Photo: STC2000

Agustín Canapino claims championship lead after winning Oberá qualifying race

By

Chevrolet YPF’s Agustín Canapino won the Super TC 2000 qualifying race at Oberá, Misiones, and has claimed the championship lead. He was followed on the podium by Matías Rossi of Toyota Gazoo Racing Argentina and Leonel Pernía of Renault Sport.

Canapino claimed the lead at the start from pole position ahead of Rossi and Pernía. Rossi immediately challenged the white and blue Chevrolet Cruze of Canapino for the lead, with the duo being close in the first part of the race.

A collision on lap two left Facundo Chapur out of the race, spinning off track in his Citroën Total Racing C4 Lounge.

Lap five saw Rafael Morgenstern retiring due to an engine issue with his Renault Fluence. Morgenstern was replacing Martín Moggia for the French manufacturer as the young driver was ruled due to medical reasons following a crash in last round.

Canapino handled the race easily and won ahead of Rossi and Pernía. José Manuel Urcera finished fourth, followed by Julián Santero.

Title challenger and reigning champion Facundo Ardusso of Renault Sport was sixth ahead of Fabián Yannantuoni of Team Peugeot Total Argentina. Renault driver Carlos Javier Merlo finished eight, while Néstor Girolami of Team Peugeot Total Argentina and Chevrolet YPF driver Bernardo Llaver rounded off the top ten.

Canapino has moved into the lead on 113 points while Ardusso is second on 102 points. The feature race of the weekend at Oberá is scheduled for 12:00 local time tomorrow and will have a standing start for the second time this season compared to the regular rolling starts.