It is time, for the finale, the curtain closer, for the 2022 SRO TC America championship. Jacob Ruud in race one had trouble. Colin Garrett won. Nine points separate the two in TCX. In TCA, Gresham Wagner won but starts at the back while championship rival Carter Fartuch is at the front of the grid as we join Ryan Myrehn, Calvin Fish, and Amanda Busick. Kevin Boehm has won the TC title but now, TCX and TCA titles are on the line. Jacob Ruud had dramas on Friday. Colin Garrett also wants it. Gresham Wagner will really have to move in the race today and get to Carter Fartuch. He has to finish second if he wants the title.
It is cold and the sun is warming the track up little by little. Man, oh man, the P.A. announcer is firing up the crowd! We are ready to go! This is going to be fun! Colin Garrett will have to motor to stay ahead of Jacob Ruud and Ruud wants the TCX win just the same. Garrett must maximize his chances. Chris Walsh, TCX debutant, he will want to upset the apple cart for the race win. We shall have a short delay to clean the track up. Reigning champion Jacob Ruud is thankful to his team. He is hopeful for a title but happy with a result. He seems calm but he will have to push if Colin Garrett does anything. Calm and poise for Jacob Ruud but he has to go for it.
Kevin Boehm clinched the TC title. Boehm wants to finish every race on the podium and wants the perfect ten in terms of victories. In cool conditions the Honda Civic should excel. There are so many manufacturers. Honda, Mini, Hyundai, and BMW. Carter Fartuch chasing in TCA for the title. Fartuch is the pole man. Friday's winner Gresham Wagner is starting deep in the field from the back of the grid after a penalty. Fartuch says he will execute and go for it. He and his team are controlling their own destiny. Wagner ahead by seven points but is in the back of the field after incident responsibility in race one on Friday.
Wagner has more wins if there is a tiebreaker. Carter Fartuch has to maximize and has to push. Wagner is going to be up on the wheel. He will have to slice and dice through traffic, and this is a short race at just 40 minutes duration. But, there are plenty of overtaking areas here at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Good to see Bruce Myrehn, broadcaster/SRO America lead commentator Ryan Myrehn's dad. He is living the dream. Enjoy the race. Bruce Myrehn is making his second start. Father and son, proud of each other in their endeavors. Awesome. Fast cars aplenty at the tail end of the grid today. Gresham Wagner says it is hard to know what will happen. Get sorted out, take fast laps, and leapfrog up through the field.
Spot on. Philosophical, and succinct. Get through the first lap and then light the afterburners towards the end of the motor race. This is the second straight weekend Wagner has a chance to go for a title. He was in the MX-5 Cup fight at Road Atlanta last weekend and came up short. Maybe he can win this one. We shall see. Wagner has to be a favorite. Fartuch as well. May the best man win. During the summer, the Honda Civic SI was not performing the way Carter Fartuch and the Skip Barber Racing School team wanted. Wagner and the Techsport Subaru team are in control. Cristian and Louis Perocarpi, at Mini, are both in the field. They had to change an engine in P.J. Groenke's car after contact in race one.
The engines are fired at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as we get set for the TC America finale. Two formation laps behind the safety car in the cold here at Indianapolis. It is 47 degrees in Indianapolis this morning. The BMW M2 CS Racing in TCX has been a car that is very hard to get a hold of. The BMW M2 is no longer homologated, the M240. There will be a new car next year I am pretty sure. A great mix of cars in TCA and TC both. Brett Scroggin on his first career pole. 38 cars in the field for today's race.
It is the final race of TC America 2022. Three waves will take the green flag. Brett Scroggin from pole and Garrett Adams, the front row. Green flag! Scroggin has the jump and Walsh is coming. Colin Garrett, and contact between Catania and Scroggin! Oh my! Jacob Ruud moving up. Colin Garrett is gong for it. Someone has a cut tire. Carter Fartuch goes for it and Cristian Perocarpi making a move. Gresham Wagner followes P.J. Groenke through the field. Fartuch did exactly what he wanted to do. Catania and Ruud pushing each other. Ruud gaining places.
Colin Garrett is second now with Ruud fourth. Lucas Catania went deep into the turn and has dropped like a stone. Garrett Adams leads the motor race as Kris Walsh s pushing, working on Joseph Catania. In TC, Kevin Boehm leads Clay Williams, Jeff Ricca and the others. Matt Ibrahim also in the battle. Ricca leads the title fight. Ibrahim and Ken Fukuda scrapping. Branyon Tiner second and now, Sally McNulty goes to third. Gresham Wagner now up to fourth spot. He passes Colin Harrison. Wagner working on Sally McNulty, and he is up to podium places. If he finishes second it would be enough for Wagner to be the champ.
McNulty moved out of the way. Brett Scroggins is still hanging on. Jacob Ruud just set fastest lap at 1:36.1 and change. Ruud must finish second if Garrett wins the race. Garrett trying to pass and is vulnerable to Scroggin. Scroggin got fast lap on Friday giving him pole. Garrett can see Ruud lurking in his rearview mirror with five minutes gone. Ruud in the points lead and Garrett has to push. Garrett Adams on the defensive. Colin Garrett gets trapped and Ruud is right on his six. Problems early doors for Louis Perocarpi in the Mini. Garrett Adams defending from Colin Garrett. Garrett and Ruud are coming. Ruud must be careful.
Don't get feisty and don't cut a tire. Colin Garrett is the bloke with nothing to lose. He must win this race. Nose to tail, the top two in the championship. Colin Garrett must stay ahead. Cars off the rorad. Sally McNulty beached in the gravel having made contract with P.J. Groenke! McNulty had no idea Groenke was there. Broken suspension o McNulty's Hond Civic SI. Game over, as we go to Full Course Yellow. This will burn time off the clock with 32 minutes remaining in the season. The Ruud and Garrett battle is going to intensify.
The mental side of racing, knowing you want a title, you might second guess yourself. Drivers need to score points and they know that. He sees the scenario and knows what he has to do finishing second. We can speculate and chatter all we want. But the scoop is, as soon as a driver loses momentum, just like any athlete, how did I do that? What can I do better? Well, get on the horse and go for it. It is pressure time. Don't overthink it. Let it happen. P.J. Groenke undergoing repairs in the pit lane. There's damage to the left front wheel and the suspemsion could be rattled as well.
P.J. Groenke was on the podium at Road America running as teammates to Louis Perocarpi. He has had great pace this weekend and sadly will score two DNF's. He will go for it in 2023 competing for wins and podiums. Game over for Sally McNulty in the new generation racing Honda Civic. Carter Fartuch has the only other one. Honda will build more of these turnkey touring car racers. As they run, Fartuch would be champ. But Gresham Wagner is coming. P.J. Groenke is going to get back out there. He seeks out financial assistance to go racing and has more stickers on his car than anyone in the SRO paddock.
We are getting ready to go back to green as Adams leads Garrett, Ruud, Scroggin, and Walsh. Kevin Boehm leads TC ahead of Williams, Boehm, Ibrahim, and Fukuda. Carter Fartuch is ahead of Branyon Tiner and Gresham Wagner. We might need one more lap before going back to green. TCX and TCA were so wild. We did not see much of the TC start save for Kevin Boehm leading the motor race and Clay Williams and the Mini has had straight line speed all year. We shall see how the rest of the race shakes out with 25 minutes still on the board. Williams has won four races this year. They will build up for 2023 going for the title.
That was Cristian Perocarpi in trouble, not his dad. Well, well, well. TCA will have a whole new picture now. Colin Garrett went ax throwing with his team last night. He was able to sleep. He is locked and loaded going for the title. Adams, Garrett, Ruud, Scroggin, Walsh. It is a snail's pace heading for the restart. Green flag. Adams and Garrett followed by Ruud. The TC and TCA fields spread out. A controlled restart as the race is back underway. Joseph Catania moves, and now, Carter Fartuch is off the road! Wagner moves up and has a chance for the title. Colin Garrett to the lead.
Adams does not want to give it up. Ruud has to go now. He needs to stay on top of the #44 Rooster Hall BMW. Ruud passes Garrett Adams and needs to sit right on Colin Garrett's bumper. Garrett Adams and Jacob Ruud are teammates at Fast Track Racing. Ruud wants the win. He is going for it. Scroggin monstering Adams as well. Fartuch drops to fourth and Gresham Wagner takes the lead with teammate Devin Anderson as wingman for the Subaru boys. Colin Garrett has to hang on. Ruud has pace.
Ruud does not want to force the issue. He can clinch the championship for the second year in a row. Fartuch has to move by Branyon Tiner to chase down the Subaru's. Fartuch gesturing to Tiner, "move it, mister!" Fartuch, has controlled the championship until this weekend. Wagner from the back of the grid due to a penalty, he is in position to clinch a title in his rookie season. Carter Fartuch got into the braking zone too hot. Devin Anderson should not force the issue as Gresham Wagner, his teammate can win a title for the team, himself, and for Subaru.
Louis Perocarpi in the lane and ow Chris Walsh is moving in on the battle at the front. Garrett hanging tough against Ruud. Ruud has pace and no incentive to force the issue until now. He is taking a peek. Colin Garrett has to push hard, now. Adams has no motivation to be forceful. Fast Track Racing second and third. Brett Scroggin is the wildcard as Steve Streimer passes Joseph Catania and here comes Olivia Askew, Kevin Boehm, and Clay Williams. Boehm and Williams pressing each other. TCX cars have more power than the TC cars that have the cornering ability.
Boehm ticks all the boxes. Great engineering mind, and a great driver. Williams is still pushing and the Mini has more power than they used to. Boehm slams the door in Williams' face. Williams looking to the inside. Just over 15 minutes left in the season in 2022. Carter Fartuch uncorks his best lap of the race at 1:42.2. He has to go for it. Mini vs. Civic for the lead in TC. Overall lead battle. Ruud to the inside of Garrett. Garrett fends off the challenge. Ruud not done yet. he should have a head of steam here. Avoid contact. Garrett will be feisty and give it everything.
Walsh, Scroggin, Adams, three into one actually works this time. Ruud and Garrett pushing each other. Ruud is pushing hard. He needs momentum for a slingshot. Scroggin is not in the fight for the title but wants to win the race for himself. Devin Anderson passes Wagner. Fartuch closing in. Garrett inside of Ruud. Garrett goes deep into the corner. This is hot stuff. The tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife. Ruud has a run. Garrett inside. Scrogging inside, Ruudi inside. Ruud is still pushing. Garrett slams the door. He was super deep on the brakes and maintained momentum.
Anderson now ahead of Wagner. Is Wagner in trouble? Wagner could still win. Fartuch has to push now. 1:42.8 for both Fartuch and Wagner. Ruud deep on the brakes. Scroggin has a run. Watch out. This is a great battle. Five cars in lockstep. What a motor race! Adams protects as Walsh deep on the brakes. Adams way off the road and down to fourth. 11 minutes left in TC America 2022. Colin Garrett back to the front looking to close out a great season and a massive win streak in 2022. This is reminiscent of Marcus Ericsson winning the Indianapolis 500. Oh no! Clay Williams is slowing! This is on the front straight.
More intermittent electronics woes for the Mini. That was weird. Scroggin beign gapped by the leaders. Short track racer Colin Garrett from South Boston, Virginia, Jacob Ruud from Racine, Wisconsin. Well then, in TCA, Fartuch passes Wagner. Wagner under pressure as these two run towards Anderson. Provisionally Wagner is champ unless Fartuch gets the lead. Nine minutes to go in the season. No crack in the armor from Colin Garrett. This is the TC America race of the year. Garrett being proactive. Ruud not close enough to go for it. No one move rule but don't react. Be proactive in your driving.
Adams is going for it and so Scroggin! Scroggin slides! Garrett knows what the deal is. He has to break the pack to let Scroggin go after Jacob Ruud. At Techsport, Anderson might give P2 to Wagner. Carter Fartuch not making headway. The leaders come through the TCA field. Pick the bones out of this lot. Holy cow. Working through lapped traffic. Colin Garrett making sure there is no tow for Ruud to latch onto. Poor old Scroggin wants a great result but to get it, he will be a factor in amongst the championship contenders. Ruud is driving smartly and not in over his head.
Jeff Ricca, who turned 40 on Friday, is up to second place in class running down Kevin Boehm in TC. Four runner-up finishes in 2022 and should finish third in points. Kevin Boehm going for ten wins in 14 events and 14 straight podiums. He dives past seventh place TCX runner Joseph Catania. Cristian Perocarpi lets the leaders by. Brett Scroggin could have a say in the title fight. Garrett leads but Ruud in second could have enougb points for a second straight title in TCX but if he loses out to croggin it will be different as Colin Harrison is off the road in the TCA Honda for Skip Barber Racing School. Wow.
All on the line with three minutes left in the 2022 season. Ruud gaps Scroggin. Garrett needs to win. Anderson ahead as Wagner passes Fartuch. Wagner could very well win the title in TCA with two minutes to go in the season. This is it. Garrett and Ruud have been the winners this year. Ruud dominated in 2021. This year, Colin Garrett has mounted a challenge. White flag. One to go in the season here at Indianapolis. This needs to be slowest lap possible for Colin Garrett to win. He has to back up Ruud into Scroggin. Branyon Tiner, the lapped Hyundai. The clock at zero. Colin Garrett wins the race. Ruud scores his second championship in TCX in 2022!
Fartuch to the inside of Wagner in TCA. In TC, it is win and championship for Kevin Boehm and his 14th podium of the year! Jeff Ricca second, a second and a half behind. Devin Anderson going for the win in TCA. Wagner will lock up the championship. Great run by Carter Fartuch but he will have to try again in 2023. Techsport has sponsorship from TCL Televisions. Devin Anderson will win the race. Gresham Wagner is the 2022 TCA champion!
Overall/TCX: #44 Colin Garrett Rooster Hall Racing BMW M2 CS Racing
TC: #9 Kevin Boehm Skip Barber Racing School Honda Civic Type R TC
TCA: #22 Devin Anderson TechSport Racing Subaru BRZ TCA
Ruud, champion, and Crowdstrike fastest lap at 1:36.163.
Champions:
TCX: Jacob Ruud #1 Fast Track Driving School BMW M2 CS Racing
TC: Kevin Boehm #9 Skp Barber Racing School Honda Civic Type R TC
TCA: Gresham Wagner #21 TechSport Racing Subaru BRZ TCA
So, that is a wrap for TC America 2022 in SRO. We'll see you for plenty more awesome competition and close action in 2023. So long from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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