Ben Maier Wins First CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Race at World Wide Technology Raceway

May 11, 2024

Brent Crews Finishes Second in Return to Trans Am, Josh Hurley Earns First TA2 Podium

MADISON, Ill. (May 11, 2024) – Ben Maier bounced back from heartbreak at NOLA Motorsports Park by earning his first-career win in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway. After earning his first Trans Am pole in this morning’s qualifying session, Maier went on to lead from green to checkers, holding off 2023 TA2 champion Brent Crews to visit GYM WEED Winners Circle.

Starting the race from the pole after setting the track record in qualifying this morning, Maier took the green flag from the point position in his No. 80 BOE Marine/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang, starting side-by-side with Nitro Motorsports teammate Rafa Matos (No. 60 Concord American Flagpole/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang). Unfortunately, Matos jumped the start and was required to serve a pass-through penalty, which dropped him back to 17th and opened the door for third-place Josh Hurley to take second in his No. 20 Greenlight Simulation/BCR Ford Mustang. Maier’s teammate, Brent Crews in the No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang, started eighth, but by lap five, he had worked his way up to third place.

Maier quickly pulled out to an almost two-second advantage, but a full-course yellow bunched up the field on lap five. When racing resumed, the top three held steady until Crews was finally able to catch Hurley on lap 27. Maier once again opened up a big advantage over second place during the long run, but it was diminished again by a yellow flag on lap 29. Green-flag racing continued on lap 41 and Maier was able to get a clean start, but Crews was nipping at his heels. Meanwhile, Thomas Merrill (No. 26 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang) had taken over the fourth position and was challenging Hurley, and Matos had recovered from his early penalty to move into fifth. Despite competitive battles throughout the top five, the running order remained unchanged in the final 16 laps, and Maier crossed the finish line to earn his first-career victory. Crews and Hurley filled the remainder of the podium, while Merrill and Matos rounded out the top five.

“Brent Crews and I go all the way back; I remember racing with him at Trackhouse Motorplex, just duking it out in 4-strokes, and it was one of the most fun times I've had in my life,” said Maier of finishing on the podium next to his friend and teammate. “Now, we're back at it up here, and it feels amazing. Brad Parrott worked really hard at the shop to get this car so good; it felt great this whole weekend. Ron Otto and the other Brad on my crew helped dramatically to get the car where it is now. It felt amazing the whole race. To the whole Nitro crew: thanks for helping me this year. I knew Brent was right behind me the whole time. I was being told by my spotter, so I was just trying to keep that gap so there wouldn't be any pressure, and ended up finishing the race in first.”

Notes of Interest:

• Ben Maier scored both his first-career Pole Award and first-career victory today at World Wide Technology Raceway in his 14th start.
• At NOLA Motorsports Park, Maier was on his way to his first podium finish when he broke an axle on the final lap while running third.
• Brent Crews earned a podium finish in his first CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series race since winning the championship last year at Circuit of The Americas.
• Maier and Crews have been racing together since the age of six, with both working with Nick Tucker at Nitro Motorsports since 2016.
• Josh Hurley earned his first podium in TA2. Hurley has two previous podiums in the TA class in 2018 (Lime Rock Park) and 2019 (VIRginia International Raceway).
• Tom Sheehan scored his first-career Trans Am victory by winning the Pro/Am Challenge today. Sheehan is Trans Am’s ‘Iron Man’ with 142-career starts.
• St. Louis-native Grant Palmer topped his debut finish at his home track (11th), finishing ninth.

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Top 10:
1. Ben Maier, No. 80 BOE Marine/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang
2. Brent Crews, No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang
3. Josh Hurley, No. 20 Greenlight Simulation/BCR Ford Mustang
4. Thomas Merrill, No. 26 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang
5. Rafa Matos, No. 60 Concord American Flagpole/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang
6. Connor Mosack, No. 77 Silver Hare Racing/PRG Chevrolet Camaro
7. Adrian Wlostowski, No. 3 CMI/Spot-On-Services Ford Mustang
8. Boris Said Jr., No. 75 HendrickCars.com/Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro
9. Grant Palmer, No. 10 BC Race Cars Ford Mustang
10. Jake Drew, No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro

TA2 Pro/Am Podium:
1. Tom Sheehan, No. 97 Vixen Motorcycle/LTK Insulation Ford Mustang
2. Jared Odrick, No. 81 CB Motorsports Ford Mustang
3. Keith Prociuk, No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang

Omologato Watches Fastest Lap of the Race:
Ben Maier, No. 80 BOE Marine/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang

Bassett Hard Charger:
Brent Crews, No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang

Cool Boxx Coolest Move of the Race:
Ben Maier, No. 80 BOE Marine/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang

Full race results can be found here.

The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series next hits the track at Lime Rock Park for the Memorial Day Classic, May 24-27. Tickets can be purchased here on SpeedTour.net.