The VSCA SportsCar Championship visited Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas for the Lone Star Grand Prix, Round 5 of the 10-round championship and Round 3 of the 5-round Sprint Cup. The 20-turn, 3.427-mile track provided a thrilling stage for a close-fought race that came down to a wild restart after a late full-course caution.
Piero Leone Grabs Pole, But Kinetic Racing Steals the Show
Porsche dominated qualifying with #69 North Sim Racing's Piero Leone securing pole position with a blistering 2:06.892 lap time. However, the race belonged to the #67 Kinetic Racing Porsche driven by the veteran pairing of 34-year-old Aedan Campbell (Middleton, NJ) and 42-year-old Linden Swaby (Toronto, ON). They capitalized on a strategic driver change at the right moment to lead for 26 laps and ultimately take the checkered flag by a narrow margin of 0.758 seconds. This victory marks Kinetic Racing's first win since Long Beach in April 2023.
Campbell's Perfect Restart Secures Victory
A full-course yellow with just over 40 minutes remaining in the race shuffled the order and set the stage for a dramatic finish. The race restarted with only ten minutes left, and Campbell emerged from the chaos perfectly, snatching the lead from the GT PRO leaders and holding on for a well-deserved win.
Celebrating in victory lane, Vincent L'Herbier of Kinetic Racing had this to say: "The race was amazing. After so many races with issues on our side, electrical issues, technical failures, this one felt like a long time coming. It is like a weight is off of our shoulders. The key to this race was the strategy on when to change drivers. Getting Linden out at the right time was the way to victory. It's a great boost to our championship hopes and puts us in the right direction."
Eight Lead Changes Highlight GT PRO Class
One of the most exciting aspects of the race was the constant battle for the lead in the GT PRO class. There were a staggering eight lead changes throughout the event, showcasing the exceptional talent and close competition within the category.
Podium Finishers Round Out the Top Spots
The #992 DS Racing eSports Team Porsche driven by the Portuguese duo of Tiago Dias and Bruno Carreira finished a close second, followed by the #44 Fischer Motorsport Porsche of Jay Van Meppelen (St. Thomas, ON) and Daniel Gruber (Würzburg, Germany) in third. These teams put on a great show, adding to the overall excitement of the race.
Other Notable Performances
Several other teams had noteworthy performances at COTA. The #6 Torque Freak Racing Porsche of Neil Middleton (UK) and Jonathan Dance (Austin, Texas) achieved their best result since returning to GT competition this season, finishing fourth. Mark DeBoer and Brach Crouch of #911 RPM Racing secured a fifth-place finish.
Leone's Penalty Drops North Sim Racing from Podium Contention
Despite qualifying on pole, #69 North Sim Racing's Piero Leone and Alessio Tranquilli finished a disappointing eighth after incurring post-race penalties totaling two laps and 90 seconds. This penalty cost them a potential podium finish and significantly impacted their championship points.
Championship Shuffle After Lone Star Grand Prix
The Lone Star Grand Prix shook up the championship standings in the VSCA SportsCar Championship. The #44 Fischer Motorsport Porsche moved into the overall lead with 1953 points, followed closely by their team-mates the #84 Fischer Motorsport Porsche at 1903 points. Kinetic Racing's #67 Porsche follows in third with 1880 points.
Looking Ahead to the Next Race
The VSCA SportsCar Championship takes a short break before returning for the 6 Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen on June 15th, 2024. This event will be Round 6 of the 10-round championship and will be broadcast live again, start to finish, by GreenFlag TV. With the championship battles heating up, fans can expect another thrilling race weekend at Watkins Glen!
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