Ferrari | North America, Imola: Franco takes lights-to-flag win in interrupted race
It was poleman Manny Franco (Ferrari Lake Forest) who took the win in the gathering gloom of the first race of round 7 of the Ferrari Challenge North America after some of his closest rivals on the grid were eliminated in incidents that brought out the safety car three times.
While Franco powered ahead from Matt Kurzejewski (Ferrari Westlake) and Jason McCarthy (Wide World Ferrari) in the early stages, McCarthy made contact with front row man Jeremy Clarke (Ferrari of Beverly Hills), who had to retire, while the title chaser was called in for a drive-through penalty, eventually finishing down in thirteenth.
Brent Holden (Ferrari of Newport Beach) was then hit by Sureel Choksi (Ferrari of Denver) which meant a stoppage for seven minutes while the safety car was on the track.
On the restart Kurzejewski appeared to slow with a technical problem and slipped down the order to the back of the field.
There was time for a few more minutes of racing action before the safety car came out again for the third and final time with three minutes remaining, after Dave Musial (Ferrari Lake Forest) went off into the gravel for a second time.
#288 Custodio Toledo, The Collection
Photo by: AG Photo / Manganaro
At this point it was Franco ahead of Roberto Perrina (Ferrari of Seattle) and Brazilian Custodio Toledo (The Collection), and despite Perrina trying hard to close the gap the win went to the Lake Forest man.
Toledo took his first win in the AM category in third, finishing ahead of Dylan Medler (The Collection) and Dave Musial Jr. (Ferrari Lake Forest), while Michael Petramalo (Ferrari of Seattle) and Lisa Clark (Ferrari of Beverly Hills) took the maximum points in the Coppa Shell and Coppa Shell AM categories.
Four drivers are still in the chase for the title with tomorrow’s race remaining, Clarke leading the way on 106 points, from McCarthy on 104, Franco on 96 and Kurzejewski on 93.
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