The TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing took to the track one last time this weekend for Race 2. It was a seamless race with only one brief caution coming out in the closing stages.
Chris Walsh resumed his winning ways as he stormed down VIRginia International Raceway in his No. 104 Carrus Callas Raceteam BMW M2 CS (Cup) to take another TCX class win. It was a true battle to the line in the TC class, with Cristian Perocarpi coming out on top for the first time this year in the No. 37 MINI JCW Team MINI JCW TC Pro. In TCA, Alex Garcia swept the weekend in his No. 14 Skip Barber Racing Honda Civic Si FE1.
TCX
Chris Walsh got an excellent start from pole position in his No. 104 Carrus Callas Raceteam BMW M2 CS (Cup). Celso Neto in the No. 22 Skip Barber Racing Acura Integra Type S tried to stay close and prevent him from building a gap, but to no avail as Walsh began to pull ahead down the track.
With 15 minutes remaining, Walsh had established a seven second buffer to the cars behind. A late-stage safety car brought the field back together again with just over five minutes to go, but Walsh was undeterred as the race went green again in the final minutes, speeding off like a rocket.
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As Walsh took the checkered flag, he returned to victory lane for the seventh time, adding to his nearly-perfect season thus far. Celso Neto returned to the podium in second place, with Cooper Broll rounding off the top three in the No. 19 Skip Barber Racing Acura Integra Type S.
TC
Jeff Ricca and Cristian Perocarpi were quick to begin battling it out at the front again in their No. 78 Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC and No. 37 MINI JCW Team MINI JCW TC Pro. Perocarpi made a bold lunge for the lead in the opening laps, but Ricca remained in hot pursuit. The two kept each other honest lap after lap, leaving no room for error as they ran nose-to-tail.
There was drama in the final ten minutes of the race as Sally McNulty in the No. 780 Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC and Scott Thomson in the No. 66 MINI JCW Team MINI JCW TC Pro made contact, which brought out a full course caution.
Things got a little dicey on the race restart, with Perocarpi getting his elbows out in traffic in order to maintain his slight advantage over Ricca who was charging alongside him on the outside line. In the end, Perocarpi prevailed, fending off the attack and going on to clinch his first win of the season, with Ricca finishing second, and Ruben Iglesias Jr. in the No. 77 Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC completing the podium.
When talking about his crucial overtake for the lead, Perocarpi explained that “I saw the gap and I knew I had to go for it. There were no ifs, ands, or buts. I had to try to get it done and I can’t believe we held them off.”
“It’s just very emotional,” he continued. “It’s been amazing. I’ve just been around a great group of people surrounding me. I was motivated and ready to get it done. I knew what I had to do this morning. I’m just so thankful to MINI USA for making sure I get to go drive a race car and have fun with all my friends and family. Thank you to everybody on the team and everybody that supports us.”
TCA
Alex Garcia led the way in his No. 14 Skip Barber Racing Honda Civic Si FE1 as the green flag waved and never looked back. He masterfully navigated the twisting turns of VIRginia International Raceway, effectively sweeping the weekend.
Canada’s PJ Groenke came in second in his No. 62 MINI JCW, edging out his teammate Alan Grossberg who rounded off the TCA Class podium in his No. 63 MINI JCW.
“ I am looking forward to be a contender in the championship,” stated Garcia at the podium celebrations. “So he (PJ) was putting up a really great fight. It just makes it that much better to show out there, the win is even more meaningful. We had some good pace out here today. I’m looking forward to doing the rest of the season.”