Moorespeed scored an IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama win on Saturday at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) when Rob Ferriol held off a hard-charging competitor in the closing laps for his second Gold Cup win of the season. Teammate Riley Dickinson finished seventh overall and in Platinum Cup.
Ferriol crossed the finish line in his No. 5 Moorespeed/GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 Cup just 0.365-second in front of rival Sebastian Carazo, covering 23 laps and averaging 95.109 mph in the victory.
Overnight rains and a drizzle throughout the race meant the 45-minute timed sprint was run on a very slippery track and on Yokohama rain tires.
“Rob played it smart the entire day,” Moorespeed President David Moore said. “Even this morning in qualifying, he had a little bit more in him but he knew where he was. The conditions were difficult at best but when it was time, he put the afterburners on and it was a lot of fun watching but a little nerve wrecking. The entire team is really proud of how he fought to come out on top, man to man, right to the end.”
Ferriol took the lead on lap 10, and then held off a hard-charging Carazo over the final five laps of the race.
The win allowed Ferriol to close in the championship standings on Carazo and gave him his second win in three Gold Cup races following his career first at Road America one race weekend ago.
“It’s fantastic to finally get a win here at VIR,” Ferriol said. “My family is here, I have a lot of friends here, so it’s awesome to bring a win home. My goal was to bring the car to the checker, turn consistent laps, keep the car clean and see how it plays out. I got into a rhythm, kept my head down, and kept going.”
Dickinson started seventh and shot around the outside of two competitors in the opening corners of the race, then climbed into fourth on lap two with another pass. The challenging wet conditions and the tough Platinum Cup competition soon offered a challenge to the youngest driver in the field and Dickinson ultimately crossed the finish line in seventh place.
“Those conditions are always tough,” Dickinson said. “You’d rather have it full dry or full wet, not in between. I may have been a little too cautious. It’s my second race ever in the rain, so I’m still gaining information. Overall, it was a decent race, not the best and not the worst.”
Ferriol will start Sunday’s race 10th overall and second in Gold Cup, as he tries to sweep the weekend. Dickinson will start 13th in the 45-minute race, which begins at 9:45 a.m. EDT at VIR. Sunday’s race can be seen on IMSA.tv.
