Against the picturesque backdrop of Sonoma Raceway, the Ferrari Challenge North America kicked off its 2025 season in wine country. Nearly 70 cars thundered down the track in two races under the Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell classes, marking the first event in a series of six. With a doubleheader slated for the following day, the stakes were high, and the competition was fierce.
In the Trofeo Pirelli category, Manny Franco of Ferrari Lake Forest didn’t lead the pack across the finish line but clinched the inaugural victory of the year. Franco and Dylan Medler of The Collection fiercely contested for the second and third positions behind front-runner Massimo Perrina of Ferrari Seattle. Little did they know, their contest would eventually become a battle for victory.
Perrina, who led the race, was penalized for a jump start, pushing him down to the fourth position. Franco, who had managed to edge out Medler early in the race, found himself in the lead and claimed the checkered flag. Medler followed closely behind, missing the top spot by a fraction of a second, while newcomer Johnny Kaminskey of Ferrari Long Island finished an impressive third.
In the Trofeo Pirelli Am class, Brad Fauvre of Ferrari San Francisco took the first race of the season after starting in second place. Fauvre managed to overtake pole-sitter Eric Pan of Ferrari Beverly Hills right off the bat. Pan held his own and finished second, while Sebastian Mascaro of Ferrari Central Florida rounded out the top three.
In the Coppa Shell race, Mitchell Green of Ferrari Westlake emerged as the undisputed victor, with the rest of the positions up for grabs. Yahn Bernier of Ferrari Seattle held onto the second spot, despite a looming time penalty. Gary Ott of Ferrari Philadelphia secured the third place, setting the stage for the next day’s race.
In the Coppa Shell Am class, Jeffrey Nunberg of Ferrari Central New Jersey made his move on Gabe Hrib of Ferrari Atlanta with less than 10 minutes left on the clock. Nunberg’s daring move earned him the first win of the season. The duo had been locked in a fierce battle throughout the race, with Steve Check of Ferrari Rancho Mirage tailing them closely and finishing third.
Looking ahead, the qualifying rounds for Sunday’s races are scheduled to commence at 12:50pm ET. The Coppa Shell race will kick off at 5:05pm, followed by the Trofeo Pirelli race at 5:55pm. Every thrilling moment of the Ferrari Challenge races can be streamed live on the Ferrari YouTube channel and FerrariRaces.com. As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on these highly skilled drivers as they vie for the ultimate prize in one of the most prestigious racing events of the year.
