Ferrari Challenge North America: Miami Review

Start of Race 2 of Trofeo Pirelli Photo Courtesy: Ferrari Corse Clienti

Ferrari Challenge North America convenes in Miami for the third racing weekend of the season

The 2025 Ferrari Challenge North America held Rounds 5 & 6 of the season May 17-18 on a shortened layout of the Miami International Autodrome, the first championship event, outside of F1, held by the venue featuring a pair of 30 minute races each for Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell.

Trofeo Pirelli: Franco, Perrina capitalize on nightmare weekend for Medler

Race 1

Defending Trofeo Pirelli Champion Dylan Medler had all the momentum going into Miami. He swept the weekend at Daytona, gaining the points lead. On Saturday morning, he scored the pole for Race 1. From the green flag, Medler led the field away, keeping his closest championship rival Massimo Perrina at bay. On Lap 7, Perrina went full send on Medler in Turn 1 and the leaders collided. Medler suffered damage which put him out on the spot immediately causing a full course yellow. Perrina, despite the collision, was able to keep going and eventually finished in fifth.

Benefitting from the Medler-Perrina collision was Manny Franco. The part-time driver held the lead through the full-course yellow and for the race’s final seven and a half minutes to score his second win of the season. Johnny Kamiskey finished second and Roberto Perrina rounded out the podium in third.

In Pirelli Am, trouble  at Turn 1 Lap 1 saw class polesitter Brad Fauvre collide with Rafael Duran taking both drivers out of the race. Rey Acosta was the longtime leader of the class until mechanical issues sidelined him with four minutes remaining on the clock. Ofir Levy was in the right position to capitalize and take his first ever class win.

Race 2

Sunday’s Race 2 of Trofeo Pirelli saw more calamity at Turn 1. Tony Davis rammed into the back of Race 1 winner Manny Franco. Both men would make it back to the pits, but the damage suffered both of their races were done. The Lap 1 chaos was not just limited to Turn 1 however. At the Turn 17 hairpin after the backstretch, Dylan Medler’s weekend went from bad to worse as he was spun from behind by Johnny Kamiskey. Race control issued a drive-thru penalty for Kamiskey due to the contact. His rejoining after the penalty reunited him with Medler and the two held a spirited battle in the race’s second half.

Meanwhile, Pro driver David Musial Jr. suffered mechanical issues and stopped at Turn 15. The location of his Ferrari was deemed unsafe and produced the race’s only full course yellow with 13 minutes to go. With polesitter Massimo Perrina’s 13 second lead gone, some saw the yellow as a chance for others. When the race restarted, Perrina quickly quieted any chance the rest of the field had. He would cruise to victory unchallenged by seven seconds over second place Ethan McWilliams. Roberto Perrina (Massimo’s uncle) taking third for the second straight day. Perrina’s win combined with Medler’s fourth place finish gives Perrina the championship lead after the weekend.

The story of Pirelli Am was once again Rey Acosta. Unlike Saturday, Acosta won the pole Sunday. Like Saturday, he led early…only for trouble to find him. That trouble came in the form of a spin after the restart which saw back into the tires at Turn 8. Brad Fauvre obtained the lead after Acosta’s crash and went unchallenged to the flag. Fauvre’s sixth place overall finish nets his fourth Am win of the season, increasing his points lead.

Coppa Shell: Chaos and Crashes Dominate

Race 1

The beginner/entry level Coppa Shell division saw Mitchell Green start from pole in Race 1. Green lead Lap 1 from Chuck Whittall. But Whittall did not stay second for long, spinning at Turn 15 on Lap 2 subsequently dropping him from contention. Full course yellow was called on Lap 3 due to fluid on the backstretch that needed to be cleaned up. Consequently, the restart would see chaos and confusion reign. Green led the field to the restart, but when the green flag appeared Green’s opponents went when he did not. As a result, Green fell from first to sixth and did not recover.

The most violent incident of the weekend occurred with 14 minutes to go when Joel Rose lost control under braking for Turn 17. Lisa Clark was in the line of fire and her Ferrari was collected, coming to rest on the outside wall. Rose’s car at high speed then went into the run off area and smashed into the TecPro barrier. Rose was taken from his car and with the aid of safety officials walked to the ambulance. After the field ran a couple of laps under the safety car, the race was red flagged and not restarted. Part-timer John Viskup scored his first win of the season over Gary Ott in second and Yahn Bernier in third.

Shell AM saw a quieter affair, although they also contributed to the restart chaos. Several Shell AM drivers were side-by-side as if it were the initial restart leaving onlookers puzzled. Unseen by cameras, however, the AM lead changed hands.  Polesitter Gabe Hrib was overtaken by Jeffrey Nunberg and lead the race until the Rose/Clark accident. In the backdrop of the carnage, Canadian Michael Owens sneaks by Hrib and Nunberg before the full course yellow and wins Shell AM.

Race 2

Yahn Bernier led the field away from green to start Sunday’s race. Mitchell Green leaped from fourth to second and gave Bernier a challenge early, but then fell off as the race progressed. The race did not see a yellow in the first twenty minutes, but plenty of incidents provide action. Brad Evans spins off at Turn 8 at the twelve minute mark. John Lennon (not THAT John Lennon) and Bryan Waltersdorf collide at the Turn 10 chicane, sending Lennon into a spin. William Naranjo loses control by himself at the exit of Turn 19 but collects the car and returns to the pits.

The highlight of the mid-race action is the three-way race for second with Green, Gary Ott and Mike Chen. Chen took an opportunity to take second at Turn 17 but on the dirty line therefore going into the runoff. Gary Ott, stepping up for his chance, was unable to get an opportunity to pass Green. A late race full course yellow saw the race unable to restart and Bernier taking his second win of the season in dominating style. Green held on to second place and his championship lead. Ott had to settle for third.

Michael Owens was picking up Sunday where he left off Saturday in Shell AM, up front. Owens won pole and lead until he went off at Turn 15 at halfway, losing a lead he would never get back. Gabe Hrib assumed the lead and the task of keeping Louis Flory at arm’s length. With eight minutes to go, AM driver Ed Vartughian suffered a heavy accident at Turn 19 which put the race under the Full Course Yellow for good. Hrib scores his first AM win of the season and build on his Shell AM points lead.

Looking Ahead

With Miami in the rear view mirror, the 2025 Ferrari Challenge North America season heads to the Brickyard with Rounds 7 & 8 taking place June 28-29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.