Ferrari 488 GT Modificata Makes Its North American Debut
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – In a weekend full of memorable moments and firsts, Ferrari Challenge North America concluded its first weekend at Watkins Glen International since the series last visited in 2018. With 45 Ferrari 488 Challenge Evos competing in the Ferrari Challenge races, and with the series once again joined by the Club Competizioni GT, it was an unforgettable weekend for competitors and fans alike.
Challenge Races Continue to Thrill. Packed grids have been a staple of the Ferrari Challenge North America in recent years, and the Watkins Glen round was no different. The paddock was filled with the Ferraris competing over the weekend. While the Trofeo Pirelli category was handily won on both days by Cooper MacNeil, the Trofeo Pirelli AM1 and AM2 categories enjoyed epic scraps on both days, as drivers began concerning themselves with championship positioning as the series nears the halfway mark for the 2021 season.
In AM1, Jason McCarthy and Martin Burrowes traded spots at the front, while in AM2, Keysin Chen had a perfect weekend of pole, fastest lap and race wins in only his third-ever race, setting him firmly among the top three in the category. In Coppa Shell, Dave Musial Jr. and Todd Coleman each took a turn at the top step of the podium and find themselves separated by four points in the standings, while John Cervini took two wins in the Coppa Shell AM category.
Ferrari 488 GT Modificata Makes North America Debut. After the model’s debut in 2020, Watkins Glen was home to the first North American delivery of the Ferrari 488 GT Modificata. This limited-edition car makes use of the best technology from Ferrari’s 488 GT3 and 488 GTE race cars and synthesizes them into an incredible package unlimited by any series regulations or performance restrictions. Producing around 700 horsepower, the car certainly made an impression at the historic circuit as it participated in the Club Competizioni GT program, a group of sessions designed specifically to allow historic and contemporary Ferrari GT machinery lap some of the best circuits around the world.
Upcoming Schedule. The Ferrari Challenge North America resumes with a stop at Homestead-Miami Speedway’s road course June 11-12 before continuing to Indianapolis for Ferrari Racing Days on July 17-18. As is customary, Ferrari Racing Days will see the Ferrari Challenge joined by the clients and cars of the XX Programme and F1 Clienti. The championship concludes its North American races with the sixth round at Road America in September, before wrapping up the 2021 season at the Mugello circuit in Italy.