Taking to the famous Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX for Rounds 3 and 4 of the Toyota GR Cup, Gresham Wagner and TechSport Racing w/ Baby Bull Racing charged from 8th to their debut win in the series..
Wagner and the team elected to sit out the test day, and made their first on-track appearance in the pair of practice sessions on Friday. The #5 car was able to produce one-lap speed, topping the second practice, but Wagner and the team struggled to find a setup that cooperated with the tires and could sustain front-running speed.
In a low-key qualifying session Saturday morning, Wagner placed his car 8th on the grid, uncharacteristically low and highlighting the need for some drastic adjustments before the race. The team worked hard before Race 1 to get the #5 car up to it’s potential, and the efforts garnered quick returns once the green flag dropped.
Wagner quickly jumped into the top 5 after a great opening lap, and thereafter worked his way past the rest of the front-runners lap by lap. As the race settled, Wagner found himself in the lead with a comfortable handle on the car. A safety car came out early for a small incident. Once racing resumed, Wagner maintained the lead, pulled a 3 second lead over the remaining laps, and cruised towards the checkered flag. Another safety car in the final 5 minutes ensured Race 1 finished under neutralized conditions.
Gresham and the team were both very excited to bring home their first win in the new series, especially after a great drive through the field. Sunday looked to be a similar affair, after Wagner qualified in 9th in mixed conditions. Driving to the front and then pulling out a 10 second lead in the wet track-dry tire Race 2, Wagner’s charge was ended with a mechanical failure in the closing stages.
In what should have been a double-win weekend, the team still take many positives and a first win from the event, and look forward to the next pair of races in VIR. The home race for both Gresham and TechSport Racing yielded a win for the duo in the 2022 TC America championship.