VICTORY FOR JUSTIN DI BENEDETTO AT CTMP SEASON OPENER
Vaughan (Ontario), May 29, 2023 - Di Benedetto Racing kicked off the SCCC season opener in a victorious fashion, with Justin Di Benedetto crossing the finish line to claim the win in the first race of the weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Di Benedetto confronted the rain and slippery track conditions on Saturday on board his Gen 2 Audi RS3 LMS. Although he qualified second, just narrowly missing out on pole position, he had rapid pace from the moment the green flag waved. He pulled off the overtake to move into the lead in the first corner, and sailed off from there without ever looking back. The young Canadian driver, who is proudly sponsored by NuGen Medical Devices this season, put on a brilliant display as he expertly maneuvered around the challenging old-school track, keeping his competitors at bay while focusing on the road ahead.
The on-track action was halted in the final stages of the race due to a full-course caution, with the race ultimately ending under yellows. As Di Benedetto picked up his first race of the season, it served as a testament to all the hard work the team has put in to come into the new season prepared to fight for the top spot.
The second race later in the day did not pan out in a similar manner, with Justin retiring from the race following a crash with the tire barrier. However, he dusted himself off and was ready to start fresh for Race 3 on Sunday. After lining up thirteenth on the grid, he made up ground quickly, navigating through the busy pack until he slotted himself into fourth place, picking up important championship points in the process.
“Overall, it was a really strong weekend for the team,” said Justin Di Benedetto. “We showed that the Gen 2 Audi TCR has a lot of pace, and we’ve truly hit the ground running with this car. We were able to collect a solid amount of points in this first weekend of the season, and we’ll be looking to carry the momentum into the remaining events. I’d like to thank all the partners who came on board with us this year, we feel very privileged to have their support. It is incredibly exciting to be working with everyone and we’ll be working hard to ensure that we are in a strong position to challenge for more great results throughout the season.”
Di Benedetto currently sits third in the championship after the opening round with 64 points. The next event will take place from July 14th to 16th, 2023 at Honda Indy Toronto.
