"I stayed consistent, hit my marks, and it paid off." - Sally McNulty secured two third-place finishes at Road America, marking one of her strongest weekends in the TC America series this season and strengthening her position in the championship standings.
Sally McNulty returned to the TC America podium with two third-place finishes at Road America, marking one of her strongest weekends to date in the TC class.
Driving the Ricca Autosport-operated Hyundai Elantra N TC, McNulty displayed competitive pace all weekend and held her own in the fierce battles for the final podium spot in both races, ultimately securing a pair of top-three finishes that strengthened her fourth-place position in the championship standings.
This success was a significant rebound for McNulty after a challenging round at VIRginia International Raceway, where she managed a sixth-place finish in Race 1 but was involved in an unfortunate incident in Race 2.
"Really kept my head down this weekend and focused on my goal," Sally said after her return to the podium at Road America. "I know the track, I know the car, and I had faith I had nothing to worry about. My previous race weekend at VIR was one of the worst I’ve ever had. I got sick during that weekend and made contact with the tire barrier."
A month later, McNulty was ready for redemption, eager to showcase her progress in the TC class during the fifth round of the season.
The opening days at the iconic 6.515 km-long North American circuit were marked by heavy rain, which hampered practice. Sally was fifth fastest in FP1, with the second session eventually ending in a washout.
Qualifying was held on Saturday morning, where Cristian Perocarpi (MINI JCW Team) claimed pole position in the TC class, followed by Jeff Ricca. Sally McNulty posted the fourth-fastest time in class, clocking a 2:27.801—just six-tenths off the car ahead and six-tenths clear of the car behind.
In Race 1, which took place on a dry afternoon, Sally made an excellent initial getaway, positioning herself Attrell and then skillfully defending her spot into Turn 1. She settled into fourth place in the TC class, With Ricca and Perocarpi mingling with the faster TCX cars ahead.
McNulty soon found herself in a battle with Iglesias Jr., who managed to find a way past on Lap 2. Despite dropping to fifth, Sally remained within striking distance of the podium, holding her ground as the race progressed.
The turning point came when a incident occurred ahead of her at Canada Corner: Broll made a late move and collided with Iglesias Jr., resulting in significant championship implications for the TC class. Sally reacted swiftly to avoid the spinning cars, moving up to fourth place in TC and seventh overall just before the race was neutralized by a safety car.
When racing resumed with 10 minutes to go, it was a chaotic restart as the drivers jostled for position. Sally found herself in the thick of the action, attempting to challenge Attrell while also defending against Thomson’s MINI, with the top positions separated by mere tenths.
As Attrell encountered issues and dropped behind both McNulty and Thomson, Sally seized the opportunity and moved into third place with five minutes remaining. In the final laps, she expertly maintained her pace, creating a gap between herself and Thomson while keeping her composure under pressure.
McNulty crossed the finish line to secure her third podium finish of the season, marking another significant milestone for her campaign and returning to the rostrum since the season opener in Sonoma.
Christian Perocarpi took the win, with Jeff Ricca finishing in second place after a tightly contested race.
"It was a great drive in Race 1 on Saturday," McNulty reflected. "I was able to make some good passes and work my way to third place. I stayed consistent, hit my marks, and it paid off."
In Race 2, held on a chilly but dry Sunday morning, Sally once again lined up fourth in the TC class, determined to build on her strong performance from the previous day. At the start, she quickly gained a position on Scott Thomson, moving up to third place by the end of the first lap.
With Ricca and Perocarpi battling for the lead ahead, McNulty focused on maintaining her pace while defending her position from the chasing pack. Despite the TCX entry of Defreitas creating a buffer between her and the leaders, Sally kept her Hyundai Elantra N TC solidly in third, opening up a gap to the cars behind as the race progressed.
On Lap 3, McNulty demonstrated her growing confidence by overtaking the #39 Racers Edge Acura Integra, moving up to sixth overall and setting her personal best lap time of 2:28.070, just a few tenths off the leaders’ pace. With each passing lap, she found more speed, dipping under the 2:28 mark and extending her advantage over Anatra and Attrell.
By the halfway point, McNulty had established a comfortable gap of nearly four seconds to her nearest rivals, while also picking up another overall position by overtaking Cooper Broll. Although the class leaders pulled away, Sally’s consistent laps in the 2:27 range secured her position comfortably in third place.
The final lap saw late drama as Ricca, who had led much of the race, lost the lead to Perocarpi but still managed to finish second. Meanwhile, McNulty crossed the line in third, completing a flawless race and earning her second podium of the weekend, as well as her fourth of the season.
This strong result added crucial points to her championship tally, solidifying her fourth place in the standings with 127 points.
"Race 2 was not as action-packed, but I worked on being consistent, hitting the same lap times lap after lap, which helped me build a big gap to the cars behind me", McNulty explained. "I’m very grateful for my supporters who make this possible and for the hard work by the team!"
With two rounds remaining, Sally McNulty now looks ahead to the next challenge at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, set for September 6-8, where she aims to continue her momentum and chase more podium finishes.
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