Hello, and welcome, everyone, to the wine country of northern California, and Sonoma Raceway, which used to be known as Sears Point Raceway. This recently resurfaced venue should provide us with some great action as we get set for the opening event of the new 2024 SRO America season with Touring Car America... TC America. Drivers and teams in all classes, do face a problem, and there has been critique already, and that is, the new surface was laid down in an insufficient manner. Let us not be hasty. We shall see how the races coming up today, work out in terms of the new track surface. How will the Pirelli P Zero tires used in all SRO classes, handle the new pavement? This is the big question and we're about to find out.
Three classes are on hand this weekend, with cars from many brands. We have a two-and-a-half-mile circuit, with a dozen corners. A gorgeous day in northern California wine country with sheep grazing in the fields. The bucolic setting is about to be interrupted by the roar of racing engines. On the pole for race one this afternoon, is Lucas Catania, returning and Chris Walsh on the outside is back. The new Acura Integra is another car that is debuting. There are some grip issues with the new pavement on the track and we shall see where that all goes. The new Acura Integra is here. There is a nine car field in TCX, and five of the new Acura Integra's are right there.
Lucas Catania, and Chris Walsh on the front row. Watch out too, for Brazilian racer Celso Neto. Hyundai will dominate TC racing but we also have Joey Jordan in the Mazda 3. Jordan is outside the front row in the TC class. They are running the iconic Mazda Motorsport colors this weekend. Two TCA cars, P.J. Groenke, and Maddie Lemke, two Canadian drivers. We have 40 minutes ahead on this 2.505 mile, 12 turn circuit. Tire degradation on the Pirelli tires will not be of concern and with the front wheel drive platform for most of these touring cars, there will be no real worries.
Hats off to the Sonoma Raceway and SRO staff as we get ready to go on this new surface. Cool temperatures mean working operating temperature into the tires. We have a total of 24 starters in this race. We are moments away from the start, for 40 minutes ahead. OK. The field forms up and here they come through turn 11. Green flag! Away we go! A battle for second right away and Celso Neto is going for it immediately. Chris Walsh under attack, briefly. Slow getaway for Jeff Ricca and now, Joey Jordan and Sally McNulty beginning to charge.
Here are P.J. Groenke and Maddy Lemke in the TC class. Battles all over the track as Chris Walsh has Cooper Broll on his six. But Mike LaMarra is giving Cooper Broll fits right now. Catania going defensive which costs him speed. The Integra might be faster on the straight than the BMW's. Wow. Catania moving forward, leading by half a second. BMW 1-2 followed by a pair of Integra's. Celso Neto has a single win but a bunch of podium finishes as well. This could be the year for Lucas Catania. He has come up short a few times to drivers like Jacob Ruud and Colin Garrett.
Catania, Walsh, Neto, LaMarra, Broll... the top five in TCX. Jeff Ricca, in TC, the Hyundai is flying with Joey Jordan in second place in the Mazda. Ricca must be the championship favorite for 2024. Ricca won eight races and scored ten podiums in 2023. His teammate Sally McNulty is in the fight and here comes Ruben Iglesias Jr. as well. All three of these Ricca Autosport Hyundai's are teammates. Up front, Catania leads but Walsh is sticking right in there. Neto has the sweet spot of the torque curve of the Acura Integra.
Meanwhile, McNulty running ahead of Iglesias Jr. We have been racing for seven minutes out of 40. Switching over to left foot braking can be hard if you right foot brake, including go karts. Dip the clutch to not seize the motor. Don't dip the clutch when it's the brake! Good scrap here between the two Hyundai's. Lucas Catania continues leading Chris Walsh overall and in TCX. These two chaps have been very close as we watch McNulty and Iglesias going for it. This all might just help the drivers feel the same thing. GenRacer and Ricca Autosport have developed the TC version of the Hyundai Elantra.
Three cars out of the half dozen they would like, have materialized for the start of 2024. There's a long way to go yet. Long duration through turn six, The Carousel, and then climb uphill for turn seven. Catania, Walsh, Neto, and Mike LaMarra. LaMarra in the deep blue car with gold wheels. At Rigid Speed, crew chief Tyler Stevenson, the communications go to both Lucas and Joseph Catania. No news is good news on race day. Everyone seems to be on the same frequency for some of the teams in this championship. Lucas Catania is being given a hard time so far because Chris Walsh really wants to go for it.
Walsh has no worries about Celso Neto. This is not a new situation for him to be a part of and he has won a TC America race in TCX before. Walsh seems to be feeling it and he can put the car where he'd like to. He can be more aggressive with his car placement. So far, everyone seems to be uncorking their best laps on this new track surface here at Sonoma. This is still early doors as far as learning the circuit. This scrum is continuing in earnest. Trouble for Cristian Perocarpi. He either did not start or dropped out.
He didn't start. The engine is not working and so they are working on the car to race in race two tomorrow. Cristian Perocarpi is a former TCA class race winner. The elevation changes here at Sonoma are staggering. It flattens out through sector two and maybe into sector three a wee bit. Racing at the top of the field is a new experience really, for Chris Walsh. He is truly going for it, applying the pressure, wearing Lucas Catania down. Maybe Catania is managing things more. Celso Neto has a healthy gap over teammate Mike LaMarra.
Cooper Broll is ahead of Joseph Catania and Mario Biundo. Broll and Biundo are new contenders in the TCX class. Whoops! A spin for Sally McNulty. Was she assisted? We'll have to see. Kris Valdez is looming large in the background, look. Two cars were in close proximity. There is an incident under review and it is this one. Ruben Iglesias has switched to Hyundai and stepped up to TC. P.J. Groenke in the blue Mini is leading the TC class, the Canadian. A gregarious character he is indeed. He hails from Richmond, Ontario, Canada. Soon, he will have the overall leaders right on his six.
This scrap between Lucas Catania and Chris Walsh has been fabulous. Walsh could be in management mode or so it appears. Will he make a move Lucas is not expecting? Chris Walsh was a student at Valpraiso University in Indianapolis, Indiana, and through his collegiate athletics he bcame a part of the U.S. bobsled team and he had a military career in the Air Force, and his title was Special Tactics Officer with the United States Air Force. Drive through penalty for Ruben Iglesias for contact and so, Sally McNulty will make a move up the order.
The overall leads are being checked up by Groenke. Catania has Walsh right on top of him but it the second half of the event, this could be the hottest battle on the track. This is Rigid Speed vs. Carrus Callas Racing. In turn seven, a lot of grinding had to happen to replace an asphalt patch. Turn nine now, and my gosh, this is really fascinating. Walsh is posing the questions. Catania is answering them. The race might be coming Walsh's way. 15 minutes left on the clock. Chris Walsh down to the inside and he is finding the grip.
Many anxious faces in the pit lane. Walsh loses the rear end momentarily. Is the tire degradation coming into play? The front end washes away. Traffic looming large ahead. Ruben Iglesias and more in the TC class. Iglesias has slipped behind Valdez and Thomson. Kris Valdez and Scott Thomson. Walsh is now right in Catania's mirrors. They pass Maddie Lemke and now are going after Ruben Iglesias. Catania flashing the lights to signal, move out of the way. Walsh is able to carve the corners more aggressively than Lucas Catania. More traffic ahead. Thomson ahead in the lone remaining TC spec Mini.
Thomson raced this car over the winter on street tires at the 25 Hours of Thunder Hill endurance race. Walsh still trying to figure out the solution to the puzzle. Walsh wagging the tail of the BMW over the top. There just isn't as much braking into some of the corners ahead of turn four. In the slipstream, here comes Walsh! Oh my! Catania covering him off. Walsh does not have enough speed to draw even with Catania. Catania continues to have the grip and it is go time now. Out of The Carousel into turn seven, Catania is vulnerable to Walsh. The tire grip remains. Keep digging. These two cars ran within five thousandths of a second of one another on the previous lap!
Wow! Walsh to the inside and Walsh goes to the point with seven and a half minutes remaining! Holy smokes! Catania is going to go for it! Walsh managing the spot as he goes for the lead over Lucas Catania and the Caras Callas team is loving it. Catania has a lot of understeer in his BMW M2 CS Racing for some reason. Maybe the setup is fading. Jeff Ricca leads the TC class over Joey Jordan by a wide margin, going through TCA traffic. Today has been the Jeff Ricca show over Joey Jordan and Sally McNulty. The TCA competition level has dropped in 2024, unfortunately.
Cooper Broll makes a move on Joseph Catania, dropping Mario Biundo behind. Cooper Broll, from California, who raced with Skip Barber Racing School and their team last year. Broll has a background in skiing. Meanwhile, Catania is clawing his way back towards Chris Walsh. We have not seen an outright fastest lap yet, but we have only two laps to go. Catania is responding but time is of the essence. Uphill and down dale. Walsh ran GT4 races last yuear and he also raced in single make Porsche racing as well last year in 2023. Chris Walsh has a sharp race car under him. Can they strengthen the car before race two tomorrow?
Chris Walsh does set CrowdStrike Fastest Lap. I don't know what the time is yet. But Walsh could be on pole for race two if he holds on. White flag. One more lap to go. Walsh in pursuit of his first TC America win. But Catania is still charging. He has found some speed. He is pushing like mad. He is close but running out of time as they come to The Carousel. Catania closing. Walsh on the inside. Here we come to the final passing spots at turn seven and turn 11. They roll speed more through the slower speed corners because the grip is there.
Traffic in the way. Walsh will soon take what will be his first win and he does it! Chris Walsh takes race one of TC America here at Sonoma! P.J. Groenke scores his second career TCA victory. Jeff Ricca picks up right where he left off from 2023. He has had full control in this race this afternoon. Joey Jordan is slowing! Is he running out of petrol? Sally McNulty will take second away. Everyone else has taken the checkers. Joey Jordan will secure a podium spot even though he is on fumes!
Overall/TCX: #104 Chris Walsh Carras Calus Race Team BMW M2 CS (Cup)
TC: #78 Jeff Ricca Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC
TCA: #62 P.J. Groenke MINI JCW Team MINI JCW
Focus on the sheep and cue the dance music for the results. So, we have seen a thrilling season opener for the touring car class, and we look ahead to race two tomorrow. Join us then. We'll see you in the morning for more touring car action. Plenty more racing still to come on this Saturday here at Sonoma. So keep it tuned in here on Endurance... The Sports Car Racing Blog. Bye for now.
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