Post Race Report - 2024 Watkins Glen
Beautiful Watkins Glen International was the site for round nine of the 2024 Cube3 Architecture TA2 series season. This would mark Cale’s second trip to this circuit in the TA2 series, after suffering a DNF in a big wreck there a year ago.
The shortened weekend began with two practice sessions on Thursday, which saw Cale pickup significant time as he logged laps at a track where he does not have much experience. Qualifying Friday would see Phillips knock another second off his fastest time, as he qualified in the 22nd position and 8th in the Pro/Am class.
At the start of the thirty lap race, Cale was able to gain a few spots before an early caution came out on lap two. On the restart, Phillips was again able to move up the running order, and as the second caution flag flew at lap fifteen Cale found himself in the 17th position and 4th in Pro/Am. When the green flag waved again on lap 18, some tight racing ensued for positions three through seven in the Pro/Am class. A hard five car battle would go on for seven laps, with positions seeming to change each time by the start stand. Unfortunately on lap 25, while sitting in the 16th overall position, Cale’s #99 Mincey’s Graphics Mustang would suffer nose damage as the tight racing caused a stack up of cars entering turn 10. The nose damage affected the radiator causing the car to begin to overheat, forcing Phillips to bring the Mustang to pit road five laps short of the end of the race.
“Disappointing end to what was looking like a really good run for us. Not sure what happened on the stack up as the cars in front of me got on the brakes hard at a point I was not expecting. It was a fun clean race up until that point. There was a 4 or 5 car group of us in Pro/Am really battling hard there after the second restart, and it was fun to be going back and forth lap after lap. Frustrating to not get the finish to show how many spots we gained in the race, but still pleased with the progress throughout the two days. This is a track I do not have a lot of laps at, but I feel like I learned a lot each time out. Thanks to the Nitro Motorsports guys as always, they prepared another fast car and I am really looking forward to be going to my home track of VIR next.”
Be sure to tune in to MAVTV this Thursday night (August 29th) at 8pm to catch the race highlight show.
CP Racing’s next race will be in TransAm TA2 at Virginia International Raceway for the Mission Foods VIR SpeedTour. The race will be Saturday, October 5th.