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GT World Challenge America

RealTime Acuras Dominate Race 1 at Road America

Eversley, Cunningham lead RealTime Acura sweep in Race 1…

Photo: Brian Cleary/BCPix.com

Photo: Brian Cleary/BCPix.com

RealTime Racing broke through to claim a convincing 1-2 victory on home soil in Saturday’s Pirelli World Challenge Race 1 at Road America.

Ryan Eversley took the No. 43 Acura TLX-GT to 3.427-second win over teammate, and team owner Peter Cunningham, in a race that saw the turbocharged sports sedans — the only non-FIA GT3 compliant cars in the class — dominate from the opening lap.

Eversley took over the lead at the start from pole-sitter Adderly Fong, who initially slipped to second but then braked late into Turn 5 and dropped outside of the top-five.

Fong, however, charged to third, passing the No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R of Patrick Long with 25 minutes remaining.

The order in the top-three did not change to the checkered flag.

It marked Eversley’s first PWC win since St. Pete last year and came in the backyard of the Saukville, Wis.-based RealTime squad. Team boss Cunningham, meanwhile, scored his first podium finish in three years.

Long and the No. 33 Always Evolving Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 of JD Davison completed the top-five overall and in the GT class, with championship leader Alvaro Parente sixth in the caution-free race.

A throttle sensor issue for Johnny O’Connell saw the four-time and defending series champion finish 22nd overall, in a major points swing for Parente, Long and Cadillac teammate Michael Cooper, who came home seventh.

Michael Schein claimed GTA class honors, in a late move around the class pole-sitting No. 66 DIME Racing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 of Frankie Montecalvo, who drove wide into the grass at the Carousel with three minutes remaining.

Schein took his No. 16 Wright Porsche to a 7.679-second victory after Montecalvo faded on the final lap.

The No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R of Andy Wilzoch, in his PWC debut, completed the class podium in third.

GTA championship leader Martin Fuentes dropped out of the race early with overheating issues.

Alec Udell took over the sole lead of the GT Cup championship with his sixth class win of the season in his No. 17 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

Udell edged out title rival Sloan Urry by 6.689 seconds, with Corey Fergus completing the podium in third.

Race 2 is set for Sunday at 9:55 a.m. CT.

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John

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