Meza dominates CUBE 3 TA2 Series at Road Atlanta; Prociuk claims Pro/Am win

There’s absolutely no stopping 18-year-old up-and-comer Helio Meza in the Trans Am CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series.

The Texas native continued to obliterate the competition at Road Atlanta on Saturday, leading wire-to-wire (after setting the track record in qualifying) to capture his third career CUBE 3 TA2 Series victory, beating out the likes of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular Andres Perez de Lara and accomplished road racer Alon Day.

“The felt really good, obviously, leading the whole race and just taking control,” said Meza. “This car is a rocketship and I can’t thank [Team SLR] enough for working so hard. We struggled a little bit throughout the practice with a few handling issues, but the last practice yesterday we got it tuned in and then obviously qualifying got the track record and just led it lap to lap.”

For Meza, the victory marks the extension of a record-breaking milestone; already the first competitor to win in their first two CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series events, the Chevrolet development driver extends that mark by winning in his third start, as well. Meza also becomes the first driver to win three straight CUBE 3 TA2 Series events since Rafa Matos did so at the end of 2021, into the 2022 season.

The early career success for Meza in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series comes at the hands of Team SLR, the organization responsible for winning each of the CUBE 3 TA2 Series’ last nine events, between drivers Tristan McKee, Carson Brown, Mike Skeen, and Meza.

Team SLR swept the podium at Road Atlanta on Saturday, with Meza, Perez de Lara and Day.

“This is one of my first ever times that I’ve been a part of a team like this that works really hard and wants nothing but the best for me,” Meza added. “Super grateful for everyone in my corner, Alessandro’s Racing, Chevrolet, Team SLR.”

Perez de Lara (No. 8 Team SLR-M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro) came to Road Atlanta for a one-off during an off-weekend for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and seemed to be Meza’s closest competitor, but couldn’t do anything to get around his teammate in the No. 28.

Day (No. 17 JSSI / SLR-M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro) put on a remarkable drive on Saturday, after starting from 31st-place following a crash in practice that didn’t allow Team SLR enough time to repair the battered No. 17 for qualifying. Day drove through the pack methodically and finished third.

Noah Harmon (No. 7 CUBE 3 / Highpoint Rockers Chevrolet Camaro) finished fourth for Silver Hare Racing, with Ethan Tovo (No. 10 Dick’s Sporting Goods Toyota Camry) being the highest finishing entry for Nitro Motorsports in fifth.

Saturday’s event, the second of the campaign, turned out to be an attrition-filled one for the drivers of the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, with several teams falling out of the race or running into problems throughout the event.

The event finished under the caution flag due to an incident inside the final five laps of the event when Lanie Buice (No. 27 Sunoco / Guthrie’s Garage / Team SLR-M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro) dove into Turn 10 and wrecked with Thomas Merrill (No. 26 Cope Race Cars / HP Tuners Dodge Challenger), taking both out of contention for a top-10 result.

Keith Prociuk (No. 9 HP Tuners / Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang) finished ninth overall in Saturday’s event, claiming the victory in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Pro/Am class over Cale Phillips (No. 99 Mincey’s Graphics / SNP Inc. Ford Mustang).

“It was one of the tougher races I’ve had this year. It was very mentally challenging,” Prociuk said. “Thanks Travis and the entire Cope crew for turning the car around from Sebring. Started off a little bit slower than we’d like to the last race, but to come out on top is really great. Fantastic race, and yeah, looking forward to the next one.”

The class featured several lead changes and adversity being dealt to the class leaders throughout the event. Jared Odrick (No. 00 Black Underwear / Helium Mobile Chevrolet Camaro) started from the polet, far and away from any of his fellow Pro/Am drivers, but ran off-track at one point in the first half of the event, requiring an unscheduled pit stop to clear the grille of the No. 00.

That handed the lead to Roberto Sabato (No. 61 6th Gear Racing Ford Mustang), who led the class for a lot of the 40-lap contest, until an incident late in the going shook things up once again, when Sabato went off-track through the esses and slid back on the racetrack in front of fellow Pro-Am competitor Patrick Paul (No. 44 Nexgen Chevrolet Camaro).

Prociuk was the benefactor of all the chaos and collected his sixth career Trans Am victory, all of which have come in the CUBE 3 TA2 Series Pro/Am class. Phillips, coming off a third-place finish at Sebring International Raceway, continued a strong start to the year with a second at Road Atlanta. Doug Winston (No. 98 TradeMentor.org / D&M Electrical Ford Mustang) rounded out the podium.