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    trans am series    Sports Car Club of America   International GT (IGT)Parella Motorsports

speedtour  sportscar vintage racing association  FR Americas and F4 U.S Prototype Sprint Series Association


trans am series

 

www.gotransam.com

The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli is the longest-running professional road race series in the United States. The Trans Am Series was founded by racing factory pony cars in the late 1960s. More than 50 years after their launch, Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers continue to be sold today, with Trans Am racing credited as playing a major role in their success and longevity. The SpeedTour will host the professional race series at 19 events nationwide in 2023. 


 

Tim Barber Remains in Championship Hunt with Win in Spring Mountain Race 2


 

Barry Boes Claims Second, Kyle Kelley Third, David Hampton Wins Again in SGT

PAHRUMP, Nev. (October 20, 2024) - After a disappointing premature end to his race yesterday, Tim Barber bounced back in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli Western Championship’s Race 2 at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. Taking the green flag in fifth place, Barber took the lead early and never looked back, dominating for 26 laps and earning his third CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series victory.

 

Notes of Interest

  • Tim Barber earned his third win of the 2024 season.

  • Barber was forced to retire on lap seven in yesterday’s Race 1 due to a transmission issue. He was leading at the time of the mechanical problem.

  • Barry Boes and Kyle Kelley each scored two podium finishes this weekend.

  • Michael LaPaglia leads the points going into the season finale at COTA.

  • Barber remains second in the standings, 43 points behind LaPaglia.

  • Kelley remains the only other driver still in contention for the championship, 82 points back. 

Barber started the race from the fifth position, but as soon as the green flag waved, he was on his way to the front. He navigated his No. 33 DIG Motorsports Ford Mustang into the third position by the conclusion of the first lap, passing fourth-place starter Tim Carroll (No. 46 CRDMFG.com Chevrolet Camaro) and third-place Michael LaPaglia (No. 31 Papini’s Garage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang). On the third lap, Barber began to battle with Barry Boes, who took the green flag from the second position in his No. 32 Accio Data/TRB Autosport Ford Mustang, claiming the runner-up spot by lap four. From there, it only took him one lap to claim the lead from Kyle Kelley in the No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang, putting Barber in the point position by lap five.


 

Behind him, Kelley remained within striking distance for a while, but on lap 17, smoke was seen coming from the No. 80, and Kelley felt his steering become heavy, indicating that he had lost power steering. Able to use the track’s berms to muscle his car through the turns, Kelley’s lap times slowed, allowing Boes to take away the second position by lap 21. Once in second, Boes was able to chip away slightly at the large gap Barber had opened, but it wasn’t enough. When the checkered flag waved, Barber took the victory, followed by Boes. Kelley was able to hold on to third, with LaPaglia and Carroll crossing the line in fourth and fifth.


 

“We had a little bit of bad luck yesterday,” said Barber. “The car's been pretty good all weekend. We were towards the front of the timesheets all weekend. Of course, I’ve got to thank Jeremy, Dave and Paula, who worked some late nights. It was really nice to have Chas Howe here, bouncing things off him. The Howe car worked great. The Katech motor worked great. I’ve got to thank Wheeler for coming over and always checking on us and helping. I had all four gears and the car felt great. I was glad to get away from these guys and not have to battle, because I didn't get to run the race yesterday to know how greasy it would get, so I just kind of ran scared and held on. It worked.”


 

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Top Five:

1. Tim Barber, No. 33 DIG Motorsports Ford Mustang

2. Barry Boes, No. 32 Accio Data/TRB Autosport Ford Mustang

3. Kyle Kelley, No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang

4. Michael LaPaglia, No. 31 Papini’s Garage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang

5. Tim Carroll, No. 46 CRDMFG.com Chevrolet Camaro

David Hampton in the No. 14 AR Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport was the sole competitor in his class, but much like yesterday, he was still dicing it up with competitors in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series. Hampton battled hardest with JC Meynet in the No. 28 B-Bar Ranch/Killer Shrimp Chevrolet Camaro, holding him at bay until relinquishing the position in the closing laps. Hampton ultimately finished seventh overall and earned his third SGT victory in just four starts in the class.


 

“Well, I'm just trying to stay ahead of those guys,” said Hampton. “They've got so much horsepower, and they're just driving so fast. They do not want me to be ahead of them. I just do what I can, and that's what you get. [My car] turned pretty darn good. I turned my fastest lap times here today; super awesome, into the 2:17s. The guys dialed the car in, so I’ve got to thank my AR Motorsports guys, Martin, John, all the crew. It's just been a whole bunch of fun this weekend.”


 

SGT Results:

1. David Hampton, No. 14 AR Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport

Full race results can be found here.


 

The Western Championship next heads to Circuit of The Americas for the season finale where all of this year's champions will be crowned on November 3.

 


 

Points Leader Michael LaPaglia Wins Race 1 at Spring Mountain


 

Kyle Kelley Second, Barry Boes Third in CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, David Hampton Wins SGT

PAHRUMP, Nev. (October 19, 2024) – Michael LaPaglia earned his second CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series victory of the season in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli Western Championship’s Race 1 at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. After starting second, trouble for early leader Tim Barber opened the door for LaPaglia to win in a tight battle despite last-lap trouble. The victory allows LaPaglia to maintain the points lead in an incredibly competitive title hunt, as just two checkered flags remain in the Western Championship’s 2024 season. 

 

Notes of Interest

  • This was Michael LaPaglia’s second victory and sixth podium of the 2024 season.

  • LaPaglia earned his eighth-career Trans Am victory.

  • Second-place finisher Kyle Kelley started the race last after receiving damage in qualifying. Kelley was late to the grid while his team replaced the car’s nose and front-end components.

  • This was Barry Boes’ second Western Championship podium of the season. Boes has already clinched the TA2 Pro/Am Challenge title in the National Championship.

Tim Barber took the green flag from the pole position in his No. 33 DIG Motorsports Ford Mustang, leading handily for the first six laps of the race. However, his day came to an abrupt halt as he experienced a transmission issue on lap seven, forcing his retirement. Michael LaPaglia, who started the race second but had dropped back to third in his No. 31 Papini’s Garage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang, was in a more advantageous spot when Barber unexpectedly slowed, allowing him to pass second-place Barry Boes (No. 32 Accio Data/TRB Autosport Ford Mustang) and take over the point position.


 

Following a brief caution period, LaPaglia led Boes, Tim Carroll (No. 46 CRDMFG.com Chevrolet Camaro), Jared Odrick (No. 77 BLACK Underwear Ford Mustang) and JC Meynet (No. 28 B-Bar Ranch/Killer Shrimp Chevrolet Camaro) to green, but it quickly became a two-man race between LaPaglia and Boes. On lap 12, Kyle Kelley, who nearly missed the start of the race due to damage in qualifying, entered the top five in his No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang after starting last. Odrick exited the race with air box damage on lap 15, and on lap 17, Kelley made his way around Carroll, taking over third place.


 

LaPaglia and Boes remained in control of the race, with Boes closing in tightly on LaPaglia but not able to make the pass. As the race clicked by, the Pirelli tires showed their resilience, with drivers setting their fastest laps of the race in the last five laps. In the final turns of the final lap, LaPaglia put two tires off the racing surface and spun, but Boes also spun behind him independently. While LaPaglia was able to right himself without losing the lead, Kelley was able to pass Boes, and the top three drag raced to the finish line. LaPaglia crossed first, followed by Kelley, Boes, Carroll and Meynet.


 

“Everything really worked out well for us today,” said LaPaglia atop the podium. “We qualified P2, which, historically, I have been a pretty bad qualifier. It's good to start up front and just try to drive a smart race. The car was kind of going away from me there toward the end of the race, and I just tried to hold on to it. I knew Kyle [Kelley] was coming, I knew Barry [Boes] was on me, because he was riding my rearview mirror the whole time, so it was super stressful. He's been racing a lot, and racing a lot in the National Championship, so I knew he was going to be there in the end. I knew I had to get the car to the finish line. I almost didn't there for a second, with about 30 seconds to go, but kept it together and held on. I'm just happy to get a win for the team. Brody Goble came out to give me a little extra help, and the guys are here from Howe Racing; my dad's here, and everyone from Papini's Garage, and it's just great to have the team out, and to get a win for everybody.”

 

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Top Five:

1. Michael LaPaglia, No. 31 Papini’s Garage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang

2. Kyle Kelley, No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang

3. Barry Boes, No. 32 Accio Data/TRB Autosport Ford Mustang

4. Tim Carroll, No. 46 CRDMFG.com Chevrolet Camaro

5. JC Meynet, No. 28 B-Bar Ranch/Killer Shrimp Chevrolet Camaro


 

CoolBoxx Coolest Move of the Race:

Kyle Kelley, No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang

David Hampton in the No. 14 AR Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport was the only competitor in the SGT class, but he still had an interesting race while competing with the much faster CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series cars. Holding his own, he had a great battle at the end of the race with Jim Guthrie in the No. 27 Guthrie’s Garage Ford Mustang, almost passing him in the closing laps. When the checkered flag waved, Hampton earned his second SGT victory and seventh win of the season, having already captured the GT championship with five victories.


 

“I have to say that it is really fun to run with these [TA2] guys,” said Hampton on the podium. “They're so dang fast, and I'm just trying to hold my own with them. I got really close to passing this guy in front of me; we were working it, working it, working it, and I was right there, but I just couldn't quite pull it off. Pretty soon, my front tires just gave way, and that was about it. So, a really fun, great day. Thanks to Trans Am. You guys put on a heck of a program. The track was fantastic today without the wind and the dust and all that. Thanks to my team, AR Motorsports. These guys are just absolutely awesome. My wife, who's here, my lovely wife, thank you for coming. Thanks a lot, everybody."


 

SGT Results:

1. David Hampton, No. 14 AR Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport

Full race results can be found here.


 

Race 2 of the Spring Mountain SpeedTour is tomorrow at 11:10 a.m. PT. Teams will have the opportunity to practice from 9:00-9:25 a.m. PT.

 

 


 

Tim Barber Earns Spring Mountain Pole in Penultimate Western Championship Weekend



Michael LaPaglia Second, Barry Boes Third in CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, Hampton Fastest in SGT

PAHRUMP, Nev. (October 19, 2024) – Practice and qualifying are complete for the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s Western Championship at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series competitor Tim Barber in the No. 33 DIG Motorsports Ford Mustang set the fastest time with a lap of 2:14.510, earning his fifth pole of the 2024 season. Championship points leader Michael LaPaglia (No. 31 Papini’s Garage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang) was second quickest, and Barry Boes, who was fastest in yesterday’s practice session, was third in his No. 32 Accio Data/TRB Autosport Ford Mustang. David Hampton in the No. 14 AR Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport was best in SGT with a time of 2:19.830.

 

“It's my first time here, so there's a lot of turns to learn, curbs to learn, and all that sort of stuff,” said Barber. “It's a fun track. I don't know how it's going to race, because it's switched back so often, there’s not a lot of opportunity for passing. Hopefully I can score out a lead, get the field behind me and not have to deal with that. When you go off, it sprays—not just dirt, but rocks. Even in qualifying there, I think the track had more potential, but the fast section—Turns 13, 14, 15 and coming back toward the pits—was just covered in stuff. So, it's a little hairy. When you have [the dirt and rocks] you can't slow down too much, so more people go off. I just want to survive.”


 

Race 1 of the Spring Mountain SpeedTour will be contested today at 1:05 p.m. PT.


 

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Qualifying Top Five:

1. Tim Barber, No. 33 DIG Motorsports Ford Mustang (2:14.510)

2. Michael LaPaglia, No. 31 Papini’s Garage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang (2:15.283)

3. Barry Boes, No. 32 Accio Data/TRB Autosport Ford Mustang (2:15.595)

4. Tim Carroll, No. 46 CRDMFG.com Chevrolet Camaro (2:16.027)

5. Kyle Kelley, No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang (2:16.432)


 

SGT Qualifying:

1. David Hampton, No. 14 AR Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport (2:19.830)

 

Full qualifying results can be found here.

 

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Practice:

1. Barry Boes, No. 32 Accio Data/TRB Autosport Ford Mustang (2:14.612)

2. Tim Barber, No. 33 DIG Motorsports Ford Mustang (2:14.659)

3. Jared Odrick, No. 77 BLACK Underwear Ford Mustang (2:16.466)

4. Tim Carroll, No. 46 CRDMFG.com Chevrolet Camaro (2:16.669)

5. Michael LaPaglia, No. 31 Papini’s Garage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang (2:16.712)

 

SGT Practice:

1. David Hampton, No. 14 AR Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport (2:20.598)


 

Full practice results can be found here.

 

Points Leader Michael LaPaglia Wins Race 1 at Spring Mountain


 

Kyle Kelley Second, Barry Boes Third in CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, David Hampton Wins SGT

PAHRUMP, Nev. (October 19, 2024) – Michael LaPaglia earned his second CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series victory of the season in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli Western Championship’s Race 1 at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. After starting second, trouble for early leader Tim Barber opened the door for LaPaglia to win in a tight battle despite last-lap trouble. The victory allows LaPaglia to maintain the points lead in an incredibly competitive title hunt, as just two checkered flags remain in the Western Championship’s 2024 season. 

 

Notes of Interest

  • This was Michael LaPaglia’s second victory and sixth podium of the 2024 season.
  • LaPaglia earned his eighth-career Trans Am victory.
  • Second-place finisher Kyle Kelley started the race last after receiving damage in qualifying. Kelley was late to the grid while his team replaced the car’s nose and front-end components.
  • This was Barry Boes’ second Western Championship podium of the season. Boes has already clinched the TA2 Pro/Am Challenge title in the National Championship.

Tim Barber took the green flag from the pole position in his No. 33 DIG Motorsports Ford Mustang, leading handily for the first six laps of the race. However, his day came to an abrupt halt as he experienced a transmission issue on lap seven, forcing his retirement. Michael LaPaglia, who started the race second but had dropped back to third in his No. 31 Papini’s Garage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang, was in a more advantageous spot when Barber unexpectedly slowed, allowing him to pass second-place Barry Boes (No. 32 Accio Data/TRB Autosport Ford Mustang) and take over the point position.


 

Following a brief caution period, LaPaglia led Boes, Tim Carroll (No. 46 CRDMFG.com Chevrolet Camaro), Jared Odrick (No. 77 BLACK Underwear Ford Mustang) and JC Meynet (No. 28 B-Bar Ranch/Killer Shrimp Chevrolet Camaro) to green, but it quickly became a two-man race between LaPaglia and Boes. On lap 12, Kyle Kelley, who nearly missed the start of the race due to damage in qualifying, entered the top five in his No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang after starting last. Odrick exited the race with air box damage on lap 15, and on lap 17, Kelley made his way around Carroll, taking over third place.


 

LaPaglia and Boes remained in control of the race, with Boes closing in tightly on LaPaglia but not able to make the pass. As the race clicked by, the Pirelli tires showed their resilience, with drivers setting their fastest laps of the race in the last five laps. In the final turns of the final lap, LaPaglia put two tires off the racing surface and spun, but Boes also spun behind him independently. While LaPaglia was able to right himself without losing the lead, Kelley was able to pass Boes, and the top three drag raced to the finish line. LaPaglia crossed first, followed by Kelley, Boes, Carroll and Meynet.


 

“Everything really worked out well for us today,” said LaPaglia atop the podium. “We qualified P2, which, historically, I have been a pretty bad qualifier. It's good to start up front and just try to drive a smart race. The car was kind of going away from me there toward the end of the race, and I just tried to hold on to it. I knew Kyle [Kelley] was coming, I knew Barry [Boes] was on me, because he was riding my rearview mirror the whole time, so it was super stressful. He's been racing a lot, and racing a lot in the National Championship, so I knew he was going to be there in the end. I knew I had to get the car to the finish line. I almost didn't there for a second, with about 30 seconds to go, but kept it together and held on. I'm just happy to get a win for the team. Brody Goble came out to give me a little extra help, and the guys are here from Howe Racing; my dad's here, and everyone from Papini's Garage, and it's just great to have the team out, and to get a win for everybody.”

 

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Top Five:

1. Michael LaPaglia, No. 31 Papini’s Garage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang

2. Kyle Kelley, No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang

3. Barry Boes, No. 32 Accio Data/TRB Autosport Ford Mustang

4. Tim Carroll, No. 46 CRDMFG.com Chevrolet Camaro

5. JC Meynet, No. 28 B-Bar Ranch/Killer Shrimp Chevrolet Camaro


 

CoolBoxx Coolest Move of the Race:

Kyle Kelley, No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang

David Hampton in the No. 14 AR Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport was the only competitor in the SGT class, but he still had an interesting race while competing with the much faster CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series cars. Holding his own, he had a great battle at the end of the race with Jim Guthrie in the No. 27 Guthrie’s Garage Ford Mustang, almost passing him in the closing laps. When the checkered flag waved, Hampton earned his second SGT victory and seventh win of the season, having already captured the GT championship with five victories.


 

“I have to say that it is really fun to run with these [TA2] guys,” said Hampton on the podium. “They're so dang fast, and I'm just trying to hold my own with them. I got really close to passing this guy in front of me; we were working it, working it, working it, and I was right there, but I just couldn't quite pull it off. Pretty soon, my front tires just gave way, and that was about it. So, a really fun, great day. Thanks to Trans Am. You guys put on a heck of a program. The track was fantastic today without the wind and the dust and all that. Thanks to my team, AR Motorsports. These guys are just absolutely awesome. My wife, who's here, my lovely wife, thank you for coming. Thanks a lot, everybody."


 

SGT Results:

1. David Hampton, No. 14 AR Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport

Full race results can be found here.


 

Race 2 of the Spring Mountain SpeedTour is tomorrow at 11:10 a.m. PT. Teams will have the opportunity to practice from 9:00-9:25 a.m. PT.

 


 

Menard Earns Sixth TA Victory of 2024, Heartbreak for Dyson at VIR



Lock Wins in XGT Debut, Bryson Wins to Clinch SGT, Coffey Victorious in GT

ALTON, Va. (October 6, 2024) ― Chris Dyson needed to have the perfect race at VIRginia International Raceway to have a shot at claiming his fourth-consecutive title in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s TA class. He started the weekend on the right foot by securing the pole in yesterday’s qualifying session, but he was plagued by issues from the moment the green flag waved. After Paul Menard claimed the lead from him on the initial start, Dyson experienced a mechanical failure on lap seven, forcing him to retire early and allowing Menard to cruise to his sixth victory of the 2024 season

 

Notes of Interest:

  • This was Menard’s sixth win in 10 races and second-consecutive victory.

  • Menard goes into the season finale at Circuit of The Americas with an 86-point lead over Chris Dyson.

  • Tomy Drissi scored his third-consecutive podium finish and sixth of the season.

  • Amy Ruman earned her third podium finish of 2024.

  • XGT’s Brian Lock earned a win in his first-career Trans Am start.

  • Kaylee Bryson became the third woman in history to win a Trans Am championship and the second in the SGT class.

  • Chris Coffey claimed his seventh win of the season and clinched the GT title.


 

Rolling to the starting line in the first position in his No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang, Dyson’s troubles began when the green flag waved and he spun his tires on the start, allowing Menard to capitalize and take the lead in his No. 3 Menards/Masterforce Tools Ford Mustang. Dyson rallied after the start and defended the second position against Amy Ruman (No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Chevrolet Corvette) and Keith Grant (No. 40 Drissi Motorsports/Franklin Road Chevrolet Camaro) behind him. Dyson chased Menard for the next few circuits, but on the final turn of lap seven, the back end of Dyson’s car stepped out on him, causing him to skid off the racing surface. After limping to the paddock, the CD Racing team determined that Dyson’s machine had a broken shock absorber, forcing him to retire from the race and relegating him to a seventh-place finish in the class.


 

A lap-12 restart gave second-place Grant an opportunity to challenge Menard for the lead, but he was unable to complete the pass, opening the door for Ruman to get past him for second. Behind him, Grant was joined by Tomy Drissi in the No. 8 Drissi Motorsports/Lucas/Mission Chevrolet Camaro, who had raced his way through the field after a pre-race penalty forced him to start the race from the back.


 

While Menard handily led, the action continued behind him. On lap 19, Grant was able to get back past Ruman. A lap later, with Drissi on her rear end, Ruman spun, bringing both herself and Drissi to a temporary stop on the racetrack. Drissi was the first to recover, and he took over the third position while Ruman chased him. As the laps ticked by, the two were able to catch up to Grant, and the three were nose to tail in the closing laps. Unfortunately, after taking the white flag, Grant had an issue on the racetrack, allowing both Drissi and Ruman to pass him. Menard took the checkered flag, and Drissi and Ruman followed him across the line for podium positions. Grant was fourth, and his father, Richard Grant in the No. 30 Grant Racing Chevrolet Camaro, was fifth.


 

“We had a great race,” said Menard in GYM WEED Winners Circle. “I hate that Chris [Dyson] had his issues. We got a good launch at the start. Chris is notorious for low air pressure, kind of sluggish starts at the beginning, but then he comes on hard at the end, so I was trying to build a gap to conserve the lead for when the tires fall off. These guys built the car twice this weekend. We just had a couple of little gremlins, and they fixed it for qualifying. The car went from uncomfortable to OK to ‘now we can go race’ after qualifying. It was really solid all day. We played with the sway bars just to try stuff, but really didn't have to adjust the car at all from the inside. I can rest a little bit easier going into COTA now with points, but we're still going to COTA to win.”


 

TA Top Five:

1. Paul Menard, No. 3 Menards/Masterforce Tools Ford Mustang

2. Tomy Drissi, No. 8 Drissi Motorsports/Lucas/Mission Chevrolet Camaro

3. Amy Ruman, No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Chevrolet Corvette

4. Keith Grant, No. 40 Drissi Motorsports/Franklin Road Chevrolet Camaro

5. Richard Grant, No. 30 Grant Racing Chevrolet Camaro


 

EMCO Gears Lap Leader:

Paul Menard, No. 3 Menards/Masterforce Tools Ford Mustang

Brian Lock in the No. 68 Helium Mobile/JDI/Blockjoy Porsche GT3 R led the XGT class to green in his Trans Am debut and never looked back once the action started. He carried incredible speed, leading every lap on his way to his first-career Trans Am victory. He was followed across the finish line by Danny Lowry (No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/PitBoxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3) and Billy Griffin (No. 43 BridgeHaul/Bennett/PitBoxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3), who ran second and third, respectively, for the entirety of the race.


 

XGT Results:

1. Brian Lock, No. 68 Helium Mobile/JDI/Blockjoy Porsche GT3 R

2. Danny Lowry, No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/PitBoxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3

3. Billy Griffin, No. 43 BridgeHaul/Bennett/PitBoxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3

The SGT class race was a competitive one, with multiple lap leaders and a very late-race pass for the victory. Eric Foss, who was making his Trans Am debut in the No. 54 South Dallas Turf Chevrolet Corvette, started the race from the point position and led nearly the entire race, only briefly acquiescing the lead to Josh Carlson in the No. 36 Enseva/TC Fab/Diercks Ltd. Ford Mustang late in the event. Foss was back in control by the restart on lap 28, followed by Carlson and Kaylee Bryson in the No. 02 Logical Systems Inc./Sam Pierce Chevrolet Corvette. The restart was a wild one, and Bryson was able to pass Carlson after the green flag to secure second. One lap later, she was able to hunt down Foss, making the pass to score the victory and claim the 2024 SGT National Championship title.


 

“You know, it's my first time at VIR, and I definitely rank this one at the top of my list,” said Bryson. “That was the race of my life right there, I never gave up. We started third and really, really had to chase down the guys. I think once we got the fuel load off, the car really came to life at the end. I can't thank my fellow competitors enough for racing me clean. We were side by side and never touching, having to run qualifying laps every single lap, and that was really awesome. It's cool to be a champion in this series. This whole LSI, Logical Systems Inc. team does so much to make this possible. Thank you to Sam Pierce Chevrolet, AP driver Development, RE Enterprises. There are so many people who make this Corvette fast and I can't thank them enough.”


 

SGT Top Five:

1. Kaylee Bryson, No. 02 Logical Systems Inc./Sam Pierce Chevrolet Corvette

2. Eric Foss, No. 54 South Dallas Turf Chevrolet Corvette

3. Joshua Carlson, No. 36 Enseva/TC Fab/Diercks Ltd. Ford Mustang

4. Gabriel Jasper, No. 69 KMC Porsche 991.2

5. Jenn Krpata, No. 93 I.B.E.W. Local 25 Chevrolet Camaro

Chris Coffey in the No. 97 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4 took the green flag first in class and maintained that lead for nearly the entire race. A late-race restart bunched up the field enough to allow Michael Saia (No. 13 KMC/Rapid Performance Management/Motul Porsche 997.1 GT3 Cup) to make the pass on Coffey with one lap remaining, but the two fought hard for the position. Coffey and Saia ultimately made contact, which dropped Saia back to the fourth position and allowed Coffey to take the victory. He was followed across the finish line by Remy Faird (No. 53 KMC/Rabid Wraps Porsche 718 GT4 Clubsport MR), who earned his first-career podium, and Colin Cohen in the No. 38 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4.


 

“Unfortunately, me and Michael [Saia] came together and we had a little conversation about that,” said Coffey. “I feel terrible that it happened, but we'll talk about it. We'll talk our way through it and see what happens. I want to thank Colin Cohen here first. Without him, I couldn't be here. My crew, Xavier and Alex. My shop, Norwood Auto Italia. My wife, Morgan, and my son, Sam. Thank you.”


 

GT Results:

1. Chris Coffey, No. 97 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4

2. Remy Farid, No. 53 KMC/Rabid Wraps Porsche 718 GT4 Clubsport MR

3. Colin Cohen, No. 38 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4

4. Michael Saia, No. 13 KMC/Rapid Performance Management/Motul Porsche 997.1 GT3 Cup

Official race results can be found here.


 

The highlight show of today’s race will air on MAVTV on Thursday, October 10 at 9:00 p.m. ET.

 

The Trans Am Series will next hit the track for the season finale at Circuit of The Americas, November 1-3. Tickets can be purchased here

 

 

Thomas Annunziata Leads Every Lap, Earns First Win of 2024 in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Race at VIR


 

Barry Boes Recovers From Early Trouble to Win Pro/Am Challenge

ALTON, Va. (October 5, 2024) – Thomas Annunziata finally earned his first win of the 2024 season after an up-and-down year of bad luck and frustrating finishes. With blazing speed, Annunziata defended the point position through multiple restarts, leading every lap of the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series race at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR).


 

Notes of Interest:

  • Thomas Annunziata earned his first win of the 2024 season and second of his career.

  • This was the eighth win for Nitro Motorsports in 11 races this year.

  • Annunziata is racing in tomorrow’s TA/XGT/SGT/GT race, putting him in position to sweep the weekend at VIR.

  • Thomas Merrill’s second-place finish mathematically keeps him in the hunt for the championship, as he now sits 106 points behind leader Rafa Matos.

  • Merrill earned his fourth-consecutive podium finish and his sixth of the season.

  • 14-year-old Tristan McKee earned a fourth-place finish in his first points-paying Trans Am race.

  • Barry Boes earned his seventh Pro/Am Challenge win of the year.

 

Annunziata led the field to green in his No. 90 Bayshore Mortgage Funding/Chriswell Ford Mustang, holding off a challenge from second-place starter Jake Drew (No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro) and settling comfortably into the first position. Followed closely by Thomas Merrill in the No. 26 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang, the top three remained the same through two early yellow flags. When racing resumed from the second caution period on lap 12, Drew challenged Annunziata on the inside of Turn 1, but Annunziata defended, opening the door for Merrill to pass Drew on the outside for the second spot.

 

A double yellow was displayed just one lap later for a two-car crash in Turn 14, resulting in a lengthy cleanup. When the green flag waved on lap 19, Annunziata, Merrill and Drew were followed by young newcomer Tristan McKee (No. 28 Team SLR-M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro), who had broken into the top five following an impressive early pass on Rafa Matos (No. 60 Concord American Flagpole/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang), and Connor Zilisch (No. 57 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro), who drove through the field from the last position after missing the weekend’s practice session. One lap later, Zilisch took over the fourth spot, and Matos found his way back around McKee for fifth.

 

The field finally got a long green-flag run, allowing Annunziata to stretch out a dominating lead over Merrill. Behind Merrill, Zilisch was working to pick off Drew for third, but Zilisch spun on lap 23, dropping out of the top five. As the laps wound down, Drew had a slight off after going too wide into a turn on lap 27, allowing Matos to get right to his rear bumper and attempt to claim the final podium spot. Drew held him off, and on the final lap, McKee took the fourth position from Matos. When the checkered flag waved, Annunziata crossed the finish line with a nearly nine-second gap over Merrill.


 

“This feels great,” said Annunziata. “These Nitro Motorsports guys deserve at least a few wins this year. We've had that speed all year, but silly things happened; that's racing. It's a bit emotional. I got my first win with Nick Tucker being my crew chief. I've been with Nick and Nitro for a while. I grew up karting with them and came up the ranks and developed with them into cars. We have a cool program going on, so it's definitely a little emotional. Ronnie and Mike deserved it as well. We've been working so hard. Everyone's super happy. I'm super happy to have Bayshore Mortgage Funding, Chriswell Ford, Chipoys and Eat Clean Bro all on the race car this weekend as well. The car's beautiful. Congratulations to Thomas Merrill and Jake Drew and thanks to all the fans here. You guys are awesome.”

 

In Pro/Am Challenge, Barry Boes started the race from the top spot in his No. 27 Team SLR-M1 Racecars Ford Mustang, but an early mistake on lap four put him in the back of the field, forcing him to battle through Pro/Am and Pro drivers alike. Initially, it appeared that Cale Phillips would earn his first Pro/Am victory in his No. 99 Mincey’s Graphics/SNP Inc. Ford Mustang, but with seven laps remaining, Boes reclaimed the lead. Phillips held on for second and Keith Prociuk finished third in his No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang.

 

“I made a mistake kind of early in the race, went to the back of the pack, and it reminded me how incredibly good every driver in this field is,” said Boes. “From the back, from the very first pass, you've got to work for it, and it just gets harder and harder as you go up, but I was able to make my way back up and it feels fantastic.”


 

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series National Championship Top 10:

1. Thomas Annunziata, No. 90 Bayshore Mortgage Funding/Chriswell Ford Mustang

2. Thomas Merrill, No. 26 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang

3. Jake Drew, No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro

4. Tristan McKee, No. 28 Team SLR-M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro

5. Rafa Matos, No. 60 Concord American Flagpole/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang

6. Austin Green, No. 89 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang

7. Boris Said Jr., No. 75 HendrickCars.com/Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro

8. Julian DaCosta, No. 17 Hixon Power/Austin Hatcher/Team SLR-M1 Racecars Camaro

9. Ben Maier, No. 80 BOE Marine/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang

10. Adrian Wlostowski, No. 3 CMI Spot-On Services Ford Mustang


 

TA2 Pro/Am Podium:

1. Barry Boes, No. 27 Team SLR-M1 Racecars Ford Mustang

2. Cale Phillips, No. 99 Mincey’s Graphics/SNP Inc. Ford Mustang

3. Keith Prociuk, No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang


 

Omologato Watches Fastest Lap of the Race:

Thomas Annunziata, No. 90 Bayshore Mortgage Funding/Chriswell Ford Mustang


 

Bassett Hard Charger:

Eric Cayton, No. 71 Ray Skillman Auto Group Ford Mustang


 

Cool Boxx Coolest Move of the Race:

Jake Drew, No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro


 

Full race results can be found here.

 

The highlight show of today’s race will air on MAVTV on Thursday, October 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

 

The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series returns to the track for the season finale at Circuit of The Americas on November 1-3. Tickets can be purchased here.


Chris Dyson Earns Fourth Pole in Penultimate Race of 2024 at VIR


 

Brian Lock Fastest in XGT, Eric Foss Tops SGT, Chris Coffey First in GT

ALTON, Va. (October 5, 2024) – Practice and qualifying have concluded for the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli at the VIR SpeedTour at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR). Chris Dyson earned his fourth pole of the season by laying down a lap of 1:42.509 in his No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang.


 

Newcomer Brian Lock in the No. 68 Helium Mobile/JDI/Blockjoy Porsche GT3 R was quickest in XGT, while Eric Foss in the No. 54 South Dallas Turf Chevrolet Corvette topped SGT in his first-career start. Chris Coffey was fastest in the GT class.

 

“The car's been fantastic since we got here,” said Dyson. “We were here back in August and did some testing, and we found some performance and we've been able to hold onto it through the last couple of race weekends. I think it's carried through here in Virginia. I'm really pleased with the speed we've shown all year with the GYM WEED car, and it's always fantastic to come to the big, fast, dramatic tracks and underline performance. I think it's a big boost in the arm for everybody on the team. It's been a tough season in a lot of ways, certainly from a scoring standpoint. So, at this point, we're trying to finish this season strong and head into 2025 with the wind at our back.”


 

The TA/XGT/SGT/GT race will be contested tomorrow at 1:20 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, October 10 at 9:00 p.m. ET.


 

TA Qualifying Top Five:

1. Chris Dyson, No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang (1:42.509)

2. Paul Menard, No. 3 Menards/Masterforce Tools Ford Mustang (1:42.994)

3. Keith Grant, No. 40 Drissi Motorsports/Franklin Road Chevrolet Camaro (1:46.255)

4. Amy Ruman, No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Corvette (1:46.275)

5. Thomas Annunziata No. 17 Chriswell Ford/Castrol Chevrolet Camaro (1:46.448)


 

XGT Qualifying:

1. Brian Lock, No. 68 Helium Mobile/JDI/Blockjoy Porsche GT3 R (1:47.190)

2. Danny Lowry, No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/PitBoxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3 (1:50.731)

3. Billy Griffin, No. 43 BridgeHaul/Bennett/PitBoxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3 (1:51.526)


 

SGT Qualifying Top Five:

1. Eric Foss, No. 54 South Dallas Turf Chevrolet Corvette (1:51.693)

2. Joshua Carlson, No. 36 Enseva/TC Fab/Diercks Ltd. Ford Mustang (1:53.305)

3. Kaylee Bryson, No. 02 Logical Systems Inc./Sam Pierce Chevrolet Corvette (1:53.419)

4. Gabriel Jasper, No. 69 KMC Porsche 991.2 (1:57.570)

5. Ricky Sanders, No. 18 BridgeHaul/Bennett/Pitboxes.com Chevrolet Corvette (2:00.441)


 

GT Qualifying:

1. Chris Coffey, No. 97 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4 (1:56.694)

2. Remy Farid, No. 53 KMC/Rabid Wraps Porsche 718 GT4 Clubsport MR (1:58.525)

3. Michael Saia, No. 13 KMC/Rapid Performance Mgmt/Motul Porsche 997.1 GT3 Cup (1:59.227)

4. Colin Cohen, No. 38 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4 (2:02.399)


 

Full qualifying results can be found here.


 

TA Practice Top Five:

1. Chris Dyson, No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang (1:44.264)

2. Paul Menard, No. 3 Menards/Masterforce Tools Ford Mustang (1:44.930)

3. Amy Ruman, No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Corvette (1:46.887)

4. Tomy Drissi, No. 8 Drissi Motorsports/Lucas/Mission Chevrolet Camaro (1:47.681)

5. Raymond Kobs, No. 00 Big Dipper Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette (1:53.411)


 

XGT Practice:

1. Brian Lock, No. 68 Helium Mobile/JDI/Blockjoy Porsche GT3 R (1:49.594)

2. Billy Griffin, No. 43 BridgeHaul/Bennett/PitBoxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3 (153.103)

3. Danny Lowry, No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/PitBoxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3 (1:53.123)


 

SGT Practice Top Five:

1. Eric Foss, No. 54 South Dallas Turf Chevrolet Corvette (1:53.796)

2. Joshua Carlson, No. 36 Enseva/TC Fab/Diercks Ltd. Ford Mustang (1:54.406)

3. Kaylee Bryson, No. 02 Logical Systems Inc./Sam Pierce Chevrolet Corvette (1:55.983)

4. Milton Grant, No. 55 Sentry Self Storage/Springhill Suites Porsche 991.1 (2:00.684)

5. Jenn Krpata, No. 93 I.B.E.W. Local 25 Chevrolet Camaro (2:02.972)


 

GT Practice:

1. Chris Coffey, No. 97 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4 (1:57.772)

2. Remy Farid, No. 53 KMC/Rabid Wraps Porsche 718 GT4 Clubsport MR (1:59.896)

3. Michael Saia, No. 13 KMC/Rapid Performance Mgmt/Motul Porsche 997.1 GT3 Cup (2:00.306)

4. Colin Cohen, No. 38 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4 (2:03.757)


 

Full practice results can be found here.