Rafa Matos Scores Motul Pole at Road Atlanta, His First Since Sebring 2022
March 25, 2023
TA2 Australia Champion Nathan Herne Tops Practice Charts
BRASELTON, Ga. (March 25, 2023) – Practice and qualifying are complete for the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series at the Mission Foods Atlanta SpeedTour. Rafa Matos in the No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang earned the Motul Pole Award for the Bennett/BridgeHaul 100 – his first pole since the Sebring International Raceway 2022 season opener.
Matos, who won the 2023 season-opening race will start beside Evan Slater in the No. 6 Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro. NOLA winner Brent Crews will start fourth in the No. 70 Franklin Road Apparel Mustang.
“The weekend has been very smooth for us,” said Matos. “I think the 3-Dimensional Services Group team gave me an amazing, fast car every session, and we’re just fine-tuning it. To get the pole position was really, really important, not only for the points, but to build up confidence for the whole team and myself. It was our first pole position since last year in Sebring, so it’s very rewarding. We’re hoping to have a clean race tomorrow. Hopefully we’ll win, but we need to finish the race and collect points. I’d like to dedicate this pole position to my mom, she’s turning 70 years old tomorrow. I’d love to dedicate a race win to her tomorrow too.”
Qualifying Top Five:
1. Rafa Matos, No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang (1:23.005)
2. Evan Slater, No. 6 Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro (1:23.575)
3. Nathan Herne, No. 29 CUBE 3/Berryman Ford Mustang (1:23.670)
4. Brent Crews, No. 70 Franklin Road Apparel Ford Mustang (1:23.782)
5. Thomas Merrill, No. 26 Bennett/HP Tuners/Mike Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang (1:23.813)
Full qualifying results can be found here.
Practice Top Five:
1. Nathan Herne, No. 29 CUBE 3/Berryman Ford Mustang (1:23.187)
2. Evan Slater, No. 6 Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro (1:23.221)
3. Rafa Matos, No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang (1:23.280)
4. Thomas Merrill, No. 26 Bennett/HP Tuners/Mike Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang (1:23.771)
5. Connor Zilisch, No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro (1:23.803)
Full practice results can be found here.
The race will be contested on Sunday, March 26 at 12:15 p.m. ET and can be streamed live here.
The TV broadcast of the Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series race will air on MAVTV on Thursday, March 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
