Cooper Dominates Race 2; James Wins Sprint Title

Photo: Fabian Lagunas/SRO

Michael Cooper has claimed a commanding flag-to-flag victory in the second Pirelli GT4 America Sprint race of the weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, while Ian James has been crowned Pro class champion.

Cooper took his No. 10 Blackdog Speed Shop McLaren 570S GT4 to a 4.801-second win over the No. 66 TRG Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport in the 50-minute season-ending race.

It marked the McLaren factory driver’s fourth win of the season.

Both drivers overcame late-race tire punctures in Race 1 to land podium finishes, although it wasn’t enough to overturn James, who won on Saturday and finished fourth on Sunday to claim the drivers’ championship.

With the result, Team Panoz Racing scored back-to-back teams’ championships, with McLaren taking the manufacturers’ title, both of which were decided in Sunday’s race.

SprintX Race 1 winner Jarett Andretti completed the overall podium in his No. 18 Andretti Autosport McLaren, followed by James in fourth in the No. 50 Panoz Avezzano GT4.

Staveley Wins Again in GT4 Sprint Am

Drew Staveley, who clinched the GT4 Sprint Am title last time out at Road America, claimed a weekend sweep in class, finishing fifth overall in the No. 12 Ian Lacy Racing Ford Mustang GT4.

It came courtesy of a 30-second stop-and-hold penalty given to the No. 41 PF Racing Mustang GT4 of Shane Lewis for causing a collision with Matt Brabham, while battling for fifth at the time.

The incident came after a full-course caution for a multi-car pileup on the opening lap that left the No. 7 Park Place Motorsports Porsche of Alan Brynjolfsson stranded on track.

The race restarted with 33 minutes left on the clock and saw Cooper extend his margin to the checkered flag.

RESULTS: Race 2

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