Grant Sweeps PittRace Weekend
Wampum, PA - David Grant and Polestar Racing Group took the win and weekend sweep at Pittsburgh International Race Complex in the Atlantic Championship Series. Grant started third, moved to second on the opening lap, and was never more than three tenths behind points leader Ryan Norman before taking the lead on lap seven, going on to score his third win of the season.
"The third place starting spots have worked out for me all weekend," said Grant, who also started third on Saturday en route to his win. "It was an interesting start. Ryan got on full bore before we came over the hill to see the green flag so it kind of messed up Keith's (Grant) start, so I got second. Ryan and I were nose to tail and he went off in one."
Keith Grant, driving the No. 40 Swift 016/Mazda for Polestar, finished second for the second straight day as the Grant brothers dominated the Pittsburgh weekend, rounds nine and ten of the season.
"Congratulations to David, he did a good job driving. I couldn't run with him today," said Grant.
Norman, meanwhile, had a rough weekend in the No. 48 from K-Hill Motorsports but maintains a massive points lead heading into the final two weekends of the Championship. A part failure ended his podium run on Saturday, while in Sunday's race, he led from pole early but fell back with aerodynamic damage to his car after going off in turn one, finishing third in the Championship class.
"We had a good start and I threw it off in one my accident and damaged my front wing," said Norman. "I didn't have the pace to keep up with them. We had the pace in qualifying, we had a great car but it wasn't our weekend."
In the Atlantic Challenge, Connor Burke took the win with a lap five pass on Bob Corliss, who led the opening part of the race in the No. 17 from Comprent Motorsports. Corliss started from the class pole in his Swift 014/Toyota, but Burke caught him quickly and hounded him for the first handful of laps, with a pass coming on lap five to take the eventual class victory for Company Motorsports in the No. 19.
"It has been a tough year, this really helps, it's a good reward," said Burke. "Bob made it fun for me in the beginning, it was really some tight competition."
Corliss said: "It was a nice lonely race. I was all by myself after Connor passed me, he was gone. It was a good day."
K-Hill's Bruce Hamilton completed the Challenge podium after missing Saturday at Pittsburgh, bouncing back from limited track time.
"I wasn't here yesterday," said Hamilton. "For not too many laps, I felt I did fairly well on a new track and I'm pleased with my drive."
All three Series next take to the track in a new two-day format at New Jersey Motorsports Park, August 27-28.