For the first time in his GR Cup career, Christian Weir, driver of the #71 TechSport Racing GR86, claimed the Continental Pole Award during the final qualifying lap for Sunday’s Road America race. After a wet couple of days, Race 2 maintained dry conditions with Weir and Gresham Wagner on the front row starting in the standard two wide.
Within the first lap of the race Jaxon Bell made an aggressive move to pass Wagner with his sights on Weir. For seven minutes, Weir led the race before Bell overtook him at Turn 14 with Wagner and Westin Workman following. While going through the front stretch with 37 minutes remaining Wagner passed Bell for the lead. Directly behind the top four formed a close battle for fifth position with Luke Rumburg, Jordan RickSegrini, Lucas Weisenberg, and Spike Kohlbecker.
The safety car was deployed with 30 minutes remaining in the race following an accident at The Kink involving the Bennett Motorsports #15, driven by Bennett Muldoon. Fortunately, the driver was able to exit the car safely and is okay. Racing resumed with just under 13 minutes remaining with Weir immediately making moves to regain positions from the eighth spot. At the same time Workman opted to pass Bell at Turn 14, smoke appeared from Bell’s Copeland Motorsport machine. He immediately turned into pit lane with five minutes remaining in the event. RickSegrini and Weir threatened Kohlbecker’s third position while Wagner maintained a 1.5 second lead over Workman in the second position.
The white flag was waived with one second to go allowing one more lap before the checkered flag. In the final moments of the race RickSegrini attempted to pass Kohlbecker, but both were overtaken by Weir through Bill Mitchell Bend.
Podium
With the win, Wagner earned his ninth podium of the season and 10th career GR Cup victory. Workman collected his seventh runner-up finish of 2024 and eighth podium award of the season. Weir visited the GR Cup podium for the first time taking home the third-place prize in only his fourth GR Cup Series start.
Race Awards
To add to his list of firsts, Weir had the fastest lap at 2:31.530 on lap 14. The Hard Charger Award was earned by Ford Koch, driver of the #21 for Eagles Canyon Racing powered Fast Track, who gained eight positions after starting 21st. Mia Lovell, driver of the #57 Copeland Motorsport vehicle won her second Endava Highest Finishing Female Award of the weekend marking her fifth this season.
What’s Next
The Toyota Gazoo Racing North America (TGRNA) will head to Leeds, Alabama to compete at Barber Motorsports Park for the first time. The second to last GR Cup Series race weekend will take place September 6-8 on the 2.38 mile, 17-turn course. Ticket information can be found on our GR Cup Series website.
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