Saturday's JRT Summer Sprint, Round 7 of the VSCA SportsCar Championship delivered an unforgettable race at Road America. Initially bathed in sunshine, the weather turned treacherous, challenging the skill and endurance of drivers. Despite these conditions, the #80 Digital Chicane Ferrari 296 GT3, driven by Matthew Oravecz and Quinn Mitchell, emerged victorious after a nail-biting contest.
From Sunshine to Deluge
The race began under perfect conditions at 1:15 pm with temperatures at a comfortable 71°F and the sun shining brightly. Matthew Oravecz, in the #80 Digital Chicane Ferrari, claimed pole position with a blazing lap of 2:05.511, setting the stage for an intense race. For the first 75 minutes, the weather remained ideal, allowing drivers to push their cars to the limit on Road America's 4.00-mile, 14-turn track.
However, the weather soon took a dramatic turn. Clouds gathered, and by 3:00 pm, rain began to fall, quickly escalating into a downpour. The relentless rain continued for the remainder of the race, making the already challenging track even more treacherous. Several GT AM cars found themselves in trouble, struggling to maintain control on the slick surface.
A Race of Attrition
The worsening conditions led to a significant incident on lap 49. John T Jones in the #29 Firestorm Motorsport Mercedes lost control after touching the wet curbs in turn five. This led to a collision with Jesse Molina in the #333 Tri-State Racing LMP2 car, causing a major incident. Despite these challenges, the race remarkably saw no full-course yellows, a testament to the skill and resilience of the drivers.
The #93 Digital Chicane Ferrari, driven by Kyle Loh and Ryan Koprowski, looked set to claim victory but suffered technical issues as the rain intensified. Their misfortune allowed the #555 DS Racing eSports Team Ferrari, driven by António Cardoso and Carlos Miguel Duarte, to take second place. Nevertheless, Loh and Koprowski made an impressive recovery to finish third.
Final Laps
As the race neared its conclusion, Road America was almost completely submerged, with visibility near zero. This made for some of the most challenging racing conditions seen in recent memory. Despite these obstacles, the #80 Digital Chicane Ferrari, with Oravecz and Mitchell behind the wheel, maintained their composure and skill, crossing the finish line with a margin of 2.803 seconds, the second-closest GT AM class finish in VSCA history.
In the final laps, the top ten finishers displayed incredible tenacity. The #83 Off in the Esses Racing Ferrari, driven by Patrick Boilard and Jonathan Duncan, secured fourth place, while the #312 Real Pixel Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, piloted by Wolfgang Wildenauer and Ronald Gross, took fifth. The #33 Mayer Simspeed Performance Mercedes, with Ryan Steinhoff and Thomas Baker, claimed sixth place.
Top Ten Results
Rounding out the top ten, the #5 Screeching Moose Motorsports Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo finished seventh, driven by Taylor Parsons and Sean Hatfield. The #16 Dangler Performance Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo, driven by Theo Taylor and Mark Romaninsky, made an impressive climb from 13th on the grid to finish eighth. Ninth place went to the #34 Mayer Simspeed Performance Mercedes, driven by Aaron Beaver and Kyle Birnie. Despite the earlier incident, the #29 Firestorm Motorsport Mercedes, driven by John T Jones and Roy Vermeer, managed to secure tenth place.
Post-Race Reflections
In the aftermath of this dramatic race, both Oravecz and Mitchell were visibly elated. Speaking in victory lane, Oravecz reflected on the challenging conditions, "This race was like nothing I've ever experienced. The changing weather tested us all, but our team’s preparation and strategy paid off. It’s a victory I’ll never forget."
Mitchell echoed his teammate's sentiments, adding, "Winning today was a true team effort. Everyone kept their focus despite the chaos on track. I'm incredibly proud of what we achieved."
Oravecz added: "It was really tough. The track was a completely different beast once the rain hit. We just had to stay calm and adapt quickly. Our team did an amazing job with the strategy, and that made all the difference."
Mitchell: "Yeah, honestly, it was pure chaos. The visibility was almost zero, and the track felt like an ice rink. But we knew we had to keep pushing and stay focused. Crossing that finish line first felt incredible, especially after such a grueling race."
GT AM Championship Standings Outlook
The victory at Road America has significantly boosted the championship standings for the #80 Digital Chicane Ferrari, sitting second in the GT AM SportsCar Championship with 2744 points, trailing the #5 Screeching Moose Motorsports Mercedes by 263 points.
Summer Break Coming Up Next
Before the championship heads into its final three rounds, VSCA enjoys an eight-week summer break, giving teams and drivers a much-needed time to rest and recharge batteries for the challenges to come. Action will resume at Virginia International Raceway on August 24, 2024, in a race that promises to be another thrilling encounter. Fans can catch all the action live on GreenFlag TV. With only three rounds remaining in the VSCA SportsCar Championship, the battle for the title is intensifying, and the stakes have never been higher.
The JRT Summer Sprint at Road America will be remembered as one of the most challenging and exciting races in the 2024 VSCA SportsCar Championship, setting the stage for an exhilarating conclusion to the season.
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