Watkins Glen Lamborghini ST Weekend Notebook

Photo: Jamey Price/Lamborghini

***Richard Antinucci and Riccardo Agostini will start from the pole positions in Rounds 3 and 4, respectively, of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, following qualifying Friday morning at Watkins Glen. Antinucci’s 1:46.490 lap in the No. 16 Change Racing Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo in Q1 was 0.070 seconds slower than Agostini’s time in Q2 in the No. 1 Prestige Performance entry.

***The No. 7 DXDT Racing Lamborghini of Austin Versteeg will line up third overall for both 50-minute races, having claimed Pro-Am pole honors. Brian Thienes (Am) and Ryan Hardwick (LB Cup) scored class poles. Click Here for Qualifying 1 results and Click Here for Qualifying 2 results.

***A total of 18 cars are set for this weekend, following the late withdrawal of the No. 51 DXDT entry of Rob Hodes, due to family commitments. The No. 39 Dream Racing Lamborghini of Dustin Farthing, which was also on the initial entry list, is also a no-show.

***Prestige/WTR has undergone a driver shakeup with two of its entries prior to qualifying, with Dion von Moltke moving to the Pro-Am class No. 57 entry alongside Pippa Mann. Jackie Heinricher, who was due to share the car with Mann, is missing the weekend due to “unforeseen circumstances” according to team manager Travis Houge.

***As a result, Stevan McAleer will pilot the team’s No. 11 Lamborghini solo this weekend, and is still entered in the Pro class. Houge said they’ve yet to determine their driver lineups for the next round at Road America.

***Versteeg is fresh off his Pirelli World Challenge debut last weekend at Road America, where he drove ANSA Motorsports’ KTM X-Bow GT4 to a fourth place finish in Race 1. “It felt good because the last [Super Trofeo] race was two months ago, so just to get in a car and be running keeps you fresh,” he told Sportscar365. “I think the biggest adjustment [this weekend] is that I’ve never been here in this car and just figuring out what this car likes here and adjusting my driving style.”

***The 18-year-old rising star, who claimed class victory in his series debut at Circuit of The Americas last month, was re-classified from Am to Pr0-Am during the COTA weekend, despite not currently having an FIA driver rating. Versteeg started the PWC weekend in the Am subcategory before series officials upgraded him to the Pro class.

***For von Moltke, who received the call from Prestige/WTR to drive this weekend on Wednesday afternoon, it turned out to be a race just to get to the race. “I was actually working out, rushed home, bought a ticket, in an hour, I was at the airport flying up here and got here [Thursday morning],” he said. “So I think this is the ultimate definition of a last-minute call up. I might have even beaten [Robert] Wickens with the practice call-up he got in IndyCar last weekend!”

***The Lamborghini Super Trofeo Middle East will return next year, with a three-round calendar having been confirmed, again exclusively in the United Arab Emirates. The season kicks off on Feb. 2-3 at Yas Maria Circuit in Abu Dhabi, with the Dubai Autodrome hosting the second and third rounds on Feb. 16-17 and March 2-3. 

***This year’s inaugural series featured nearly 30 drivers and 11 teams, won by Rik Breukers and Axcil Jefferies. The format will remain the same as the North America series, with two 60-minute practice sessions, 20-minute qualifying sessions and a pair of 50-minute races with a mandatory pit stop. Pro, Pro-Am, Am and Lamborghini Cup classes will again be utilized.

***Fourteen-year-old Steven Aghakani claimed his first victory in a Lamborghini Huracan in last weekend’s NASA SoCal Region round at Buttonwillow. The US RaceTronics driver is on-site this weekend to conduct meetings regarding his future plans, which is likely to include Super Trofeo at some point. 

***Check out Andy Blackmore’s spotters guide for this weekend’s pair of races. Click Here to download the guide, which also includes cars competing in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA and Canada series.

***Watch Round 3 live on IMSA.tv Friday at  4:40 p.m.. ET. Round 4 gets underway Saturday at 5 p.m. Tape-delayed coverage will air on CBS Sports Network on Sunday afternoons. Check your local listings.

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