Fabricio Pezzini converts the pole into his maiden win

In TCR South America’s second race at Alta Gracia, Fabricio Pezzini completed a perfect weekend for PMO Motorsport, converting the pole position into his maiden win after his teammate Santiago Urrutia had won the first race two hours earlier. After a poor start, Urrutia recovered to finish second in the race, overtaking Raphael Reis with three laps to go.
Title contenders Pepe Oriola and Rodrigo Baptista were classified fourth and fifth respectively. 
Ernesto Bessone did not make the grid after his Peugeot 308 suffered from electrical problems at the end of the formation lap for Race 1.
Pezzini made good use of the pole and led the field at the start, while Reis from P3 on the grid pipped Urrutia and moved into second. During the first lap Urrutia was also passed by Sapag and Rodrigo Baptista, while Oriola followed in sixth position.
As Pezzini and Reis built a small gap, there was a spectacular fight for P3 involving Sapag, Baptista and Urrutia. Oriola queued behind this trio in lap 5, but soon Urrutia passed Baptista for P4 and then overtook Sapag for P3 in lap 6.
Oriola tried to take advantage from the battle and attacked Baptista who was able to close the door and kept the Spaniard at bay.
In lap 9, both Baptista and Oriola passed Sapag, advancing to fourth and fifth, while Urrutia closed the gap from Reis and eventually overtook him in lap 11.
There were no further changes and so Pezzini won from Urrutia, with Reis completing the podium ahead of Baptista and Oriola; further back Matías Cravero passed his teammate Sapag for P6.
The battle for the title has got even closer, as Rodrigo Baptista has reduced his gap from the leader Oriola to 14 points, while Reis remains in contention ten further points adrift.
TCR South America’s season finale will take place at the Autódromo de Concepción del Uruguay in the Argentine province of Entre Ríos on December 18/19.

Alta Gracia – Race 2 
1. Fabricio Pezzini (PMO Motorsport, Lynk & Co 03), 14 laps
2. Santiago Urrutia (PMO Motorsport, Lynk & Co 03), 1.464
3. Raphael Reis (W2 Racing, Honda Civic Type R FK7), 5.026
4. Rodrigo Baptista (Cobra Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS), 7.827
5. Pepe Oriola (W2 Racing, Honda Civic Type R FK7), 10.925

Championship points
1. P. Oriola 229 pts; 2. R. Baptista 215; 3. R. Reis 205

Picture: TCR South America/Hernán Capa