Catalano, Walker, Porto Win in Friday’s Road Atlanta Finale

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

The IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge wrapped its season on a crisp, cool, Friday morning from Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with one final surprise to wave the checkered flag on the campaign.

For the first 44 minutes of the 45-minute race, it appeared the three Thursday winners would double up on Friday.

However, the overall winner changed hands on the final lap when overall leader Oscar Tunjo lost his right front tire and wheel exiting Turn 12 just after taking the white flag, which opened the door for his teammate Valentino Catalano to score his eighth victory of the season in LMP3.

Meanwhile, the GT-based classes still saw repeat winners as Jake Walker (GTDX) and Kiko Porto (GSX) both won their ninth races of the season.

This race ran green from the start to the checkered flag after a second formation lap to warm the Michelin tires in the cool temperatures.

After Catalano (LMP3) and Porto (GSX) clinched their respective VP Racing Challenge class championships on Thursday, Adam Adelson (GTDX) did the same on Friday by taking the green flag.

From pole, Tunjo was poised to lead flag-to-flag in LMP3 and overall in the No. 31 Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsports Duqueine D08 Nissan over his teammate Catalano in the sister No. 30 Gebhardt Duqueine D08.

But as the white flag flew over Road Atlanta, the race complexion changed.

In a near identical scenario to a moment at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Tunjo’s most recent VP Racing Challenge weekend of competition, he lost his right front tire and wheel as he slowed onto the front straight and then pulled off course. At CTMP, Tunjo lost his left front tire and wheel.

That promoted Lucas Fecury in the No. 80 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS P320 Nissan up to second, 38.900 seconds in arrears, with Brian Thienes third in his No. 77 Forte Racing Ligier.

The GTDX podium was identical to Thursday, with Walker in the No. 6 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 finishing ahead of Adelson in the No. 24 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R and Samantha Tan third in her No. 38 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3.

This one also featured another strong pass from Walker on Adelson after another excellent battle between them.

Walker tried multiple times into Turns 10A and 10B to pass Adelson but was unsuccessful until Lap 10 of the race.

He completed an over-under from the outside into Turns 10A and B which led to the inside for Turns 11 and 12, completing the pass down the hill onto the front straight. Walker pulled away to win by 8.703 seconds.

Porto enjoyed an uneventful race from pole in his No. 8 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 in GSX, also leading flag-to-flag.

The joy doubled for the RAFA team as Ian Porter recovered from a fraught weekend to complete a 1-2 finish in second in the No. 68 RAFA Toyota, 20.237 seconds behind.

It marks the team’s second 1-2 finish of the season, the first since the third race of the Virginia International Raceway weekend. It also propelled Porter into second overall among all GSX drivers.

Justin Di Benedetto (No. 4 Di Benedetto Racing Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport) finished third.

Of note, the result also means Toyota completed a perfect season in GSX, winning all 12 races. RAFA Racing won ten of those with Porto taking nine wins and Porter one, while BSI Racing’s Steven Clemons won the other two.

Bronze Cup season champions Thienes, Tan and Porter also claimed their respective class Bronze Cup victories Friday.

RESULTS: Race 2

Source: Sports Car 365