Taylor Hagler continued her Fanatec GT World Challenge America campaign this weekend, closing out the Virginia International Raceway event with a podium result on Sunday after a promising run on board the No. 93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 on Saturday came up short. Hagler shared the driving duties with Jacob Abel on the weekend for Racers Edge Motorsports.
Joining Sunday’s race in fifth position, Hagler charged to a third-place podium ProAm class finish in Sunday’s 90-minute race, which marked Round 6 of the 2021 championship.
The run to the podium marked a satisfying outcome after a frustrating run on Saturday when Hagler raced into podium position in the opening stint of Saturday’s opening race, only to finish sixth when the No. 93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 failed to complete the final lap due to a transmission issue.
Co-driver Abel started Sunday’s race in eighth, but was forced to pit in the early laps after running over debris. He worked his way back to ninth before pit stops at the midway point of the 90-minute race.
Hagler rejoined the race in fifth position in the class and eighth overall. Just six laps later, Hagler moved past Saturday’s class winner and kept pushing forward, taking just seven more circuits of the 3.27-mile track to race into third place.
“What an up and down weekend for us in the Acura NSX,” said Hagler. “But it’s great to close out on a high like this and take the podium with Jacob (Abel). This is an incredible place to race, and I had a lot of fun out there. It was great to have Dane (Cameron) and Ryan (Eversley) here this weekend and all of the support from HPD.”
Hagler started the season with a pair of third-place finishes for the Jon Mirachi-owned team at Sonoma Raceway.
“I’m super proud,” Mirachi said of Hagler’s run. “That pass in the Esses was just awesome. She did a terrific job. Not just the pass, but to catch all those people and reel them in. That third place when she came in was all due to her. Fantastic!”
The GT World Challenge America competitors now get a long break until their next doubleheader weekend, set for August 27-29 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Source. Sunday Group
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