# Tristan Herbert wins round 2 of World Challenge (Streets of St. Petersburg)



## chewy8000 (Dec 27, 2006)

photo by James Boone

"Tristan Herbert, from Reston, Va., captured a narrow Touring Car class victory, on the street course as part of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Herbert completed his climb from SCCA Club Racing in VW's to World Challenge race winner in just his first rookie weekend in the series, earning an eventful 0.737-second Touring Car win in his No. 33 Brimtek Motorsports/Germanautoparts.com Volkswagen GTI. 

“This is a perfect example of why people get involved with local programs in SCCA,” Herbert said. “That’s where I started, with a driver’s school with the [Washington, D.C. Region] and worked my way up. This is exactly why you get into racing, and what you can do with it if you stick to it and work really hard. It’s awesome, it hasn’t even hit me yet.”

Starting third, Herbert and Chip Herr, driving the No. 07 Grid 1 Motorsports Mazda RX-8, moved past polesitter Lawson Aschenbach at the standing start. Herbert moved past Herr on the third lap and onto the point, building a lead through the caution period.

World Challenge uses a wave around rule to prevent the Touring Car or GTS leaders from being earning a “free lap” on the rest of their class. Because of the on-track position of the overall leader during the caution, none of the Touring Cars were given the order to move past the pace car to the rear of the field.

Herbert and the Brimtek Motorsports/Germanautoparts.com team, however, misunderstood the command and Herbert moved past the pace car and circulated to the rear of the field, essentially one full lap ahead of his Touring Car competitors. Officials called Herbert to pit lane after the green flag and held him until Herr, running second, passed the start finish line – putting Herbert on the track behind the silver Mazda. Herbert recovered, moved past Herr on lap 22, and then held off a charging Aschenbach’s No. 71 Compass360 Honda Civic Si to the checkered flag.

“I was in first place and we had the full course caution,” Herbert explained. “One of the officials had told our crew chief to wave us by, and just like yesterday we started to go by. I didn’t see anybody following, and the next thing I know I’m totally in the wrong spot. I know I’m in the wrong spot, I’m starting to panic, my crew is calming me down. They know the problem and they’re trying to stage me. I get pulled into the penalty box, and that was ok, they were trying to get me in the right spot. As they’re letting me go I see Chip Herr go by, and all of a sudden I have to get my head back in the game and get right back up there. I was able to get around Chip and make it happen. It was a tough one.” _World-challenge.com_


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## ITB45 (Feb 27, 2008)

:thumbup::thumbup:

You going to be racing at Long Beach?? Wasn't planning on going, but might consider if you will be racing.


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## chewy8000 (Dec 27, 2006)

Unfortunately we didn't make the cut. The promotor only picked 30 of the 50 cars that were at St. Pete based on who payed for the entire WC sponsor package up front. ie all the entries up front. There just isn't enough room for all the WC cars. We are in for the rest of the season just not Long Beach, we head out to MIller here in a few weeks relaxed and ready!!!


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## ITB45 (Feb 27, 2008)

:banghead: keep up the good work, and best of luck for the rest of the season


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