De La Torre, Bamber Sweep Watkins Glen Weekend

TR3 Racing’s Elias De La Torre and Will Bamber swept the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America weekend at Watkins Glen International, benefiting from restart trouble for Pro class rivals behind in Race 2.

De La Torre led the 36-car field to green in his No. 29 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2 before a full-course caution halted race running for 18 minutes before racing resumed just before the pit window opened.

On the restart, the TR3 driver leaped away when the rest of the field’s progress was stifled by a slowing Hampus Ericsson, who appeared to suffer an issue on track just as the green flag was displayed and lost significant ground. Ericsson eventually got his No. 1 Wayne Taylor Racing machine back up to speed and took to pit lane for the race’s mandatory pit stop to hand his Lamborghini over to Danny Formal.

Out of the pits, Will Bamber maintained the No. 29 TR3 Lamborghini’s advantage after taking over from De La Torre, more than eight seconds clear of Scott Huffaker’s World Speed entry in second, benefited by Ericsson’s restart roubles. Bamber took the checkered flag 7.936 seconds clear of Huffaker, who finished runner-up.

ANSA Motorsports’ Enzo Geraci and Colin Queen completed the overall and Pro class podium, with Al Morey and Jake Walker behind in fourth. WTR’s Nick Persing completed the top five in the No. 8 Lamborghini.

Nicky Hays pulled off a penultimate lap overtake on Slade Stewart to claim the Pro-Am win for ANSA, with the Flying Lizard Motorsports driver ultimately dropping to fourth after he was then hit and spun by Anthony Bullock, who was later penalized for the contact. Hays and co-driver Antoine Comeau completed a comeback drive from sixth in class to earn the Pro-Am victory.

Glenn McGee moved past Am pole-sitter Bullock just before the field was stunted by the Lap 1 safety car, with WTR co-driver Graham Doyle keeping the No. 10 Lamborghini at the head of the class out of the pits to secure the Am class win.

Nick Groat slipped into the LB Cup lead over Tom Capizzi on Lap 1, but was later penalized for being deemed to have made an overtake under yellow flag conditions. However, it was Rocky T Bolduc who emerged victorious, taking his first series win in class for RAFA Racing by the checkered flag after starting third in class.

An opening lap safety car came out when Dean Neuls spun his No. 70 TR3 machine, making heavy contact with the Turn 7 barriers. Seth Henry then collided with Neuls’ stricken Lamborghini, damaging the nose of his No. 44 Kaizen Autosport machine, later triggering a spin and collision with the wall at Turn 8.

Multiple cars were handed drive-through penalties for false starts, with the No. 28 Alliance Racing Lamborghini and RAFA Racing’s No. 68 and 81 machines.

A further penalty was assessed to David Staab’s No. 48 Precision Performance Motorsports Lamborghini for speeding in pit lane, resulting in a drive-through.

Midway through the race, Stephen Sorbaro pulled his No. 94 ANSA Motorsports Lamborghini behind the wall and retired.

Bryan Ortiz’s race ended in dramatic fashion when he pulled into pit lane with smoke pouring from the rear of his No. 47 PPM machine, requiring crew members to extinguish the flames that engulfed his Lamborghini once he stopped in his pit box.

Notably, Wayne Taylor Racing’s No. 69 entry did not take the start.

RESULTS: Race 2