Sargent scores breakthrough American success
By Thomas Miles
Date posted: 2 October 2023
McElrea Racing’s Tom Sargent became the first Australian to take a race win in Porsche Carrera Cup North America series at Laguna Seca last weekend.
The 2022 Porsche Sprint Challenge champion achieved the breakthrough success when he stormed to victory in race one in treacherous conditions and celebrated in style by performing a “shoey” on the podium.
Sargent then backed up the with another podium coming home in third in race two to complete a successful weekend.
The win is also the first for the Australian McElrea Racing after branching out to North America at the start of the season.
Tom Sargent made his race-winning move at the famous Corkscrew corner.
The success also solidified Sargent’s strong second position in the championship during his rookie season, bringing his podium tally to eight from 14 races.
After missing out on pole by 0.078s to England’s Will Martin, Sargent was relegated back to fourth after being caught on the outside of the opening tight left-handed hairpin at a damp Laguna Seca following morning showers.
Sargent capitalised at turn five when Alex Sedgwick ran wide, moving into third place on the climb up the hill to the circuit’s famous Corkscrew.
Pole sitter Martin and championship leader Riley Dickinson locked wheels and ran wide on the approach to the undulating left-right, allowing Sargent to dive up the inside and take the lead.
From there he was never headed despite a mid race safety car, crossing the line 6.658 seconds ahead of Sean Varwig.
The seventh round of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America season was part of the Renn Sport Reunion 7 which is billed as the largest gathering of Porsche cars in the world.
Tom Sargent was beaming after getting his first Porsche Carrera Cup North America win for McElrea Racing.
Other feature events over the weekend include the Famous Porsche Tractor race, and fellow Australian Matt Campbell was in action.
Sargent sits in second position in the series in his rookie year, racking up an impressive 8 podiums from 14 races.
From California, Sargent heads straight to Indianapolis for his GT Debut in the Indy 8 Hour event, driving a Mercedes AMG GT3.
This will be followed by the eighth and final round of the Carrera Cup North America Series, which supports the American Formula 1 Grand Prix, at Austin, Texas on October 20-22.
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