Western Championship Mid-Season Points Update
July 26, 2024
With five races completed between three rounds of racing so far this season, the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli's Western Championship has officially passed the halfway point, meaning that the championship battles are heating up and that this weekend’s doubleheader will have major consequences on the standings.
Here's where things stand going into this weekend's doubleheader at Portland International Raceway.
The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series standings are the tightest, with two ties between the top-five racers. Tim Lynn (No. 17 Roof Options Ford Mustang) and Portland-area native Ken Sutherland (No. 68 Kallberg Racing/Wyatt Fire Chevrolet Camaro) are currently tied in the top spot with 425 points. Interestingly, neither of the point leaders have driven to Victory Lane yet this year.
Just 17 markers back are Kyle Kelley (No. 80 PK+k Properties/UPRacing.com Ford Mustang) and Michael LaPaglia (No. 31 Papini’s Garage/F.A.S.T. Auto Racing/Howe Ford Mustang), also tied with 408 points. Both Kelley and LaPaglia have tallied one victory, with LaPaglia winning Race 2 at Thunderhill Raceway Park, and Kelley winning in the series’ most recent race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. LaPaglia previously held the points lead, but suffered an electric issue at Laguna Seca. Tim Barber in the No. 33 DIG Motorsports Ford Mustang rounds out the top five with 404 points and victories in Race 1 at Thunderhill and Race 1 at Sonoma Raceway.
The XGT class also has a competitive points race, which is currently led by Michele Nagai in the No. 72 Nagai Racing/Berkeley Jet Drive Chevrolet Camaro with 425 points after earning victories in Race 1 at Thunderhill, Race 1 at Sonoma and Laguna Seca. She is followed by Tim Rankin (No. 5 TCR IT Solutions Ford Mustang) with 390 points. Chris Evans (No. 92 Central Welding Supply Ford Mustang) is third with 300 points, followed by Will Rodgers (No. 12 Central Welding Supply/Chris Evans Race Cars Ford Mustang) with 286 points and wins in Race 2 at Thunderhill and Race 2 at Sonoma Raceway. Fifth in XGT is Rick Wright in the No. 45 AR Motorsports Audi R8 LMS GT3 with 250 points.
In TA, Steve Goldman (No. 13 LIG Racing Chevrolet Corvette) currently has a large lead over Greg Pickett (No. 6 Pickett Racing Ford Mustang), with 215 points over Pickett’s 115. Goldman has wins in Race 1 at Thunderhill and Race 1 at Sonoma, as well as Laguna Seca, while Pickett took the victory in Thunderhill’s Race 2.
David Hampton in the No. 14 AR Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport has a commanding lead in the GT standings, with victories in every race so far this year earning him a total of 270 points. Kevin Michaels (No. 98 Killer Shrimp Restaurant Chevrolet Corvette) is second with 110 points.
