Fourth Straight T1 Runoffs Win for Aquilante
Article Shared from https://www.scca.com/articles/2018933-2024-runoffs-race-touring1
-Albert J Llewellyn IV
Andrew Aquilante, from SCCA’s Philadelphia Region, won the last three Touring 1 (T1) National Championship races coming into this year’s 60th anniversary SCCA® Runoffs® presented by Sunoco taking place Sept. 28-Oct. 6, 2024, in Wisconsin on Road America’s 4.048-mile, 14-turn circuit.
In the No. 33 Phoenix Performance/Hoosier/Hawk Ford Mustang, Aquilante started on the T1 pole for the event after earning his 22nd Tire Rack Pole Award Thursday. On Friday – the first of three Hagerty Race Days – Aquilante immediately fired out to take the T1 lead. From that point, he was never challenged and was first to the checkered flag 13 laps later with a 15-second margin of victory.
“It was a nice Friday morning drive on a crisp, fall day at America’s National Park of Speed,” a subdued Aquilante said to describe the victory which now counts as his 15th Runoffs gold medal. “It was a nice day weather wise, the track was quick, and we kept it between the lines.”
Behind Aquilante at the start was James Candelaria in a Chevrolet Corvette. He gave chase for a bit but spun his car on lap three coming through Billy Mitchell Bend. That promoted to second the No. 44 Mercedes Benz AMG GT4 of Tony Ave, who was being chased by Mark Boden in the No. 46 Fall-Line Motorsports Mercedes Benz AMG GT4.
Ave expanded the gap back to Boden as laps ticked away, and ultimately earned the runner-up step on this year’s T1 podium. That’s Ave’s third silver medal at the Runoffs, and he also received the race’s Sunoco Hard Charger award for starting third and finishing second.
“I ran the thing as hard as I could just to see what the tires would be like throughout the whole race because we’re kind of new at this class,” Ave said afterwards. “But halfway through I about put it off the road twice. I know the car owner was watching at home … so I thought I’d better keep the thing on the road and just finish second.”
Nearly 10 seconds behind Ave, Boden drove uncontested to the third and final podium spot. That now makes 10 Runoffs silver medals for Boden in 41 starts at SCCA’s National Championship event.
“I love going to the Runoffs and being up here on the podium with such veteran guys who have won so many National Championships,” Boden said.
After the spin, Candelaria charged back to race with Hugh Stewart for the fourth finishing spot. On lap 11, Candelaria got by Stewart in Turn 6 to secure the spot. Stewart then finished fifth in a BMW E46 M3.
The 60th anniversary SCCA® National Championship Runoffs® presented by Sunoco is the pinnacle of American amateur motorsports and crowns Sports Car Club of America’s Road Racing National Champions this year at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI, during Hagerty Race Days running Friday, Oct. 4, through Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024.
Live, online video coverage of Runoffs races, presented by Mazda, is available throughout the three days of competition at SCCA.com/runoffs-live. Live timing and scoring for each race are also available at SCCA.com/pages/runoffs-live-timing.