SONOMA, Calif. – Mason Filippi dominated Sunday’s TC America TCR finale on Sunday afternoon at Sonoma Raceway.
Just three minutes into the race saw the first full course caution as the No. 02 X-Factor Honda Civic Si of Stephen Jeu hit the wall coming out of turn seven. The race would restart with 28 minutes on the clock and would see championship leader Nick Wittmer in the No. 91 TechSport Racing Subaru BRZ move up to sixth after starting 14th.
The second full course caution of the day would be called just minutes later after the No. 24 TechSport Subaru of Robert Crocker came to a halt at the final hairpin, suffering his second DNF of the weekend.
The race would restart with 17 minutes to go and Filippi would gap his FCP Euro rivals of Michael Hurczyn and Nate Vincent by 1.2 seconds by the end of the lap. Filippi would never look back and continue to pull away, grabbing the TCR win.
“Complete redemption after yesterday,” said Filippi, “The racing was great, it was clean and a lot of fun to be out here at Sonoma Raceway. We started on pole and won, so I’m looking forward to the next race.”
Victor Gonzalez started from fourth and would have a race-long game of cat and mouse with Vincent in the No. 72 FCP Euro VW Golf GTI for third. With four minutes to go, Gonzalez would stuff his No. 99 VGMC Honda Civic Type-R on the inside of the No. 72 and move into the third position.
With under one minute to go, Gonzalez would then bump past the No. 71 FCP Euro VW Golf GTI of Michael Hurczyn at the turn nine chicane to claim second position.
The TCR grid would finish Filippi, Gonzalez, Hurczyn, Vincent, with the No. 34 Risi Competizione Alfa Romeo of James Walker rounding out the top five.
Bryan Putt in the No. 15 eEuroparts. Rowe Racing Audi RS3 LMS would take the TCR Cup win, his second of the weekend, finishing sixth overall.
In TCA Tyler Maxson and the No. 74 Copeland Motorsports Mazda MX5 Cup car would jump the pole sitting No. 59 MINI JCS Team Mini Cooper of Mark Pombo at turn two and grab the lead. Maxson would pull out a three-second lead and cruise to his second class win of the weekend.
“It was an absolutely awesome race. The crew at Copeland Motorsports did an awesome job and gave me a stellar car this weekend, I couldn’t ask for a better car,” said Maxson.
The TCA grid would finish Maxson, Pombo, the No. 69 X-Factor Honda Civic Si of Nate Haldeman, the No. 91 TechSport Racing Subaru BRZ of Nick Wittmer, and the No. 77 X-Factor Honda Civic of Tyler Hagler fifth.