Alfa Romeo returns to TCR Victory Lane at Laguna Seca

Tim Lewis’ last-minute charge – and a competitor's penalty – led to victory in the TCR class of the IMSA Michelin Challenge at Laguna Seca.

With eight minutes remaining in the two-hour race, Lewis and his KMW Motorsports Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce were pressuring Jonathan Morley’s Road Shagger Racing Audi RS 3 LMS for the lead. 

As Morley navigated Turn 2, he made contact with the car of Ryan Norman, who he was trying to put a lap down. That resulted in a drive-through penalty for Morley, giving Lewis and co-driver Roy Block their second victory of the season.

“Just keep it together, just bring one home for the team,” Lewis said of his thoughts after hearing that Morley would be penalized. “Roy did an amazing job in the opening stint and put the car up front. The car was a rocket today.”

Denis Dupont passed Tyler Gonzalez as they came to the chequered flag, giving himself and co-driver Eric Rockwell the runner-up finish in the Belgard & Techniseal Racing Audi RS 3 LMS DSG. Gonzalez and Rory van der Steur finished 0.052 seconds behind in third with their Van der Steur Racing Hyundai Veloster N. Morley and Gavin Ernstone, whose Audi led most of the second half of the race, finished eighth after the penalty.

2021 champions Taylor Hagler and Michael Lewis were classified fifth in their Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N; they retained the leadership in the standings, 30 points clear of the Alfa Romeo pair.  

The Michelin Pilot Challenge season resumes May 14 with at Mid-Ohio.

Laguna Seca – Race
1. T. Lewis/R. Block (KMW Motorsports, Alfa Romeo Giulietta), 66 laps
2. D. Dupont/E. Rockwell (Belgard & Technicseal Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS), 3.297
3. R. van der Steur/T. Gonzalez (Van der Steur Racing, Hyundai Veloster N), 3.349

Championship points
1. M. Lewis/T. Hagler, 900 pts; 2. R. Block/T. Lewis, 870; 3. R. van der Steur/T. Gonzalez, 810

Picture: IMSA/LAT Images