Connor Zilisch Leads from Pole to Checkered Flag; Top-10 for Boris Said Jr., Connor Mosack Soldiers to 11th Despite Struggles with Rear-End Issue
Overview:
Date: Feb. 24, 2024
Event: Sebring SpeedTour (Round 1 of 12)
Series: Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli
Division: Cube 3 Architecture TA2 Series
Location: Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway
Layout: 3.74-mile, 17-turn road course
Format: 27 laps or75 minutes
Weather: Sunny, upper-60s
Winner: Connor Zilisch of Silver Hare Racing
Silver Hare Racing:
● Connor Zilisch – Started 1st, Finished 1st (Running, completed 27/27 laps)
● Boris Said Jr. – Started 16th, Finished 9th (Running, completed 27/27 laps)
● Connor Mosack – Started 4th, Finished 11th (Running, completed 27/27 laps
Noteworthy:
● Saturday’s victory marked the third time in the last four races that Connor Zilisch qualified on the pole and led every lap. He first accomplished the feat Sept. 23 at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis, and at the very next race Oct. 8 at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, the home track for High Point, North Carolina-based Silver Hare Racing. Zilisch and Silver Hare Racing were the winningest driver-team combination in TA2 last year with five victories.
Connor Zilisch, Driver, No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro:
“It was a lot harder than it probably looked. I’m super thankful to everyone at Silver Hare Racing. This is a brand new Howe Racing chassis that they built together, and to come out here in the first race with this car and to get a win is really special to me, and I’m sure it’s special to all these guys who worked really hard on this car all offseason long. Just super proud of this team. Unfortunately I can’t be here all year to work with this team, but I’m confident that Connor Mosack and Boris Said Jr., will do a good job keeping this team up front. Just thankful to Maurice and Laura Hull for everything they’ve done for me, made this possible, and continuing to make a lot of my racing happen. Just glad I could be here and get my first win of the season in the Trans Am Series.”
Boris Said Jr., Driver, No. 75 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro:
“The first TA2 race of the season went pretty good. Started a bit toward the back but worked our way up, made some good passes, learned some stuff, so I’m excited for Atlanta. Connor (Zilisch) did a great job winning the race, the team did well overall, I’d say. The car was really, really good. I think I used a little too much of the rear tire in the last five laps, it was all gone. But the car was pretty good for the race and I was pretty patient, but the middle of the race was when I used the restarts to make up some more spots, and toward the end, everyone got a little strung out. Given more time, I feel like I could’ve gotten even more spots.”
Connor Mosack, Driver, No. 77 Silver Hare Racing/PRG Chevrolet Camaro:
“Started P4 there and just had nothing to work with on the start. I felt like there was some issue with the back of the car and it just seemed to get worse as the tires wore. Just had trouble finding grip from lap one and immediately started falling back. I was hoping it was maybe just low tire pressure at first. I feel like it got a little better once the tires came up, but about then, the tires were wearing and it was going back the other way on speed. There were some areas on the track where we could still be pretty fast and stay with guys, but it just made it tough to pass with how I had to go through each corner. It was definitely a frustrating day, a long day, I feel like we about wrecked about 15 or 20 times. The car’s good, we just had some sort of issue, so we’ll get it figured out by Road Atlanta and be ready for the next race.”
Laura Hull, Co-Owner, Silver Hare Racing:
“First off, I couldn’t be more proud of the entire team. The guys worked diligently all winter building new cars. Each car ran every lap during testing, qualifying and the race, so we can’t ask for anything more than that. I’m extremely proud, as I know they are. Connor Zilisch – wow – there’s just not a whole lot more that I can say. He’s such a joy to be around and he encourages those around him, he’s so positive. Just the skill that he has and the way he helps others is so genuine. Very proud to have the pole, the fastest lap, to lead every lap and, of course, to get the win. Connor Mosack did an extraordinary job, coming to a brand new team, brand new cars, getting things under way. I know there are many successes they’re going to have. We know he’s capable of wins and we know that’s coming. Boris Said Jr. – what a delight. This young man is quiet but he’s determined, he’s focused, he studies the data. For him to come to a new team and new car, as well, and to get a top-10, you just can’t ask for a lot more than that, either. The future looks very bright for the entire season for Silver Hare Racing. Congrats to our competitors, this is such a strong, competitive field, and Maurice and I look forward to what the rest of the season is going to bring.”
Next Up:
Round two of the 2024 Cube 3 Architecture TA2 Series is the Road Atlanta SpeedTour March 21-23 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. The weekend kicks off with a pair of TA2 test sessions Thursday afternoon, March 21. Official TA2 practice begins at 11:25 a.m. EDT Friday, March 22, followed by qualifying at 2:30 p.m. Start time for Saturday’s 40-lap, 75-minute race around the 2.54-mile, 11-turn Road Atlanta circuit is 12:45 p.m. Series partner MAVTV will provide live television coverage augmented via live video stream on the Trans Am channel on YouTube.
About Silver Hare Racing:
Silver Hare Racing is a fulltime competitor in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s newly renamed Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers TA2 Series. The multicar team has won the TA2 Masters class championship three times (2018, 2019 and 2020) with driver and team co-owner Maurice Hull. Under the leadership of Hull’s wife, co-owner and team manager Laura Hull, Silver Hare Racing provides a variety of services that includes private testing and arrive-and-drive programs. The team offers six professionally built and maintained TA2 chassis from Howe Racing and operates from a state-of-the-art facility in High Point, North Carolina. For more information, visit SilverHareRacing.com.
