| Ford Mustangs Dominate the Grand Am Cup Series |
In it's first year of Grand Am Cup competition Ford and the 2005 Mustang dominated all others to clinch the drivers, manufacturers, and team championships in the GS class.
The championship race came down to the last event of the season at the VIR 200 at Virginia International Raceway. Throughout a rainy weekend several cars slid off the track ending their race, but the No. 5 Ford Mustang of Blackforest Motorsports driven by Tom Nastasi and Ian James outlasted the rest of the field to take the race win. Qualified in ninth place Nastasi was penalized on lap 6 for unnecessary contact with the No. 17 Porsche. Then during a yellow flag on lap ten Nastasi pitted and handed control over to driver Ian James. After multiple lead changes James took the race lead on lap 32 when the No. 55 Mustang of Gunnar Jeanette slid off the track. Ian James never looked back, and took their second win of the season.
Finishing on the podium in third place with teamate Scott Maxwell, driver David Empringham took the drivers championship. Coming into the race weekend Empringham's only real threat to the championship was No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW driver Justin Marks. Unfortunately an engine failure ended Marks points chase handing the championship over to Empringham with Empringham's teamate Scott Maxwell taking second, and Marks in third. On a side note, Empringham/Maxwell's team Multimatic Motorsports went on to clinch the team championship as well.
Coming into the race weekend with a three point lead BMW looked like the favorite to take the manufacturers championship, but with their highest placed driver finishing in a season worst seventh place Ford took the title. With three out of the top six cars at VIR, and five overall season wins Ford's 2005 Mustang has proven to be a true winner. Now who says a Mustang can't handle?
Images courtesy of Ford Motor Company
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