Cautions, Contact, and a Clean Sweep at Mid-Ohio
The Huracán Super Trofeo Evo arrived in North America promising closer racing and sharper competition. Mid-Ohio’s opening double-header proved the car delivers on both counts, though not always in the ways Squadra Corse might have scripted.
Across two races on the 12-turn, 2.258-mile circuit, Change Racing’s Corey Lewis and Madison Snow navigated full-course cautions, a last-lap pass decided by contact, and a white-knuckle final-turn defense to claim both PRO class victories and the overall wins. Their perfect weekend was earned against a field of 17 Evos, every one of them running the car’s mandatory new aerodynamic package for the first time on a North American track. The Evo had already turned competitive laps in the Asian series at Sepang and in Europe at Monza, but this was its baptism on American soil, and the weekend’s drama offered an early verdict on whether Lamborghini’s updated one-make formula could produce the tight racing the series needs to thrive in its sixth North American season and tenth worldwide.
Race One: Spinelli’s Speed Undone by a Late-Race Puncture
Loris Spinelli, fresh off a Monza victory with co-driver JC Perez, set the pace from the start in the No. 71 P1 Motorsports entry. He built a gap exceeding two seconds in the opening six laps before Madison Snow closed to within a second in the No. 29 Change Racing car. Trent Hindman in the Wayne Taylor Racing No. 1 kept the pressure honest from third.
The mandatory pit window opened 20 minutes in, and driver changes reshuffled the order. Then chaos intervened. Sheena Monk spun the No. 7 Wayne Taylor Racing entry in Turn 4, triggering a full-course caution. While the field circulated under yellow, Jonathan Cecotto, who had taken over from Hindman, lost a right rear tire, ending what had been a strong run. The caution stretched to nearly 16 minutes.
On the restart, Perez led Lewis with Taylor Proto’s US RaceTronics car in third. With three minutes remaining, Lewis made his move. Contact between the No. 29 and No. 71 punctured Perez’s right rear tire and sent him spinning off the track. A second full-course caution sealed the result: Lewis took the checkered flag under yellow.
Dylan Murcott and Patrick Liddy claimed the PRO-AM win in the No. 47 PPM entry. Damon Ockey grabbed the AM victory after inheriting the lead during pit stops. Parris Mullins and Mark Proto led the LB CUP from start to finish for US RaceTronics.
Race Two: Snow Holds Off Spinelli by Inches on the Final Lap
Sunday’s race produced a cleaner, more gripping contest and a better showcase for what the Evo can deliver when the racing stays green. Stevan McAleer started from pole in the Wayne Taylor Racing No. 10 but lost his left rear wheel on lap two, a grim echo of his teammate Cecotto’s misfortune the day before. Lewis inherited the lead and managed a steady first stint before handing the car to Snow during the pit window.
Snow emerged with a one-second advantage over Spinelli, who had taken over the No. 71 from Perez. Over the closing laps, Spinelli whittled that gap to under half a second. The white flag flew on lap 32, and Spinelli made a committed attempt to pass in the final turn. Snow held firm. The margin at the line was negligible.
“I told Justin Bell before the race that it was Corey’s job to get the car into first and my job to keep it there,” Snow said afterward. “Corey perfectly did his job and it made it a lot easier for me.”
Spinelli’s charge, while short of the overall win, secured the PRO-AM class victory for P1 Motorsports. Ryan Hardwick took the AM win by eight seconds, calling it “a bit of a statement” after Saturday’s bad luck. Mullins and Proto again dominated the LB CUP.
| Class | Race 1 Winners | Race 2 Winners |
|---|---|---|
| PRO (Overall) | Corey Lewis / Madison Snow | Corey Lewis / Madison Snow |
| PRO-AM | Dylan Murcott / Patrick Liddy | Loris Spinelli / JC Perez |
| AM | Damon Ockey | Ryan Hardwick |
| LB CUP | Parris Mullins / Mark Proto | Parris Mullins / Mark Proto |
The Huracán Super Trofeo Evo: What Changed and Why It Matters
The results table tells one story. The qualifying spread tells another, and it is the one that matters most for the Evo’s competitive thesis. Spinelli’s pole time of 1:20.367 was separated from the Change Racing car by less than eight tenths of a second, a gap tight enough to guarantee the kind of wheel-to-wheel racing both weekends delivered.
The Evo package is more than a cosmetic refresh. The car features a completely redesigned aerodynamic kit, enhanced safety structures, and performance improvements over the outgoing Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo. All competitors were required to adopt the new aero, either by purchasing a new Evo chassis or upgrading an existing car with the mandatory kit. Of the 18 entries at Mid-Ohio, 10 were brand-new Evo chassis. Teams upgrading older cars could optionally add a new power steering pump and exhaust system, but the aero was non-negotiable.
That mandatory/optional split reveals how Lamborghini structured the Evo introduction to keep the grid competitive while giving teams financial flexibility. Forcing identical aero ensures close racing. Making the mechanical upgrades optional lets privateer teams manage budgets without being lapped. The approach also protects grid size, and 17 starters in a one-make series is a healthy number by any standard.
Lamborghini’s One-Make Ladder in Context
Grid health alone does not explain why Squadra Corse invests so heavily in the Super Trofeo. The series operates across three continental championships (Europe, North America, and Asia) that converge at an annual World Final, creating a global competitive framework. The class system accommodates everyone from professional drivers like Spinelli to gentleman racers running their first season, and the IMSA sanctioning partnership, extended through 2021, gives the North American championship credibility and logistical support that smaller one-make series often lack. Hankook supplies tires across the global series.
Competitors like Ferrari Challenge and Porsche’s various cup series share the basic formula of identical cars, tiered driver classifications, and professional logistics. Where Lamborghini differentiates is the integration with its GT3 program. The Super Trofeo serves as a feeder, giving drivers seat time in a V10-powered Lamborghini race car before they graduate to more complex GT3 machinery.
For prospective participants, the financial commitment remains significant. Lamborghini does not publish a fixed entry cost, and budgets vary by team structure, travel, and spare parts consumption. Forum discussion among owners and racers consistently describes the series as expensive but well-organized, with Squadra Corse providing a level of factory support that smaller privateer efforts in other series sometimes lack.
Looking Ahead: Watkins Glen and the Season’s Shape
The series moves to Watkins Glen International on June 29-30 for its next double-header. Lewis and Snow leave Mid-Ohio with maximum points in the PRO class, but the qualifying gaps suggest Spinelli and Perez will be formidable opponents on a faster, more flowing circuit.
The practical takeaway from Mid-Ohio is straightforward: the Evo package works. Close racing, dramatic finishes, and a grid of 17 cars suggest Lamborghini’s customer-racing model is healthy. The real question, one the rest of the 2018 season will answer, is whether the competitive balance the Evo was designed to deliver can survive as teams accumulate setup data and the faster drivers begin to exploit the car’s limits more aggressively. If Sunday’s final-turn battle between Snow and Spinelli is any indication, the answer should make for compelling viewing.
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