American Challenge race sets the stage for 47th HSR The Mitty

A stout field of small-bore classics delivered big-time excitement in the opening race of the 47th HSR The Mitty Presented by Hagerty at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with a close and competitive SascoSports International/American Challenge sprint Friday afternoon. The race set the stage for a full weekend ahead of additional HSR Feature Races, WeatherTech Sprints and a pair of B.R.M Endurance Challenge rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

Friday’s overall and International class win was secured by David Plott in his Plott Motorsports 1973 No. 54 Datsun 240Z. Plott took the lead at the start of the 10-lap sprint race and steadily opened up a close but comfortable gap on the field to take the checkered flag with a 6.537s margin of victory.

While Plott was never challenged for the win, just behind him the battle in the top five for the final two podium positions was a no-quit fight to the checkered flag. Veteran HSR competitor Kenneth Greenberg ran in the top three for the opening laps in his pristine Air Power Racing 1964 No. 243 Morgan 4/4 but ultimately gave way to some of his more contemporary competitors in the International division.

The race for P2 and P3 came down to a battle between experienced HSR road racer Josh Tuggle and the debuting Austin Farr in his 2000 No. 52 Mazda Miata prepared by Denton Carden Racing. Guest driving in the Dean DeSantis 1976 No. 17 BMW 2002 by Heritage Motorsports, Tuggle prevailed for second place, but Farr held close for third to accomplish the seldom-seen achievement of visiting Road Atlanta victory lane in his first start on the challenging 2.54-mile Georgia road course.

Greenberg stayed in the hunt to the end for fourth place in the Morgan and was part of a rare top-five sweep by International division competitors that was completed by Evan Bernath in his 1995 No. 221 Acura Integra GSR.

Porsches were surprisingly locked out of the overall top five but that didn’t dampen a fantastic battle for class honors highlighted by a mid-race pass for the lead by HSR regular Ramsey Potts in his DAS Sport 1987 No. 58 Porsche 944. Driving his Porsche with a classic IMSA Firestone Firehawk Endurance Championship livery, Potts held off constant pressure from the equally immaculate Ecurie Power 1960 No. 8 Porsche 356 roadster of Nicolas Clemence, who led the Porsche class in the race’s opening laps.

Potts and Clemence took the checkered flag sixth and seventh overall and were closely followed by the eighth-place 1984 No. 40 Porsche 944 of Greg Micheal, who completed the Porsche-class podium.

The American division win went to the 1964 No. 362 Chevrolet Corvair Monza of Michael Levine, who capably represented the Stars and Stripes to finish ahead of nearly 10 International and Porsche class competitors.

Saturday features the biggest day of the 47th HSR The Mitty and will be highlighted by a 12:50pm ET showcase race for classic Street-Stock cars, the Featured Marque of this year’s event. Friday top-five finishers Plott, Potts, Farr, Bernath and more will be among the competitors in the Street Stock feature.