Annunziata Earns Second Win of Season in Toyota’s Debut, Leading Nitro Sweep in CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Race at Road Atlanta

March 23, 2025

Annunziata Earns Second Win of Season in Toyota’s Debut, Leading Nitro Sweep in CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Race at Road Atlanta

Prociuk Wins Again in Pro/Am

 

BRASELTON, Ga. (March 23, 2025) – Thomas Annunziata continued his strong start to the 2025 season, earning his second-straight CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series victory in the Mission Foods Road Atlanta SpeedTour at Road Atlanta. Annunziata started on the pole and led from flag to flag in his No. 90 Gazoo Racing/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry, spearheading a podium-sweeping 1-2-3 finish for Nitro Motorsports and leading a 1-2 finish for the new Toyota Camry.

Notes of Interest:

  • Thomas Annunziata earned the fourth win of his Trans Am career and his first victory at Road Atlanta.

  • Nitro Motorsports swept the Trans Am podium for the first time ever, with the team’s drivers Annunziata, Tyler Gonzalez, Julian DaCosta finishing 1-2-3.

  • Annunziata and Gonzalez both bettered their 2024 Road Atlanta results, with the two finishing second and third, respectively, last year.

  • Julian DaCosta earned his first-career Trans Am podium.

  • All three podium finishers are Young Gun Award contenders under the age of 21. Annunziata is 19, Gonzalez is 20 and DaCosta is 17, making the average age on the podium 18.6.

After setting a new track record and winning the pole in qualifying, Annunziata took the green flag and pulled ahead to an immediate lead. Behind him, second-place starter Julian DaCosta (No. 30 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang) and third-place starter Tyler Gonzalez (No. 10 Mobil 1/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry) were side-by-side, drag racing through the esses before Gonzalez took over second place in Turn 7. The field was slowed by the conclusion of the first lap for a car in the wall, with racing resuming on lap five.

Annunziata led Gonzalez, DaCosta, three-time champion Rafa Matos (No. 57 Concord American Flagpole/SHR Chevrolet Camaro) and Boris Said Jr. (No. 60 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang) across the line on the restart, and he and Gonzalez began to distance themselves from the rest of the top five. The two battled each other until lap 10, when the safety car was deployed for a caution period to clean up several on-track incidents, including one involving fifth-place Said Jr. and seventh-place Mike Skeen (No. 2 Guthrie’s Garage Chevrolet), which allowed Sam Corry (No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang) to enter the top five.

The green flag waved once again on lap 15 and Gonzalez fought hard on Annunziata’s tail. On lap 17, Matos put two wheels off the racing surface, allowing Corry to pass him for the fourth position. By lap 20, Annunziata began to open up a lead over Gonzalez, gapping him by a second and a half. A long green-flag run ensued, and when racing was slowed on lap 30, Annunziata had a nearly four-second advantage over his teammate.

The restart on lap 33 was excellent for Gonzalez, but the double yellow was displayed on lap 34 for a car stuck in Turn 10. Gonzalez was able to do it again when racing resumed on lap 37, hanging tightly on Annunziata’s rear bumper. The following lap, he looked poised to challenge for the lead, but Gonzalez made his first mistake of the race, putting two wheels off the track and slightly slowing his progress. With two laps remaining, Gonzalez was unable make the pass, and Annunziata took the checkered flag. Annunziata was followed by Nitro Motorsports teammates Gonzalez, DaCosta, and Corry, with Silver Hare Racing’s Matos crossing the finish line fifth.

After the race, a post-race penalty for avoidable contact was assessed to Sam Corry, relegating him to the 14th position. With Matos promoted to fourth, Tristan McKee (No. 28 Spire Gainbridge/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro) became the final car to finish in the top five.

“The race was good from start to finish,” said Annunziata on the podium. “I was a little worried there in the beginning. I didn't have the greatest short-run pace, and I thought Gonzalez was going to have something for me there. We started to eke it out, and I felt really good. I mean, it's an amazing way to introduce Toyota to the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, which is super, super cool. Thank you to everyone at Nitro Motorsports, Michael Brallier, Ronnie Otto, and Nick Tucker for giving me such an amazing opportunity and allowing me to drive these racecars. It's the first time we've ever had a Nitro Motorsports 1-2-3-4 finish, which is super cool. That's all down to having such a talented group of people behind us and talented drivers such as Tyler Gonzalez and Julian DaCosta. Congrats to them as well. Gonzalez kept me honest there at the end. I thought I was going to potentially lose it there. That was scary; I didn't like that. Thank you to Chipoys and everyone here at Road Atlanta.”

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series National Championship Top 10:
1. Thomas Annunziata, No. 90 Gazoo Racing/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry
2. Tyler Gonzalez, No. 10 Mobil 1/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry
3. Julian DaCosta, No. 30 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang
4. Rafa Matos, No. 57 Concord American Flagpole/SHR Chevrolet Camaro
5. Tristan McKee, No. 28 Spire Gainbridge/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro
6. Adrian Wlostowski, No. 3 CMI/Spot-On-Services/AMT Motorsports Ford Mustang
7. Mike Skeen, No. 2 Guthrie’s Garage Chevrolet Camaro
8. Caleb Bacon, No. 18 Bacon Development/Custom Homes Chevrolet Camaro
9. Edan Thornburrow, No. 15 Owosso Speedway Ford Mustang
10. Mia Lovell, No. 40 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang

Barry Boes (No. 27 Accio Data/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro) started the Pro/Am Challenge race first in class, but got held up on the first lap, allowing Keith Prociuk (Keith Prociuk, No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang) to take the lead, which he held for much of the event. Both Prociuk and Boes were hit by another competitor in the field late in the event, leading to a swap in position on lap 29, and fourth-place starter Jared Odrick (No. 00 Black Underwear Ford Mustang) overcame an early spin to fight his way back to the front of the class. In the final laps, the three competitors were running close together and swapping spots, while battling it out to the checkered flag. Prociuk ultimately crossed the finish line first, followed by Odrick and Boes.

After the race, a post-race penalty for avoidable contact was assessed to Odrick, relegating him fourth in class. Cale Phillips in the No. 99 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang was awarded the final podium spot.

“That was a fantastic race,” said Prociuk. “All three of us have been fast all weekend long, so I knew it'd be between the three of us. Barry [Boes] just got me in qualifying by two tenths, but on the start, I think he just kind of got held up, so I got him on lap one. It was a hard race, all race long. Great racing with Jared [Odrick], really clean, really hard. I really appreciate it. Same thing with you, Barry. Thanks to HP Tuners. Thanks to Mike Cope, Travis Cope, Thomas Merrill; you guys are absolutely fantastic, I really appreciate it. I hope we can keep this up. Thanks, Trans Am, and thanks to all the officials and safety workers that keep us safe out there.”

TA2 Pro/Am Podium:
1. Keith Prociuk, No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang
2. Barry Boes, No. 27 Accio Data/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro
3. Cale Phillips, No. 99 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang.

Omologato Watches Fastest Lap of the Race:
Thomas Annunziata, No. 90 Gazoo Racing/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry

Bassett Hard Charger:
Mia Lovell, No. 40 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang

Full race results can be found here. All results are provisional.

An encore presentation of today’s race will air tonight on SPEED SPORT 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series will next hit the track at Sonoma Raceway, April 24-27, for the Sonoma SpeedTour in combination with the Western Championship. Tickets can be purchased here.

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