Ashton Harrison returns to the Lamborghini ST podium

Ashton Harrison returned to the podium in Lamborghini Super Trofeo NA with a strong performance at Watkins Glen International, securing a third-place finish in class in Race 1 and adding valuable points in Race 2.

Photo credits: Jamey Price

Ashton Harrison returned to the podium in Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America following a concvincing performance at Watkins Glen International, where she resumed her campaign in the Lamborghini one-make series after joining the series at Laguna Seca, in an AM class effort with Graham Doyle under the banner of Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti.

Harrison last entered Lamborghini Super Trofeo in 2022, when she finished third in the ProAm class; she had meanwhile continued her sports car progression with programs in GT World Challenge America and IMSA, collecting a ProAm title in 2022 and a vice-champion title in the Pro class in the SRO-sanctioned championship.

Having last raced in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in a WTR with Andretti entry, Harrison announced that she would return to Lamborghini Super Trofeo NA from Laguna Seca onwards, eager to capitalize her experience of the car and of the series following four seasons from 2019 to 2022, including a world finals victory.

While Harrison and Doyle showed strong pace at the wheel of the #10 DEX Imaging Huracán ST at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the duo couldn't yet achieve the aimed results - and worked continuously to make up for it at their second outing of the season at the 3.45-mile course in the support event to the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen.

“I am super excited to be back with Graham and WTRAndretti for one of my all-time favorite tracks", Ashton commented before the race. "Laguna proved to be a tough track with over 40 cars for qualifying and both races, so I am looking forward to Watkins Glen, a much longer and wider track, getting back to the high-speed corners and taking advantage of the power output in our Lamborghini ST."

"I am really happy with the progress Graham and I are making in our DEX Imaging LST and I'm looking forward to charging to the front in the competitive AM class.”

Graham Doyle was in charge of the first qualifying and he placed the #10 Huracan seventh in class, with a 1:51.230 lap, before Ashton took over for the second qualifying session. She improved to a 1:50.508 that would grant them a start from fourth among the AM entries.

Doyle therefore started the first race of the weekend on Saturday from P7 in the AM class, 25th overall, under menacing skies but in dry conditions.

A full course yellow was deployed on the first lap following a three-car contact between Walker, Liddy, and Huffaker, with the latter ending his race in the barriers at turn 6.

The incident was under review, and the race resumed on lap 5 with 35 minutes left on the clock. Doyle retained seventh in AM and climbed to P22 overall, capitalizing on some attrition ahead and a drive-through penalty handed to Patrick Liddy for the first-lap incident.

Kiko Porto hit trouble and retired just as the pit window opened; most of the field dived into the pit lane, while Doyle stayed out and moved up to fourth in class and just outside the overall top ten, eventually pitting on lap 9. The #10 Huracan changed hands and was now driven by Ashton Harrison for the second stint of the race, as the GT World Challenge America ProAm champion took over and re-emerged in P6 in AM.

Just behind Walker, Harrison followed her rival closely and moved ahead of the #45 machine on lap 15, grabbing fifth place, displaying great pace. Several seconds per lap quicker than the cars ahead, Ashton drove away once in clear air and soon picked up two more positions, capitalizing on Kleck and McCintosh's drive through penalties for shorter pit stop times.

Harrison's stellar recovery drive wasn't over yet, and she continued to close the gap on Bullock, now just a couple of seconds ahead. Just as she was about to start pressuring the second-placed car, the full course yellow was out with 7 minutes to go following an incident at turn 5 involving Lima.

The accident eventually wrapped up the race, which ended under caution: Ashton Harrison crossed the line third in the AM class, returning to the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America's podium - her first of 2024 - although the neutralization likely denied an even higher finish.

Photo credits: Joe McGettigan

Harrison then started Race 2 on Sunday from P4 on the grid in the AM class. The race, however, got off to a rocky start with a full-course yellow immediately halting the action due to a crash involving Wilgus, Lima, and Davoudi on the first lap. Harrison managed to navigate through the chaos unscathed, but her run was hampered as the pace car returned on lap 2 after the restart, following off-track incidents by LB Cup class drivers Levy and Staab.

Despite the interruptions, Harrison had found a way past a few cars and moved up to second in the AM class and P12 overall, eyeing the class lead just a few tenths ahead.

With 33 minutes to go, the green flag waved again, and Harrison continued to push forward as the pit window approached.

The driver of the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Lamborghini stayed out one lap longer than most of the field, climbing as high as fourth overall and leading the AM class before pitting on lap 10.

Graham Doyle took over with 22 minutes remaining, rejoining the race in fourth in the AM class. The action was short-lived, though, as the safety car was deployed again when Walker and Pappas went off in unrelated incidents at the exit of turn 1. Racing resumed with 10 minutes to go, and despite a few cars spinning, the green flag initially stayed out.

However, Doyle fell to sixth in the AM class just before another collision involving the #25 Huracan driven by Andre Lagartixa triggered another full-course yellow, ultimately concluding the race under caution.

Finishing sixth in the AM class, Doyle and Harrison couldn't fully capitalize on their pace but added valuable points to their tally, as their first class podium of the season on Saturday is likely to provide a morale boost as they look forward to the rest of the season.

“Finishing up the Watkins Glen weekend with Graham and DEX Imaging", Harrison summed up, "Very successful weekend and Graham and I really moved forward. We did a really great job as teammates this weekend in the AM Class, and I am looking forward to the weekends to come."

"Graham has made really great strides, and I am really proud of the work he has put in Super Trofeo and GTD", she continued. "Looking forward to COTA next. I have had success there and hope to have a win.”

Coming away from Watkins Glen with a trophy, Ashton Harrison will be aiming to keep up the progression into the fourth double-header of the season, which is scheduled for August 31 - September 1 at Circuit of the Americas, Austin, as Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America heads into summer break.