Maxson takes lights-to-flag win in Race 1 at VIR

Tyler Maxson took a lights-to-flag victory in the weekend’s opening race at the Virginia International Raceway, beating Scott Smithson by just over eight seconds, with Tristan Herbert completing the podium positions. The win means Maxson extended his lead in the series after winning both races at the Circuit of the Americas back in March prior to the coronavirus shutdown.
After qualifying on pole, Maxson controlled the race from the front, although Victor González wasn’t so fortunate after starting alongside Maxson on the front row of the grid. The Puerto Rican driver was passed going into Turn 1 by Smithson and the leading trio then spent much of the forty-minute race running together, until a puncture forced González to pit with a little over five minutes of the race remaining. He eventually finished in thirteenth place overall, although by setting the race’s fastest lap, González will start Race 2 from pole.
Behind the podium places, another stand-out performance came from Smithson’s teammate Olivia Askew; the former skiing Freeride Junior World Champion finished her first-ever TCR race in fifth place behind Luke Rumburg. Askew finished ahead of CJ Moses in the third DXDT Racing Honda after passing her teammate on Lap 15 and the pair then battled for the remainder of the race. When Roy Block put two wheels onto the grass in the race’s closing moments, Askew and Moses seized their chances and both passed the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Vinnie Lima finished as the eighth-placed TCR competitor while the only TCR retirement of the race was that of Maxson’s new teammate of Alex Papadopulos, who pulled into the pits on Lap 14 with an unspecified technical issue.
Race 2 is scheduled for 11:30 Eastern Time (17:30 CEST) on Saturday; live streaming at www.tcr-series.com.

Race 1
1. Tyler Maxson (Copeland Motorsports, Hyundai Veloster N TCR), 19 laps
2. Scott Smithson (DXDT Racing, Honda Civic Type R), 8.214
3. Tristan Herbert (New German Performance, Audi RS3 LMS DSG), 28.284
4. Luke Rumburg (Rumcastle, Volkswagen Golf GTI DSG), 29.280
5. Olivia Askew (DXDT Racing, Honda Civic Type R), 37.674
 

Championship standings
1. Tyler Maxson 75 pts; 2. Nikko Reger 36; 3. Scott Smithson 34