Speedy Spinelli Leads No. 88 Taurino Racing to Lamborghini Super Trofeo Win
Regarded as one of the best Lamborghini Super Trofeo drivers in the world, Loris Spinelli showed why Saturday in the first race of the North American series’ weekend at Road America.
Spinelli rocketed from mid-pack at the start of the 50-minute race interrupted by a pair of full-course cautions and turned the No. 88 Taurino Racing by D Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evo2 over to co-driver Giano Taurino on the mandatory pit stop.
Taurino exited the pits in the lead and held the spot from that point onward as the race finished under the second yellow. It marked the first Pro class win for Taurino, who totaled four Am class wins in his rookie season last year. It’s the 10th North American Super Trofeo victory for Spinelli, with the first nine coming in the ProAm class where he captured the 2018 championship. Spinelli is also a three-time champion in the European version of the series.
Spinelli started 14th overall Saturday but moved up to seventh by the time the first caution came out on Lap 2 for a stalled car and fluids around the 4.048-mile road course. Following a lengthy period to clean the track, only 20 minutes remained when racing restarted. Spinelli stayed on track as long as possible, turning lightning-fast laps on a clear track as the other Pro competitors made their pit stops.
“I’m so happy the car was so strong,” Spinelli said. “I pushed the two laps when I saw all the other guys come in. I tried to push and do what I need to do to close the gap with the leader. And we did it. I’m so happy for the strategy and thanks to the team.”
Spinelli made his stop with 13 minutes remaining and Taurino came out in front, holding off Edoardo Piscopo in the No. 50 O’Gara Motorsport/Change Racing/US RaceTronics, Lamborghini Beverly Hills Huracán and Kyle Marcelli in the No. 1 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing, Lamborghini Paramus Huracán until the second caution flag flew with seven minutes to go for a car stuck in the Turn 14 gravel. The No. 50 was penalized post-race for a short pit stop, moving the No. 1 to second place in the final standings.
“It was a lot of fun,” an elated Taurino said in victory lane. “You have to hate the yellow flags, but in the end, they helped us big time. I didn’t think this was going to happen so I don’t know how to really feel about winning for the first time this year. But I’m sure there’s more to come.”
In the ProAm class, Bryson Lew and John Dubets collected their third win of the season in the No. 46 Precision Performance Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán. Unlike the Pro winners, Lew was among the first to pit, with Dubets taking over and charging to the class win.
“Bryson put us exactly where we needed to be today,” Dubets said. “There was a lot of yellow out there, so once I got in, we needed to move forward. Our eyes were on P1 and once we got that done, we just kind of set cruise control, so to speak, and waited to see if the race would come back to us. Unfortunately, it ended under yellow.”
David Staab and Nikko Reger, co-drivers of the No. 48 Precision Performance Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán, also secured their third win of the season, in the Am class. It helped them extend their points lead.
“We still got quite dicey in the five, six laps we had,” said Reger, who drove the closing stint. “David put in a monster start and got us up to third. I hopped in the car and knew I probably didn’t have a ton of time left, so just got to work. The two guys in front of us got to a little rubbin’, we’ll say, (I) caught up to them and eventually snagged it. Having some fun in the sun.”
LB Cup saw Charlie Martin and Jason Gagne-Keats celebrate their first series win in the No. 54 Dream Racing Motorsport, Lamborghini San Francisco Huracán. Martin avoided issues some of the other LB Cup drivers had in the busy 31-car field and grabbed the class lead before pitting to hand the car to Gagne-Keats. Both drivers were all smiles after collecting the milestone maiden win.
“Starting in sixth (in class), I knew we had a battle ahead of us,” Martin said, “but you never know what’s going to happen in the race. It all worked out for us. I pushed hard when the green flag came back on and Jason did a good job holding our position. It’s really, really cool.”
Gagne-Keats was even more emphatic about the victory.
“It feels fantastic!” he said. “We had a technicality at Watkins Glen that kept us off the top of the podium, so we’ll take it today.”
Race 2 starts at 2:55 p.m. ET Sunday, with live coverage on Peacock and IMSA Radio.
Source: imsa.com
Wet and Wild Win for Spinelli, Taurino Completes Lamborghini Super Trofeo Sweep
Neither race was easy but Loris Spinelli and Giano Taurino completed a weekend sweep of Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, winning both races at Road America. The second victory came in difficult conditions Sunday that included a red-flag stoppage and mandate for teams to change to wet-condition tires.
Starting ninth overall in the No. 88 Taurino Racing by D Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evo2, Taurino moved into the top six before making the mandatory pit stop and turning over the car for Spinelli to finish the 50-minute race.
A full-course caution came soon after, when several cars slid off course in Turn 12 as heavy rain pelted that area of the track. The race was red-flagged with 17 minutes, 17 seconds to go, with Spinelli saddled in 12th place.
The Italian relied on his extensive wet-weather racing experience to slice through the field after racing resumed. He crossed the finish line second behind Nelson Piquet Jr. (No. 30 Ansa Motorsports, Lamborghini Broward Huracán), who was assessed a postrace penalty for not making the mandatory pit stop and relegated to 22nd in the standings.
“This race for sure has been a real challenge for the weather,” Spinelli said. “I’m so happy! I fight in the end to get this win. Thanks to Giano for an amazing stint in the first part and everybody at Taurino for this. Some parts of the track were very wet, so (the red flag) was the best way to choose to have a safe race. But it was hard to keep the car on the track.”
The margin of victory for Spinelli and Taurino was a scant 0.757 seconds over Joel Miller, making his series debut this weekend in the No. 11 Flying Lizard Motorsports, Lamborghini Newport Beach Huracán. Sunday’s win for the No. 88 followed the triumph in Saturday’s first race dominated by full-course cautions.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Taurino said of the sweep. “My heart’s still shaking, I still have butterflies. It was unexpected because we’ve been struggling all year and we finally have found a car that can help us fight now. I think this is only the beginning.”
Bryson Lew and John Dubets completed a weekend sweep in ProAm as well, winning both class races in the No. 46 Precision Performance Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán. The duo took third place overall Sunday and won their class by more than 16 seconds.
“I had a little bit of excitement there,” said Dubets, who started the race. “I was behind Piquet, we came into Canada Corner and it started downpouring. We both went for a wild ride. Luckily, our car stayed on track and we managed to catch the pit lane before it closed. (It) put Bryson in the perfect spot to go out there in front of the field and he did an excellent job in those tricky conditions.”
“It feels great to be back on the podium, on the top step especially,” Lew added. “John told me to be careful with all the lines, with the oil and the rain. I made sure to be cautious the first pace lap and I just implemented that throughout the race. It worked out great.”
The Am class winner Sunday was Shehan Chandrasoma in the No. 19 MCR racing, Lamborghini Austin Huracán. The Super Trofeo rookie gained his third win of the season.
“It was a good race,” Chandrasoma said. “I lost two spots in the end in the overall, but I just decided to stay safe in my Am class. That’s what I’m competing for and I think I’m back in the championship hunt now.”
LB Cup provided a sensational story with Keawn Tandon taking the class win in his first car racing weekend. The 18-year-old’s previous experience all came in karting. He didn’t know he would be competing in Lamborghini Super Trofeo until Thursday, when he took his first shakedown laps in the No. 89 NTE Sport, Lamborghini San Francisco Huracán.
“It was amazing; I’m still processing it,” Tandon said. “The biggest thing was just to stay clean the whole time and get the thing rotated and back to power as soon as possible, and just stay out of traffic. After they told me I was P1 in my class, the last three laps I just let off and said, ‘Let’s just keep it like this.’”
Unofficial class leaders after eight of 12 races are:
- Pro: Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal, No. 1 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Paramus Huracán, by 26 points over Edoardo Piscopo and Patrick Kujala, No. 50 O’Gara Motorsport/Change Racing/US RaceTronics, Lamborghini Beverly Hills Huracán.
- ProAm: Ashton Harrison and Tom Long, No. 25 Harrison Contracting with Wayne Taylor Racing, Lamborghini Paramus Huracán, by two points over Dubets and Lew.
- Am: David Staab and Nikko Reger, No. 48 Precision Performance Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán, by 10 points over Chandrasoma.
- LB Cup: Slade Stewart, No. 14 Flying Lizard Motorsports, Lamborghini Newport Beach Huracán, by 10 points over Jason Gagne-Keats and Charlie Martin, No. 54 Dream Racing Motorsport, Lamborghini San Francisco Huracán.
The next doubleheader round is Aug. 26-28 at VIRginia International Raceway.
Source: imsa.com
