TCR / 16 October 2023

Volt victory as Rocca snatches series lead in Italy

Ruben Volt claimed another TCR Italy Under-25s victory for the Honda Civic Type R TCR FL5 while another talented youngster, Paolo Rocca, moved into the lead of the standings on a dramatic weekend in the series at Vallelunga.
 
TCR Italy
ALM Motorsport driver Volt qualified an excellent second alongside erstwhile points leader Niels Langeveld, who recovered from a practice crash to take pole position for MM Motorsport.
 
The pair drove away from the field for the opening two-thirds of Saturday's race before Langeveld retired with a puncture and s turbo issue struck Volt a lap later, forced them both out.
 
From seventh and eighth on Sunday's partially-reversed grid, they charged through the field to finish second and third; Langeveld passing Volt on the final lap to finish ahead, while the Estonian scored his third Under-25s class win of the season.
 
Langeveld's MM team-mate Paolo Rocca was second in class on Saturday and fourth on Sunday to lead the standings with one round to go. Volt is one of three drivers who could yet deny him the crown. In the overall points Langeveld is third while MM lead the Teams' Championship.

IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge
Ryan Eversley brought the curtain down on a 10-year stint as a HPD factory driver with a third-place finish in the season finale at Road Atlanta, sharing his Honda Civic Type R TCR FL5 with Mike Lamarra.

The LA Honda World Racing duo did not complete a single flying lap during practice or qualifying due to a succession of technical issues and started last in the TCR class for the two-hour race.
 
But a determined charge by both drivers and excellent strategy brought Eversley into fourth place during the closing stages and then into third when team-mate Mat Pombo had to pull off to perform an electrical re-set of the sister car within minutes of the finish.
 
Pombo, who was driving an FK7 Civic with William Tally, set the fastest lap of the race as he crossed the line seventh.