Brent Crews returns to winning ways at the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series in Mid-Ohio

22 June 2024

Matos finishes second, Drew third, Boes takes fourth Pro/Am win

LEXINGTON, Ohio (June 22, 2024) – 2023 CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series champion Brent Crews earned his first win of the 2024 season at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. After finishing second in last night’s ARCA Menards Series race at the track, Crews made the GYM WEED Winners Circle in just his second start of the season. Current points leader and two-time TA2 champion Rafa Matos earned a second-place finish, continuing his dominance in the class as he battles for his third title.

Austin Green (No. 89 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang) took the green flag from the points position after setting a new track record in qualifying last night, but it only took a few laps for Nathan Herne (No. 15 Howe Racing/FAST Auto Racing Chevrolet Camaro) to take the lead. The battle for P1 was far from over, however, as Green was determined to get back to the top. After seven hard-fought laps, Green was finally able to pass Herne, who was also passed by teammate Adrian Wlostowski (No. 3 CMI/Spot-On Services Ford Mustang), dropping him to third. Herne reclaimed second place on lap 10. One lap later, Wlostowski spun and was demoted to twelfth.

The race went under a Full Course Caution on Lap 14 when two competitors went off the track, but when racing resumed on Lap 19, Green and Herne continued their tussle. Herne was able to pass Green, but contact ensued between the two, causing severe damage to Green’s nose and hood and forcing him to retire. Herne was now in control of the race, followed by fourth-place finisher Brent Crews (No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang), who was pushed back to eighth on the first lap of the race but worked his way back into second. Herne maintained his lead until Lap 27 when he and Crews made contact. Crews took the lead first, while Herne spun and fell back in the race order.

Once Crews took control, he didn’t let up and led the next 18 laps. Behind him, Rafa Matos (No. 60 Concord American Flagpole/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang) and Jake Drew (No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro) traded for second, with Matos eventually moving into second with three laps to go. Drew took the third and final podium spot, while Adam Andretti (No. 41 Ultimate Headers Racing Chevrolet Camaro) crossed the line in fourth and Connor Mosack (No. 57 Silver Hare Racing/PRG Chevrolet Camaro), who started 12th, finished the race in fifth.

“I just want to thank the good Lord above,” Crews said. “I want to thank everyone on the entire Nitro Motorsports No. 70 team, Nick Tucker. Congratulations to Joe Claridge on his first win as crew chief. That was a good win; I won by a big margin and had a hell of a race car the whole time. My fastest lap was on the last lap. I want to thank everyone at Franklin Road Apparel, like Ken Thwaits; we couldn’t have done it without him. That Nitro No. 70, my goodness, that was good this weekend. Congratulations to Rafa (Matos). The whole Nitro team did a great job. I want to thank Mike Cope, everyone who is part of this deal and the whole Nitro Motorsports team. I’m looking forward to Road America.”

Interesting notes:

• For Brent Crews, it is the first victory at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. In his two previous starts at this track, he finished second.
• This was Crews’ eighth career win.
• This is the fifth consecutive win for Nitro Motorsports.
• Nitro has captured 13 of 21 possible podium places in 2024.
• Barry Boes took his fourth Pro/Am Challenge win of the season and second in a row.

Top 10 of the CUBE 3 architecture TA2 series:
1. Brent Crews, No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang
2. Rafa Matos, No. 60 Concord American Flagpole/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang
3. Jake Drew, No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro
4. Adam Andretti, No. 41 Ultimate Headers Racing Chevrolet Camaro
5. Connor Mosack, No. 57 Silver Hare Racing/PRG Chevrolet Camaro
6. Barry Boes, No. 27 Team SLR-M1 Racecars Ford Mustang
7. Boris Said Jr., No. 75 HendrickCars.com/Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro
8. Gio Ruggiero, No. 40 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang
9. Caleb Bacon, No. 9 CB Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro
10. Roberto Sabato, No. 61 6th Gear Racing Ford Mustang

TA2 Pro/Am Podium:
1. Barry Boes, No. 27 Team SLR-M1 Racecars Ford Mustang
2. Roberto Sabato, No. 61 6th Gear Racing Ford Mustang
3. Keith Prociuk, No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang

TA2 Master:
Doug Peterson, No. 87 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang

Omologato observes the fastest lap of the race:
Brent Crews, No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang

Bassett Hard Charger:
Gio Ruggiero, No. 40 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang

Cool Boxx Coolest move of the race:
Connor Mosack, No. 57 Silver Hare Racing/PRG Chevrolet Camaro

The complete race results can be found here.

The highlight show of today’s race will air on MAVTV on Thursday, June 27th at 8:00 p.m. ET.

The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series returns to the Road America track next weekend, June 27-30. Tickets can be purchased here on SpeedTour.net.