Challenge NA – North American Season Ends on a High Note

Homestead Fl, 1 October 2017 – The 2017 Ferrari Challenge North America season came to a fitting conclusion on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.  A field of nearly fifty Challenge cars filled the paddock once again faced serious heat and humidity throughout the day, demanding maximum effort from drivers and crews alike.   Trofeo Pirelli – Wei Lu completed an exceptional weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, taking another race win and fastest lap.  Beating Cooper MacNeil (Ferrari Silicon Valley) by over seven seconds, Wei’s victory has ensured a tense final round of the Championship in Mugello.  Martin Fuentes finished closely behind Cooper MacNeil in third, applying consistent pressure throughout the race, but to no avail.   Trofeo Pirelli AM – After qualifying on pole by three tenths of a second, Chris Cagnazzi and his Ferrari of Long Island 488 Challenge car completed the perfect sweep in race two in the afternoon.  Fastest lap by nearly a second and the race win by over five seconds were Chris’ reward for an impressively consistent season.  The run to the checkered flag was not as simple as the results may make it seem.  The race opened with a literal bang on the opening lap as two cars tangled in the middle of the fast turn one.  When it was all said and done, one car had flipped multiple times and landed on its door.  A ten minute safety car period ensued while clean up efforts were underway.  Once the race returned to green flag conditions, though, Chris was in a class of his own, building a gap over Jean-Claude Saada and Ross Chouest of Boardwalk Ferrari and Ferrari of Palm Beach respectively.   Coppa Shell – Karl Williams claimed a close victory by only three tenths of a second over Dave Musial and two seconds over Murray Rothlander.  Interrupted by the same caution period that interrupted the Trofeo Pirelli AM race, the Coppa Shell leaders were mixed among the Trofeo Pirelli Am cars, exaggerating the ebb and flow of battle.  Further back, Osvaldo Gaio claimed the Gentleman’s Cup trophy in his Miller Motor Cars powered 488 Challenge car.   458 EVO – Francesco Piovanetti claimed victory in race two on Sunday in a caution-free thirty minutes of action.  Leading home Caesar Bacarella by five seconds, and claiming fastest lap of the race, Francesco was able to build a gap early that he would not relinquish.  Further back, Naveen Rao and Joseph Rubbo of Ferrari San Diego and Ferrari Long Island respectively, enjoyed a race-long battle for third place.  Lisa Clark once again claimed the Ladies Cup in her Ferrari Beverly Hills 458, finishing tenth in the 458 EVO class.   Schedule – Ferrari Challenge has completed the 2017 North American calendar, but that is not the end of the season.  Drivers will be making their way to Mugello in Italy for the final round of the 2017 season and the world finals. Track action will begin on October 25 and conclude on October 29.