The Trans Am Sequence introduced by Pirelli heads to Austin, Texas for the ultimate occasion of 2024 at Circuit of The Americas, the COTA SpeedTour. All the time the most important race of the 12 months, each by way of stakes and entrants, 66 rivals will take the inexperienced flag between the Nationwide Championship and Western Championship in Sunday’s two races. The large finale nonetheless has many titles up for grabs, together with TA and the CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence.
This weekend’s occasion marks the launch of the SpeedTour Sim Racing Trailer. Positioned within the Fundamental Paddock, the trailer options Simshop racing simulators working the iRacing platform. Friends in attendance can compete within the SpeedTour Checkered Flag Problem and attempt to set the quickest lap of the weekend. Chances are you’ll even get to race towards drivers from the Trans Am Sequence, System Regional Americas Championship or System 4 United States Championship.
13 totally different drivers on this week’s entry listing have beforehand pushed into GYM WEED Winners Circle at COTA. Of previous winners, two drivers have stood atop the rostrum 3 times: Adam Andretti has a TA win in 2015, a TA2 victory in 2019, and a TAH win in 2022. CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence Western Championship title contender Michael LaPaglia has two Western SGT wins and one Western TA2 victory.
Along with Trans Am wins, a number of drivers have taken the checkered flag in different collection. Chris Coffey has gained on the monitor in NASA and SCCA, along with his two GT victories. Bryan Scheible (No. 53 Alliance Autosport Chevrolet Camaro) has additionally gained on the monitor in SCCA, and Jon DeGaynor (No. 04 Pace Dream’n Racing Ford Mustang) has gained in SVRA.
Thomas Annunziata will get behind the wheel of his No. 90 Bayshore Mortgage/Chriswell Ford Mustang to defend his first-career CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence win final 12 months. So as to add to the problem, he’ll even be working double responsibility, making his second-career TA begin, this time within the No. 2 STEEL-IT/Weaver Racing Dodge Challenger, lower than an hour after the TA2 checkered flag waves.
Michael LaPaglia will probably be racing for the TA2 title within the Western Championship in his No. 31 Papini’s Storage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang simply earlier than hitting the monitor within the TA/XGT/SGT/GT race to compete in SGT. Final 12 months he additionally competed in each TA2 and SGT within the Western Championship, profitable each races.
Seven drivers in Sunday’s races name the Lone Star State house. The closest to house at COTA are Gar Robinson from Spicewood, Scott Dollahite from Dripping Springs and Bryan Scheible from Georgetown.
Whereas a number of Texas locals can have a brief commute to COTA, one driver will probably be incomes lots of frequent flier miles within the subsequent three weeks. Australian Nathan Herne (No. 15 F.A.S.T. Auto Racing Chevrolet Camaro) is kicking off a three-week journey the place he’ll journey to Austin for this weekend’s race, then again to Australia for races on the Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales and the Adelaide Avenue Circuit in Adelaide, South Australia. The 2-time TA2 Australia champion will journey practically 30,000 kilometers (greater than 18,000 miles) over 57 hours of journey between now and November 17.
Menard vs. Dyson
The TA championship all comes right down to the ultimate race of the season, the place Paul Menard (No. 3 Menards/Masterforce Instruments Ford Mustang) and Chris Dyson (No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang) will face off. All indicators level to Menard incomes his first-career Trans Am title, as he comes into the weekend with a 93-point benefit. Nevertheless, if he has any catastrophic mechanical points or crash harm in apply or qualifying and may’t take the inexperienced flag, Dyson would seize his fourth-consecutive championship.
GT titles clinched
Whereas the TA title is but to be claimed, the XGT, SGT and GT championships have all been clinched, that means these drivers in attendance can deal with profitable and nothing else this weekend.
XGT’s Danny Lowry within the No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/PitBoxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3 has clinched his second-consecutive XGT title.
Kaylee Bryson within the No. 02 Logical Programs Inc./Sam Pierce Chevrolet Corvette has captured the SGT title, making her the second feminine SGT champion and third feminine champion in Trans Am historical past.
After a dominating season, Chris Coffey has earned the GT championship, with seven victories up to now in his No. 97 Norwood Auto Italia/Site visitors Grafix Maserati MC GT4.
Western Championship replace
Within the Western Championship, the TA and GT titles have been determined, however XGT will come right down to race day.
Steve Goldman (No. 13 LIG Racing Chevrolet Corvette) has wrapped up the TA championship with 4 wins.
David Hampton, who will compete within the Nationwide Championship this weekend, has tied up the GT title on the power of 5 victories, profitable each Western GT occasion he’s entered this season in his No. 14 AR Motorsport Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.
Michelle Nagai (No. 72 Nagai Racing/Berkeley Jet Drive Chevrolet Camaro) at the moment leads the XGT standings, however isn’t on the entry listing this weekend. With a 52-point benefit, it seems that she will probably be overtaken within the standings by Chris Evans within the No. 92 Central Welding Provide Ford Mustang. Evans was the 2022 SGT champion within the Western Championship, however this will probably be his first XGT title.
2015 and 2017 CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence champion Gar Robinson returns to the monitor this weekend to compete in simply his second-career TA occasion, piloting the No. 74 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro for Riley Applied sciences. The Spicewood, Texas native made his TA class debut final 12 months, profitable the pole, dominating the race and driving to GYM WEED Winners Circle. Previous to dipping his toe into TA, Robinson beforehand began 44 races in TA2, incomes 11 victories, together with one at COTA in 2018.
After making his TA class debut earlier this month at VIRginia Worldwide Raceway, Thomas Annunziata is again for extra, this time getting behind the wheel of the No. 2 STEEL-IT/Weaver Racing Dodge Challenger for Weaver Racing Ideas. Annunziata has one earlier win on the monitor, driving to his first-career CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence victory at COTA only one 12 months in the past. As soon as once more competing in each TA and TA2 this weekend, Annunziata can have a a lot larger problem than he did at VIR, as each races are on the identical day, with the inexperienced flag for the TA race waving lower than an hour after the checkered flag for the TA2 race. The stakes are additionally larger on this TA begin, with a bigger discipline, a mix of each Nationwide and Western Championship rivals, and the championship for the flagship class nonetheless on the road.
TA Choose-Six Problem competitor Jon DeGaynor will probably be making solely his third begin of the season this weekend in his No. 04 Pace Dream’n Racing Ford Mustang, however he already is aware of what it takes to win at COTA. DeGaynor has a earlier victory on the monitor within the Sportscar Classic Racing Affiliation (SVRA), incomes one of many collection’ coveted Gold Helmets in 2018. DeGaynor will as soon as once more be competing in SVRA this weekend along with his Trans Am duties, piloting the No. 111 1959 Devin Evolution in Group 6.
The month of October is Nationwide Liver Consciousness Month, and one driver who has beat the percentages is Will Rodgers (No. 12 Central Welding Provide Ford Mustang). Recognized on the age of three with a uncommon type of liver illness known as Major Sclerosing Cholangitis, he recovered on the age of 5 following aggressive therapy at Johns Hopkins College and has stayed in remission. He has since began the Will Rodgers Liver Well being Basis, and is devoted to spreading the phrase about liver illness each on and off the monitor and serving to individuals afford the therapy they want. Discover out extra right here.
Two drivers will probably be making their first-career Trans Am begins in Sunday’s TA/XGT/SGT/GT race, each within the XGT class. Michael McAleenan will probably be competing within the No. 31 Smith Alling PS/Lowe Group Racing Lamborghini GT3 Huracan EVO and involves the collection from Pirelli GT4 America.
Scott Dollahite within the No. 46 Dollahite Racing Audi R8 has beforehand competed in GT America and has a begin within the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
TA2 title decider
As soon as once more, the CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence champion will probably be determined within the season finale at COTA. This 12 months’s title struggle is between two-time champion Rafa Matos (No. 60 Harmony American Flagpole/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang) and 2022 champion Thomas Merrill (No. 26 HP Tuners/Cope Race Automobiles Ford Mustang). Matos leads the standings by 106 factors over Merrill, who sits in rivalry for the title for the third 12 months in a row. Whereas Matos’ benefit makes him the favourite by far, in 2022, Merrill edged out Matos by incomes each doable level at COTA, scoring the pole, main essentially the most laps and profitable the race, tying Matos for the factors lead and profitable the title by advantage of a tiebreaker. Each Matos and Merrill have victories on the monitor, with Matos scoring two (2020, 2021) to Merrill’s one. If Matos secures the crown, he’ll turn out to be the primary three-time TA2 champion in collection historical past.
Extensive-open Western TA2 Championship
Whereas the Nationwide Championship has narrowed to 2 rivals vying for the title, the Western Championship has three drivers mathematically eligible to win the championship in TA2. Michael LaPaglia (No. 31 Papini’s Storage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang) at the moment sits atop the standings, holding a 42-point benefit over Tim Barber (No. 33 DIG Motorsports Ford Mustang). Each LaPaglia and Barber gained races within the last doubleheader spherical of the season at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, with LaPaglia taking Race 1 and Barber taking Race 2. Additionally within the combine is Kyle Kelley (No. 80 PK+ok Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang), who’s 39 factors behind Barber. Along with his factors tally, LaPaglia has one different benefit going into this weekend: wins. LaPaglia has pushed to Victory Lane at COTA 3 times, profitable the TA2 occasion in 2023, and profitable in SGT the final two-consecutive seasons.
Younger Gun and Rookie of the 12 months up for grabs
Along with each the Nationwide and Western Championship TA2 titles being determined this weekend, two different huge awards are nonetheless up for grabs within the CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence.
The Younger Gun Award, which rewards the highest-finishing TA2 competitor underneath the age of 25, has three drivers chasing the $20,000 money prize. 19-year-old Thomas Annunziata (No. 90 Bayshore Mortgage/Chriswell Ford Mustang) at the moment leads the cost, sitting 21 factors forward of 24-year-old Jake Drew (No. 57 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro). Additionally mathematically eligible is 15-year-old Ben Maier (No. 40 BOE Marine/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang), who’s 16 markers behind Drew.
Rookie of the 12 months honors has two drivers within the chase, with Drew at the moment main Josh Hurley (No. 20 Greenlight Simulation/BCR Ford Mustang) by 76 factors.
One driver who is aware of so much about profitable Rookie of the 12 months and the Younger Gun Award will probably be taking the inexperienced flag this weekend. 2023 TA2 champion Brent Crews (No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang) will probably be making his fourth begin of the season this weekend at COTA. Crews gained Rookie of the 12 months in 2022 and scored the $20,000 Younger Gun payout in each 2022 and 2023.
Bob Accardo, driver of the No. 39 Correct Arms/R.A.C.E. Advertising USA Chevrolet Camaro, goes to have a really particular visitor by his aspect this weekend, an eight-year-old racing fan named Jackson. Jackson was recognized with diffuse massive B cell lymphoma in 2023, present process each surgical procedure and aggressive chemotherapy remedies. Now one 12 months in remission, Accardo’s non-profit R.A.C.E. Advertising USA has partnered with Make-A-Want Basis to carry Jackson again to the racetrack, one thing he first received to expertise when he attended the Daytona 500 in February. Along with having fun with a weekend of racing with Accardo’s group, Jackson will give the command to start out engines earlier than Sunday’s TA2 race alongside Nik Middleton, founding accomplice and CEO of CUBE 3.
Crew SLR has a powerhouse lineup of younger drivers this weekend, with three entrants underneath the age of 21. 18-year-old Evan Slater (No. 8 Crew SLR-M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro) will probably be making his second begin of the season, coming off a second-place end at Lime Rock Park in Might. 21-year-old Carson Kvapil (No. 17 Crew SLR-M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro) will make his third begin of the 12 months. Kvapil completed third in his season debut at Pittsburgh Worldwide Race Complicated and had a robust run in his most up-to-date outing at Watkins Glen Worldwide earlier than a shredded tire took him out of the race. Lastly, 14-year-old Tristan McKee (No. 128 Crew SLR-M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro) returns after ending fourth in his collection debut at VIRginia Worldwide Raceway final month.
Three drivers will probably be making their first-career begins within the CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence this weekend. Vince Apple will pilot the No. 5 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro. Apple involves Trans Am with a primarily open-wheel background, racing karts, System Fords and System Renault. The previous few years he has targeted on endurance racing, most notably profitable the 25 Hours of Thunderhill in NASA.
Sam Corry (No. 30 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang) additionally boasts an open-wheel background, profitable races in USF2000 and USF Juniors.
Jordan Anderson hops behind the wheel of Doug Peterson’s No. 87 3-Dimensional Companies Group Ford Mustang. Anderson is a long-time competitor and group proprietor within the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence and NASCAR Truck Sequence.
