Marcelli, Formal Extend Super Trofeo Win Streak

Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal kept their Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America season perfect by picking up the win in race one at Road America. (IMSA photo)

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — It was more difficult than some of their earlier wins this season, nevertheless Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal kept their Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America season perfect by capturing the first race of the Road America weekend on Saturday.

Formal held off the advances of Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport teammate Ryan Norman while battling through traffic after a late restart to take the fifth overall and Pro class win in as many tries this season for him, Marcelli and the No. 1 WTRAndretti, Lamborghini Palm Beach Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evo2.

The margin of victory over Norman in the No. 84 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán was officially 1.920 seconds but it was much tighter than that moments earlier.

Formal was running seventh overall and Norman eighth when the green flag waved for the restart with just under seven minutes remaining in the race, though the three lead cars still had to make mandatory pit stops.

Formal and Norman quickly negotiated their way through the remaining cars ahead — none from the Pro class — then encountered lapped traffic that made for a dicey moment on the final lap. Attempting an inside pass heading into turn one with Norman at his heels, Formal braked late and swung wide on corner exit.

He retained the lead only because Norman went wide as well, allowing Formal to pull away.

“It was hectic,” Formal said. “The caution came out and then there was only three minutes to go, and we didn’t know what cars were ahead. I thought I was leading and they told me we were P5 or P6. Once we went green, they said, ‘You need to pass all these cars,’ so we went on a tear.

“I had a big pass going into turn one, tried to pass three cars going into the sand, kind of missed the braking zone and came back. I did the same thing in (turn) five, but luckily stuck. Crazy race!”

He wasn’t the only one to have a crazy finish. Teaming up for the second time this season, Luke Berkeley and Keawn Tandon took the victory in ProAm when Tandon completed a last-lap pass in the No. 42 NTE Sport, Lamborghini Broward Huracán.

“It was great,” Tandon said. “We didn’t expect it coming from the back, but Luke handed me off in a good position. From there, into turn one I saw an opportunity and passed two people and that was it.”

Berkeley was the Am class champion in 2021 with five wins. Saturday’s triumph was Tandon’s second in Super Trofeo, following an LB Cup win last year at Road America.

“Keawn did what he needed to do on the last lap,” Berkeley said. “He passed two cars in the first corner so I’m super proud of him. He’s picked up really quickly, he’s learning really fast and I’m glad to be driving with such a good Am.”

Anthony McIntosh was in the midst of the chaotic late laps with the overall leaders but held on to take the Am class win with co-driver Glenn McGee in the No. 69 Precision Performance Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán. The key was McGee diving into the pits for the mandatory stop and driver swap just before the final caution flag waved.

“We were supposed to go one more lap (before pitting),” McIntosh said, “and I said, ‘No! Get him in now or it’s going to be a problem.’ We just got lucky.”

McIntosh was ahead of the Pro class leaders on the final restart, but moved aside when they filled his mirrors. He still finished sixth overall and tops among non-Pro entries.

“The Pro guys came through and they were ramming each other pretty hard,” he said with a laugh, “so I just got out of the way and let ‘em go.”

Graham Doyle drove solo in LB Cup and captured the class victory in the No. 10 WTRAndretti, Lamborghini Nashville Huracán. It marked Doyle’s first series win and he celebrated with team owner Wayne Taylor pouring him a drink of champagne straight from the bottle.

“It feels pretty good,” Doyle said. “It was an awesome race today. Luck was definitely on our side with the safety car. The team put me in the best car possible for today and they really set me up for success, and I think that showed at the end.

“Are you kidding me? I’m on top of the world. This is the best feeling ever. Hopefully I can repeat it tomorrow.”