Robert Stout, of Brownsburg, Ind., battled for a hard-fought win during Sunday’s World Challenge Touring Car race, part of the Victoria Day Speedfest Presented by Optima Batteries at Mosport International Raceway.
For the second-straight day, the Touring Car class put on a nose-to-tail race battle in which point leader Stout came out on top to record his second-career victory.
Polesitter and Round Four winner Chip Herr, of Lititz, Pa., led from the standing start in the No. 50 Irish Mike’s Racing Volkswagen Jetta GLI, but he was never far ahead of Stout”s No. 18 DG-Spec/Scion/TRD/Lucas Oil Scion tC and the No. 22 Track Pro/Emich VW Volkswagen GTI of Denver, Colorado’s Robb Holland.
Stout and Holland traded second place a number of times but never fell off Herr’s back bumper. On lap 24, Herr was balked in Turn Five—the same corner in which he took the lead from Stout on Saturday—and Stout was able to move to the point.
Despite numerous attempts over the last several laps by both Herr and Holland, 18-year-old Stout held on for the win by 0.507-second. Stout earned the MTM Special Ops Move of the Race for his multiple passes throughout the contest.
“This Scion really had some troubles yesterday in the race, but in qualifying this morning we came out really strong,” Stout said. “Early on, we were battling for second, and I was really bumping and grinding to get that position. It was a dogfight trying to catch Chip [Herr], and once we did, it was a battle all the way. The GT traffic gave me an opening with a couple of laps to go, and he just couldn’t find a spot to get back around me. It was a very tough race.”
Herr held on for second, and Holland, who turned a record fast lap of 1:35.865 (92.342 mph) in the race, finished a career-best third.
Greg Shaffer finished fourth in the No. 49 Irish Mike’s Racing Volkswagen Jetta GLI and Eric Meyer completed the top five in the No. 32 XOWii/Samaritan’s Feet/Delvira Mazda RX-8.
Stout’s win extended his Touring Car Drivers’ Championship point lead to 131 points over Meyer (587 to 456). Brett Sandberg is third, with 301, followed by Todd Buras (264) and Dan Gardner (263). Scion leads the Touring Car Manufacturers’ Championship by five points, 40 to 35 over Volkswagen. Mazda is third, with 18, followed by Honda, with 13.
- World Challenge
Way to go Robert. It was a really good race. Saturday between Chip and Tom. Sunday between Chip, Robb, and Robert. Hopefully the Versus TV coverage will show it.