The Skip Barber Race Team headed to the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway this past weekend for the final rounds of TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School. A grueling season would see Eric Powell enter the weekend with the championship lead in the TC field while his TCA teammate, Carter Fartuch, entered second in points but within striking distance of the championship. In the TC Class, Ken Fukuda returned to TC America competition, while Mike Stillwagon and Colin Harrison rounded out the Skip Barber Race Team TCA class entries at the Brickyard. In Qualifying, Powell placed the No. 28 Skip Barber Honda Civic Type-R sixth in TC class. The No. 73 Skip Barber Honda Civic Type-R piloted by Fukuda placed eleventh. In the TCA class, Fartuch found pace for a third-place qualifying position. Stillwagon and Harrison qualified seventh and tenth respectively.
Ever changing weather and track conditions would make for an interesting Race 1. With more rain in the forecast and standing water on track to contend with, the decision was made to race on rain tires. On the first lap of the race, Powell would lose positions by being forced off track to avoid a crash ahead. As the race went on, the rain stopped giving teams on slicks an advantage. Despite a drying track, Powell worked his way back to a sixth-place finish. Fukuda battled his way up to an eighth-place finish. In TCA, Fartuch wheeled his No. 16 Skip Barber Honda Civic Si to a seventh-place finish. Stillwagon finished ninth and Harrison finished eleventh.
The championship battles came down to the final race of the season in Saturday’s Race 2. For Powell to clinch the championship, he simply needed to score points by finishing within the Top 10 and only if Kevin Boehm won the race. Carter Fartuch had to make up a 7.5 point deficit to the points leader Caleb Bacon in an almost must-win situation. Powell started from the sixth-place position which made it easier to hold on to the championship lead as he played it safe and conservative throughout the race. Fartuch began to tear his way towards the front after starting in tenth and as cautions came out, he was able to take advantage of the field bunching up to claim more spots. One of the cautions involved the No. 2 Skip Barber Honda Civic Si of Harrison and unfortunately ended his race. As the checkered flag flew, Powell was able to hold on to the Top 10 and crossed the line in fifth as the entire crew of the Skip Barber Race Team celebrated him on as he crossed the start finish line to claim the TC championship. The joyous celebration shifted to a moment of heartbreak for Fartuch as he crossed the line in fifth, finishing a few points short of the TCA championship but still possessing an impressive debut season in TC America with multiple wins, podiums and pole positions. In addition to the TC driver’s championship, the Skip Barber Race Team also claimed the 2021 TC team’s championship.
Ever changing weather and track conditions would make for an interesting Race 1. With more rain in the forecast and standing water on track to contend with, the decision was made to race on rain tires. On the first lap of the race, Powell would lose positions by being forced off track to avoid a crash ahead. As the race went on, the rain stopped giving teams on slicks an advantage. Despite a drying track, Powell worked his way back to a sixth-place finish. Fukuda battled his way up to an eighth-place finish. In TCA, Fartuch wheeled his No. 16 Skip Barber Honda Civic Si to a seventh-place finish. Stillwagon finished ninth and Harrison finished eleventh.
The championship battles came down to the final race of the season in Saturday’s Race 2. For Powell to clinch the championship, he simply needed to score points by finishing within the Top 10 and only if Kevin Boehm won the race. Carter Fartuch had to make up a 7.5 point deficit to the points leader Caleb Bacon in an almost must-win situation. Powell started from the sixth-place position which made it easier to hold on to the championship lead as he played it safe and conservative throughout the race. Fartuch began to tear his way towards the front after starting in tenth and as cautions came out, he was able to take advantage of the field bunching up to claim more spots. One of the cautions involved the No. 2 Skip Barber Honda Civic Si of Harrison and unfortunately ended his race. As the checkered flag flew, Powell was able to hold on to the Top 10 and crossed the line in fifth as the entire crew of the Skip Barber Race Team celebrated him on as he crossed the start finish line to claim the TC championship. The joyous celebration shifted to a moment of heartbreak for Fartuch as he crossed the line in fifth, finishing a few points short of the TCA championship but still possessing an impressive debut season in TC America with multiple wins, podiums and pole positions. In addition to the TC driver’s championship, the Skip Barber Race Team also claimed the 2021 TC team’s championship. 