Williams Sweeps Weekend in TC Class
Groenke Gets Long Awaited Win in TCA Class
Race Two Results
TC America powered by Skip Barber closed out the VIRginia International Raceway weekend with a Sunday morning thriller. Race One featured multiple battles across classes and wins came down to the line as a race of attrition unfolded. Race Two was ever more heated as drivers kept their cool under pressure. Maddie Aust and Clayton Williams went on to sweep their respective classes and PJ Groenke earned his first win of the 2023 season in the TCA Class.
TCX Class
Pole sitter Lucas Catania, Colin Garrett and Race One winner Maddie Aust resumed their battles from a day ago. These three front runners have a magnet keeping them on each other's battles.
Early in the race Aust in her No. 09 Fast Track Racing BMW M2 CS moved to lead. Passing Catania and Garrett as Garrett maneuvered his No. 44 Rooster Hall Racing BMW M2 CS around the No. 26 Rigid Speed Company BMW M2 CS of Catania.
Catania would come back to best Garrett and take over second place. Catania set his sights on overtaking Aust. Garrett eventually rejoined the battle and the boys had a bit of back and forth for second place, Aust pushed forward hoping to build a gap. There was never more than a second between the three drivers.
On the final lap traffic changed the look of the top three. Aust and Garrett passed lap traffic while Catania lost time and position. Aust and Garrett took off for a battle of their own. Garrett was never far off Aust's bumper but smooth racing gave Aust the edge to keep her lead. Aust won the battle and the race with Garrett taking second and Catania third.
TC Class
Pole sitter Jeff Ricca in the No. 78 Genracer Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra looked to dominate Race Two, a sweet redemption after yesterday’s mechanical issue ruined Race One. However, Race Two turned into a sour déjà vu. Ricca came into the pitlane with just under 30 minutes remaining and was unable to continue.
Clayton Williams in the No. 60 MINI JCW Team Mini JCW Pro inherited the leading position. A Race Two win for Williams gave him a weekend sweep and four wins in a row. Celso Neto has been ever steady over the weekend. He kept his nose clean to take second in today’s race. A one-position improvement over his third-place finish in Race One.
It took Sally McNulty in the No. 780 Genracer Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra five years to earn her first TC America podium finish but when it rains, it pours. Her savvy driving and execution in traffic allowed her to take home third place for her second career podium.
TCA Class
A quiet race for the TCA Class but none the less competitive. Devin Anderson in the No. 22 TechSport Racing Subaru BRZ slowly reeled in and overtook PJ Groenke in the No. 62 MINI JCW Team Mini JCW. He seemed to have another win in the bag when he spun on his own allowing Groenke and third-place Spencer Bucknum past him.
Spencer Bucknum in the No. 5 LA Honda World Racing Honda Civic Si was on a mission of redemption after a spin in Race One ended his race early. Anderson’s TechSport teammate Shaoyi Che in the No. 23 TechSport Racing Subaru BRZ capitalized on his woes moving into third place. Che recovered nicely from his own off-course excursion that took place on the open laps of the race. Off track and on podium, Che celebrated his Race One podium finish by proposing to his long-time girlfriend.
Anderson spent the last 10 minutes of the race turning the three-second gap to Che into a pass. He would come back and overtake Che just in time to take the third step of the podium before also taking the checkered flag. Canadian Groenke went on to win the race with a 12-second gap back to second place Bucknum.
Up Next
All eyes turn to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for the CrowdStrike 24 hours of Spa, taking place from June 29th to July 2nd. The TC America powered by Skip Barber series will be back in action at Road America August 18-20.