Pierce Marshall and Eric Foss Secure HSR Prototype Challenge Presented by Michelin Overall and P1 Class Victories Saturday in the Matador Motorsports 2017 No. 02 Cadillac DPi
Bob Neapole and Guy Cosmo Win P3 Class and Finish Third Overall in the Hudson Historics No. 47 Ligier JS P320
Wally Owens and Son Kevin Owens Win P2 Class in the Owens Racing 2014 No. 09 Coyote Corvette Daytona Prototype
BRASELTON, Georgia – Starting from the pole and maintaining control throughout the 90-minute race, Pierce Marshall and Eric Foss co-drove the Matador Motorsports 2017 No. 02 Cadillac DPi to their first HSR Prototype Challenge presented by Michelin victory late Saturday afternoon at the 47th HSR The Mitty presented by Hagerty.
Opening driver Marshall led the field to the start from the pole and built an early lead despite a full-course caution at the 10-minute mark. Foss later took over and further gapped the field in the final run to the finish, only to see a late caution once again close up the field.
The 2020 No. 10 Cadillac Dpi of Malcolm Ross and Indianapolis 500 driver Pippa Mann kept the similar car of Pierce and Foss under distant but consistent pressure to the finish. Mann closed on the No. 02 during the final caution but, with several lapped cars between the Cadillacs, Foss was able to maintain the gap and even rebuild a bit of his race-leading cushion when the race was restarted with 12 minutes remaining.
Ross and Mann fought to the end and took the checkered flag second in P1 and overall, the only other competitors to finish on the lead lap.
Third overall went to Bob Neapole and Guy Cosmo who garnered P3-class honors in the Hudson Historics No. 47 Ligier JS P320. Topping the largest class in the race with nine entries, Neapole and Cosmo shared the P3 podium with teammates John Reisman and Eric Curran in the sister No. 74 Hudson Historics Ligier JS P320.
The CB Motorsports 2017 No. 18 Ligier JS P315 of Matt Forbush and Caleb Bacon completed a solid run of three LMP3 entries in the overall top five with a third-place P3 class showing.
In P2-class competition, Wally Owens and his son Kevin Owens co-drove to victory in their Owens Racing 2014 No. 09 Coyote Corvette Daytona Prototype. The only third generation Daytona Prototype in the race, the No. 09 rolled off from 12th on the grid to improve to seventh overall, finishing behind only the top-two P1 entries and four P3 class entries recently retired from contemporary competition.
Next up for the HSR Prototype Challenge presented by Michelin is Round 3 of the 2025 championship at Watkins Glen International, June 12 – 14.
Pierce Marshall, Driver – No. 02 Matador Motorsports Cadillac Dallara DPi: “It was obviously a fantastic race. We had a little scare there with a full-course caution with about 10 minutes to go. Thankfully, Eric had maybe five cars between him and Pippa, so that gave him a chance to put a little gap on her that kept us good to the checkered flag.”
Eric Foss, Driver – No. 02 Matador Motorsports Cadillac Dallara DPi: “I’m just super thankful to Pierce Marshall, Matador Motorsports and Binks Motorsports for giving me the opportunity to work with them and drive this amazing car. Pierce did an awesome job in the opening two stints and made it easy for me. I got in the car and everything felt great, so I really just had to manage everything to the finish.”
Guy Cosmo, Driver – No. 47 Hudson Historics Ligier JS P320: “That was a lot of fun. It should be illegal to have that much fun. This format with the HSR Prototype Challenge is just a blast. It gives you variety, it gives you the option for pit strategy, and you can get a little crafty. You can take chances and do several things with your race, and there’s plenty of driving time for each driver. Bob did a great job in his first stint. The car was great, I got to do what I love to do most in life, and today it rewarded us.”
Kevin Owens, Driver – No. 09 Owens Racing Coyote Corvette DP: “It was good, it was very hot at the end. To be honest, we didn’t quite have the pace we were expecting, but it worked out for us. Very happy with how things turned out and our result. The guys prepared a great car.”
Wally Owens, Driver – No. 09 Owens Racing Coyote Corvette DP: “The car was fast. My son Kevin did most of the driving, and we’re a little different as we’re both amateurs and don’t have a pro driver with us. But it was a great experience, and we’re really happy with the win.”