ALTON, Va. –Â Britt Casey Jr. claimed his first victory in TC America competition with a resilient drive in the second TCR race of the weekend at Virginia Int’l Raceway Sunday.
Casey, who started from the back of the TCR class field after being disqualified from Saturday’s race for a technical infringement, successfully worked his way through the pack in the No. 83 McCann Racing Audi RS3 LMS TCR.
Using all of his prior TCR formula experience, Casey went on to make the pass for the win on championship leader Michael Hurczyn midway through Sunday afternoon’s 40-minute contest.
Hurczyn made a textbook getaway from pole in the No. 71 FCP Euro Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR and stayed out front until Casey surged ahead after a 10-lap pursuit.
The McCann Racing driver drew alongside Hurczyn into turn one of the 3.27-mile VIR road course with the cars staying glued side-by-side through the next couple of corners.
Casey eventually got through with a courageous lunge down the inside at the Left Hook and went to claim the win despite Hurczyn’s best attempts to reclaim the position.
Third place went to Nate Vincent who ensured both FCP Euro Volkswagens got on the podium, while Victor Gonzalez finished fourth to cap a solid debut weekend for the No. 99 VGMC Racing Honda Civic Type-R TCR drivers.
Behind them was Christian Cole, who started second on the overall grid in his TCR Cup-class Audi RS3 LMS TCR and went on to take a top-five finish overall plus a maiden category win.
Cole, driving the No. 27 McCann Racing machine, earned his first trip to TC America victory lane with a stoic defence from series points leader Bryan Putt in the similar No. 15 eEuroparts.com ROWE Racing Audi.
Putt settled for second but nonetheless extended his championship advantage over Race 1 Michael McCann Jr., who ended up third in class.
In the TCA rarnks, Nick Wittmer collected a second winner’s trophy of the weekend for another fine performance out front in the No. 91 TechSport Racing Subaru BRZ tS.