Viper: 2015

GT
Todd Napieralski, No. 39 SKF/Turn-Key/Bell’s Brewery Chevrolet Camaro: 2013 (TA3-A)

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series
Rafa Matos, No. 60 Concord American Flagpole Ford Mustang: 2019, 2018
Adam Andretti, No. 41 Ultimate Headers Chevrolet Camaro: 2014

There are three drivers in this weekend’s field who are originally from the Atlanta area, with one from Atlanta proper and two from nearby suburbs Stockbridge and Kennesaw.

XGT
Ricky Sanders, No. 18 BridgeHaul/Bennett/PitBoxes.com Chevrolet Corvette (Stockbridge)

TA2
Ty Young, No. 22 Ty J Young Wealth Management Ford Mustang (Atlanta)
Patrick Paul, No. 34 Paul Racing Enterprises Ford Mustang (Kennesaw)

Menard Starts Season with Win
Paul Menard showed up at Sebring International Raceway and drove his way to victory lane for the second time in his Trans Am career. Menard, who has been racing on and off in Trans Am since 2002, is embarking on his first full-time season while driving the No. 3 Menards/Master Force Tools Ford Mustang fielded by 3GT Racing, and he does so with an 11-point lead in the TA standings going into Round 2.

Dyson Hoping for Turnaround at Atlanta
Chris Dyson in the No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang did not have the 2024 start he was hoping for, with a lap-one incident taking him out of the race and resulting in a last-place finish at Sebring last month. Fortunately, Road Atlanta is one place where Dyson has no trouble finding GYM WEED Winners Circle, as it is home to his first-career Trans Am win in 2018, and he’s followed that up with victories in 2020, 2022 and 2023, tying him with Billy Griffin for the most wins at the track of any entrant this weekend. Dyson is currently in pursuit of his fourth-consecutive TA championship, a feat which has only been achieved one time before by Ernie Francis Jr. While the Sebring troubles are certainly a setback, Dyson has proven he can rebound. Last year, Dyson lost power early in the season-opening race, resulting in a 10th-in-class finish. However, he was still able to secure the 2023 title on the strength of four victories, including Road Atlanta.

Amy Ruman Returns to Podium
Two-time TA champion Amy Ruman returned to the podium with an impressive performance resulting in a third-place finish at Sebring. This was the Ohio native’s first podium since VIR in 2022, which was followed by a challenging 2023, with mechanical and parts issues that were out of her family team’s control.

Like Dyson, Ruman earned her first-career win at Road Atlanta, standing on the top step of the podium for the first time in 2011. She has since won at the track two more times, most recently in 2016.

Norwood Auto Italia Adds Josh Hurley to Arsenal
GT team Norwood Auto Italia comes off of a successful Sebring run, with both of its drivers finishing on the podium. Chris Coffey in the No. 97 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4 won a hard-fought battle with Joey DaSilva in the No. 67 Ave Motorsports Toyota Supra to claim the top step of the podium, while his teammate, Colin Cohen in the No. 38 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4, finished third.

The team announced this week that Josh Hurley, who runs in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series in the No. 20 Greenlight Simulation/BCR Ford Mustang, would be joining their roster as driver coach and engineer. Hurley was the winner of Trans Am’s first Esports championship in 2020, and won at the virtual Road Atlanta that season. Hurley also clinched his first SCCA Pro Championship at Road Atlanta, winning the 2008 VW TDI Cup title.

TA/XGT/SGT/GT News & Notes
Richard Grant in the No. 30 Grant Racing Chevrolet Camaro recently raced in the SCCA Super Tour event at Road Atlanta. He finished fifth in GT1 in Race 1 and seventh in Race 2.

Once again, Adam Andretti will be pulling double duty this weekend at Road Atlanta. Andretti will pilot the No. 17 Top Liner/Go Share Chevrolet Camaro for Burtin Racing in the TA class, in addition to the No. 41 Ultimate Headers Chevrolet Camaro in TA2. Andretti also has one other role in this weekend’s event: birthday boy. Andretti will celebrate his birthday on Sunday, March 24th, the same day as the TA/XGT/SGT/GT race.

In addition to running his familiar No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3, this weekend, XGT’s Danny Lowry will also be racing in SVRA’s Group 6, driving a 1965 Ford GT 350.

Boris Said has two Trans Am victories at Road Atlanta, but has also visited victory lane at the track’s most prestigious event: the Petit Le Mans. Said drove to victory in the GT class in 2001. Tomy Drissi in the No. 8 Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro also has a Petit Le Mans win, driving to victory in the PC class in 2017.

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series

Standings in for a Shakeup
Connor Zilisch and Austin Green both sit in the top five of the overall CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series standings and the rankings for the Young Gun Award, which will reward the highest-finishing driver under the age of 25 with $20,000. However, both drivers are missing from the entry list this weekend, as they are running part-time schedules while they split their driving efforts between multiple racing series. This presents the opportunity for full-time drivers Rafa Matos in the No. 60 Concord American Flagpole Ford Mustang, who sits third in the overall points, and Thomas Annunziata in the No. 90 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang, who is currently fourth, to move up the standings and potentially put a buffer between them and sixth-place Thomas Merrill (No. 26 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang) and seventh-place Adrian Wlostowski (No. 3 CMI/Spot-On-Serv Ford Mustang). In the Young Gun standings, a good run can allow Annunziata to take over the lead, as he currently has a 16-point advantage over fifth-place Ben Maier (No. 80 BOE Marine Ford Mustang). Tyler Gonzalez in the No. 40 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang currently sits in the top five of both the series and Young Gun standings and is entered this weekend, but he is not expected to run a full schedule this season.

Michele Abbate Paying Tribute
Michele Abbate returns to the racetrack for the first time this weekend following an incredibly difficult off-season. Abbate’s older brother, Sergeant Michael Abbate of the Nevada State Police, was hit and killed by a drunk driver while he and his colleague were assisting an unresponsive driver, who was also under the influence. His colleague, Trooper Alberto Felix, was also killed in the incident. Michael Abbate was passionate about racing and was the lead instructor and coordinator for the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course.

This weekend, Abbate will be carrying her brother’s name, as well as a thin blue line tribute on the side of her No. 30 GHOST Ford Mustang with the hopes of raising awareness for STOP DUI, a Nevada non-profit that keeps impaired drivers off the roads, both locally and nationally.

Barry Boes On Top
Barry Boes in the No. 27 Team SLR-M1 Racecars Ford Mustang currently sits atop the Pro/Am standings after topping the class at the season opener at Sebring International Raceway. He also comes into this weekend’s race with excellent statistics and recent experience at Road Atlanta. Two weeks ago, he scored a GT2 win in Race 2 of the SCCA Super Tour event at the track. In total, Boes has won five of his last six races in the GT2 class, with previous SCCA victories at Sebring and NOLA Motorsports Park. Boes also earned top-five finishes in both of the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s Western Championship races in the season-opening Thunderhill doubleheader.

Another Pro/Am competitor, Bruce Raymond in the No. 54 Optima Batteries Ford Mustang, also has found success at Road Atlanta in the past, winning at the track in the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association’s Group 10 in recent years. Raymond was SVRA’s Group 10 champion in both 2019 and 2020.

Road Atlanta SCCA Super Tour
Boes isn’t the only driver to experience recent success at Road Atlanta, as several other competitors in the TA2 Series also competed in the SCCA Super Tour event at the track.

John Weisberg, No. 11 Iron Smoke/Red Line Oil/Carbotech Chevrolet Camaro
Finished third in GT2 in Race 1 and fourth in Race 2

Caleb Bacon, No. 18 CB Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro
Finished second in GT1 in Race 1 and fourth in Race 2

Patrick Paul, No. 34 Paul Racing Enterprises Ford Mustang
Finished fifth in GT2 in both Race 1 and Race 2

Jared Odrick, No. 81 CB Motorsports Ford Mustang
Finished third in GT1 Race 1 and fifth in Race 2

Jake Drew Debut
Jake Drew will be making his first-career Trans Am Series start this weekend, stepping into the No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro previously occupied by Connor Zilisch. Drew was the 2022 ARCA Menards Series West champion, and has also made six starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The 24-year-old has three ARCA road course wins, scoring two at Portland International Raceway and one at Sonoma Raceway, both in the season he won the championship.

The Silver Hare Racing team certainly knows how to win at Road Atlanta, as Zilisch earned his first-career Trans Am win at the track last season. The team also opened 2024 with a victory, with Zilisch winning the season opener at Sebring International Raceway in the car last month.

Like Father, Like Son
Boris Said Jr. will be sporting new colors this weekend on his No. 75 Silver Hare Racing Camaro. He will be driving a blue and white HendrickCars.com livery through the rest of the season. The paint scheme matches a car that his father, Boris Said, will drive in what is intended to be his final NASCAR race, the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Sonoma Raceway in June.

TA2 News & Notes
Usually atop the pit box, Nitro Motorsports team owner Nick Tucker earned a trophy for his accomplishments behind the wheel last weekend. Tucker competed in IMSA’s Pilot Challenge as part of the 12 Hours of Sebring and finished third in the TCR class with teammate and Trans Am alum Andy Lally.

Another TA2 competitor also had a fantastic weekend at the 12 Hours of Sebring: Connor Zilisch won his second IMSA race of the season, victorious in LMP2. He was previously a part of the winning LMP2 team at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.

Darin Mock will be unveiling a new paint scheme this weekend with a new sponsor, ProFabrication, Inc. The owner of the company, Steve Sousley, is a former NASCAR team employee of Mock’s father, Butch Mock. The two developed a lifelong friendship, and ProFabrication, Inc. now supplies headers and exhaust systems to nearly every circle track and road racing series in America, which will soon include Trans Am’s TA2 Series.

Tyler Gonzalez in the No. 40 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang is coming off a Mazda MX-5 Cup win last week at Sebring International Raceway.

Motul Petit Le Mans: 10 hours to decide it all

It’s not unusual for an IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship title to be decided at the season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. But for the 2023 edition taking place Oct. 11-14, the GTP class battle will be something extraordinary: The first six cars, representing all four GTP manufacturers, are still in the hunt for the inaugural title.

As if that isn’t tight enough, the first three cars in the standings are separated by a miniscule five points. Going into the finale, the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac holds a three-point lead over the No.10 Konica Minolta Acura, which sits one place and just two points above Porsche Penske Motorsport’s No. 6 entry.

The next three cars might have a slightly taller order to fill if they’re to emerge as the GTP class champions for 2023, but in a season like this one has been, nothing can be discounted… Breathing down the necks of the top-three contenders are the No. 25 BMW M Team RLL entry, the Porsche Penske Motorsport’s No. 7 machine and the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agaganian Acura.

“All we can do when we head to Road Atlanta is do the best job that we can and see where we end up, because the one thing about the place is that crazy (stuff) always happens at the end of the race,” says Matt Campbell, driver of the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 with Felipe Nasr.

Filipe Albuquerque, co-driver of the second-placed No. 10 Acura with Ricky Taylor, sums it up even more succinctly, noting: “Like every year in IMSA, it’s all down to the final race, Motul Petit Le Mans.”

If that doesn’t present enough potential adrenalin-inducing excitement for you, consider that championships are also to be decided in the LMP2, LMP3 and GTP Pro classes during Motul Petit Le Mans, as well as a host of other hard-fought titles including the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, which remains exceptionally tight across every WeatherTech Championship class.

The bounty of championship-settling battles continues throughout a stacked lineup of races during Motul Petit Le Mans weekend.

Championships are going down to the wire across virtually all of IMSA’s classes at Motul Petit Le Mans. IMSA Photo

The Fox Factory 120 race for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge will decide title winners in both the GS and TCR classes. Meanwhile, the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich offers double the fun with two races over the weekend to determine who will take the championship in that series. And new this year, the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge will crown its first overall winner from another tight contest.

There’s not much more you could ask for: championships at stake in every series, four days, and nights, of sports car sights and sounds, and the natural beauty of fall settling in across the picturesque landscape of Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Don’t miss it.

HEAD TRACKSIDE

Tickets are going fast for the 2023 Motul Petit Le Mans and Fox Factory 120. To get yours, visit roadatlanta.com.

While you’re there, check out what else the Motul Petit Le Mans weekend has to offer, including overnight camping, a revitalized fan zone and family-friendly kids’ zone, as well as well as a number of VIP Hospitality options.

Once you’re inside, enjoy the upgraded view of the start/finish line, front straight and pit lane thanks to a brand-new grandstand addition alongside the Michelin Tower.

Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta fans will also be able to take advantage of a new shuttle dispatch system with handicap access. Details are available on the website as well as in the fan guide and social media.

Mitty wraps as one of the biggest runnings of HSR’s oldest race

The 45th Historic Sportscar Racing Mitty at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta went into the record books as one of the biggest editions of HSR’s oldest race after an exciting and competitive final day of racing on Sunday. A pair of overall weekend race winners finally hit the top step of the podium while another well-known competitor stepped up to win his second-straight Gene Felton Memorial Trophy Award after a podium finish in Sunday’s final NASCAR 75th Anniversary Historic Stock Cars race.

Early Sunday rain showers gave way to sunny skies by noon but not before a robust group of HSR Vintage and GT Classic competitors took to a wet and cloudy Road Atlanta road course for a one-hour B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge race.

After 60 minutes of outstanding car control in tricky conditions by some of HSR’s best drivers, Angus Rogers emerged for the overall and GTC win in his KMW Motorsports 1973 No. 15 Porsche 911 RSR.

Rogers shared the podium with Vintage class winner Colin Dougherty, who crossed the line second overall his 1988 No. 86 Porsche Turbo Cup series car prepared by DAS Sport. The win was Dougherty’s second feature race victory of the 45th Mitty weekend after finishing first in the Porsche class in Friday’s Sasco Sports B Race.

Peter Dolan closed out the overall top three and finished second in GTC in his Cobra Automotive 1965 No. 76 Mustang Shelby GT350.

Read the full story with more photos at VintageMotorsport.com.

HSR Mitty crowns first winners

Pristine weather with sunshine and temperatures in the 80s provided the perfect setting for the on-track competition Friday at the Historic Sportscar Racing 45th HSR Mitty at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta where back-to-back Sasco Sports …

Larry Ligas went a perfect two-for-two in Sasco Sports races this season with an International class victory Friday in Race A for larger displacement cars. Ligas followed up his win in the season-opening Sasco Sports race last month at Sebring International Raceway with another class and overall victory at Road Atlanta in his Predator Performance 1961 No. 61 Jaguar XKE.

The Sasco Sports International/American Challenge Race B overall victory for small-bore race cars went to Simon Foweather in his TPC Motorsports 2018 No. 61 Caterham Seven 420R. Foweather also scored Race B International class honors and — in addition to both winning with No. 61 on their cars — joined Ligas in a victorious repeat of his own. Foweather scored a B.R.M. Endurance Challenge overall race win in his Caterham at last September’s HSR Fall Historics and now has a two-race Michelin Raceway win streak.

Friday’s other Sasco Sports winners included Gary Moore in his Cobra Automotive 1966 No. 98 Mustang Shelby GT350, Robert Spence in the 1972 No. 63 Porsche 911 and Colin Dougherty in his 1988 No. 86 Porsche Turbo Cup series car prepared by DAS Sport.

Moore won Sasco Sports Race A in the American division and finished second overall behind Ligas. Spence scored Porsche-class honors in Race 1 while Dougherty topped an all Porsche 944 top-three with a victory in the Gold Crest class in Race B.

Peter Dolan completed the overall top three in Race A and finished second in the American division in his 1965 No. 76 Mustang Shelby GT350. A Mustang podium sweep was completed by Craig Ross who took third in American in Race A in his 1970 No. 72 Cross Ross Boss Racing Ford Mustang Boss 302.

The 944 sweep Dougherty anchored in the Porsche class in Race B included Joey Sullivan in second in his 1989 No. 141 Porsche 944 S2 and Ray Shaffer who crossed the line taking third in his DAS Sport 1988 No. 55 Porsche 944 Turbo.

Race B’s Porsche podium was completed by Angus Rogers in second place in his KMW Motorsports 1973 No. 15 Porsche 911 RSR and Aaron Nash in the Craig Sutherland-owned 1973 No. 41 Porsche 911 S/T in the third and final podium position.

Friday’s podium players also included Rob Albino in his Hudson Historics 2000 No. 99 BMW Z3 Coupe and Greg Ira in the 1973 No. 83 Datsun 240Z who placed second and third, respectively, behind Ligas in Race A International.

The highlight of tomorrow’s 45th HSR Mitty scheduled is the first NASCAR 75th Anniversary Gene Felton Memorial Challenge race that formally launches Saturday’s racing schedule with a 1pm ET green flag.

Saturday also features the arrival of the iconic Wood Brothers Racing family that presides over the weekend’s racing activity as the Grand Marshals of the 45th HSR Mitty. Eddie Wood and Len Wood will represent the family as the primary Grand Marshals and may be joined by their 88-year-old uncle, Leonard Wood.

45th HSR Mitty celebrates NASCAR 75 at Road Atlanta this weekend

A high-speed roll call of top Historic Sportscar Racing competitors and some of the most famous names in stock car racing history come together this weekend for the 45th HSR Mitty at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, which celebrates NASCAR’s 75th …

Founded in 1948, NASCAR marks its 75th season in 2023, and the HSR Mitty is just one part of the year-long NASCAR 75 celebration. Historic stock cars have been a major part the last few years of the HSR events at Michelin Raceway, but this weekend’s 75th NASCAR anniversary celebration raises the bar. The event has attracted an unprecedented HSR entry of nearly 60 historic and vintage stock cars that will both compete and make exhibition laps on the 2.54-mile road course north of Atlanta.

The Saturday and Sunday NASCAR 75 feature races also serve as the second annual Gene Felton Memorial Challenge, which honors the late road racing star and 2019 HSR Mitty Grand Marshal Gene Felton.

In addition to receiving a special race winner’s trophy, a plaque bearing the winning driver’s name is also placed on the hand-made Lanier Technical College Gene Felton Trophy. The one-of-a-kind award features actual pieces of Road Atlanta asphalt, decorative clear vials of the Georgia red clay that surrounds the circuit and a silver cup replicating one of Felton’s many racing trophies. The perpetual trophy commemorates Felton’s long association with nearby Lanier Technical College, where he helped interns in the Motorsports Vehicle Training program get hands-on racing experience.

Read the full story at VintageMotorsport.com.

Zilisch breaks through to first TA2 win at Road Atlanta

Connor Zilisch has been close to victory before in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series, but he finally broke through and scored his first win at the Mission Foods Atlanta SpeedTour. The 16-year-old Young Gun fought his way past two champions and earned the top step on the podium with a winning pass on the penultimate lap in the Bennett/BridgeHaul 100 at Road Atlanta.

Two-time Trans Am champion Rafa Matos in the No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang started the race from the pole alongside Evan Slater in the No. 6 Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro. The two were immediately challenged by Australian Nathan Herne in the No. 29 CUBE 3/Berryman Ford Mustang, who took over the lead by the completion of the first lap. Herne’s lead was short-lived though, as he dropped back to fourth on lap three after he went off course in the Bennett/BridgeHaul esses and received front-end damage. Matos and Slater once again paced the field, but the complexion of the race changed on a lap eight restart following a brief caution period.

Thomas Merrill in the No. 26 Bennett/HP Tuners/Mike Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang had a great restart, and by lap 10 he was leading the field. Meanwhile, Herne’s damage forced retirement from the race. Matos and Slater followed Merrill around the 2.54-mile circuit, but Zilisch in the No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Camaro picked off Slater on lap 16, and made his way past Matos on lap 22, just as Brent Crews in the No. 70 Franklin Road Apparel Mustang passed Slater. A double yellow on lap 23 and subsequent black flag tightened up the field for a lap-29 restart. With limited time remaining on the race clock, drivers would only have five more laps of green-flag competition. Merrill was able to hold off Zilisch until the penultimate lap, when the young driver was able to muscle past the reigning champion. Zilisch closed the door on Merrill and crossed the finish line for the win as the skies opened up with rain. Matos, Crews and Slater followed to round out the top five.

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“What an awesome race, this is amazing,” said Zilisch in Victory Lane. “We’ve been working at this for over a year now and we’ve been through the ups and downs of this sport, trying to get our first win. We finally got the job done here at Road Atlanta. I’m just so thankful for my crew and everything that they’ve done for me. Thank you to Maurice and Laura (Hull); they’ve taken a chance on me and given me the opportunity to come out here and prove my talent. The first three races of the year, we’ve been really fast. To finally put it all together and get on top of the box is really special to me and to all these guys as well. It’s all paid off, we’re officially winners. I’m thankful and ready for the rest of the season. We’re going to keep working hard and keep getting better.”

This was the first win for Silver Hare Racing since 2020 at Circuit of The Americas with Rafa Matos.

Two of the first three TA2 races of the 2023 season have been won by Young Gun drivers age 16 or younger.

Misha Goikhberg in the No. 10 BC Race Cars Ford Mustang finished sixth, his best finish since his sixth-place finish at Road Atlanta last year.

TA2 Masters Award:
Doug Peterson, No. 87 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang

TA2 Pro/Am Winner:
Steven Lustig, No. 05 The Autosport Group Chevrolet Camaro

COOLSHIRT Cool Move of the Race:
Connor Zilisch, No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro

Omologato Watches Fastest Lap of the Race:
Connor Zilisch, No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro

Serck Precision Clean Up:
Thomas Merrill, No. 26 Bennett/HP Tuners/Mike Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang

Bassett Hard Charger:
Caleb Bacon, No. 18 Cortex Racing/Bacon Development Ford Mustang

The broadcast of Sunday’s race will air on MAVTV on Thursday, March 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

The Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series has a two-month hiatus before returning to the track May 26-29 at Lime Rock Park for the Trans Am Memorial Day Classic.

RESULTS

Road Atlanta Trans Am TA2 live stream

Stream the action from today’s Bennett/BridgeHaul 100, part of the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series at the Mission Foods Atlanta SpeedTour. Pre-race coverage begins at 11:45am ET with the race set to …

Matos scores TA2 pole at Road Atlanta

Rafa Matos in the No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang earned the Motul Pole Award for the Bennett/BridgeHaul 100, part of the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series at the Mission Foods …

Matos, who won the 2023 season-opening race will start beside Evan Slater in the No. 6 Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro. NOLA winner Brent Crews will start fourth in the No. 70 Franklin Road Apparel Mustang.

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“The weekend has been very smooth for us,” said Matos. “I think the 3-Dimensional Services Group team gave me an amazing, fast car every session, and we’re just fine-tuning it. To get the pole position was really, really important, not only for the points, but to build up confidence for the whole team and myself. It was our first pole position since last year in Sebring, so it’s very rewarding. We’re hoping to have a clean race tomorrow. Hopefully we’ll win, but we need to finish the race and collect points. I’d like to dedicate this pole position to my mom, she’s turning 70 years old tomorrow. I’d love to dedicate a race win to her tomorrow too.”

The race will be contested on Sunday, March 26 at 12:15 p.m. ET and can be streamed live here.

The TV broadcast of the Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series race will air on MAVTV on Thursday, March 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

QUALIFYING RESULTS

PRACTICE RESULTS