An engine failure in qualifying left Gresham Wagner starting at the back, but a charge through the field in Race 1 and a strong drive in Race 2 earned him and the TechSport Racing team two wins and a weekend sweep at Sebring International Raceway.
Setting the provisional pole lap early in qualifying, things were looking good for Wagner and the #21 TechSport Racing Subaru BRZ TCA. Unfortunately, shortly after putting in his fast lap, Wagner suffered an engine failure and brought out the red flag. After a quick turnaround by the team, the #21 car was ready for Race 1, starting at the back of the field with a new engine.
At the start of Race 1, Wagner was away quickly, getting himself into the top 5 in the first two laps. After that, he put in some quick laps and tracked down the lead drivers. He made quick work of the remaining drivers between him and the race win, making the move for the lead after a short fight. Once in front, Wagner managed the race, never relinquishing the lead and building a couple seconds of a buffer to the cars behind. After 40 minutes, Wagner took the checkered first, followed by the Hyundai Veloster TCA of Branyon Tiner, and then Wagner’s TechSport Racing teammate Devin Anderson in 3rd.
The podium order remained the same in Race 2, but not without a tougher challenge for the win. Courtesy of fastest lap in Race 1, Wagner started from pole, but was overtaken on the run to Turn 1 and had to fall into line. Eventually, the battle for the win came down to Wagner and Tiner, and after swapping a bit of pace back-and-forth, Wagner was able to slip past and into the lead. The rest of the race concluded with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd staying in order, earning Wagner a sweep of wins, and TechSport Racing a pair of 1-3 finishes at the event.
Leaving Sebring, Wagner is tied for the championship points lead with Carter Fartuch, with the tiebreaker in Wagner’s favor. TechSport Racing also leads the Teams’ championship heading to the TC America season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It will be a tight battle between Wagner and Fartuch for the championship, but his pair of wins at Sebring will help Wagner carry some momentum into the final event.