The first race weekend of the inaugural Collegiate Racing Series (CRS) season concluded Sunday afternoon, with Rocky Top Racing’s Jacob Mink becoming the series’ first-ever race winner aboard the No. 98 Mazda MX-5. Giancarlo Goeckel also added his name to the history books, capturing the victory in Sprint Race No. 2 for Fordham’s Ram Motorsport Racing in the No. 10 Mazda MX-5 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
After a strong qualifying effort on Saturday, the Tennessee Volunteers driver cruised to victory in the opening race of the scheduled three-race weekend, leading all seven laps from pole position.
While Mink controlled the race out front, the battle for the remaining podium positions provided the closest action. Goeckel, Riley Haig in Virginia Tech’s Gobbler Racing No. 55 Mazda MX-5, and Ellis Vance in Rice Motorsports Team’s No. 12 Mazda MX-5 traded positions throughout the race in a spirited fight for second and third. In the end, Haig secured the runner-up spot, with Vance completing the podium in third.
Sprint Race No. 2 featured an intense battle for the lead from the outset. Mink led the opening two laps before Haig charged to the front on Lap 3. Goeckel took over the lead on Lap 4 and appeared poised to pull away, but Haig reclaimed the top spot in the closing stages. Goeckel answered on the final lap, making the decisive pass to regain the lead and secure the victory for the Fordham squad.
Haig finished second after starting fourth on the grid and quickly working his way into contention. Meanwhile, inaugural race winner Mink recovered from falling to fourth by the midway point of the race to complete the podium in third.
Although the weekend was scheduled to conclude with a third and final endurance race, Mother Nature forced the series to bring its opening weekend to an early close.
Following Road Atlanta, Ram Motorsport Racing (Fordham) leads the inaugural CRS team championship standings with 45 points. Rocky Top Racing (University of Tennessee) sits second with 41 points, just four behind the leaders, while Gobbler Racing (Virginia Tech) rounds out the top three with 33 points.
The Collegiate Racing Series returns Sept. 5-6 at NCM Motorsports Park as part of FARA’s Kentucky 200 weekend.
