Michael Lewis leads Hyundai 1-2 in World Challenge opener in Texas
Michael Lewis led a 1-2 for Bryan Herta Autosport at the Circuit Of The Americas, winning the first touring car round of the World Challenge series of 2018 where the TCR format has now fully landed, with 14 entries in the 28-car field.
Mark Wilkins started from pole position in the sister Hyundai i30 N TCR, but Lewis was able to take the lead after the rolling start into Turn 2, with Wilkins settling into second with both chased by the RealTime Racing Honda Civic TCR of Ryan Eversley.
There was minor drama at the back of the pack, as Jarret Andetti’s Copeland Volkswagen ran into the rear of the second RealTime Racing Honda of Nick Esayian, with the Californian dropped to the rear of the field.
The top three began to break away from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR of Danish driver Martin Jensen, who was running on his own in fourth, while Anthony Geraci was able to work his way up to fifth in his Heinlein Racing Audi RS 3 LMS by lap five.
The race settled down after that, with Nate Vincent slowly picking his way forward from outside of the top ten in the HRD Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR to finish eighth, with his last pass taking place on the rival Volkswagen Golf of Mason Filippi in the TFB-run entry on lap 14.
Lewis briefly lost the lead on the last lap of the 40-minute race, locking up when he was lapping the TCA class Subaru BRZ of Breton Williams, but team-mate Wilkins handed him back the position, allowing Lewis to go on to take the chequered flag just over one second ahead, with Ryan Eversley completing the podium five seconds behind.
The second race of the weekend features a standing start, and takes place at 12:25pm ET on Sunday.
