Holton scores first Audi RS3 TC win in PWC

Young driver Paul Holton had a variety of things happening during the 40-minute Touring Car Round 1 event Saturday as he scored the first all-new Audi RS3 LMS Clubsport victory at VIRginia International Raceway in the Pirelli World Challenge Nissan Grand Prix of VIR in difficult 90-degree conditions.

Matthew Fassnacht and young Canaan O'Connell of Chandler, Arizona, son of sports car legend Johnny O'Connell, captured their first PWC wins in the TCA and TCB classes respectively.

• Race results

Holton became sick in his new No. 71 360R Audi RS3 LMS Clubsport machine halfway through the TC opener but was able to still record his fourth PWC career win over Greg Liefooghe in the No. 20 Stephen Cameron Racing BMW M235iR by 0.878-seconds in the 18-lap race.

The event was red flagged on lap 14 when TC driver Jason Fichter flipped his No. 7 Mother's/Shea Racing Honda Accord numerous times in turn 13. Fichter was able to exit his race car and was transferred to Danville Medical Center for observation.

Massive wreck today. Thankful my teammate@JasonFichteris ok after that 7 flip accident at the beginning of the esses.@WCRacingpic.twitter.com/ie0MSiZ3MY— Shea Holbrook (@SheaRacing)April 30, 2017

Holton, Liefooghe and veteran Nick Wittmer put on a sensational battle in the early portion of the Touring Car event before Holton took the advantage after the red flag period.

Following the TC event Saturday, Holton was unable to celebrate the victory in the winner's circle as he asked to be transported to the track medical center for treatment of heat exhaustion-like symptoms.

"Wow, what a race! Just amazing to give the new Audi RS 3 LMS a win on its North American debut," said Holton. "That was one of the hardest races I've ever done. It's hot and humid here today, and conditions in the car were really challenging. When the race was red-flagged, both the car and I got heat-soaked and I really had my work cut out for me on the restart. I put my head down and just got the job done on the second-last lap.

"It was really great racing, clean and fair with Leifhooge and Wittmer at the end. Thanks to all the folks at Audi Sport customer racing for all their help this weekend. What a team!"

At the finish line, it was Holton, Liefooghe and Wittmer in the No. 91 ST Racing BMW M235iR followed by Anthony Geraci in the No. 69 S.A.C Racing Audi RS3 LMS Clubsport, Rodrigo Sales in the No. 8 Stephen Cameron Racing BMW M235iR, Aristotle Balogh in the No. 19 Stephen Cameron Racing BMW M235iR and Karl Wittmer in the No. 99 Honda Ste-Rose Racing Honda Accord.

Fassnacht came back from an early incident to pass his teammate, defending TCA champion Elivan Goulart, in the No. 70 S.A.C. Racing Mazda MX-5 late in the 18-lap contest. Goulart held the lead for a portion of the event before Fassnacht's move to the lead on the last few laps.

Third went to Eric Powell in the No. 23 Tech Sport Racing Mazda MX-5 followed by Spencer Patterson in the No. 79 Patterson Racing MX-5 and PWC rookie Sarah Montgomery in the No. 65 Shea Racing/Lemons of Love Honda Civic Si.

"I was hit earlier in the race and fell well back into the field," said Fassnacht. "I was catching up to the leaders. So, when the red flag came out, I was thinking 'this is it.' Then I heard that we were going to continue the race and I was pretty happy. It's a longer race than you think. Thank goodness for that because the adversity I faced today was getting pushed off the track. I actually hit the wall and came into a dead stop and I fell back – someone said dead last but I think at least tenth. But the race was long so I stayed calm and focused on executing each turn and that's something that I've learned from all the technique in my career."

O'Connell also made a late race move to take the top spot in the TCB division Saturday as he defeated his teammate P.J. Groenke in the No. 25 Tech Sport Racing Chevrolet Sonic and pole sitter Jake Pipal in the No. 6 Pipal Racing Honda Fit.

"Actually that was one of the most fun drives that I ever had to do," said O'Connell. "It felt really good going into it. I had a little bit of contact by a faster TC car going into turn 17 in a spot where nobody would really make a move. He tried to do it anyway and that caused me to go off the track. I'm going to be back at Lime Rock and CTMP.

"I'm still trying to get the rest of the season going. My dad has done a great deal for me in the sense of coaching me and teaching me everything that he knows as far as driving. He also says 'if you want it, you have to make it happen like me' so I make sure that I work with the 'big shoes to fill' mentality and that I was ready when I stepped into a race car."

In the TC class, Anthony Geraci, driving the No. 69 S.A.C. Racing Audi RS3 LMS Clubsport, turned the fastest lap time with a 2:01.874 lap at 96.59 m.p.h. TCA division best lap was recorded by Elivan Goulart in the No. 70 S.A.C. Racing Mazda MX-5 at 2:11.444 (89.55 m.p.h.) Finally, Taylor Handwerk turned a 2:25.870 (80.70 m.p.h.) lap in the No. 77 Indian Summer Racing MINI Cooper to lead the TCB division.

Sunday's Touring Car 40-minute feature is scheduled for 2:40 p.m. ET. Catch live timing and scoring and live streaming of the next round of Touring Car competition at world-challenge.com.