Photo: Super TC 2000 Media

Agustín Canapino wins in San Martín, Matías Rossi is champion

By

Equipo YPF Chevrolet driver Agustín Canapino won the 11th round of the 2013 Argentinian Super TC 2000 Championship in San Martín, but Toyota Team Argentina’s Matías Rossi won his fourth drivers’ title, despite not finishing the race.

Canapino put on a dominant performance in his Chevrolet Cruze from pole position. The 23-year-old was fastest in qualifying and then defeated Rossi in the Super 8 pole position shootout in the morning to ensure he started from the P1 spot for the race.

At the start of the race, Canapino held the lead into the first corner ahead of Rossi, but there was drama further back as Equipo Petronas Fiat of José María López was spun out by the Equipo YPF Chevrolet of Franco Vivian.

Renault Lo Jack Team’s Leonel Pernía, the only other driver still in contention for the title, had started in fourth position behind his team-mate Emiliano Spataro, but was struggling for pace, falling behind the other Fiat of Facundo Ardusso on the second lap.

Spataro however was on a charge, passing Matías Rossi’s Toyota for second on lap four and kept close to Canapino’s Cruze during the race, keeping the pressure on the Chevrolet driver.

On lap seven, Rossi lost another position to the Fiat of Facundo Ardusso, and then the championship leader ground to a halt with just nine laps to go, bringing out the safety car.

Pernía was now promoted to fourth on the road, but needed to win in order to keep his championship hopes alive. At the restart, the 38-year-old found himself under pressure from Rossi’s team-mate Mariano Werner, but was able to get some assistance when his Renault team-mate Guillermo Ortelli was able to sneak up into sixth and cover Pernía’s rear for the remainder of the race.

There were no improvements further ahead however, with Canapino holding on to take the win ahead of Spataro’s Renault, with Ardusso completing the podium.

Rossi now moves up to 219 points in the drivers’ standings, scoring four points in the Super 8 shootout, with Pernía now on 181. 38 points separate the two drivers with just 33 points available at the season finale at Potrero de los Funes on December 1st, ensuring Rossi wins his fourth drivers’ title in the Championship. Meanwhile, Canapino celebrates his third win of the season, and moves to fourth in the standings, just five points behind Ardusso.