By: Chris Jameson April 23, 2014 The Pirelli World Challenge is heading to Birmingham, AL to race at Barber Motorsports Park for the first time in series history. This is also the first race on the WC calendar to include the TC, TCA and TCB classes while it is round three for GT, GT-A and GTS. The 2.38 mile, 17 turn Barber Motorsports circuit should offer a challenge and some great racing in every class. A number of the drivers have raced here before in different series, might have a distinct advantage. Mark Wilkins, who previously raced Daytona Prototypes recently commented, “Barber is a great race track… smooth. I think the KIA Racing Optima will really suit the circuit.” With the first race for TC & TCB, we see the addition of the TCA class which is a sub-class of TC that allows the gentleman driver to participate. Gentleman drovers are those who have plenty of racing experience but racing is not their primary occupation. As with GTA, TCA competes for overall position but also scores points in its own championship. TC and TCB also sees the return of PJ Groenke (#66 TCB) to the series plus there are few new Canadians to add to the list of drivers including Karl Thomson, team principal of Compass 360 Racing who will be racing a Honda Civic Si in TC. A complete list of the Canadian entries in all classes is detailed below. With this being round three for GT, GTA and GTS, championship standings are shaping up and there are strong contenders in all three classes. In GT, Anthony Lazzaro is having a strong run in the R. Ferri Motorsport #61 Ferrari 458 and is currently third in the championship. In GTA, Nick Mancuso sits first overall with some great drives in the R. Ferri Motorsport #16 Ferrari 458. In GTS, Mark Wilkins is fith after a slow start at St. Pete’s but a strong drive to the podium (P3) at Long Beach. Pirelli World Challenge action gets underway on Thursday with open practice but officially it all starts on Friday (25th) with practice and qualifying sessions. A complete schedule for World Challenge is listed below. You can follow all the action via live timing and scoring and also watch both Saturday and Sunday races live via World Challenge TV. Links are posted at the end of the story. RaceCanada will also be reporting live from Barber Motorsports Park on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RaceCanada.ca) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/RaceCanada_ca) We hope you will follow along for all the action. Canadian Entries #61 GT – R. Ferri Motorsports Ferrari 458 GT3 Italia (Anthony Lazzaro, Atlanta, GA) Remo Ferri Group – Ferrari of Ontario/Ferrari of Alberta/Maranello Autobody #16 GT-A – R. Ferri Motorsports Ferrari 458 GT3 Italia (Nick Mancuso, Chicago, IL) Ferrari Lake Forest #38 GTS – Kia Racing/Kinetic Motorsports Kia Optima – Mark Wilkins, Toronto, ON Kia Motors America #70 GTS – Compass360 Racing Subaru WRX STi (Ryan Eversley, Atlanta, GA) Children’s Tumor Foundation/Touge Tuning/Racing4Research.org #71 TC – Compass360 Racing Honda Civic Si – Michael DiMeo, Toronto, ON ENJ Excavating/Formcrete/HPD #72 TC – Compass360 Racing Honda Civic Si – Karl Thomson (R) Toronto, ON Children’s Tumor Foundation/HPD/Racing4Research.org #12 TCB – Garrett Racing Program/Drive4Diabetes.com Honda Fit – Johan Schwartz, Ontario, Canada ADA/Animas/American Honda #57 TCB – Racing.ca Mini Cooper – Andrei Kisel (R) N. Vancouver, BC Racing.ca/LaptopScreen.com #66 TCB – Shea Racing Honda Fit – PJ Groenke, Toronto, Ontario Verax.ca/TundraTech/MulliganGold
