Aghakhani Leads Lights-to-Flag in Am/LB Race 1

Photo: Lamborghini

Steven Aghakhani took his third class win in as many races at Jerez by claiming victory in Saturday afternoon’s Am/LB Cup Race 1, the first of this weekend’s four Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final races.

The US RaceTronics driver started from pole and remained out front throughout while the action unfolded behind him.

Victory on Saturday afternoon came after Aghakhani took both Am class wins in Friday’s pair of Super Trofeo North America finale races.

Gilles Vannelet lost second on the final lap with a spin, allowing Aghakhani’s North America rival McKay Snow to take the runner-up position.

AGS Events’ Vannelet shared an AGS Events car with Nicolas Gomar, who had been battling with Jake Rattenbury earlier in the race.

Leipert Motorsport’s Rattenbury, who is now driving solo on account of co-driver Mikko Eskelinen’s crash earlier in the weekend, ultimately finished third.

Rattenbury and Gomar’s first stint battle saw the Welshman make his way past on the second lap before going wide shortly ahead of the pit stops, allowing Gomar back through.

The pair were separated after the pits by Snow, who then made up a position when Vannelet spun late in the race.

Raffaele Giannoni started from second on the grid but had to pit at the end of the first lap with an overheating problem.

The race ran behind the safety car for around 15 minutes early on after separate incidents for Randy Sellari and Ashton Harrison.

Sellari appeared to have a brake failure, sending him flying into the tire wall at Turn 1 and clipping Takamichi Matsuda, while a puncture for Harrison sent her in a spin into the gravel.

The most entertaining battle of the race came for the LB Cup lead in the final few laps, with Chad Reed ultimately coming out on top ahead of Mel Johnson.

The Australian supercross star, who shares a Dream Racing Motorsport car with Justin Price, made his way past North America LB Cup champion Johnson at the final corner and went on to pass two Am class cars on his way to the checkered flag.

Next up is the first Pro/Pro-Am race at 5 p.m. local time (11 a.m. EDT) while Sunday’s second Am/LB race will take place at 11:30 a.m. (6:30 a.m. EDT).

RESULTS: Am/LB Cup Race 1

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.