Roberto Sabato Scores First-Career Pro/Am Challenge Win
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (July 17, 2025) – For the second time in three races, TeamSLR’s Tristan McKee stood on the top step of the podium in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, dominating the race by leading from flag to flag at Watkins Glen International. The 14-year-old captured his first-career pole award earlier today while setting a new track record in his No. 28 Spire/Gainbridge/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro, then kept control of the race through multiple restarts before seeing the checkered flag wave 3.682 seconds before the rest of the field.
Fifth-place starter and Nitro Motorsports driver coach Tyler Kicera (No. 10 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry) made his way up to the runner-up position by making a lap-three pass on Sam Corry (No. 70 Stilo Helmets/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry) and then overtaking third when championship contender Thomas Annunziata (No. 90 Gazoo Racing/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry) faced a terminal engine issue. From there, Kicera hunted down second-place Nathan Herne (No. 15 Owosso Speedway/Blue Gold Industries Toyota Camry), taking the spots and remaining in second until he crossed the finish line. With a competitive car, third-place starter Carson Brown (No. 8 PayCafe/Ebb Logistics/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro) battled near the front of the field throughout the race. At one point falling back to sixth, Brown climbed his way back up to claim his first-career podium.
Notes of Interest:
- Tristan McKee earned his second-career CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series victory in his 10th-career start. McKee’s first victory came at Mid-Ohio Sport Car Course just two races ago, when he became the second-youngest winner in Trans Am history.
- 14-year-old McKee became just the second two-time winner in the class this season. In eight races in 2025, there have been six different victors.
- McKee started the race from the pole, which was his first in the series. His lap time was a new track record.
- This is the third-consecutive victory for Team SLR, with McKee winning at Mid-Ohio and again today, while Mike Skeen drove to Victory Lane at Road America.
- TeamSLR has led every lap since the first circuit at Mid-Ohio, tallying 94-consecutive laps at the front of the field. Of those, McKee led 72.
- Second-place Tyler Kicera earned his podium since his victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in 2022. 2022 was Kicera’s last full-time season in TA2. He has since been serving as a driver coach at Nitro Motorsports.
- Carson Brown earned his first-career podium today in just his third start in the series. Brown turns 17 years old tomorrow.
- Championship contender Thomas Annunziata fell out of the race after only eight laps due to a mechanical issue, relegating him to a 22nd-place finish.
- Sixth-place starter Sam Corry was forced to recover from an early flat tire, which sent him to the back of the pack, and then received late-race contact from a Pro/Am Challenge competitor while running fourth. Despite that, he still recovered to finish eighth.
- Following the event, fifth-place finisher Julian DaCosta was disqualified for failure to meet minimum roof height.
“It feels good to be up here,” said McKee on the podium. “We were pretty much the dominant car all weekend, so it feels good to really execute in the race. We overcame a few challenges, with a few different cars behind me. There was some oil dry on the track that was kind of slick. We built a little bit of a gap on each restart and just kind of maintained and saved my tires. Once I got out to a little bit of a lead, I would just kind of back it down, go easy on the brakes, easy on the tires, stuff like that. Thanks to all my guys; they brought a really fast car. It was lights out all weekend.”
CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series National Championship Top 10:
1. Tristan McKee, No. 28 Spire/Gainbridge/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro
2. Tyler Kicera, No. 10 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry
3. Carson Brown, No. 8 PayCafe/Ebb Logistics/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro
4. Adrian Wlostowski, No. 3 CMI/Spot-On Services/AMT Motorsports Ford Mustang
5. Gian Buffomante, No. 95 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry
6. Seamus McKendree, No. 20 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang
7. Sam Corry, No. 70 Stilo Helmets/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry
8. Eric Cayton, No. 71 Ray Skillman Auto Group Ford Mustang
9. Will Robinson, No. 51 Mike Cope Race Cars LLC Ford Mustang
10. Nathan Herne, No. 15 Owosso Speedway/Blue Gold Industries Toyota Camry
Barry Boes (No. 27 Accio Data/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro) qualified first of the Pro/Am Challenge contenders and fourth overall, then used his lightning-fast machine to battle it out with the Pro competitors at the front of the field and cross the finish first in class and an impressive fifth overall. Unfortunately, one of his battles resulted in avoidable contact with a frontrunner, and he received a penalty after the event which relegated him back to the fourth position. This promoted Roberto Sabato (No. 61 6th Gear Garage Ford Mustang) to his first-career Pro/Am victory. Keith Prociuk (No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang) finished second and Doug Winston (No. 98 D&M Electric/TradeMentor.org Ford Mustang) claimed the third position.
“It’s a good day,” said Sabato on the podium. “You know, I have to thank my team; they did an incredible job. A very awesome job. And thank you to Trans Am and CUBE 3. It’s been a long time coming. I really love it.”
CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Pro/Am Challenge Podium:
1. Roberto Sabato, No. 61 6th Gear Garage Ford Mustang
2. Keith Prociuk, No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang
3. Doug Winston, No. 98 D&M Electric/TradeMentor.org Ford Mustang
Omologato Watches Fastest Lap of the Race:
Tristan McKee, No. 28 Spire/Gainbridge/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro
Bassett Hard Charger:
Seamus McKendree, No. 20 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang
Full race results can be found here.
The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series takes a brief hiatus before returning to action at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, August 28-31. Tickets can be purchased here.
