TPC Racing Has Good ‘Big Picture’ Weekend In Porsche Carrera Cup, Lamborghini Super Trofeo at Watkins Glen 28.06.2021: Team Program Featuring Vernon McClure, Scott Schmidt and Trevor Andrusko Continued to Make Progress in Dual Doubleheader Weekend

Team Program Featuring Vernon McClure, Scott Schmidt and Trevor Andrusko Continued to Make Progress in Dual Doubleheader Weekend

 

TPC Racing left Watkins Glen doubleheaders for Porsche Carrera Cup North America and Lamborghini Super Trofeo having overcome some challenges laid down with an overall improvement to both programs.



Vernon McClure drove his No. 10 Main Street Homes/TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup to sixth and eighth-place finishes in the Pro-Am class during Friday and Saturday’s 45-minute races, respectively. Despite just his second visit to Watkins Glen and just his second event in the new-generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup that makes up the Porsche Carrera Cup field, McClure leaves Watkins Glen with a clean car on a weekend when many others didn’t.



“I’m extremely proud of Vernon,” Harris Levitas, Director of Race Operations, said. “He did such a great job for being out of the car for almost four months. We didn’t have an opportunity to test here before the race and for Vernon to just jump in, it’s a challenge. The Porsche Carrera Cup field is really strong. Our TPC Racing team did a fantastic job prepping the car back at the shop and we unloaded right away with a good car that Vernon felt comfortable with. Vernon got himself up to speed, looked over data with his coach Spencer Pumpelly, and truly did a great job.”

 


Schmidt and Andrusko faced an equally daunting challenge in the No. 38 Lamborghini Sterling/Erin Levitas Foundation Lamborghini Huracan. A significant impact two weeks ago at Virginia International Raceway left the TPC Racing car unable to be repaired in time for Watkins Glen, leaving the team to work with Wayne Taylor Racing to borrow a car for the weekend.



“We’re extremely grateful for the help we received from Wayne Taylor Racing,” Levitas said. “I just can’t thank our TPC guys enough, working late, getting everything sorted, and we had a car we could contend with. Luckily we were able to finish the weekend. The way the season started that’s a victory in itself. Scott and Trevor are doing a great job. Their attitudes are perfect and they are keeping positive. Luck just hasn’t gone our way. I think we’re getting there at Road America. They turned some faster laps today, and we wanted to give Scott some more on his birthday but it was a great weekend.”



The duo had an issue with the Lamborghini wheel during Friday’s race that ended their day early and were set for a Saturday comeback during the 50-minute races. That opportunity went away when the car refused to refire during the mandatory pit stop after Andrusko got behind the wheel. A quick-thinking TPC Racing crew pushed the car until it fired, but after the car had fallen an additional lap behind.



“We came into this race with a new car to us, and a borrowed car so some things are different,” Andrusko said. “We struggled with that in practice, but found our pace. We’re thankful for the Wayne Taylor guys stepping in and showing us the ropes a little bit because it is a new program. We’re learning by firehose this year, but we’re getting to it. After the trouble on the pit stop on Saturday, I put my head down and chased them and showed that we can do it, and we will do it, but obviously this season is a little more difficult than usual.”



In all, Schmidt and Andrusko leave Watkins Glen with additional experience having overcome significant challenges during the weekend in a young program that is only five events old.



“We started with a new car and did five different setups until we found one that worked for us,” Schmidt said. “We gained speed through the weekend and at the end of the day we started a little slow but picked up the pace and placed in the top 20 overall. We’ll keep that going and get better for Road America.”



Both the Porsche Carrera Cup and Lamborghini Super Trofeo return to action at Road America, August 6-8, for an additional pair of doubleheaders in each championship.

 


Reece White- photos TPC Porsche