Photo: SCCA Pro Racing

Michael Cooper wins on debut at St. Petersburg

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Michael Cooper won the first race of the 2012 Pirelli World Challenge in the Touring Class in a race which finished behind the safety car following a late race incident between Tristan Herbert and Ryan Winchester.

At the start of the race the two Compass360 Racing Hondas of Todd Lamb and Robb Holland were caught up with the GTS class Chevrolet Camaro of Todd Napieralski at Turn 5 on the opening lap.

Tristan Herbert had taken the lead of the class in his HPA Motorsports Volkswagen Jetta from Cooper at the start, with the safety car called on Lap 7 to recover Nick Esayian’s RealTime Racing Acura TSX. Esayian had made contact with the R&C Motorsports Ford Mustang of Richard Golinello at Turn 1 and was stranded out on the circuit.

At the restart on Lap 11, Herbert held off the challenge behind of Michael Cooper’s Atlanta Motorsports Group Mazda3, until just five laps later the safety car was out again to recover Roger Miller’s stricked Ford Mustang On the next restart, Cooper took the lead of the class, but Herbert was quick to fight back, getting the nose of his Jetta briefly ahead of the Mazda, but was unable to complete the pass back for the lead.

Heading onto Lap 23, Herbert tried to dive down the inside of Cooper’s Mazda3 into Turn 1 but locked up and elected to do a 360 turn instead of trying to take the corner and most likely hit the tyre barrier. This dropped Herbert down to fifth and promoted Todd Lamb up to second in the Compass360 Racing Honda Civic.

Whilst trying to regain ground, Herbert tried to pass two cars into Turn 1 at the start of the following lap, losing control of his Jetta running over the kerb and collected Ryan Winchester’s #72 Honda Civic, taking both cars out of the race and bringing out the full course caution again, with the race ending behind the safety car.

Michael Cooper therefore wins the first race of the year in his Mazda3 with Todd Lamb second and Anthony Rapone completing the podium in the Durabond Racing Honda Civic.

The second race of the weekend will take place at 11:00 EST on Sunday.