Rearden Racing Go Two-for-Two in Nashville Streets Last Weekend in Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Car in GT America Action
NASHVILLE, TN (Aug. 9, 2021) – Utah driver Jeff Burton wasn’t too sure about the 2.17-mile, 11-turn street circuit near the Nashville’s Nissan Stadium when he first saw it. In fact, he wasn’t too impressed with the layout. But at the end of Sunday’s second GT America 40-minute sports car race, the driver of the No. 191 Burton Lumber/Rearden Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 machine was thrilled with his performance in the inaugural Music City Grand Prix weekend. Burton, the Salt Lake City businessman turned racer, worked well with his experienced Utah-based Rearden Racing crew to develop a strong setup on his GT3 race car to record two Masters class victories and two overall podium (second and third) finishes. “I can’t say enough about our Rearden Racing team and the setups they gave me this weekend here at Nashville,” said Burton, a former GT4 SprintX Am class series champion. “To be honest, I was not too excited about the street course in Nashville. “It was tricky, but the car’s performance was great, and I felt more comfortable with each run in the Lamborghini. I felt I could get more aggressive throughout the weekend. Winning two races in the same weekend is a tribute to the Rearden Racing crew. Thanks to them.” Burton showed speed in qualifying for Saturday’s GT America main event by taking the fastest Masters class time and was third overall in the 23-car lineup. Then Jeff battled for the overall lead and placed second at the checkered flag to multi-time GT series champion James Sofronas. But on the podium, Burton collected the Masters top trophy with his first win of the 2021 season over point leader Charlie Luck. In Sunday’s 40-minute feature, Burton made a solid inside move into turn one and won his second Masters race of the weekend in front of a large crowd as part of the IndyCar Series/Sports Car initial street event in Music City. “We had a good setup all weekend for Jeff’s Lamborghini,” said Lara Tallman, Rearden Racing team owner. “The team worked hard to get the car to Jeff’s liking, and he drove outstanding from qualifying and right to the two races. It’s always tough for a driver and team to get acclimated to a new course, especially a street circuit. But Jeff was strong, and he showed that his performances have been improving with each race as he learns more about the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 sports car. It’s always fun to win two races in one weekend.” Burton and his Rearden Racing team now head to the next SRO America rounds at the famed Road America four-mile road course in Wisconsin on Aug. 27-29. Jeff will again compete in the GT America Sprint doubleheader races as well as teaming with veteran driver Vesko Kozarov of Salt Lake City in the 90-minute Fanatec GT World Challenge America twin races. The Nashville Music City Grand Prix street races for the GT America rounds will be televised on CBS Sports Network on Saturday, Aug. 14, at 12:30 p.m. EDT with an encore showing later at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
ABOUT REARDEN RACING: Owned and operated by Lara Tallman and driver Vesko Kozarov, Rearden Racing’s roots date back to the 2000s when Tallman drove in the IMSA ST class. The Utah-based operation consists of several aspects with design, build and service racing cars; offering “arrive and drive” programs in both professional and club racing clients and manufacture and distribute a variety of racing-related parts. On the track, Rearden Racing has been a winner, taking the 2019 Pirelli GT4 America SprintX West Am championship (Jeff Burton/Kosarov), 2018 Touring Car Championship (Kozarov) as well as the prestigious 2017 and 2018 SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge for the GT4 category at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The Rearden name comes from the popular Ayn Rand book, “Atlas Shrugged,” a novel about advocacy of reason, individualism, self-made, independent thinkers, inventors, business owners and risktakers.
Contact: Tom Blattler, TB Communications, tomblattler@earthlink.net, 317.525.5692
