SALINAS, Calif. — After extreme rain and wind canceled Race 1 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Saturday, the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s Western Championship had blue skies when the green flag waved on Sunday.
The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series race was a thrilling one, with multiple leaders fighting for the win, intense battles throughout the field and a revolving top 10 as competitors faced mechanical issues and spins. Ultimately, it was Kyle Kelley in the No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang who took the checkered flag, earning his first-career Trans Am win.
With the grid for the race set by combining the weekend’s two practice session times, Tim Barber in the No. 33 DIG Motorsports Ford Mustang started the race first in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series. Barber led the first 20 laps before he was challenged by Tim Carroll in the No. 46 CRDMFG.com Chevrolet Camaro, who took over the point position.
Two laps later, Barber made contact with Carroll, resulting in Carroll spinning and Barber losing his position, which opened the door for Kelley in the No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang to take the lead.
Kelley led Barber, Barry Boes, debuting driver Caleb Shrader and Tim Lynn. On lap 26, Shrader spun in turn two, and then Boes experienced a mechanical issue three laps later, forcing him to retire.
After a full-course caution, Kelley and Barber were followed by Lynn, Jim Guthrie and Carroll, who had worked his way back into the top five. The final laps of the race were wild, with five different cars in the top 10 spinning as a result of heated battles, shuffling the running order. When the checkered flag waved, Kelley claimed his first Trans Am victory, followed by Barber and Guthrie. Sutherland fought his way into fourth, and Lynn crossed the finish line fifth.
Following the race, Barber was issued a penalty for avoidable contact with Carroll, which moved him down to fourth in the finishing order.
“We let the race come to us,” said Kelley. “You know, the first half of the race, we kind of held back a little bit and let people burn their tires and cars up a little bit. When we got the opportunity to take the lead, I was like, ‘That’s all right, I’ll let [Tim] Barber get it back in a little bit.’ And then I was like, ‘Okay, well, I guess we can hold pace.’ Then at the end, I was like, ‘He’s not getting by.’ I want to thank my kids, my dad.
“We’ve got a great crew over here. You know, they don’t look like much, but they do a good job.”