Mission Foods SpeedTour Laguna Race Recap Round 4
We wrapped up the second of our California races at Laguna Seca Raceway this past weekend. It was a very eclectic field with good, clean racing all weekend. The idyllic Monterey circuit was the perfect setting for enjoying the California coast.
MARANELLO CUP
The weather was dry for the most part but chilly and windy. The only damp session was the first sprint race on Saturday morning but a few hardy souls took part and the overall win went to TOM CAPIZZI #48 Forte Racing, in his Lamborghini. Tom would go on to stand on all steps of the podium finishing second in the enduro and third in Sprint race 3.
International GT welcomed a host of Lamborghinis to the Laguna Seca race – most testing for the IMSA event this coming week. In fact, half the field was made up of the Italian marque and we created their own class within the Maranello Cup category. However, the other Italians from Maranello, the Ferraris, were also well represented. In Sprint race 1 MICHAEL HOLMES #88 from MG1 Motorsports joined IGT for the first time and came home second overall and first in the Ferrari 488 category. Also in a 488, RODIN YOUNESSI #16 from Sean Creech Racing took second. Holmes and Younessi would swap podium steps with an even count, Holmes winning Sprint races 1 and 2, while Younessi won Sprint race 3 and the enduro.
Also in a Ferrari was YOUSUF NABI #03, who we discovered lives in both Hawaii and Southern California and is about to spend a month in Europe. Nabi swept the wins in the Maranello Cup F458 category sharing the enduro with coach and co-driver DARIO CAPITANIO. The globetrotting driver will be traveling this summer but promises we will see him back at Watkins Glen and to finish out the season.
Returning to the Lamborghinis SETH HENRY #44 from Kaizen Autosport was back in IGT competition after we first met him at the season opener in Sebring. Seth was joined by co-driver and coach WYATT FOSTER and the pair grabbed first place finishes in the Lamborghini class in Sprint race 2 and the enduro and took second in Sprint race 3. We were also excited to see back in International GT competition TADAS KARLINSKAS #11 from XONine Racing with his cousin DARIUS TRINKA. We’re used to seeing the pair in Porsche Cup cars however for the Laguna Seca round, Tadas and Darius shared driving duties in a 2023 Lamborghini Super Trofeo. Tadas took second in Sprint race 2 while Darius won Sprint race 3. Part-way through the weekend they re-wrapped the race car but only finished about half so we look forward to seeing the completed wrap which Darius promises will be worth the wait.
Debuting in International GT competition was STEPHEN SORBARO #94 who took a third place finish in the 60-minute enduro. On the podium from TR3 Racing was CONRAD GEIS #67 taking third in Sprint race 2. Our thanks go to TR3 Racing and Precision Performance Motorsports for populating much of the Lambo field at Laguna.
MISSION FOODS GT3 CUP
NICK GROOMBRIDGE #33 braved the slippery track to win Sprint race 1 in the GT4.0 category. Nick won all four races with the support of Sonoma based Charlie Hayes Racing and his longtime coach GRANT MAIMAN. He also grabbed some very valuable points in the Mission Foods GT3 Cup Championship. Racing in the GT4.R class, JUAN GONZALEZ #81 Car Amigo Racing put his Mission Foods franchise on as title sponsor to the Laguna Seca SpeedTour event and also competed in three International GT races (he wisely decided to skip the wet sprint race). He swept the category wins, sharing the enduro with coach and friend BUTCH LEITZINGER.
EXHIBITION
In the Exhibition category DREW DELMONICO #43 brought out his beautiful BMW M4 from Cameron Racing, another Sonoma Raceway based race prep shop. Drew took the Exhibition class win in Sprint race 1 and stood on the podium in all four races on the weekend. In Sprint race 3 he was second and in Sprint race 2 and the enduro he was third. The Exhibition category was the most eclectic of the event with two Bentleys, one BMW and one Hyundai which all saw podium finishes. Additionally we hosted two Aston Martin Vantages from Team TGM with drivers TED GIOVANIS, HUGH PLUMB in #64 and PAUL HOLTON and current IMSA GS Champion, MATT PLUMB in#46.
The Bentleys led the entire IGT field most of the weekend. In the classic British marque SAM BESWICK #8 drove his Continental GT3 to overall wins in Sprint races 2 and 3 and after leading the enduro to the final lap, a slight electrical glitch handed the win to father-in-law PEITER BALJET #8 and his co-driver CHARLIE HAYES (yes the same Charlie who owns Charlie Hayes Racing). Also on the podium was RILEY PEGRAM #72 taking a third place finish in Sprint race 3. She and her dad, LARRY PEGRAM shared their Hyundai TCR throughout the International GT weekend. It was Riley’s first laps around the famed Laguna Seca circuit and at just 20-years old, it was generally agreed that she has a promising racing future.
After two exciting and successful races, we leave behind the West Coast heading to the middle of the country and returning to the longest circuit on the schedule at Road America, May 15-18.
Road America Registration May 15-18
Round 5 at Road America is quickly approaching. Next week we will visit the longest racing circuits on the calendar. At just over 4 miles, Road America is known as the National Park of Speed. Click on the photo of #40 Lukas Pank to link to registration and an updated schedule. If you have any questions please contact Julie@ParellaMotorsports.com or call (770)380-7770.
Official Series Photographer Chris Green
Chris Green is the official photographer for International GT. Chris is at all IGT races and does a fantastic job of covering our events. We encourage all competitors to reach out to him to see his beautiful images of your race car after every event. Or you can get with Chris and go over your photography needs prior to the events. Click on the photo to link to his website.
Marketplace
Do you have something to sell, looking for something to purchase, a service to provide? Use our Marketplace to promote your race car, transporter or equipment. It’s free to International GT participants. Contact Julie@internationalGT.net or call (770)380-7770
Pirelli Tire Orders
We are proud to partner with Pirelli Tires as the exclusive provider to all International GT events. All Pirelli tire orders for IGT events must be placed with Frisby Tires. Frisby is at track at all IGT events to service our participants.
Click on the tire photo to link to the Frisby site for IGT orders or call (800)373-7390.