on Moorespeed’s Home Track at Circuit of The Americas
First-Year Moorespeed Driver Fergus Caps Breakout Weekend With Austin-Based Team With Convincing Win in No. 00 US LED/Byers/Moorespeed Porsche GT3 Cup
Corey Fergus drove the No. 00 US LED/Byers/Moorespeed Porsche GT3 Cup to a convincing victory in the final IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama race of the weekend on Saturday at Circuit of The Americas, a breakout win for the first-year Moorespeed driver at the Austin-based team’s home track.
Fergus started the 45-minute race from the pole and had to fend off challenges from two different competitors who briefly led but ultimately could not stop Fergus and Moorespeed from scoring the milestone win. The victory was the first for Fergus in a professional Porsche GT3 Cup racing series.
“That was by far the hardest race that I've ever run,” Fergus said. “’The best wheel-to-wheel and clean racing, and I've never driven so damn hard in my life.”
Moorespeed, located just five miles from the COTA front gate and owned by Austin-resident David Moore, has frequently come close in the past to winning a professional series race on its home track. The near-victories included a second-place finish by Fergus in Friday’s first Porsche GT3 Cup race, which he and the Moorespeed team were determined to improve on today.
Fergus led all but one of the 19 laps in today's race but the victory was hardly easy. He was edged for the lead in the first few corners of the opening lap by Anthony Imperato, but Fergus never let up and shook off the challenge to retake the lead.
A mid-race battle then emerged with Friday race-winner Trenton Estep, who passed Fergus for the victory in yesterday’s race. Fergus was not about to let it happen again, and the pair raced side-to-side and nose-to-tail, and at one point swapped the lead no less than three times in one of the best on-track battles of the weekend.
“After yesterday, I wasn't going to let anyone get by me easily, so once Trenton got by me I was really, really determined to get that back,” Fergus said. “I tried everything I could, hung on the outside, which was gnarly, and then did an over-under move on him when he tried one of the craziest moves I've ever seen. He dove in so late but we both raced each other clean.”
Estep officially led the eighth lap but Fergus charged past for good and led the final 10 laps to the finish. The winning margin of victory over Estep was .967 of a second.
“Corey deserved it, he raced hard,” Moore said. “He got passed and he got it back. He wanted it, you could tell, it's one of the best races I've seen in a while. I think one of the biggest things was that Corey managed his tires better, and he had the car handling. This is just really cool and I'm very proud of Corey and the team. They've worked really hard for this goal and I'm just tickled pink that Corey's on the top step.”
This weekend’s podium finishes by Fergus renewed his 2017 IMSA GT3 Cup title hopes. He also finished third in the second race of the season-opening doubleheader at Sebring International Raceway in March, and now has podium showings in half of the year’s six races run to date.
“We're definitely capable,” Fergus said. “I need to keep going like this. If we finish on the top step every time, I think we'll be good, but certainly I need to keep winning to have any shot at it. It's not going to be easy, but I think the team is capable, I'm definitely capable and I think we just need to keep pushing and go for it.”
Next up for Moorespeed and the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama is a visit to Watkins Glen International, in Watkins Glen, New York, June 28 – July 2.
Noteworthy
- Among the Moorespeed team members helping Fergus to victory today was his teammate Will Hardeman, who wasn’t able to race Saturday after his No. 19 CAG/Moorespeed Porsche GT3 Cup was heavily damaged from contact by another car in Friday’s race. Hardeman was uninjured in the incident and spent today’s race joining Moore for “spotter” duties out on course.
- Fergus dedicated the race win to Moore’s Golden Retriever, Ranger, who passed away unexpectedly just before the start of the 2017 season. Ranger was as much a part of Moorespeed as any team member and could always be seen at the Austin-based race shop and at race tracks all around the country. “This one was really special for us,” Fergus said. “It was not only redemption from yesterday, but a home race for the whole team. David lost his best friend, not just a dog, and I told him I would win one for Ranger. I don't think you could ask for that win to come at a better track than your home race.”
