(Elite Series) Calvert Ignitions Austin 1000

Tom Delgado Racing Wins Calvert Ignitions Austin 1000 Thanks to De Pretto Wrecking Teammate Frank Azure

Even though the 17 team celebrated when defending series champion Joseph Howard crossed the finish line after 6 hours of tough competition to win the Calvert Ignitions Austin 1000, the celebrations were very subdued due to how the team inherited the race lead and the subsequent win.

Trying to challenge Frank Azure for the lead in the middle of the race, Carlo De Pretto made no attempt to make a clean pass on Azure and flat out dumped the #37 Defender Muffler Systems car, sending Azure and his partner (and team owner) Tom Delgado out of the race. Azure & Delgado would be credited with a 20th place finish, but that was absolutely no consolation to Delgado, who tore into De Pretto after the race.

"I made a grave mistake in re-hiring Carlo, and I take full responsibility for his actions. I feel horrible for Frank because it cost him a great chance to get his first Elite Series win, I feel horrible for us because the 37 team has not been in victory lane since Seiji (Daiho) got us there several years ago, and most importantly I feel horrible for Tom Delgado Racing as an organization. I truly regret my own ignorance" An angry yet somber Delgado said as he talked in length about the incident that took Frank Azure out of the race. "I'm happy for Joseph, but that's about it. The fans were denied a potentially awesome duel between Joseph and myself for the win in one of FARC's biggest events. What Carlo did was incredibly selfish, and I have decided based on the evidence presented to me that I will withhold Carlo's share of the winning prize money and I'll be giving it to the rest of the #17 crew. He will never race for this team again, and if I have my way, he'll never race in this country again if he knows what's best for his career. What he did was the ultimate act of selfishness and disrespect, and I will never forgive him for it as long as there is blood running through my veins and air running through my lungs" Delgado added.

As for Frank Azure, Delgado conveyed his heartbreak but opted not to put words in his driver's mouth. "He was angry, but more heartbroken than anything. I'm sure he'll come and talk to you guys soon enough" Delgado said when asked how Azure was feeling.

Carlo De Pretto Has Differing Opinion of Incident With Azure

When asked in the Circuit of the Americas press center about the incident with Frank Azure, Carlo De Pretto had a far different take on it than team owner Tom Delgado did. "I try to make pass, no could do. I try again for make the pass, not work. I do what everyone else do, have to make the wrecking of him. Too bad it happen, but winning matters most" De Pretto said in a very broken interview in which he was reportedly intoxicated from drinking way too much champagne. He was then hurriedly escorted out of the press center and out of the track by security when word came that Tom Delgado was in the press center looking for him. It was said that De Pretto knew he could be approached by Delgado after the race and requested security to whisk him away before he got drunk in his celebration.

*41 radio after lap 1 crash*

Webster: "We're junk. Already. Couldn't even make it three turns. Sending another wrecked car back to the shop, boys. I know you guys are about as tired of it as I am."

Webster climbed from his car, slammed the top of his car several times with his fists, then proceeded to remove his helmet, HANS device, and other safety equipment; dejectedly slinging them back inside the car. Webster had no further comment after the race as he was very quick to leave the track after a brief talk with crew members. Webster still has yet to finish a race or score a single point in his full-time 2014 run.

Despite Lap 1 incident, Griffin survives 1000 with 15th place finish

Heading into the 1000, Ike Durbin Inc. driver, Ryan Griffin, hadn't completed an ARLA/FARC endurance event.  Of the endurance events Griffin had entered/attempted (the 2011 150 laps of Dwyer, the 2012 Mini Indy 300, and the 2013 Stars and Stripes 776), he'd only made one which rested in a DNF.  

However, Griffin came into the running of the Calvert Ignitions Austin 1000 with a renewed sense of confidence.  Having transferred to the main event on the heels of a runner-up finish in his last chance qualifier, Griffin would start the day from the 34th starting position.

Trouble would strike early for Griffin, however, as in the opening laps contact with the #46 of Nick Azure forced the #86 to flat hit the outside guardrail.  But, despite the damage the #86 team would not give up.

Thanks to what was an attrition filled race, Griffin with co-driver, Marshall North, brought his IDI #86 car home in 15th, 14 laps down and the last car running at the finish.

Griffin was asked about the incident with Azure after he had given the car up to North midrace:
"I honestly don't know what set it off really.  Everybody was really bunch up there at the start and a couple of guys wrecked before us.  So, it may have been that I had to check up just little bit and Nick [Azure] was there.  Hard to say."

Griffin also gave his thoughts on his team finish at the end of the event:
"Well, it may not have been our prettiest run, but we'll take a 15th after the problems we had early on.  These guys [#86 crew] just don't give up.  We fixed the car the best we could and just kept running and got a top 15 out of it."