Article courtesy of Ford Performance
MAR 30, 2015 | ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA
Dean Martin leads the field in St Petersburg Pirelli World Challenge GTS Race 2015.
There are great weekends, and then there is the weekend the Mustang Boss 302 drivers enjoyed in the Pirelli World Challenge series at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Dean Martin got things rolling by leading a 1-2-3 Mustang sweep of Friday’s GTS race, finishing ahead of Kurt Rezzetano and Spencer Pumpelly, all of whom piloted Mustang Boss 302 cars.
Pumpelly then found his way to Victory Lane in Saturday’s GTS event, winning ahead of Andrew Aquilante, Rezzetano, and Martin, as the Boss crowd lived up to his name by taking the top four places.
“We learned a lot yesterday,” said Pumpelly after Saturday’s victory.
“One of the things we learned was to really attack on the start. We did that today.
“It’s good to be back and have success this weekend. I have to thank the guys for the effort on the Mustang. This win is up there with my other big wins and it is a really special deal.”
Martin claimed his fifth career Pirelli World Challenge win Friday with all of his series victories coming on street courses. With a fastest lap of the race at 1:19.841, Martin earned the pole for Saturday’s Round 4 race.
“It’s always nice when you can qualify on pole position and then lead flag-to-flag with the fastest lap,” said Martin. “The street courses are such that when you are up front it’s tough to pass so you just want to stay there.”
“The Mustang is great on the street courses. My style works on street courses, and we talk about it, I have a low self preservation factor. You have to ignore the fact that the walls are there and don’t’ get intimidated. Because if something happens on the street course with the walls, you are a pancake. You just have to have faith in the car. With the Mustang, every time I go to the brake or throttle I know its going to be there.”
