From the fabled Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, it is time for race one of the weekend for SRO America TC America. The front wheel drive touring cars comgin out to play. The TC America class has had a month's break. They are back now. Hyundai, Honda, Subaru, Mazda, BMW and more, lined up and ready to go as we once again join Ryan Myrehn and Calvin Fish in the booth and Shea Adam in the pit lane. We expected it to be a wet afternoon but it is dry as a bone for the first race in TC America which had an interruption and Nicholas Barbato had a massive crashed and rolled. He was fine, and he came out of the car under his own steam. Road America is a great course. Michael Kanasczak is the pole man, a BMW club racer, making his first start.
In TC, there are a few teams not able to answer the bell this weekend. 36 cars starting this race. Just a 40 minute race. Several cars out of position and early drama for Jeff Ricca in the #78 GenRacer Hyundai Veloster. That is at the exit of turn eight and we might see a delayed start because of Ricca's car being stalled on the road. He is back on track and had to do a Control, Alt, Delete. OK. The field is in Noah's Ark formation but with electrical woes for Jeff Ricca we will see a second formation lap, a second recon lap. The clock has started and this is a long lap. The Full Monty around here is a three-minute lap. Road America, a legendary venue near Elkhart Lake on 640 acres of the Kettle Moraine of southeastern Wisconsin linking to a state forest. So, Ricca is back on track but will be at the tail of his class.
We saw many years ago, local businessman Cliff Tufte, he built this track after racing sports cars on the streets of the town. The basic track layout has not changed since this track opened in 1955. There is a resurfacing project for this place coming, in October. This worn surface takes a toll on tires. One set of tires to take the touring cars through the weekend. We are ready to race now. Green flag. Noah's Ark formation as Michel Kanisczak leads over Colin Garrett who draws even to turn one and Stephen Cugliari is coming.
The TC field starts and Kevin Boehm has Clay Williams on it already and here comes TCA. Christian Perocarpi and P.J. Groenke get sandwiched by ad now, Cugliari takes the lead and has trouble with suspenson damage and poor old Kanisczak has spun and has damage. Jacob Ruud, at his home track, is up at the front. He is from nearby Racine, Wisconsin. Three into wone w0n't go. Colin Garettt pinballs into Cugliari who does the same into Kanesczak. Stephen Cugliari, game over, and Full Course Yellow. Kevin Boehm leads TC over Clay Williams. Perocarpi, Wagner, Groenke, Anderson, the top four in TC. So, it is Mini vs. Subaru BRZ.
Joey Jordan up to third in TC in the Mazda 3 which is a car we have not seen lately. But the #70 entry is in good shape. The Random Vandals team has a tire down for Kanesczak I believe. Gareett sees the door open, touching Cugliari who pinballs into Kanesczak. Joseph Cattania had to take evasive action and slam on the brakes. Team boss Paul Sparta says they might have a flat tire or a bent tie rod. They got pushed out. The day is not over for Random Vandals Racing. Michael Kanisczak will keep pushing. That's for dead sure.
More woe for GenRacer as Jeff Ricca is in the lane, dropping like a stone. Electronic issues have reared their ugly head another time. The bonnet is open, and the mechanics are at work. Kevin Boehm has had amazing consistency this year so far and rarely puts a wheel wrong. He is doing the engineering on the car more than being a mechanic, in addition to be a driver. The #78 car is being cooled with water. I wonder if a fuel line came off. They have work ahead of them before tomorrow's race. We have had only 3/4 of a lap under green. Jacob Ruud from fifth on the grid leads ahead of Colin Garrett.
These two blokes are 1-2 as we go back to green. Green flag! Punch it! Steve Streimer almost passes before the start/finish line. That is a no, no. He has moved past Lucas Cattania and now Brett Scroggin tries to pass Olivia Askew. Scroggin has former driver and legend here at Road America, Tony Kester, as a driving coach. Will Garrett earn a penalty for the turn five shemozzle? We'll see. P.J. Groenke has gone down to fifth place in one of the other Mini's. Gresham Wagner and Devin Anderson in the Techsport Subaru BRZ's are moving up as well, look. Carter Fartuch, the championship leader is running well, but Gresham Wagner, too, almost goes off the road! Yikes!
Wagner is a four-time winner. But he has also been in the bottom half. It has been feast or famine. Carter Fartuch, championship leader, drive through penalty. Colin Garrett too, has a stop and hold + 60 seconds penalty from the stewards. This is for that shemozzle in turn five. Garrett's points haul will take a hit. People are desperately trying to stay in the championship picture but the stewards want to nip the aggressive racing in the bud. Kanisczak is pressurizing Olivia Askew for sixth spot. Michael Kanisczak has a loose race car. Camber to the extreme. Watch out for suspension fatigue as well.
Gresham Wagner is now being passed by Cristian Perocarpi. This is quite the tasty battle for touring cars, for TCA. Off and on there, look. The Mini, with it's shrot wheelbase, hops through turn three. Perocarpi won his first pro race at Watkins Glen in race one last month. Wagner and Anderson are going to have to really push to try and get by the Mini. Jacob Ruud too, the overall leader, building a gap of five seconds over Lucas Catania. Five wins on the year in 2022 so far. His only mistake was at Virginia International Raceway in June.
Joey Jordan in the Mazda 3 has to give it up to Matthew Ibrahim in the BMW #06 and also the Honda. We miss Joey Jordan's dad, the late Joe Jordan, who has to be smiling down from heaven on his son. Poor old Carter Fartuch, taking the pain, with the drive through penalty as Clay Williams is really pushing. Gresham Wagner and Devin Anderson, they are pushing hard. Louis Perocarpi, Christian's dad, he has the headset and a cell phone, listening to the coverage on GTWorld. Thanks again, Shea Adam, for that pir report.
Now then, 4,400 feet from turn 14 exit into turn one. 15 minutes to go. Perocarpi, he is still chasing the Subaru's. Devin Anderson had a massive win at Sebring last year which is the next race we will be going to. More details about that at the end of the weekend after tomorrow's race. Devin Anderson's car is really hooked up. It's handling very well. Wager is keeping the door closed on his team mate. These blokes are running in the 2:36 range and poor old Scroggins is off the orad on the damp grass and back on. Ruud leading by five seconds at the top end of town.
Jeff Ricca had residual fuel spewing out the bonnet after changing a fuel pressure regulator on that Hyundai. Nicholas Barbato and Jeff Ricca, both, have had issues as Tyler Delgado in the Bryan Herta Autosport TCA spec Hyundai Elantra's goes for it. Anderson ets passed by Wagner and Perocarpi is still chasing. Don't fight. Work together to hold off the Mini. The Subaru's are indeed working well together. Just under 12 minutes left. Gresham Wagner, the champion in Mazda MX-5 Cup competition. Streimer and Adams are really pushing. That is Garrett Adams in another of the BMW M240i's.
Michael Kanisczak, our pole man, it's game over. He is saving the equipment for tomorrow as the grid for race two will be set by fast laps from race one. He needs to get something in these last ten minutes. It is a qualifying session for him. They are changing the Pirelli tire and the camber is at a weird angle. So, through The Carousel, Steve Streimer and Garrett Adams are both pushing hard. This is a feisty scrap. Cattania is settled down in second place. Steve Streimer should have his first podium of the 2022 season if things hold together for the last nine minutes. Kevin Boehm, meanwhile, closing up on Clay Williams. Road America taxes the cars under speed and under braking just the same. Williams and Boehm matching each other in TC. Game over for Joey Jordan and the Mazda. But he had a fabulous performance early doors. They will be back tomorrow for race two. Garrett Adams has now passed Steve Streimer. Fast Track Racing is the old Classic BMW dealer team. Joey Jordan has a broken wheel on the left rear. Bodywork damage and maybe a suspension issue on the Mazda. The TCA battle is still hot. They have put daylight between themselves and Cristian Perocarpi in the Mini. Wagner might have a plan in his back pocket before the race ends.
Five minutes to go. It is desperation time. Squeaky, squeaky time, indeed. Perocarpi is still in the fight for LAP Motorsports. Protecting your teammate is not the easiest thing to do. Big slide for Anderson and Wagner makes a move inthe The Carousel. Side by side headed to the kink and Devin Anderson runs way wide! Perocarpi to second and that was an accident that didn't happen for Devin Anderson! Man, oh man! Perocarpi gets nudged and now it is a Subaru 1-2 again. It is all to play for in TCA with two and a half laps to go.
Ruud leads Lucas Cattania by five seconds. Last four miles for Jacob Ruud. A better approach to the Kink for the final lap. The Subaru's have the edge and the tires were squealing like "we can't take the pressure!" Now then, Anderson gets passed by Perocarpi. White flag. One to go. Gresham Wagner wants another victory to put a feather in his hat. Speaking of putting a feather in the hat, Jacob Ruud will win this race and poor old Matt Ibrahim is off to the side of the road down in 19th overall. But this race is all about Jacob Ruud on home soil. Win number six of 2022!
Perocarpi wants the outside on Wagner through turn five. Wagner does not want to let him through. The Mini to the isnside and Wagner off the road! Clay Williams winning TC over Kevin Boehm. In TCA, now, this is the scrum we will watch. Cristian Perocarpi is leading and the Wagner and Anderson story not done yet. These two chaps are wrestling. Anderson working the outside bouncing over the curbs through Billy Mitchell corner for the final time. Who is going to get it? Wagner in front of Anderson. Perocarpi is going to win number two!
Wow! Wow! What a race at America's National Park of Speed!
Overall/TCX: #1 Jacob Ruud Fast Track Racing BMW M2 CS Racing
TC: #60 Clay Williams Mini JCW Team Mini Cooper JCW Pro TC
TCA: #61 Cristian Perocarpi Mini JCW Team Mini Cooper JCW
For Williams, it is his third win of 2022 with five races remaining now. The points gap is 70 points so Williams will have to pour on the steam if he wants the title. TCA around Road America, lots of drafting and passing opportunities. Great motor race! So, we will see you tomorrow for another dose of touring car fun and frolics. You won't want to miss it. More racing to come. The big boys and the big toys, the GT World Challenge America race, for GT3, is next.
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