Records Fall At Road America

[terrydale]

NUNEZ, TUCKER MAKE CLEAN SWEEP OF ROAD AMERICA
Both Drivers Win Back-to-Back, Flag-to-Flag Races and Pole Positions in Class

Elkhart Lake, WI, August 18, 2012--Yesterday was a record-setting day at Road America in beautiful Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Drivers in the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda Series set both qualifying and race lap records in both L1 and L2 classes of competition at the 4.048-mile circuit. Tristan Nunez from Performance Tech took the win in L1 in his No. 16 Élan DP02 and Level 5 Motorsports’ Scott Tucker took the top step of the podium in L2

Records remained safely intact today, but fans were nonetheless treated to some exciting racing and a hard-fought battle at the front of the field. The 16-year-old Nunez crossed the finish line first again today, but not without significant pressure from his Performance Tech teammate Daniel Goldburg.

“This race was really tough,” said Nunez. “Dan [Goldburg] ran an amazing race and there was not one point during the race where I wasn’t pushing as hard as I could. He ran a great race and he got me looking in my mirrors, so I have to give it up for Dan on this one.”

In only his third event weekend for the year, Goldburg applied early pressure to Nunez, but was ultimately unable to close the gap enough to make an attempt to overtake the race winner. Goldburg gladly took the second-place trophy home with an eye on the future.

“That was an exciting race,” Goldburg enthusiastically stated. “From the start I was chasing down Tristan [Nunez]. I had some real fast laps mid-race and I was narrowing the gap. However, at each of the restarts, I had pressure from Mikhail [Goikhberg] and I had to defend which allowed Tristan to build some room. I am very happy with the second place end result. In the few races I have done this year I have shown I have the pace. I am looking forward to the 2013 season when I will participate in the full seasonand make a challenge for the championship.”

Meanwhile, JDC Motorsports’ driver Mikhail Goikhberg was knocking at Goldburg’s back door and looking for any opportunity to get around him. Goikhberg didn’t find that opportunity and had to settle for a third-place finish.

“I tried to get by Daniel [Goldburg] in the end,” said Goikhberg. “I think I was a little bit faster in the last stint, but it was really scary coming into the Carousel behind someone because you had the aero-push and I fought it hard but he held on so congratulations to him.”

Scott Tucker delivered a repeat performance of his race win from yesterday, starting from the L2-class Pole and leading flag-to-flag. He would have to wait to savor his victory another time, as he had to immediately climb from the car and jump in his Porsche 911 for a GT3 Cup Challenge race. His "race karma" carried forward and he won his class in that event as well.

One might think that Michel Chlumecky from 6th Gear Racing would have felt a bit unfamiliar with the West WR1000 car he borrowed from his teammate Max DeAngelis, but it didn’t stop him from posting a second-place finish in class in only his second weekend of competition this year.

“It was interesting out there today,” said Chlumecky. “I had an off [run off track] in Turn Six, but fortunately it didn’t put me out of the event. I was able to get back on [track] and maintain my position. So that’s a positive sign for me. No damage thankfully, but it took awhile to shake it out and after that, we just got in the rhythm. I have to thank my teammate Max [DeAngelis] for letting me drive his car today. Scott [Tucker] ran a great race as always. I would expect nothing less from him.”

Series newcomer Miguel Benitez took the final step on the L2 podium today and took home the third-place trophy for his Ansa Motorsports team.

The Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda Series look next to Virginia International Raceway September 12-15 for two more feature races destined to heat up the championship battle and tighten up the points lead.

Official results for on-track activity this weekend, as well as hi-resolution photography and video features from Road America, will be available at prototypelites.com.

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