Atlantic: Last Lap Move Gives Portante VIR Win

Alton, VA – Peter Portante passed David Grant on the outside down the backstretch at VIR on the last lap for the win in round two of the 2017 Atlantic Championship Series season. It marks Portante’s first Atlantic win in his second start for K-Hill Motorsports in an action-packed race. David Grant finished second and Saturday winner Keith Grant completed the podium as the three leaders diced for the race win.

Portante started second and fell back to third in the only going, only to mount an assault, moving past Keith Grant and then passing David Grant for the lead on lap 10.

He led a few laps before David got past again.

The pace quickened from there, with the lead trio running laps well under their qualifying times, and David putting in the quickest lap of all at 1:41.817.

But on the last lap, Portante had the run on the back stretch, passing Grant’s No. 29 Polestar entry for the win.

“I’m happy to bring home the win,” said Portante. “That was tough racing with the Grant brothers. It’s aggressive but it’s clean. There are 12 wheels here in victory lane and you can’t do much better than that. Thanks to the K-Hill boys for a great car this weekend.”

On Saturday, Portante finished third after charging from the back of the field.

David Grant marks two races at VIR with two second place finishes for Polestar, having led the majority of both Saturday and Sunday events to open the 2017 Atlantic season.

“Peter got a great run on me and drafted and pulled out, there was nothing I could do,” commented David Grant. “It was a great weekend but I’m not happy with the results (two second place finishes). I wish I would have won it, the car was great and got faster as the race went on. It’s encouraging.”

“I think everyone got their money’s worth today. I don’t think I can remember an Atlantic race that was close like that. All three of us could have won it,” said Keith Grant, who won Saturday’s race going from third to first in one corner on a restart. “I need to thank Polestar for their efforts this weekend.”

Spencer Brockman finished fourth in a strong run in the Swift 014/Mazda, while Jenna Grillo completed the top five.

Lewis Cooper Jr. won the Masters Class division for Polestar with a sixth place finish overall in the No. 70.

Blake Mount was next, in seventh in another K-Hill car, while Chris Ash, Mike Jacques and Lee Alexander completed the top 10.

The Atlantic Championship Series resumes from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with rounds three and four of the 2017 season scheduled for May 12-13 on an all Formula Race Promotions two-day event pairing with the F1600 and F2000 Series.

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Full results from the race are available on www.AtlanticChampionshipSeries.com.

Photos:
1. Peter Portante Leads David Grant
2. Portante Bowing in Victory Lane 

Photo: JDS-Photos.com

On the Web:

• ← Atlantic: Keith Grant Wins with Third to First Move on Restart
• F2000: Palacio Scores First Win on Last Lap →