Scott Hargrove Scores Pirelli World Challenge GT Win

Scott Hargrove

Young Scott Hargrove of Tsawassen, B.C., Canada made a spectacular Pirelli World Challenge GT debut Saturday in the streets of St. Petersburg when he came from last on the starting grid to score a 3.9-second victory in the 50-minute sprint race.

Hargrove, 23, was no stranger to the tight and tricky 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary circuit near the St. Petersburg harbor after competing in eight open-wheel races at the Florida track dating back to 2013. Hargrove scored victories in USF2000 events, second place in Indy Lights races and third in the Pro Mazda contests over his early racing career.

On Saturday, Hargrove had to start last in the 11-car lineup after a qualifying incident in the morning. But a wild start in turn one for the GT season opener allowed Hargrove to move to second on the opening circuit of 34-lap race.

“These PWC guys are pros and I think I ran fast in first practice, but everyone seems to be fast in practice," said Hargrove. “The start was crazy. We were pretty quick in qualifying but then I saw Daniel (Morad) in front of me and I knew that I had good brakes. So, after the third time, I knew I could try and make the pass for the lead."

“In qualifying, I clipped the wall just enough to collapse the front suspension. But my mood has done a 360. I definitely had a feeling that we could have been on pole today. I'm thrilled with the win because the car is flawless. I was able to put the laps down when I needed them and I'm pretty excited for tomorrow (Sunday in Round 2). I don't think there was much of a learning curve for me because I come from a sprint racing background. It's not the same as a lot of these guys that come from endurance racing and it's a shock (at how aggressive it is)."

At the drop of the green, GT cars went four and five-wide on the Alfred Whited Airport runway and entered turn one with numerous cars making contact. The result of the turn one incident lost several drivers including 2016 GT champion Alvaro Parente in the No. 9 K-PAX Racing Bentley Continental GT3, veteran Spencer Pumpelly in the No. 00 TRG Aston-Martin Vantage GT3 and 17-year-old Parker Chase in the No. 19 TruSpeed Motorsports Audi R8 LMS.

On the restart on lap 8, Morad of Toronto took his No. 2 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 to the front with Hargrove and pole winner Toni Vilander in the No. 61 R. Ferri Motorsports Ferrari 488 GT3 hot on Morad’s bumper. After several efforts in turn one to make the pass for the lead, Hargrove was able to make the move past Morad on lap 18.

Hargrove

Hargrove then held off the challenges of Vilander, who set a new qualifying track record Saturday morning, and was able to set a new race lap record of one minute, 12.059 seconds to secure the pole for Sunday’s 50-minute Round 2 event set for 3:15 p.m. EDT.

At the checkered flag, Hargrove took the victory in his first Pirelli World Challenge GT event followed by Vilander, Morad, Germany’s Daniel Keilwitz in the No. 25 Callaway Competition USA Corvette C7 GT3-R and Denmark’s Michael Christensen in the Tampa-based Alegra Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.

“I knew that something would happen at the start and I even talked to the race director, saying that when we go green that creates the situation where we're instantly four cars side-by-side," said Vilander. I went inside and the Corvette (Keilwtiz) couldn't make the corner and that created the whole situation. Overall, we will take the points for second and concentrate on Sunday’s race."

“I was shocked that I came out in front," said Morad, who started fifth. “I think another key to that start was the fact that I started on scrub tires, everyone else was on new rubber. I thought that with the rain that came in that we might have a little bit of an advantage at the beginning. But I knew that it would be a tough time at the end and it would start with rear tire degradation, and that seemed to be the case. Overall, third place is a great start to the year."

In the GTA division, former GTA series champion Martin Fuentes of Mexico City drove the No. 07 Squadra Corsa Italia Ferrari 488 GT3 to the win over Brazil’s Rodrigo Baptista in the No. 3 K-PAX Racing Bentley Continental GT3 and Japan’s Yuki Harata in the No. 55 Dream Racing Motorsports Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

“I knew every start here at St. Pete is hairy," said Fuentes. “I knew I had to pay attention in the front and definitely St. Pete took its customers. I just watched, tried to find the gap, saw some crashing on the left and on the right. I saw the curve was clear and saw the other guy spinning so I just stomped the gas to get through there and try to get myself out of trouble. This is the first time I'm driving (a Ferrari 488 GT3) with TR3 and I'm very excited."

GT Results

GTS champion Lawson Aschenbach Scores Round 1 Win

Five-time Pirelli World Challenge class champion Lawson Aschenbach of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., left little doubt Saturday that he’ll be the top contender again in the GTS class with an impressive victory in the streets of St. Petersburg in the GTS Round 1 50-minute sprint event.

Aschenbach, driving the No. 1 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R sports car, made a dramatic lap one move over pole winner Gabriele Piana of Italy for the lead and scored a 0.547-second victory in the 33-lap race at the 14-turn, 1.8-mile temporary course near the St. Petersburg harbor.

The three-time GTS titleholder scored his 25^th PWC career victory to move to fourth all-time on the Pirelli World Challenge win list. Only Peter Cunningham (43), Randy Pobst (30) and Pierre Kleinubing (29) have more PWC victories in the series’ 29-year history.

“This is one of my favorite races of the year – the opening of the Pirelli World Challenge," said Aschenbach. “Back in 2006, it was my first time here and I scored my first pro win so I have fond memories of this place. It's a great track, there's an ability to pass people. We saw a lot of that today. There was good action for the fans. The Camaro is a great car – it's quite quick on a short run but over time you seem to have a lot of tire fade and then you have a harder time getting around some of the quicker, more nimble cars.

“If I could make that move early and make that lead, I was hoping I could hang on to it at the end but Gabriele (Piana) kept me honest and he did a great job in the Porsche. Sports car racing is the purest form of racing in the world, because we're racing the cars you can buy on the street. It really brings home the point of winning on Sunday, buying on Monday. This is cost-effective racing and that's what we need now."

Piana was sensational in his PWC debut with the No. 21 Muehlner Motorsports America Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR, recording a new qualifying track record Saturday morning and pressuring Aschenbach throughout the 50-minute event. But Piana had to settle for second Saturday.

“I was surprised by Lawson's pace today," said Piana. “I was happy with my start, but I was 90% sure that I wasn't going to be first after the first corner because the car is slower on the long straightaway. The Camaro is very powerful; but the car doesn't drive itself, and Lawson took the chance when he had it, so I tip my hat to him. Having said that, I really tried everything. I had a lot of fun driving and I was really pushing hard."

Third overall and first in the GTSA division was Drew Staveley of Salt Lake City, Utah, in the No. 12 Ian Lacy Racing Ginetta G55 followed by local favorite Jason Bell of Tampa, Fla., in the No. 2 M1 GT Audi R8 LMS GT4 and 2017 GTA and SprintX Pro-Am champion James Sofronas of Villa Park, Calif., in the No. 14 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT4.

“This is a big year for us," said Staveley. “We got three new Ginettas over the winter. Today the car went really well. On the racetrack, it's all about the starts. On the first start, I wasn't really sure what happened, I just kind of fell back. This is my first street course. It's a really fun track. It's technical. There are bumps and all kinds of consequences that I think a good racetrack needs so I felt right at home there."

Taking second Saturday in the GTSA class was veteran Mike Hedlund of Redwood City, Calif., in the No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Audi R8 LMS GT4 followed by Jeff Courtney of Milwaukee, Wis., in the No. 99 JCR Motorsports Maserati Grand Turismo GT4, Tony Gaples of Libertyville, Ill, in the No. 11 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R and GTS newcomer Toby Grahovec of Celina, Tex., in the No. 26 Fast Track Racing/Classic BMW BMW M4 GT4.

Sunday’s Round 2 GTS 50-minute sprint race is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. EDT.