Given the severe performance disadvantage Porsche finds itself with, Tomy Drissi made the best of a bad situation in the 3rd and 4th rounds of the Pirelli World Challenge series at the Circuit of the Americas. Driving the No. 46 HEAT (the movie) Porsche 911 GT3, Tomy managed a stellar 7th place finish on Saturday and 14th on Sunday.
Saturdays performance was really quite remarkable given Tomy Drissi was called to the pits to serve a drive-through penalty for jumping out of line on the restart. He was the highest finishing Porsche in race 1.
Tomy was rightfully disappointed and frustrated at the disparity among the World Challenge GT cars.
“The Porsche just isn’t getting the help it needs to put it on balance with the other GT cars.
“Seriously, it was all I could do to stay out of the way without giving up my race. After all, I came to race. I’m not going to simply drive around.
“We were pedaling around here pretty good… but in reality, we just had nothing for Audi, Corvettes and Cadillacs.
“Sunday we started based on Saturday fast lap times. We were 13th on the grid. So basically, we were just stuck in traffic for the entire race. When you’ve got nothing on the top end and nothing coming of the corners, all you can do is try to make the car as wide as possible, put your head down and give it all you’ve got. That’s what I did.
“I really appreciate Rob and Charles Morgan and Tyler Tadevic get the Porsche over here for me to drive. And Jack Baldwin’s GT Sport Racing / Gold Crest Motorsports keeping the car under me throughout the weekend.
“World Challenge really needs to look at slowing things some of the other cars down, though. The Porsche is a great car, but we’re maxed out on power and there’s no more weight to shed.”
The Pirelli World Challenge series next travels to Detroit, Mich. for the Cadillac V-Series Challenge at Belle Isle, May 31-June 2.
Tomy Drissi is an American driver and Trans Am Champion. His driver experience includes ALMS, Trans-Am, NASCAR and Speed World Challenge.
Born December 9 in Hollywood, California, Tomy owns an advertising firm that produces upcoming film displays for cinemas. Drissi’s first racing experience in motorsports was street racing on Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills.
His professional racing career highlights include; 1999 Trans-Am Rookie of the Year, 2000 Trans-Am BBS Most Improved Driver, 2000 Trans-Am Crew of the Year and Trans-Am Champion. In 2010 Tomy competed in Trans-Am taking 1 win, 1 pole, 3 podiums, 4 Top Fives, 7 Top Tens; He also competed in the American Le Mans Series LMP1 class at Mid-Ohio finishing 3rd. 2011 saw Tomy’s return to the American Le Mans Series, LMPC division. He scored a 2nd at Long Beach, 3rd at Lime Rock, 1st at Mid Ohio,1st at Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix and second at Road Atlanta -Petit Le Mans. In 2012, Drissi teamed with Bruno Junqiera for finishing 2nd at Laguna Seca, a win at Mosport (Canadian Tire Motorsports Park), 2nd at Baltimore and second at the season finale, Petit Lemans.
Tomy is married to Lacy Livingston Drissi
Find out more about Tomy Drissi at http://www.tomydrissi.com or follow Tomy on Facebook /tomydrissi and Twitter @tomydrissi
Heat: Uptight and straight-laced, FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) is a methodical investigator with a reputation for excellence–and hyper-arrogance. Shannon Mullins (Melissa McCarthy), one of Boston P.D.’s “finest,” is foul-mouthed and has a very short fuse, and uses her gut instinct and street smarts to catch the most elusive criminals. Neither has ever had a partner, or a friend for that matter. When these two wildly incompatible law officers join forces to bring down a ruthless drug lord, they become the last thing anyone expected: buddies. From Paul Feig, the director of “Bridesmaids.”
Pirelli World Challenge Series: Now in its 24th consecutive season, the Pirelli World Challenge is one of North America’s top production car-based racing championships. Divided into four separate categories (Pirelli World Challenge GT, Pirelli World Challenge GTS, Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car and Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car B-Spec), each race features thrilling standing starts, adrenaline filled door-to-door action and world-class drivers. The Pirelli World Challenge features cars from the world’s most popular manufacturers – race-prepped versions of the cars driven on the streets. Sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing, the series races at North America’s premier road and temporary street courses.
For more series info, go to www.world-challenge.com, join the series Facebook page, or follow along on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wcracing