NOLA Weekend Notebook

Photo: Jamey Price/Lamborghini

***The entry list for this weekend’s Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America round at NOLA Motorsports Park is down to 32 entries after both the No. 77 Forty7 Motorsports Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2 and No. 15 D Motorsports entry were withdrawn. It still marks a record field after the previous 31-car grid in the season-opener at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca earlier this month.

***Caleb Bacon and AJ Muss have been late additions to the No. 7 Forty7 Lamborghini, in place of the originally listed Nick Parmelee, while Parin Patel has been confirmed in the No. 20 Wayne Taylor Racing entry in LB Cup. 

***Another development sees the No. 14 Flying Lizard Motorsports Lamborghini of Slade Stewart re-classified back to LB Cup after initially graduating to the Am class following his dominant win in Race 2 at Laguna Seca. Click Here for the latest entry list.

***Competitors have been greeted with hot and humid conditions, with highs in the low 90s Fahrenheit. Thunderstorms are in the forecast for both tomorrow afternoon and on Sunday, which could impact running time.

***While having risen to fame, or arguably infamy, for its IndyCar Series race in 2015, NOLA Motorsports Park has undergone upgrades in the years since, including repaving and other enhancements. 

***Unlike the IndyCar race, which was staged on a 14-turn variant, Super Trofeo competitors are utilizing the full 17-turn, 2.748 mile ‘A Course’ this weekend. It includes a 3,200-foot front straightaway, one of the longest in the country, another being Utah Motorsports Campus, which was also designed by Alan Wilson.

***Click Here to download the series’ official Spotters Guide from Andy Blackmore.

***O’Gara Motorsport/Change Racing/USRT drivers Edoardo Piscopo and Patrick Kujala head into the weekend with a one-point lead in the Pro class after the opening event. The pair started on pole and finished in second in the first race at Laguna Seca before going on to win the second race of the weekend in the Arrow-sponsored entry after starting seventh.

***The USRT-run operation enjoyed a trouble-free weekend with Lamborghini’s new Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2 at Laguna according to team manager David Cozart. “Our four new Lamborghini Super Trofeo EVO 2’s performed above expectations at the Laguna Seca and we look to carry that momentum forward at NOLA,” he said.

***TPC Racing’s Scott Schmidt has elected to move to the LB Cup class from the Am division beginning this weekend. Ironically, the change brings TPC back into LB Cup just one race after series organizers moved Wesley Slimp and Tyler Hoffman up to the Am class following their victory.

***Trevor Andrusko, Schmidt’s co-driver since the duo entered Super Trofeo in late 2020, will continue in what was his dual role as his driver coach.

***In addition to its Super Trofeo entries, O’Gara/Change/USRT is fielding its season-long Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo for Steven Aghakhani and Loris Spinelli in this weekend’s pair of Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS races. TR3 Racing is also pulling double duty with Lamborghinis in both series.

***WTR’s Ashton Harrison and Taurino Racing by D Motorsports driver Spinelli are entered in both GTWC America and Super Trofeo events this weekend. Harrison teams with Mario Farnbacher in Racers Edge Motorsports’ Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 while Spinelli is with the aforementioned USRT Mercedes entry.

***TPC, meanwhile, will also be fielding cars in multiple championships with its Porsche Sprint Challenge North America campaign, which is also in action at NOLA this weekend.

***Qualifying is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. CT followed by Race 1 at 4:30 p.m. CT which will be carried live on Peacock and IMSA TV featuring the commentary team of Brian Till and Jeremy Shaw. A weekend recap will air on USA Network on May 28 at 10 a.m. ET.

John Dagys

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