Mar 30, 2016
McCumbee, McAleer Stop Teammate Carbonell, Extend Freedom Autosport, Mazda Streaks
Chad McCumbee and Stevan McAleer extended Mazda and Freedom Autosport’s streak to six consecutive Street Tuner (ST) victories at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The 2015 ST champions won for the first time in 2016 in the No. 25 ModSpace Mazda MX-5. McAleer took the checkered flag 4.842 seconds ahead of teammate Andrew Carbonell, ending his three-race victory streak at the track in the No. 26 SemperFiFund.org Mazda MX-5 started by Liam Dwyer.
McCumbee started third and was involved in a terrific hour-long fight for the lead with TOTAL Pole Award winner James Clay in the No. 84 BimmerWorld Racing OPTIMA Batteries BMW 328i, and Chad Gilsinger in the No. 93 HART Honda Civic Si. McCumbee passed Gilsinger to finally take the lead on the 33rd lap, and then joined McAleer in leading all but one of the remaining circuits.
“I was thinking to myself that it had to be a great show,” McCumbee said. “We were going back and forth, and those guys were working really hard. Then it was time to go, and I had to be a little aggressive and throw it in there to get the lead. At the end of the day, the Mazda was the easiest on the tires, and the best car for this race.”
Eric Foss took third in the No. 56 Murillo Racing/Mosing Motorcars Porsche Cayman started by Jeff Mosing. Foss passed Tyler Cooke in the No. 84 BMW started by Clay on the final lap. Gilsinger and Cameron Lawrence finished fifth.