Loftsgard Gallops to More Sebring Success in Race 2

Photo: Wes Duenkel/Ford

Cole Loftsgard completed a perfect opening weekend to the Mustang Challenge North America season by winning an entertaining Race 2 at Sebring International Raceway.

While the Round 3 Racing driver led throughout Thursday’s opening race to win on debut, he had to work hard to complete his clean sweep as he started third on the grid.

Loftsgard elected to use scrubbed tires for this second contest and was immediately under pressure from Sandy Satullo with the pair spending the first half of the opening lap running side by side.

But Loftsgard was able to maintain the place while, up ahead, pole-sitter Michael Tosi blasted into an early lead with Devin Anderson unable to challenge.

However, Tosi was not comfortable out front with Anderson remaining within half a second of the Wheelhouse Motorsports driver during the opening portion of the race.

After six of the 20 laps, the top four were running nose to tail and, having fended off Satullo, Loftsgard was now glued to the bumper of Anderson’s TechSport Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse R.

And Loftsgard was able to pounce three laps later after getting alongside Anderson entering the Ulmann Straight and then grabbing second place on the inside into Turn 17.

By this stage, Tosi had edged 2.2 seconds clear but this gap was no barrier for Loftsgard. It took him just three tours to reduce that margin to less than half a second before he then made a near repeat move at Turn 17 to grab the lead.

Tosi initially remained close behind Loftsgard but was unable to prevent the Round 3 Racing driver from opening the season in style and winning by an eventual 2.508 seconds.

Instead the battle for third became the main focus with Satullo lining up a move on lap 18 when he seemed to miss a gear and dropped back from Anderson.

This enabled the TechSport Racing driver to take a first podium of the season while Satullo instead had to defend from Wheelhouse stablemate Will Lucas.

However, Satullo was able to cling on to fourth and did get back on terms with Anderson over the final lap.

Further back, there was another Dark Horse Legends class victory for reigning champion Alex Bachoura (Spark Performance) who completed what is set to be his final outing for a while, with a child on the way, in sixth overall.

He was comfortably clear of his class rivals, with second-placed Chris Clarke some 14 seconds adrift in his Paley Motorsport with AAG Racing Mustang. Tom Tait (Wheelhouse) was third in class in tenth overall.

There was late drama for Ford CEO Jim Farley when he spun into the barriers at Turn 10 on the final lap but was able to continue and finish 15th.

RESULTS: Race 2