SONOMA, Calif. – Jacob Ruud took his No. 81 Classic BMW M2 CS Cup car back to victory lane in TC America presented by Skip Barber Racing School action at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday morning.
After leading practice session two, taking the pole position and both race wins, it was a dream weekend for Ruud to kickoff the season.
“The guys at Classic BMW have put together a perfect car for me this weekend. The tires are the key and this car is very light on them, so that’s where the real advantage is. I am very happy with how we are starting out 2021,” said Ruud.
Round two went green cleanly, but as soon as the TC field got to turn one, the action started and the first caution was called.
Race one winner Eric Powell, Tom Capizzi, and Toby Grahovec collided at turn one while fighting for the apex of the fast sweeping corner.
Grahovec would spin but continue as more cars tangled in the run up to turn two, including Mark LaMarra. Like Capizzi, LaMarra would not continue.
The race went back to green with 26 minutes remaining of the 40-minute event with Saturday’s winner Ruud leading overall in TCX, Kevin Boehm on top of the TC class and Jose Blanco leading the TCA field.
As the clock ran down to the 21-minute mark, the TCA action would heat up as race one winner Jesse Love moved his No. 22 TechSport Racing Toyota 86 past Blanco for the class lead.
Mark Pombo and the No. 61 Mini also pounced and slip past Blanco, dropping the polesitter from first to third in just two corners. Pombo continued with his speed and stalked Love, staying within a half second of the class leader for the next few laps.
As the race continued, Ruud extended his overall lead to just over three seconds and Boehm stretched his TC-class lead to more than four seconds with Rob Hines and the No. 21 TechSport Racing Nissan attacking Powell for second in class.
Hines’ pressure finally paid off as the sunny yellow Nissan would get past Powell for second in class at the final hairpin.
Austen Smith and the No. 51 Auto Technic Racing BMW followed Hines through a few turns later, dropping Powell to fourth in class with less than five minutes remaining with Michael Sousa’s No. 88 Hyundai fifth.
As the checkered flag flew, Ruud took the TCX and overall win over McCarthy and Roy Block’s No. 5 BMW.
Boehm, in only his second-ever TC race, cruised to the class victory ahead of Hines and Smith, with Love claiming the TCA victory over Pombo and the No. 62 Mini of Clay Williams.