Sunday, August 21, 2022

TC America: Road America, Race 2

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin's Road America, saw a fabulous first race for the touring car classes and now, we are ready for the second race of the weekend as we get ready for it, with Ryan Myrehn and Calvin Fish in the booth and Shea Adam in the pit lane.  They will have a lot of speedy dry to drive through.  Three classes racing together.  Jacob Ruud has six wins in 2022 and a 49 point lead in the standings.  Colin Garrett had a drive through penalty in yesterday's race.  Horsepower, braking, and compliance in suspension are all important here at Road America.  In TCA, the cars with the least horsepower in any class in SRO, that was a massive battle yesterday.  Cristian Perocarpi won over Devin Anderson and Gresham Wagner.

Kevin Boehm in TC has yet to finish off the podium.  He truly ticks all the boxes.  Clay Williams and the Mini, are on pace as well, having won three races this year already.  Watch the Techsport Subaru BRZ's as well.  No team orders at TechSport and they were at it hammer and tongs yesterday.  Gresham Wagner is second in points only 15 behind points leader Carter Fartuch.  Jacob Ruud and Colin Garrett have been scrapping for the TCX class title as well and Ruud might just be in the pound seats as Colin Garrett really has to dig deep to find something.  Updating on cleanup from Road America.  We are going to keep the broadcast going but we will be back with you in a wee while.  

Stay with us.

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The delay has been lifted.  Gray Newell is awake and alert and transferred to a local hospital.  We are ready to go in TC America race two.  Jacob Ruud, again, on the pole with Colin Garrett on the outside pole.  Again, 36 cars will start.  We did not see a total scrap in TCX yesterday.  Three cars can surely mix things up early doors here.  The TC field has seen both Kevin Boehm and Clay Williams, rising to the occasion.  In TCX, an update from the lane and Shea Adam.  Jacob Ruud on the pole and winner in yesterday's race.  Jacob's father, Chris, said that his son was extremely happy.

Keep an eye on Jacob Ruud as he goes for the sweep.  He swept the weekend on four occasions in 2021.  But Road America, he has not swept at yet.  The clock has started as the field is on a second formation lap with the speedy dry all over the road.  There is not as much speedy dry as we anticipated.  Everyone is settling in and we'll see how this race turns out.  Hoping for a good, clean race.  Another update from the lane and Shea Adam.  The cloud has been dissipating.  Power windows for the Subaru, to keep the dust out of the car to avoid irritation in his eyes.  

In half a lap we will be racing.  The TCA scrap yesterday was off the charts!  It was amazing to watch!  Cristian Perocarpi won his second race of his career, yesterday.  Safety car lights off.  Here we go.  We are finally ready to unleash the beast!  TCX field ready for a start.  Green flag!  Ruud to the lead as they come through the speedy dry and Cattania is moving up as the TC field starts.  Jeff Ricca to the inside of Williams who goes back to third spot!  Kevin Boehm in the Honda wants a bite of the cherry.  This is going to be a motor race to watch.  

Here comes the Mini, working on the rebound.  However, Williams' car is off song.  He is dropping like a stone as the Mazda 3 of Joey Jordan is moving in for a look.  Jeff Ricca, motoring away.  He had a fuel pressure problem yesterday and it was game over.  Nicholas Barbato had a massive crash yesterday and got out of the car under his own steam.  P.J. Groenke, though, he is really going for it.  Branyon Tiner in the Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra is battling one of the Mini's as Gresham Wagner in the Subraru is in the grass and does a massive slide job!  Thankfully, he stays on the road!  That was a remarkable piece of driving through Kettle Bottoms and Canada Corner!

Carter Fartuch in the Honda is moving up.  Ruud leads Catania and Garrett, the top three in TCX.  Three, four BMW M2 CS Cup cars.  Jacob Ruud, if he wins today, he might just be able to put the championship in his pocket.  But you know Colin Garrett is going to push hard.  Clay Williams has to power cycle the Mini JCW and should be able to do it while still driving the car, but that will be a tall drink of water.  Clay Williams will know the systems on that car inside and out.  Jeff Ricca, meanwhile, leads the motor race.  Kevin Boehm next up.  Hyundai vs. Honda.

Colin Garrett, ex-NASCAR racer, has Lucas Cattania ahead and wants to stay there.  Long duration, slow winding corners at high speed here at Road America with an abrasive track surface and tire management on the Pirelli P Zero's is a big deal.  One set of tires to go the distance as we see Brett Scroggin pushing.  In TCA now, the Mini's run in lockstep.  Cristian Perocarpi vs. P.J. Groenke.  Groenke has the speed.  He has the pace.  The affable Canadian is really looking for a good result today.  

Groenke is the 2017 TCB class champion.  Tiner drops behind Anderson now.  Subaru ahead of Hyundai.  Sally McNulty, meanwhile, she has moved ahead and is now under the Skip Barber Racing School umbrella for the rest of 2022 as Jeff Ricca is gapping Kevin Boehm.  Boehm is not just a driver but an engineer and an engineer and test driver for Honda.  In TCX, Cattania to the inside of Gareett.  This is a tasty battle indeed, look.  Jacob Ruud is leading but cannot run away from these chaps who are next up.  The stewards are cleaning up the racing and reminding the drivers to keep it clean as Lucas Catania is really starting to make a move.  

Colin Garrett runs wide.  Cattania has been on the podium all year save for two races.  Scroggin, too, he is in the fight.  Gresham Wagner is in recovery mode passing Carter Fartuch.  Excuse me.  That is a sister TechSport Subaru of Shaoyi Che.  Wagner's race is going pear shaped and has been pushed off the track twice.  Just salvage points.  That is all they can do.  Wagner has won championships in other series, but today, he will just have to slog on and see where on earth he is.  Ken Fukuda in the pit lane with trouble.  He has gone off the road someplace.

Gresham Wagner is the reigning Mazda MX-5 Cup champion.  Jacob Ruud leads by a second and a half but must manage the gap.  Lucas Catania staying with it.  Scroggin, sliding all over the road in his pursuit of Colin Garrett.  The TCA scrap is still hot and heavy as we see some cooperation early doors between Cristian Perocarpi and P.J. Groenke.  Devin Anderson is three or fourth tenths down on these two Mini's.  Game over for Ken Fukuda with suspension damage.  Mini's lead the TCA class through turn five.  

Groenke's car is stable, maintaining speed.  Meanwhile, Clay Williams has managed to reset the Mini and is still up to speed running quicker than both Ricca and Boehm leading the class.  Williams is reeling in Boehm.  Boehm is not letting Ricca escape either.  Halfway home.  20 minutes down and 20 to go.  This TC spec Mini is coming together with more horsepower and a modified, aftermarket clutch.  Kevin Boehm is running well in clean air.  At the top of the shop, though, Catania is reeling in Jacob Ruud.  If these two begin scrapping for the lead, Garrett and Scroggin will close in.  Brett Scroggin is looking to make a move on Colin Garrett.  

This is Homewrecker Racing.  These BMW M2 CS Racing cars have been amazing.  Scroggin working with legendary driver and Road America stalwart, from Chicago, Tony Kester.  Jacob Ruud, yesterday's winner, half a dozen wins in 2022.  Michael Kanisczak, too, he is coming, after earning race one pole, driving a BMW for Random Vandals Racing.  Scroggin is surely keeping Garrett honest.  Devin Anderson could be headed for the pit lane.  I wonder what could be wrong with the Subaru.  He must feel something amiss in that race car.  Corner speeds at the Kink are between 101-102 miles an hour for TCX and TC cars.  Garrett, Williams, Ruud, Catania, and Scroggin.  

P.J. Groenke is keeping the pressure on his team mate.  Groenke wants his first TCA win, the 2017 TCB champ.  Boehm and Ricca meanwhile, are taking different lines down the front straight.  Boehm wants to have the Honda Civic in clean air.  He is reeling in Ricca bit by bit.  Ooh.  Have a go at this battle.  Steve Streimer, and Steve Cugliari, along with Garrett Adams.  Poor old Streimer is the cork in the bottle and he is going to scrap for it.  You know he will be in contention.  Dont drop the wheels off into the grass.  That will be disaster.  Oh dear!  Streimer running wide through turn 14, going super defensive and gets clag all over his tires!

He was way deep into the ABS, washing out the front end and nearly has a tank slapper!  In TCA, Jeff Ricca pulls to the inside.  he might have a mechnaical issue and here comes Clay Williams on Kevin Boehm.  Williams is right there with Boehm!  Holy cow!  Three brands in the top three.  Hyundai, Mini, Honda.  Williams is making hay while the sun shines, even on a cloudy day.  Ricca will have the Mini JCW on his six, stat.  Ricca seems to be running fine.  Is the handling on the Hyundai, skittish?  Oh no.  Joey Jordan in a spot of bother as the Mazda 3 continues development.

They are running well but not their day today.  Jeff Ricca has Williams and Boehm tucked up right behind.  This is a massively hot scrap.  Turn up the pressure!  Williams is quickest but only has 11 and a half minutes to work with.  Boehm tries to pass but then has to bide his time.  Williams on Ricca, look.  Here's the crossover and Williams puts his nose ahead.  Ricca has to deal with Kevin Boehm.  Jeepers creepers!  Williams has pulled the pin.  Boehm to the outside of Ricca and makes his move.  Williams is really pressing on after dropping like a stone on lap one.

Michael Kaniesczak, he has uncorked fast lap after fast lap and needs to overcome a five second cushion Brett Scroggin has.  Jacob Ruud, on a Sunday drive over Catania.  The Pirelli P Zero tires, if you lay off it for a wee while, it will come back.  The Pirelli's do have life in them if you give them a small break.  Groenke might have an ace up his sleeve on Cristian Perocarpi.  They have been nose to tail the whole race.  They are 16 seconds ahead of Anderson and Fartuch.  Carter Fartuch will gain back a handful of points.  

Groenke's Mini is now handling very well indeed.  Devin Anderson, damage to the right front of the Subaru.  He has pulled off on the escape road next to The Kink.  Too much camber in the right front.  Broken pickup point.  Game over for Anderson.  Every point is more important with the races dwindling.  Michael Kaniesczak, a veteran of club racing with BMW and now getting his pro chance with Random Vandals and team boss Paul Sparta.  So, a massive rumble in TCA with the TC leaders pushing, bumping, and boring as well, look.

Kevin Boehm has managed the car and he is applying the blowtorch.  Tyler Delgado in the Hyundai Elantra, he has a Skip Barber entry, Colin Harrison, coming fast.  This race has flown by.  No letup at all.  Boehm wants it.  You know that.  Louis Perocarpi, Cristian's dad, the head cheese at LAP Motorsports.  Wisconsin... cheese?  I had to do it.  We are in dairy country.  Meanwhile, Clay Williams has some daylight over Kevin Boehm and poor old Jeff Ricca is losing pace.  Can Boehm make a move?  Jacob Ruud fighting traffic, 1.7 seconds ahead of Lucas Catania.  Ruud, scything through TCA traffic before the Carousel and before the Kink.

Groenke moves over and now, Perocarpi, his teammate will be all over him.  Catania on Perocarpi.  Groenke pulls ahead, or tries to, but no.  Time is running out.  White flag this time by.  The white handkerchief does not mean surrender.  it means one lap remaining.  Four miles to go.  Perocarpi in the pound seats but Groenke might get dusted.  Scroggins being monstered by Kaniesczak.  Williams leads Boehm in TC by 1.3 seconds.  Perocarpi, stuck on the outside.  He tries timing it but misjudges it.  Perocarpi though, is motoring ahead of Groenke.  

Final time through Canada Corner.  Jacob Ruud, at his home track, pads his points lead, and is going to win for the sixth time in 2022!  Break out the broom!  It's a sweep!

Overall/TCX: #1 Jacob Ruud      Fast Track Racing BMW M2 CS Racing

              TCA: #61 Cristian Perocarpi     Mini JCW Team Mini Cooper JCW

               TC:   #60 Clay Williams           Mini JCW Team Mini Cooper JCW Pro TC 

Fastest lap for Jacob Ruud at 2:25.962.  Four races, two rounds left in the season.  Next up for the touring cars, the penultimate round at the rough, legendary concrete of Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida.  That race is coming up in a month.  We'll see you in the central Florida orange groves soon, ladies and gentlemen.  For now, take care, everybody, and enjoy the rest of the racing today at Road America.  Plenty more to come.  


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