Digital Chicane and the #80 Ferrari 296 GT3 have won the 2024 VSCA Sprint Cup in GT AM class after taking second place in Saturday’s Virginia Sports Car Grand Prix at Virginia International Raceway.
Despite their strong performance, taking runners-up position in convincing style, the Sprint Cup title decider ultimately came down to two post-race penalties for Sprint Cup championship leaders #5 Screeching Moose Motorsports Mercedes, including a penalty for an incident with the #55 RaceTech Competition Audi when exiting the pits during the race.
This meant the five-time race winners officially scored fifth place in the race results, meaning the #80 Ferrari won the Sprint Cup championship by 25 points.
In five Sprint Cup races at Long Beach, Laguna Seca, COTA, Road America and VIR, the new Sprint Cup champions scored one win, four top-five and five top-ten finishes, marking an exceptionally successful debut season for the team in the VSCA SportsCar Championship.
For drivers Paolo Calvo and Quinn Mitchell, leading no laps in the event didn’t matter, once it was clear they had secured the championship.
Quinn Mitchell: “It's truly something else. Being newcomers to this series and facing such stiff competition made this a real accomplishment. We are all so proud to see our hard work pay off.”
“I think it’s the trust level that makes a difference for us. Just being able to trust in our team principal and setup creator for good coaching, and being able to trust my teammates when I wasn't in the car or at an event. It's tough to do but keeping a level head and knowing the team will pull it off makes every event so much more rewarding."
Paolo Calvo: “It means so much to me and our whole organization to win the Sprint Cup. As a group we've put in so much work and to see it pay off is so happy.”
The key ingredient in winning this championship was the team's winning mentality. The expectation started as a solid run at Daytona and when we almost got the double podium, we realized that if we took the next step, we could be champions. The most important thing now is that we remember that the job is not done and we have to keep our work ethic for Miami and Petit Le Mans.”
Looking back on the most challenging moment of their Sprint Cup campaign, the two drivers had this to say.
Mitchell: “COTA was our worst finish in the championship overall this season, let alone the Sprint Cup. That was a tough pill to swallow, but it helped us focus on better driving standards and it has certainly paid off.”
Calvo: “The most challenging moment for me during the Sprint Cup was the disappointment of losing the win at Long Beach. Having a better than expected qualifying and start, then finding myself in the lead, then losing that lead by making the wrong strategy call, was such a punch in the gut. However, that and some of our other issues have taught us that we do best when we execute to the best of our ability. And that’s when we have our best finishes.”
Celebrating their win in victory lane, the drivers and their entire team sprayed the champagne in excitement.
Mitchell: “The whole team is going to the real-world Daytona 24 in January, to celebrate. That trophy will be proudly displayed as a mantlepiece, it's such a huge step for our crew and one which will surely be present in our minds for years to come.
Calvo: “I would expect that any trophies we accumulate until the end of the season will at the very least make an appearance at the real-life race at Daytona in January. And I think with the long weekend ahead, there will be some drinks poured out but we'll be sure to not bring a championship hangover to Miami as there is still a job to do (laughing).”
The #80 Ferrari’s lone Sprint Cup win came at Road America in June, complemented with three second-place finishes at Long Beach, Sebring and VIR on Saturday.
Team manager Ryan Koprowski also had high praise for his team, after being asked to comment on his team’s result and Sprint Cup championship victory.
Ryan Koprowski: “Honestly, it feels amazing to win the Sprint Cup. The #80 hasn't necessarily been the fastest, but they were consistent and trouble free enough to pull through. I'd like to shout out Matt, Quinn, and Paolo for bringing it home over the five races under the Sprint Cup.”
“I think them being consistent enough to be near the top was key. Although they only had the one race win, they were always on the podium and when points were on the line that's exactly where they needed to be.”
“I don't really think I could pinpoint one challenging moment from the season, but I will say that getting the guys to click with the car has been a season-long endeavor which I feel that they have all had their "ah ha" moments. Personally, I feel that this season has tested my ability as not only the team manager, but also the lead driver coach to everyone on the team, and as you can see we have been getting good results.”
“We will have a celebration for sure. Exactly what, I'll leave it to your imagination, if you catch my drift.”
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