Corry earns first career TA2 victory in wet breakout race at Lime Rock
It was a battle against the elements and each other at Lime Rock Park, as the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series drivers faced fierce competition under both blue skies and pouring rain during 100 miles of racing. Making the switch to rain tires and fighting changing conditions, the race came down to a nail-biting duel between polesitter Thomas Annunziata and rookie Sam Corry. With just two laps remaining, Corry pulled out to the lead and took the checkered flag in his first ever Pro victory with Trans Am.
After winning the pole award in Saturday morning’s qualifying session, Annunziata got off to a fantastic start in his No. 90 Gazoo Racing/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry, leading the opening 24 laps of racing and fending off second- and third-place starters Mike Skeen (No. 2 Guthrie’s Garage Chevrolet Camaro) and Adrian Wlostowski (No. 3 CMI/Spot-On Services/AMT Motorsports Ford Mustang). However, all bets were off when the skies opened, forcing competitors to choose between rain tires or slicks. While Annunziata opted to sacrifice position to come to pit road for rain tires, Skeen and Wlostowski gambled on it drying up, staying out on the course with racing slicks.
When green-flag racing resumed on lap 32, Skeen and Wlostowski led Eric Cayton (No. 71 Ray Skillman Auto Group Ford Mustang), Sam Corry (No. 70 Stilo Helmets/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry) and Tristan McKee (No. 28 Spire/Gainbridge/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro) to the green flag, with Annunziata just outside the top five in sixth. Racing resumed for only a single lap as competitors adjusted to the wet conditions, but in that time, Corry, on rain tires, was able to work his way up to the lead from fourth, passing Skeen just before the yellow flag waved.
The race went green again on lap 38, and Corry was followed by Skeen, Wlostowski, Annunziata and McKee. Skeen and Wlostowski struggled as the rain continued to pour, with Skeen spinning and Wlostowski dropping farther back in the field. By lap 39, Annunziata was in the second position, with Noah Harmon (No. 7 Streetside Classics/Flanagan’s Chevrolet Camaro) in third, McKee in fourth and Gio Ruggiero (No. 10 Mobil 1/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry) in fifth.
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Annunziata got past Corry on lap 45, but the two ran nose to tail for the next 21 laps. After repeated attempts to make the move on Annunziata, Corry finally completed the pass on lap 66. Corry held the lead for the final two laps, taking the checkered flag to capture his first-career victory. Annunziata finished second, followed by McKee, Harmon and Ruggiero.
“I just want to thank the Nitro Motorsports crew; Mark, Bird, Petey, you guys are the best,” said Corry. “Mark came on the radio and said, 'Let's come down for wets,' and that's what we did. We were one of the first ones in to pit and they did a flawless pit stop and got me back out there. We were leading the race for a little bit, Thomas [Annunziata] got back by me, and then rain came down again. It was a good race to the finish, so I just want to thank these guys a ton. Thank you to Stilo Helmets, Carolina Factory, Hans Products, Windsor Windows. I just can't thank these guys enough.”
Keith Prociuk (No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang) won the Pro/Am Challenge, leading the second half of the race after both Barry Boes (No. 27 Accio Data/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro) and Jared Odrick (No. 00 Black Underwear/CoolBoxx Chevrolet Camaro) faced early contact with other competitors. Cale Phillips finished second in his No. 99 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang, and Boes fought his way back up to third.
“First, I'd like to say thanks to all the fans,” said Prociuk. “We remember why we're here this Memorial Day weekend, to honor the fallen. I'm truly honored to be up here on the top step. It was quite the race. We were the first ones to put on the wets, and I've got to say a big thanks to the crew, because we put on two tires to stay ahead of the safety car, and then came back in and put the other two on, and it allowed us to stay on the lead lap. Being the first person to put on wets, I think my tires were pretty much slicks at the end and I was just trying to hang on. But Lime Rock is always a great race for us and it's mainly because of the fans. You guys are absolutely amazing. Thank you so much.”
An encore presentation of Saturday's race will air tonight on SPEED SPORT 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series will next hit the track at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, June 19-22, for the Mid-Ohio SpeedTour. Tickets can be purchased here.
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