ALTON, VA – The Fast Track Racing/Classic BMW team didn’t let a four-month layoff hamper its return to SRO America competition last weekend in the tripleheader sports car event at the popular VIRginia International Raceway with a bucket load of podium hardware.
Former TC America series champion Toby Grahovec led the Fast Track Racing performances with a sensational TC America class victory Sunday in his No. 26 Classic BMW.com BMW M240iR machine with a 2.350-second win over Johan Schwartz and James Clay in the 40-minute sprint race at the fast 3.27-mile, 17-turn permanent road circuit.
Grahovec, the 2016 TC division titleholder, took second and third in the earlier VIR TC category main events after winning the pole position on Friday in qualifying, but the Celina, Tex., driver fought his way past Schwartz Sunday for the lead in a wild wheel-to-wheel battle. The three-way bumper-to-bumper duel was one of the highlights for the three-day weekend in the SRO’s return to action since the COTA season opening weekend on March 6-8. BMW M240iR sedans finish 1-5 in Sunday’s TC America finale.
“It was a wild race Sunday and we had some great racing in TC in all three races at VIR,” said Grahovec, also the team manager for the Fast Track Racing/Classic BMW operation. “Johan is a tremendous racer and always hard to pass. I had to make a dramatic move on the straightaway to get by him and the car was really good all weekend. What a way to wrap up the weekend at VIR!”
Joining Grahovec in the TC class at VIR with strong runs was Phil Bloom in the No. 11 Classic BMW.com BMW M240iR sports car, as the Massachusetts driver recorded two fourth place finishes and one sixth in only his second weekend competition with the Fast Track Racing team.
Grahovec now stands second TC America driver points, just one point out of first, while the Fast Track Racing/Classic BMW squad is also second in TC Team standings.
Highlights of the three TC America races at VIR will be shown on CBS Sports Network on July 19 at 5:30 p.m. EDT with an encore showing at July 20 at 1 a.m. EDT.
The next SRO America racing weekend is scheduled for August 7-9 at the famed Sonoma Raceway.