| July 31, 2019 Staff Report IMSA Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For Richy Antinucci and Corey Lewis, the secret to their success in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Championship this year is being on the same page in the race car. The co-drivers of the No. 29 Change Racing, Lamborghini Charlotte entry have won three of four races in the PRO class through the first four rounds of the 2019 season. They’ll take that three-race win streak to Road America this weekend for Rounds 5 and 6 and another pair of 50-minute races on the iconic four-mile permanent road course in Wisconsin. In addition to having a well-prepared, competitive Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO, the co-drivers point to their preference for the identical car setup as a primary reason for their winning ways this year. “That’s the biggest thing is our car setup is 100 percent the same, not 99,” Antinucci said. “We don’t do that to please each other, it’s just naturally what we want from the car. So we’re pushing in the exact same direction all the time, rather than trying to make a compromise. For me, that is absolutely essential.” Lewis agreed, citing that even a minor compromise in car setup to appease drivers with differing setup preferences can have an effect on performance. “If the setup is off and only suits one driver, the second driver is just going to struggle and it doesn’t work out,” Lewis said. “The competition level is actually quite high in the PRO category and we can’t afford to slip up on things like that. That’s massive.” The driver chemistry is also aided by the fact that Antinucci and Lewis are friends off the track. They began working together three years ago at Lamborghini’s “Esperienza,” a driving experience that includes track time at the famous Imola circuit in Italy for prospective customers. The friendship and shared racing passion grew from there. “When we are on the racetrack or on race weekends, we all have the same goal in mind,” Lewis said. “It doesn’t matter who is the faster driver. Ultimately at the end of the day, we just want to win. Collectively, I think that’s the biggest thing; there’s no ego.” It’s hardly a situation of all work and no play, however, as Antinucci pointed out. “It’s gelling well and we have fun, so there’s a good environment in the team,” Antinucci said. “I have a lot of respect for Corey and I think he has for me. If we’re not working on the car, we’re just laughing and joking the whole time. It’s a great time. I really enjoy what I’m doing and I think we’re really pushing each other to a new level.” As with most drivers, Lewis and Antinucci consider Road America among their favorite tracks and their brimming confidence heading into the weekend. Antinucci reminded that he’s been on pole in two of his last three races at the track. Lewis admitted the team struggled some last year at Road America in 2018, but doesn’t expect it to happen this year with a new chassis under them. “I really like the place,” Antinucci said. “Let’s see how it goes this year. Again, when you’re working with a guy like Corey and you have an identical feel, you just feel comfortable going into a race weekend. We’re on a bit of a roll and the motivation is sky high.” To which Lewis added, “I reckon we’ll be quite strong again and hopefully continue our winning ways.” A total of 19 entries make up the Lamborghini Super Trofeo field for the Road America weekend: five in the PRO class, two in PRO-AM, five in AM and seven in LB Cup. A pair of 40-minute practices are scheduled for Friday, with back-to-back qualifying sessions for the two races set for Saturday morning. Race 1 begins at 2:55 p.m. EDT (1:55 p.m. CDT) Saturday on IMSA.tv while Race 2 streams starts at 11:45 a.m. EDT (10:45 a.m. CDT) Sunday. Both of these races, as well as the balance of the 2019 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series, can be streamed live on IMSA.TV, with IMSA Radio commentary and squadracorse.lamborghini.com/live-streaming. The NBCSN broadcast of both races is scheduled to be aired Thursday, August 15 at 12 p.m. EDT. |
