[h=2]Mancinelli and TR3 go all in for PWC[/h] By Richard S. James (words & images)








Daniel Mancinelli and TR3 Racing showed up for the Pirelli World Challenge season opener at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg pure rookies. Both the team and the driver were new to the series, so they entered the GTA category for Mancinelli's first race in the U.S.
That didn't last long.


For some reason, the series doesn't think GTA drivers should be taking the overall pole for a race. Or perhaps they think anyone who takes a pole for their first race on an American street circuit shouldn't really be classified as a GTA driver. Either way, Mancinelli's time in the "gentleman racer" class lasted one official practice and a qualifying session before he was promoted to GT.


"We didn't expect to be the best, the quickest, in the first race in Pirelli World Challenge, because I didn't know the track and it is very competitive," said Mancinelli of grabbing the pole. "It's like a victory for us because for TR3 Racing, the series is new for them as well for me. To put the car on top of all the drivers was really big satisfaction."
The Italian driver started in karting before moving up through the open-wheel ranks in Europe, then competing in Porsche Cup Italy in 2012 and Ferrari Challenge Italy the next year; he finished second in both. He has spent two seasons in Italian GT racing GT3 cars before making his Pirelli World Challenge debut, so it's not as if the cars are new to him. But the St. Petersburg street/airport circuit certainly was.