Antinucci, Piscopo Win Thursday Lamborghini ST Race at COTA

Richard Antinucci and Edoardo Piscopo led from start to finish to win Round 7 in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America championship at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

The duo took the pole position earlier in the day and never relinquished their lead to take a 36.194-second victory in the No. 50 O’Gara Motorsport Huracán representing Lamborghini Beverly Hills over Corey Lewis on the 3.41-mile, 20-turn, world-renowned circuit.

“We had to manage our brakes and tires because this track is quite challenging; it’s quite heavy on them,” Piscopo said. “I just wanted to give Richard a good car because he’s a friend, a good guy, and I found a pace that was fast enough but not too heavy on the car. That was the key in the end.”

Lewis was also the top Pro-Am finisher in the No. 29 Change Racing entry representing Lamborghini Carolinas. Pro-Am competitors Angel Benitez Jr. and Martin Fuentes in the No. 26 Avid MotorSports Huracán representing Lamborghini Miami placed third.

Enrique Bernoldi was fourth in the No. 1 Prestige Performance entry representing Lamborghini Paramus, followed by teammate Kevin Conway in the No. 10 Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 to round out the top five overall finishers.

Piscopo took the green flag and built a lead of 15.965 seconds over Madison Snow in the No. 14 BAD Lambo Racing Huracán over the first 20 minutes of the 50-minute race.

Reigning European Super Trofeo and World Final Champion Piscopo pitted as the mandatory pit stop window opened, handing the car to Antinucci. Snow closed the gap to 6.363 seconds but eventually fell back, relinquishing his position to Lewis. Antinucci cruised to the victory, his fourth of the season and the third with Piscopo.

“We’re a great team,” Antinucci said. “If you were to compare it to a relay race, he (Edoardo Piscopo) passed me the baton really easily. He pulled away while still giving me a very good car. There was life in the tires; there still was some brakes. And out here in this heat and on this giant track, where it’s slippery, that’s a lot. Thanks to him, thanks to my team, O’Gara Motorsports, and Lamborghini are the ones we both thank the most.”

Cedric Sbirrazzuoli and Lawrence DeGeorge were third in the Huracán Pro-Am class in the No. 07 STR entry representing Lamborghini Dallas.

In the Huracán Amateur class, Ryan Ockey made a last-turn pass in the No. 89 Lamborghini Vancouver entry to cross the finish line just two-tenths of a second ahead of his brother and O’Gara Motorsports teammate Damon Ockey in the No. 09 entry representing Lamborghini Calgary.

The father-son duo of Jim and Josh Norman rounded out the Amateur podium in the No. 71 BAD Lambo Racing entry representing Lamborghini Palm Beach.

Dylan Murcott picked up his fourth win of the season to claim the overall victory in the Gallardo class in the No. 84 Mitchum Motorsports entry.

Series rookie Matt Lecuyer claimed second place on the overall Gallardo podium in the No. 18 Avid MotorSports entry representing Lamborghini Miami. Bryan Hixon rounded out the overall podium, taking third place in the No. 23 Mitchum Motorsports Gallardo representing Lamborghini Chicago. Hixon was also the top Gallardo Amateur finisher.

Joe Chan and Paul Taylor earned their first podium of the season, finishing second in the Gallardo Amateur class in the No. 15 Paragon Competition entry representing Lamborghini Toronto. Rounding out the podium was Brandon Gdovic in the No. 46 Mitchum Motorsports Gallardo representing Lamborghini Palm Beach.

The second and final race of the weekend, Round 8, starts at 8 a.m. (CT) Friday, Sept. 18. It will be live streamed at squadracorse.lamborghini.com/en/live-usa.

A 60-minute show with highlights from both rounds will be televised from 9-10 p.m. (ET) Wednesday, Oct. 7 on CBS Sports Network.

RESULTS: Round 7