World Challenge America-C2: K-Pax scores the double at VIR

Rodrigo Baptista and Maxime Soulet offered the double to K-Pax Racing to VIR (Virginia) by imposing their Bentley Continental GT3 n°3 this Sunday in race 2.

La course de l’écurie avait pourtant mal commencé puisque Scott Hargrove (Porsche 911 GT3 R n°58 – Wright Motorsports) avait pris l’avantage sur le poleman Andy Soucek (Bentley Continental GT3 n°9 – K-Pax Racing) au départ, l’Espagnol ayant été également attaqué à l’extérieur par Toni Vilander (Ferrari 488 GT3 n°61 – R. Ferri Motorsports) at the first corner.

The Finn fell back to 5th place, while Dane Cameron (No. 3 Acura NSX GT43 – RealTime Racing) then found an opening on Ryan Dalziel (Mercedes-AMG GT3 n°63 – DXDT Racing) for 3rd place. The latter then lost a position to Vilander, before seeing the second Bentley – K-Pax, entrusted to Maxime Soulet, come back on his heels.

The Belgian got rid of the #63 Mercedes a few laps later… which immediately plunged into the pit lane. The Cameron – Vilander – Soulet trio then regroups and is a little over 6″ behind Andy Soucek, himself on the heels of leader Scott Hargrove.

Soucek on the mat, Baptista propelled into the lead

The first real twist comes at the end of the half-hour race, when Andy Soucek makes a mistake, after having punctured at the rear left. With the Bentley pushed to the bottom of the standings, Scott Hargrove found himself with a lead of more than 5″ over Dane Cameron.

But the leader's mattress melted little by little, with Hargrove retaining control of the race until his handover to Patrick Long, just as the driver change window opened. Vilander was the second to make his mandatory stop, leaving Dane Cameron alone in the lead.

Molina returns to the track in the #61 Ferrari and remains ahead of Patrick Long, despite warmer tires on the #58 Porsche.

But it was K-Pax Racing which carried out the best operation since Rodrigo Baptista, relaying Maxime Soulet in the No. 3 Bentley Continental GT3, emerged in the lead after passing through the pits. The Brazilian then beats the Ferrari of Miguel Molina and the Porsche of Patrick Long.

Molina then lost any chance of victory by returning to the pitlane to change the left rear wheel, a sign of a potential problem with the Spaniard's tire.

The order at the head will not change until the finish, Baptista winning the event ahead of Long, Wolf Henzler (Porsche 911 GT3 R n°24 – Alegra Motorsports), Miguel Molina and Daniel Morad (Porsche 911 GT3 R n °22 – Alegra Motorsports).

The Pro-Am victory went to the No. 3 Acura NSX GT43 – RealTime Racing of Curtis-Cameron, 6th at the checkered flag.