Grabowski and Costa engage in Texas deadlock
Apex Racing Academy Porsche Cup S2 R7 – Circuit of the Americas
As the Apex Racing Academy Porsche Cup approaches its climax, Kamil Grabowski and Pascal Costa continue to lock horns in an epic championship tussle. Not far behind Grabowski and Costa, is speedy Yorkshire airline pilot, Josh Camm. Arriving at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas, the championship leaders have just six races left to make their moves for the title.
Qualifying provided an accurate snapshot of the overall championship battle. Across the two-minute lap, Grabowski nabbed pole position from Costa by six hundredths of a second. In an impressive ninth overall, Leon Erger asserted control on the AM class. Erger’s class rival, Mikael Fang, lingered ominously behind.
Race 1
Throughout the opening twenty-minute sprint, Kamil Grabowski led a three-car breakaway with Pascal Costa and Lewis Ward. On the penultimate lap, Costa’s challenge eventually wilted but Ward quickly assumed the role of the antagonist. Nevertheless, Grabowski didn’t flinch and claimed a crucial win while championship rival Costa finished third.
In the AM ranks, Leon Erger converted his impressive qualifying run to finish seventh and top of the AM class.
Feature Race
After a reverse grid shake up, Max Kessler and Tomas Wewior started the thirty-minute feature race on the front row of the grid. At the drop of the flag, Team Vikings ace Thomas Grendel catapulted off the line and got the hole shot into the opening sector.
However, Grendel’s spell at the front would be short lived. By lap three, the Scandinavian had his hands full with the advancing Max Kessler and PorscheSport’s Josh Camm. Struggling to keep pace, Grendel opened the throttle and spun on the exit of turn eleven.
As Camm led comfortably, controversy ensued immediately behind. Running in second place, Max Kessler appeared to pull over for his championship contending teammate, Pascal Costa. Although such tactics are not outlawed, they always stoke discussion.
By half race distance, Costa had eroded the gap to Camm and began his attack for the race lead. With just over ten minutes to go, Costa pounced under braking into the first gear hairpin at turn twelve. Shortly after Costa made his move, Lewis Ward ambushed Camm after a stealthy journey up to the lead group. Could Ward catch Costa?
Although Ward had the track position to pressure Costa for the win, he couldn’t get close enough to make a move. Costa held on until the flag and sealed a crucial victory for the championship. With Grabowski back in fifth, the feature race at the Circuit of the Americas may prove pivotal in the championship fight.
Despite missing out on the race win, Josh Camm serenely coasted to third place, thus retaining a slim hope of contesting for the championship in the final four races.
In the AM battle, Mikael Fang struck back with a fine run to eight place and top of the class.
Post Race
Following the action, several of the ARL Porsche Cup stars joined the Apex Racing TV commentary crew to give their assessments of a tense race meeting in Texas:
Leon Erger: “It was very important for me to get points. I still want to extend my lead. Race one was a breeze, I didn’t expect it to go so well!”
Kev Copeland: “I think I’m now an outsider for the championship. The gaps getting bigger. Leon took a load of points from me in race one after I tangled with Salvatore Larne in the final laps.”
Bradley Hulse: “This is one of my favourite tracks on the sim. I’ve done plenty of laps but not in this car.”
Next week, the Apex Racing Academy Porsche Cup heads to Road America for the penultimate round of the championship. Tune in to Apex Racing TV at 7pm GMT to catch all the live action.
