- Celso Neto scores fourth TCX victory to make it four in the last six races in the new Acura Integra Type S DE5
- Honda associate-run HART Alabama team debut TCA win with Honda Civic Si FE1
- Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 EVO22 earns fourth and fifth consecutive podium finishes in GT World Challenge competition
Two big wins for Acura and Honda highlighted the penultimate weekend of the 2024 SRO Touring Car America and GT World Challenge America season at the Barber Motorsports Park.
The Barber track is known for its complex and compact layout, which definitely came into play with multiple races being decided by contact and eventual penalties by the stewards. Elevation changes, blind corners, and technical turns greeted the SRO sportscar drivers, who haven't competed at the 17-turn 2.38-mile track since 2016.
Two big wins highlighted the weekend; the HRC-developed TCX Acura Integra Type S piloted by Celso Neto in the TCX class getting his 4th win, and the HART Alabama team earning their first ever win with a Honda Civic Si FE1 in the TCA class.
TC AMERICA POWERED BY SKIP BARBER
TCX Acura Integra Type S DE5
Rounds 11-12 of the 2024 SRO season turned out to be highly contested races. Acura Integra Type S driver Celso Neto has not finished outside the top two since May, and he was determined to keep his streak going.
After qualifying less than 0.2 seconds off pole in race one, Neto kept the nose of the Integra right on the tail of the leader throughout most of the contest, setting fastest lap of the race. With 17 minutes remaining, the two competitors split a lapped car on either side giving Neto the inside line going into turn 10. The two front runners made contact door-to-door with the Acura pulling away with the lead. Unfortunately, the move was penalized with a drive thru penalty. Returning to the track in 3rd, Neto was able to work his way back into 2nd and finished just 12 seconds behind the leader. Cooper Broll was able to continue his very successful season coming across the line in 3rd with his Integra.
Starting from the pole in race 2, Neto faced pressure from his rival the entire race with never more than a half second separating them. After leading for the first 25 minutes, the two exchanged positions a couple times. Neto used the Acura's power along the front straight to regain the lead going into turn one and never give it back up winning by less than half a second.
These were Neto's 9th and 10th podiums of the season and his 4th victory in the last 6 races, where he celebrated by flying the Brazilian flag out of this car window. Especially quick throughout the weekend in the turns 14-16, Cooper Broll used that area to make a move for 3rd on the last lap but made contact, causing a puncture and suspension damage resulting in a fifth-place finish. Fellow Acura driver Christopher DeFreitas was able to take advantage and slide into 4th.
TCA Honda Civic Si FE1
While the track nestled in the rolling hills of Alabama was a new circuit to almost all the TCA drivers, one team felt they may have an advantage. The HART Alabama team, made up of Honda associates from the Honda Manufacturing of Alabama factory only 30 minutes away, considers this their home track.
HART driver Karl Hertel often races a race-prepared Honda Odyssey minivan here and his experience clearly showed. A fellow Honda team, LA Honda World, was able to help HART secure a Honda Civic Si FE1for Barber, which he got up to 3rd place in the team's first SRO event of 2024 and their first ever podium. Alex Garcia continued to perform well in his Honda Civic Si with a solid second-place run.
Hertel claimed the team had a plan for race 2, and boy did they ever. After dominating the race, the entire team was on the wall cheering and waving signs (many with tears in their eyes) as Hertel crossed the line in first place with his Honda in race two. Quite the 2024 debut for the HART Alabama team.
FANATEC GT WORLD CHALLENGE AMERICA POWERED BY AWS
Acura NSX GT3
The Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX looked quick in practice, running P2 in this final sprint race of the season. The track that is referred to as the "Augusta National" of racetracks was especially fun for former IndyCar driver Zach Veach, who found the Acura much smoother on the course than an IndyCar. It looked like Luca Mars was the pole position won until the last second when a competitor passed them by just 0.035 seconds.
Unfortunately starting from the front row didn't go as planned as some first turn drama had Mars getting swallowed up and losing spots before settling into 5th place. He was able to keep pace with the leader, never falling more than 4 seconds behind throughout his 45-minute stint. An outstanding pit stop by the Racers Edge team helped get his teammate Zach Veach up to 4th where he stayed until just 2 laps remaining. Using a move learned in IndyCar, Veach tried a high line in turn 16 before diving to the inside of turn 17 to set up the car in front of him going onto the front stretch. This gave him the momentum he needed to complete the pass into turn 1 allowing he and Mars to spray some champagne on the podium once again.
Race two had Veach in the Acura starting 5th in the Pro division, where he was quickly shoved back before regaining his spot on track. Once again, the Racers Edge crew helped the team gain a spot when Luca Mars took over for the second half. Mars must have been paying attention to what Veach did the day before once again with 2 laps remaining he went to work. In what looked like an almost exact replay from the day before, Luca pulled off a pass for 3rd place using the same technique Veach calls "the quintessential IndyCar move". With back-to-back thrilling races ending with the NSX making a pass for the podium in the final 2 laps, the Acura has now podiumed in five straight races.
Quotes
Celso Neto (#22 Skip Barber Racing Acura Integra Type S DE5) on race 1: "Tough fight today! We kept the pressure on the leader for most of the race, after passing a car coming back we had an opportunity to overtake the leader, which resulted in contact during the maneuver, the commissioners didn't like it and applied a punishment for not finding the overtaking clean, a punishment that me and the team didn't find fair but we fought until the end and still we saved a P2 and best lap of the race. Tomorrow is the pole! Let's go!"
Celso Neto (#22 Skip Barber Racing Acura Integra Type S DE5) After race two: "Victory! P1 today with a tough battle with our rival putting pressure the entire race, finishing with a half a second advantage at the line. 4th win of the year! Track was super dirty and that made it hard. The whole race was keeping yourself calm, just don't lose your grip. We needed a good run in sector 3 if we wanted to have a chance and that's what happened. It was a good battle both days. Can't thank the Skip Barber Racing crew and Honda Racing HRC, car was great today. I could not be happier."
Next
It's time to wrap up the season with the traditional finale at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School drivers will compete in their normal 2 sprint races to close out 2024. While the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS fields will cap off the season with one 8-hour endurance race. The season closes October 4-6 in Indianapolis.
TCX Barber Saturday Race Results
2nd TCX - #22 Celso Neto, Skip Barber Racing, Acura Integra Type S (Fastest Lap Award)
3rd TCX - #19 Cooper Broll, Skip Barber Racing, Acura Integra Type S (Hard Charger Award)
5th TCX - #39 Christopher DeFreitas, Racers Edge Motorsports, Acura Integra Type S
TCA Barber Saturday Race Results
2nd TCA - #14 Alex Garcia, Skip Barber Racing, Honda Civic Si FE1 (Hard Charger Award)
3rd TCA - #93 Karl Hertel, HART Alabama, Honda Civic Si FE1
GT World Challenge America Barber Saturday Race Results
3rd - #93 Luca Mars and Zach Veach, Racers Edge Motorsports, NSX GT3
TCX Barber Sunday Race Results
1st TCX - #22 Celso Neto, Skip Barber Racing, Acura Integra Type S (Fastest Lap)
4th TCX - #39 Christopher DeFreitas, Racers Edge Motorsports, Acura Integra Type S (Hard Charger Award)
5th TCX - #19 Cooper Broll, Skip Barber Racing, Acura Integra Type S
TCA Barber Sunday Race Results
1st TCA - #93 Karl Hertel, HART Alabama, Honda Civic Si FE1 (Hard Charger Award)
3rd TCA - #14 Alex Garcia, Skip Barber Racing, Honda Civic Si FE1
GT World Challenge America Barber Sunday Race Results
5th (3rd in class) - #93 Luca Mars and Zach Veach, Racers Edge Motorsports, NSX GT3