Timely Pass Nets Fletcher Mazda MX-5 Cup Race Win at VIR

ALTON, Va. – Round 11 of the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin at VIRginia International Raceway was all about timing. The action-packed race had numerous off-course excursions leaving the drivers to wonder each time ‘are we going to go yellow?’ Jeremy Fletcher (No. 22 McCumbee McAleer Racing) timed his race perfectly, taking over the lead just before the final full-course caution that brought the race to an end.

The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup had already seen its share of incidents at VIR in the lead up to Saturday’s race. Two-time champion Gresham Wagner (No. 81 RAFA Racing by MMR) made contact with the wall in Turn 9 in qualifying, necessitating lots of repair work and new tires, putting him at the back of the grid.

Another two-time champion, Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) had an off-course excursion into the tire wall in qualifying as well. It happened before he could turn in a true flying lap, so he started an uncharacteristic 13th on the grid.

Rookie Justin Adakonis (No. 23 McCumbee McAleer Racing) started from pole, but it was the BSI Racing teammates starting from the second row that worked together to take over the lead on the opening lap. Tyler Gonzalez (No. 57 BSI Racing) got a helpful push from teammate Westin Workman (No. 13 BSI Racing) that put Gonzalez into the lead and Workman second before the first full-course caution was issued.

A second full-course caution came out very shortly after the race was restarted. Continuing his bad day, Thomas made hard contact with the wall in Turn Three where his race ended.

When green flag racing resumed, the lead pack became a BSI Racing versus MMR battle. Working together, Gonzalez and Workman could pull away, until an MMR interloper crashed the party. This happened with less than 20 minutes to go as Nate Cicero (No. 83 McCumbee McAleer Racing) moved into second and briefly into the lead.

He brought Fletcher with him, who also took his turn at the front, but Workman and Gonzalez were a formidable duo and he could not hold the spot for long.

Fletcher took the lead again, in the Uphill Esses, with five minutes to go. As he did so a car came to a stop in Turn 17. The whole pitlane was fixated, waiting to see if the car would get going again or if the yellow flags would come out again.

As the field entered the set of turns known as “Rollercoaster,” the safety car was deployed and the race effectively came to an end as there was only three and a half minutes left on the clock.

Fletcher took the checkered flag behind the pace car.

“I think Tyler [Gonzalez] and Weston [Workman] did a really good job of controlling the pack and keeping themselves at the front the entire time,” Fletcher said. “And I think the MMR side of that struggled, but I was just happy I could keep myself in that pack, keep the car cool and get it done in the end.

Fletcher swept last year’s races at VIR and now continues that streak.

“I don’t know (why I’m successful at this track),” Fletcher said. “The worst part is, it’s not even my favorite track, so maybe it should be. Everything kind of played in my favor there. I had good restarts. The McCumbee McAleer Racing, Simpson Racing Products, Paene Investments and Holster Store car was rolling this weekend for sure! Hopefully we can go four for four.”