- Ruud makes bold move in turn 5 in Race 1 to snag the TCX lead and never looks back
- Recent college grad scores Wins 6 & 7 in the TC America’s TCX division in BMW M2
- Garrett Adams back on the TCX podium with third, Olivia Askew takes 6th in TCX
ELKHART LAKE, WI (August 21, 2022) – Sports car racer Jacob Ruud, the recent college graduate from Racine, WI, made the move on lap one Saturday in his No. 1 ArmiClenz/Fast Track Racing BMW M2 CS (Cup) machine at Road America that put the TCX division on notice that the local racing star was not going to be challenged in the SRO America doubleheader weekend.
Ruud, the 22-year-old defending TCX series champion, started fourth in the first 40-minute, sprint event Saturday at the famed four-mile road circuit just one hour from his Wisconsin home. But the TCX competition knew their fate was doomed with Jacob’s spectacular turn five move when he moved to the inside braking area and passed the three leaders for the top spot.
Heading up the hill to turn six with the lead, Ruud took over a familiar spot in front of the field and never looked back with an impressive 3.552-second victory in front of large contingent of family and friends cheering him on to victory.
The win was the sixth of the season for the current TCX point leader and expanded his advantage in the standings entering the second sprint event set for Sunday morning at historic Road America road course.
This time Ruud began the race for the pole position and quickly jumped to the lead at the drop of the green flag. No special inside move was needed into turn five as stretched his lead over Saturday runner-up Lucas Catania and Colin Garrett.
Ruud calculated his car’s Pirelli tire wear as his rivals worked hard to close the gap on his lead, but Jacob drove to his second win of the weekend with a 2.827-second win over Catania.
“It was so much fun to win two races in front of some 30 members of my family and friends,” said Ruud, who won 10 of 14 TCX races in 2021. “Sure, there was pressure to get to victory lane with so many of them in person this weekend. But I felt we had a great car from Fast Track Racing, and I needed to show the strength of the car at my home track. It’s the best feeling when you win at home.
“In the first race on Saturday, I saw an opening entering turn five and just went for it. I drove deep into the corner and the car’s brakes were there for that move. I got into the corner first and just drove back up the hill to turn six. As a driver, you don’t get a chance to make a maneuver like that very often. And I wanted to get to the lead as soon as possible and the move worked out. It was exciting.”
Ruud’s doubleheader wins at Road America this weekend jumped his victory total to seven in ten TCX races this year and vaulted his point margin to nearly 60 with four rounds remaining – Sebring, FL, on Sept. 23-25 and Indianapolis, IN, on Oct. 7-9.
In addition to Ruud’s victories at Road America, Fast Track Racing teammate Garrett Adams scored another podium finish with third in his No. 54 Garrett Adams Racing BMW M2 CS (Cup) car in Saturday’s 40-minute sprint feature. Adams also took seventh in Sunday’s TCX event.
Former skiing champion OIivia Askew of Salt Lake City, UT, piloted her No. 29 SmartCert/Fast Track Racing BMW M2 CS (Cup) mount to sixth and ninth in the two TCX main events at Road America.
The TC America telecast of the Road America highlights will be televised on CBS Sports Network on Sunday, Aug. 28, at 12 p.m. EDT with an encore showing on Wednesday, Aug. 31, at 6:30 p.m. EDT.
ABOUT FAST TRACK RACING: Fast Track Racing was founded in 2005. Fast Track Racing has sold 117 BMW factory race cars to our customers in the past five years. Fast Track Racing has earned six championships in the SRO World Challenge series, and two S.C.C.A. National Championships. Fast Track Racing is the first and only United States team to win the BMW Sports Trophy. In total, Fast Track Racing has earned 26 professional wins and over 100 total wins, including 22 poles and 113 podiums, with 23 of the fastest laps in SRO competition. As BMW Motorsport experts, Fast Track Racing also races these vehicles and knows them inside and out. Fast Track Racing is tenured, with track-tested experience. Fast Track Racing has engineering expertise and provides coaching and consultation to ensure a driver’s performance is maximized.
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