Néstor Girolami takes victory in San Luis and wins second title

Peugeot Sport Argentina driver Néstor Girolami won the final round of the 2015 Argentinian Super TC 2000 Championship in San Luis, and successfully defends his drivers’ title, despite losing the lead of the race to championship rival Leonel Pernía in the opening stages of the race.

Seven drivers went into the race at the Autódromo Rosendo Hernández de San Luis circuit with the potential to win the drivers’ title, although the closest battle was between Girolami and Perniá, both separated by half a point at the head of the championship standings.

Girolami started from pole position, but at the rolling start the 26-year-old was passed by Renault’s Leonel Pernía around the outside into Turn 2, which meant Pernía was in position to overhaul Girolami’s points lead and win his first title, after finishing as runner-up four times in the past.

Girolami’s Peugeot team-mate Agustín Canapino made a move on José Manuel Urcera’s Fiat at the start to move into third, while a good start from Facundo Chapur in the other Fiat Linea from 12th saw him up to eighth at the end of lap one, meaning all seven title contenders were running in the top eight positions, with Toyota’s Matías Rossi fifth and Renault’s Emanuele Spataro sixth.

Pernía was fighting to hold off Girolami during the first part of the race, with Girolami making his first attempt to pass and take the lead down the inside of Pernía’s Renault Fluence on lap three. Girolami’s 408 touched the rear-quarter of Pernía’s Fluence, sending the 40-year-old’s car into a slide through the corner, but was able to control the car and rejoin ahead of the two Peugeots still in the lead.

Girolami then gathered himself and tried again at the same corner six laps later, this time making a clean pass and took point, and began to built up to a three second lead as Pernía was now defending against Canapino.

Chapur pitted and retired on lap 18, ending the Fiat driver’s championship aspirations, while Pernía was now beginning to close the gap to Girolami during the final third of the race.

Girolami had enough of a lead however to ensure victory, and in doing so took his second consecutive Super TC 2000 Championship title, with Pernía finishing second in the race and second in the standings once again, while third in the race for Canapino elevates the Peugeot driver to third in the championship ahead of Toyota’s Matíás Rossi, who had made a last lap pass on José Manuel Urcera to secure fourth in the race.

Girolami wins the championship on 188 points, with Pernía on 182.5 and Canapino on 167, with Rossi fourth on 164 and Urcera the best placed Fiat driver in fifth on 160.

The newly crowned champion has already signed to compete in the Brazilian Stock Car Championship for 2016.