SEBRING, Fla. — Paul Menard kicked off the Trans Am Sequence offered by Pirelli season similarly to his 2024 championship-winning season: with a victory at Sebring Int’l Raceway.
After beginning the race from the pole, he led the primary 5 laps earlier than being handed by 2023 CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence champion Brent Crews. Nevertheless, a late mechanical subject by Crews put Menard again within the level place, permitting him to assert his first win of the season.
Notes of Curiosity
This was Paul Menard’s second-consecutive victory at Sebring. He kicked off his 2024 championship-winning season with a victory on the monitor final yr.
Brent Crews led essentially the most laps in at this time’s occasion, however was compelled to retire early on account of a transmission subject. He in the end completed seventh at school.
Three-time champion Chris Dyson earned a DNF within the season opener, experiencing a tough crash on lap 12.
The occasion aired LIVE on SPEED SPORT 1.
When the inexperienced flag waved to begin the season, Menard (No. 3 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Ford Mustang) shot forward of his opponents, who battled behind him. Third-place Adam Andretti (No. 17 Prime Liner Chevrolet Camaro) rapidly made the go on Chris Dyson (No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang) for second on lap one, and the next lap, Crews, who began fifth, surpassed Tomy Drissi (No. 8 Trench Shoring Co./Motul Chevrolet Camaro), Dyson and Andretti for the runner-up spot.
Crews’ No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro confirmed unimaginable velocity, and by lap six, he was battling side-by-side with Menard, in the end taking up the lead.
On lap 12, the double yellow was displayed as Dyson, who had been holding the fourth place, skilled a mechanical failure that resulted in a tough influence with the wall, ending his day. Racing resumed on lap 18, and regardless of a problem from Menard on the beginning, Crews as soon as once more pulled out into the lead. Sadly, simply two laps later, Crews skilled a problem along with his transmission, forcing him to tug off the racing floor and retire from the occasion.
Menard took again the lead, adopted carefully by Andretti, Amy Ruman (No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Chevrolet Corvette), Humaid Masaood (No. 21 allgram Ford Mustang) and Tomy Drissi (Tomy Drissi, No. 8 Trench Shoring Co./Motul Chevrolet Camaro). Regardless of challenges from Andretti, Menard was capable of maintain the purpose place till the checkered flag waved. Andretti completed second, whereas Ruman took the ultimate podium place. Drissi made his method round Masaood within the remaining laps, taking fourth, whereas Masaood completed fifth.
“Right now was eventful,” stated Menard. “I had a quick automobile all weekend. We lastly put all of it collectively for qualifying and had the monitor place to begin up entrance and lead some laps. Brent Crews was simply actually, actually fast, and after 5 laps, he ran us down. We had a little bit battle and he received by me clear. Then, Adam [Andretti] began operating me down. We received that warning and it form of saved me from him. We had short-run velocity; we’ve started working on a little bit long-run velocity, however we all know what we’ve received to do.
“I’m actually happy with the fellows. We had two automobiles this weekend and the fellows busted their tails all weekend lengthy, bouncing backwards and forwards between Brandon Jones and myself and retaining us operating sturdy. It’s so nice to be again at Sebring. Hell of a technique to begin the yr.”
XGT
The XGT class placed on an incredible present, with Paul Tracy (No. 10 Race Automobiles For You Innovation IRC GT) main from begin to end in his class debut. It was not with out problem, nonetheless. Billy Griffin (No. 14 Griffin Auto Care Mercedes AMG GT3) and Danny Lowry (No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Mercedes AMG GT4) ran second and third, respectively, for the primary half of the occasion, however the mid-race warning bunched up the sector and allowed Kaylee Bryson (No. 02 Logical Methods Inc. Chevrolet Corvette), who had began at the back of the sector on account of pre-race tire modifications, to make an aggressive transfer on the restart, leaping as much as second when the inexperienced flag waved.
As soon as within the runner-up spot, she was capable of problem Tracy within the remaining laps, however he held her off, taking the victory. Bryson completed second, and Griffin completed third. Lowry took the fourth spot, and Mustafa Bakir (No. 68 Mustafa Bakir Racing Porsche 992 GT3 R) completed fifth.
“Right now was nice,” stated Tracy. “Because of the fellows from IRC for inviting me out right here to return check this automobile for them. We’re actually simply attempting to get it on top of things and get used to it and see the way it performs at these Trans Am races.
“What an incredible occasion Tony Parella has placed on. He’s constructed this sequence up, and also you see the quantity of automobiles right here and the fanatics and the folks racing every part from the massive TA automobiles all the best way right down to the sportsman stuff, and it’s simply nice to see. We’re trying ahead to Street Atlanta.”
SGT
The SGT class completed simply because it began, with Joshua Carlson (No. 36 Enseva/Diercks Ltd./TC Fab Ford Mustang) main the occasion from inexperienced to checkers. Lee Saunders (No. 84 Landsearch LLC Dodge Viper) ran second for a lot of the occasion, however following the mid-race restart, Patrick Utt (No. 49 RaceQuip/Pushed Racing Oil Chevrolet Camaro) was capable of go him for the runner-up place. Not lengthy after, onerous racing led to a spin by Utt, placing him again in third. Nevertheless, when he crossed the end line third, Utt scored his first ever Trans Am podium.
“We took away the neon after which we begin successful, so I might say I feel that added a number of horsepower,” stated Carlson, who was requested if his new livery was accountable for his victory within the season opener. “I’m very glad to have the ability to win this race and dominate by way of a lot of the weekend. We had a very good baseline going into this week and we constructed off of it and have been capable of safe the win.
“Thanks to Enseva for coming again on board this yr. I wouldn’t have the ability to race with out the assist my household. Hopefully, we are able to develop this automobile a bit extra to run up entrance the remainder of the season. Congratulations to Patrick Utt on his first Trans Am podium.”
GT
The GT race additionally completed the best way it began, however the motion was thrilling from starting to finish. 2024 class champion Chris Coffey (No. 97 Site visitors Grafix/Chill Out Motorsports Maserati MC GT4) led from the second the inexperienced flag waved, however Mike Fitzpatrick (No. 89 89x Motorsports Aston Martin GT4) was proper on his tail, chasing him lap after lap. Fitzpatrick was unable to make the go, permitting Coffey to take his first win of the season. Fitzpatrick completed second, and Colin Cohen (No. 38 Norwood Auto Italia/Site visitors Grafix Maserati MC GT4) completed third.
“That race was fairly superior. This man proper right here [Mike Fitzpatrick] stored me trustworthy from begin to end. We have been mainly nose-to-tail the entire method, it was completely unimaginable. I can’t thank my crew sufficient, Mike and Xavier. We labored all night time final night time and we tried a setup change and wound up damaging the automobile within the course of.
“We didn’t know what we needed to begin the race, and fortunately, we received it proper again to the place it was. I have to thank my spouse Morgan and my son Sam, and Colin Cohen, who makes all of this attainable. I’m glad to begin the yr off proper.”
GT1
As the one competitor within the GT1 Problem this weekend, Jon DeGaynor would undoubtedly end first, however he diced it up within the giant area round him, racing Ron Fellows’ former automobile, the No. 04 Velocity Dream’n Racing Ford Mustang, cleanly to earn the victory.
“Effectively, first, I need to thank my father and the staff for all their assist,” stated DeGaynor, who was additionally operating SVRA in a number of lessons this weekend. “Two races proper back-to-back with the Devon, after which this. It’s actually a pleasure to be right here with the brand new class, and hopefully, we are able to get much more automobiles right here. It was an incredible weekend. I didn’t have something for the brand new automobiles and even a number of the XGT automobiles, however I hope we placed on a very good present for the group and made Ron Fellows proud.”
