Austin, Texas - TC America Race 3 from Circuit of the Americas got underway under sunny skies with Victor Gonzalez Jr and the #99 VGMC Honda Civic Type R TCR leading the field to the green flag. As soon as the race got started however, it went under the first and only full course caution as Olivia Askew and the #29 DXDT Racing Honda Civic Type R TCR spun into the sandtrap at the esses, getting stuck.
The safety crew was able to assist the stranded #29 quickly and the race went back to green with 34 minutes left in the 40 minute event.
Gonzalez Jr maintained the TCR lead with the #57 Copeland Motorsports Hyundai Veloster Turbo of Tyler Gonzalez leading the TCA field.
Class champion Tyler Maxson and the #74 Copeland Motorsports Hyundai Veloster N TCR would sneak past the #5 KMR Motorsports w/ TMR Engineering Alfa Romeo Giulietta for third overall at turn 1 on the restart with the two running nose to tail for the rest of the lap.
As the field came around to start lap 3, Block would get back around Maxson at turn 1 as we saw Scott Smithson in the #17 DXDT Racing Honda Civic Type R TCR dive to the inside of Gonzalez Jr for the overall and TCR lead. Smithson would never look back and go on take this third win of the season.
"We had a rough start to the weekend, but the team was able to get my car back together and give me a great machine today. It's taken me a little time to get used to a front wheel drive car, but we're going to keep going and thanks to DXDT and Honda for getting me here!" said Smithson.
Back in the TCA field, Mark Pombo and the #61 MINI JCW Team MINI Cooper would slip stream past Gonzalez for the class lead on the long back straight as Mat Pombo and the #62 MINI JCW Team MINI Cooper would begin to attack Gonzalez for second.
On the next lap Block would then pull an identical turn 1 move on Gonzalez Jr that he did on Maxson to grab second position in TCR.
As the clock approached 25 minutes remaining, Mat Pombo would make a daring pass going into turn 20 on Gonzalez’s Hyundai and claim second position in TCA. Championship leading Kevin Boehm and the #9 Boehm Racing Honda Civic Si would close on the #57 and stalk for third position in class.
With 14 minutes remaining Mat Pombo, while running second in TCA, would catch up to his class-leading brother going into turn 11.The two MINIs would run side by side down the back straight with Mat and the #62 taking the inside line to complete the pass and take over the class lead.
At the same time in the TCR field, CJ Moses and the #04 DXDT Racing Honda Civic Type R TCR would get around Maxson’s Hyundai for fourth overall and in class as the two would play a game of cat and mouse through traffic for the rest of the race.
As the checkered flag flew Scott Smithson grabbed the TCR and overall victory. Roy Block would come home second with Victor Gonzalez Jr taking the final podium position.
In TCA Mat Pombo would take the class win ahead of teammate Mark Pombo with Tyler Gonzalez in third.
“I can't thank LAP enough, they are a great crew. I have to thank MINI and my brother Mark, this is great racing and I'm so happy, I love it!" said Mat Pombo.
TC America returns for their season finale October 1st - 3rd at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Follow all of the action live at https://www.tcamerica.us/live.
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PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS - PDF Link