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Jack Roush Jr. sweeps Pirelli World Challenge GTS in St. Petersburg

Jack Roush Jr. completed a weekend sweep in GTS winning Round 4 race at the Pirelli World Challenge Cadillac Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Roush had won the previous day's Round 3.

"I was on my marks as best as possible. It was a battle the whole time." said Roush "A much tougher race than Friday. The late restart was such a rush that I don’t remember that much of it. I have a lot of respect with the guys I race with in the GTS class. I didn’t know that Brett (Sandberg) was on the outside in the final corner. I don’t think I touched him. I was just focused on the front and getting to the checkered flag. This is kind of bittersweet today because I thought Nate (Stacy) was going to run away. I really felt bad for him when I saw him hit the wall. He really has a lot of talent and I’m sure we are going to see a lot of great results from him in the future.”

At the start Nate Stacy moved from third on the grid into the lead through turn 1. Pole sitter Sandberg in the No.13 ANSA Motorsports KTM X-Bow GT4 and fourth starting Lawson Aschenbach, in the No.10 Blackdog Speedshop Chevrolet Camaro Z28 slotted in behind Stacy in second and third respectively. Roush Jr. in his No.60 Roush Performance Ford Mustange Boss 302 followed in fourth.

Stacy built a 10-car lead over Sandberg, Aschenbach and Roush Jr. who were running nose to tail. Dore Chaponick Jr. in the No.12 ANSA Motorsports KTM X-Bow GT4 then joined in running closely with the pack in fifth.

Sandberg started to close the gap to Stacy and by lap 18 the gap was down to .582 seconds. Stacy suddenly went off course through turn 12 hitting the wall on the outside of turn 13. Race Control issued a full-course yellow to remove the damaged car. Stacy was not injured.

On the restart Roush passed Sandberg and into the lead with Aschenbach and Chase in close pursuit. With five minutes to go Roush and Sandberg were nose to tail and had built a 2.5 second gap over Aschenbach and Chase who were battling for third. Chase passed Aschenbach through turn 10 at the end of Bayshore Drive to slot into third. Chase was awarded the Cadillac ATS-V.R. Move of the Race for the pass.

On the last lap, on the last turn Sandberg went to the outside attempting to go door-to-door with Roush but brushed the wall enabling Roush to maintain his position and sweep the weekend. Sandberg finished second, and Chase third.

“Overall, I am really happy for the crew because they worked very hard all weekend,” said Sandberg. “The track had changed today and the car was very loose compared to yesterday (Friday). I was trying to use my car’s advantages on the restart and make moves in the corners. I was hoping Jack’s big V-8 (engine) would get some wheel spin at the restart. He was able to out drag us down the front straight. I was trying to bide my time and get into position to make a move late in the race. At the end of the day, it was hard-fought battle and I gave it everything I had. I thought I had a chance in the final corner by going to the outside. I thought in my mind that Jack doesn’t know I’m here. He got a bit of run coming out of the final turn and I tried to stay on the throttle. But I touched the wall and I had to check up. I think if I had gotten side by side with him we might have bounced off each other. But he had a good run and I had to get off the throttle.”

St. Petersburg, FL — Results from Saturday, March 12’s 35-lap Pirelli World Challenge Championship GTS Round 4 race, part of the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by Cadillac. Pos., Starting Pos., Name, Hometown, Car, Laps

1. 2, Jack Roush Jr, Livonia MI, Ford Boss 302, 35 laps

2. 1, Brett Sandberg, Allendale NJ, KTM XBow GT4, 35

3. 6, Parker Chase, New Braunfels, TX , Ginetta GT4, 35

4. 8, Charles Espenlaub, Tampa FL, MASERATI GranTurismo MC Trofeo, 35

5. 4, Lawson Aschenbach, Palm Beach Gardens FL, Chevrolet Camaro, 35

6. 7, Derek DeBoer, Ashland, OR, Aston Martin Vantage GT4, 35

7. 5, Dore Chaponick Jr., Miami FL, KTM XBow GT4, 35

8. 8, Jeff Courtney, Milwaukee WI, MASERATI GranTurismo MC Trofeo, 35

9. 14, Sean Gibbons, West Orange NJ, Aston Martin Vantage GT4, 35

10. 3, Nate Stacy, Owasso OK, Ford Boss 302, 21

11. 11, Tony Gaples, Libertyville IL, Chevrolet Camaro, 20

12. 12, Kevin Marshall, Incline Village NV, Lotus GT4, 7

13. 9, Mark Klenin, Lone Tree CO, MASERATI GranTurismo MC Trofeo, 6

14. 13, Pierre Kleinubing, Lone Tree CO, Audi TT RS, 3

Margin of victory: 0.801 seconds

Fastest race lap, Nate Stacy, 1 minute, 19.752 seconds

*From Pirelli World Challenge

03/13/16

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