If you pay even the remotest bit of attention to sports car racing on social media, you’ll know Ryan Eversley and Spencer Pumpelly are part of “Team ATL” - the Atlanta-based group of drivers whose fun activities are excellent intermediaries on off weekends when they aren’t racing.
Now they’re on the same team in the Pirelli World Challenge, with Spencer Pumpelly joining for the next two World Challenge race weekends (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Utah Motorsports Complex) in the second RealTime Racing Acura TLX-GT usually driven by team principal and driver Peter “PD” Cunningham, alongside Eversley.
Cunningham’s selflessness has been shown on multiple occasions this year because he allowed Eversley his chassis at Lime Rock Park after Eversley’s car was damaged too much to repair a week earlier at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Then Eversley led a 1-2 finish for the team at Road America on the Saturday there, before delivering a second win on Sunday.
Now, Cunningham will focus on testing of the new Acura NSX GT3 in the interim, while Pumpelly steps in. Cunningham is also fresh off of just opening the new RealTime Collection Hall in Wisconsin.
“To be a part of this progression of the NSX GT3 is a tremendous opportunity. Having been the test driver in North America for the first generation NSX race car, I feel a deep connection to this project,” said Cunningham, who won 14 races for RealTime with the first iteration of the NSX. “With the new NSX coming on line, it is a very important program for Acura and I’m honored to be able to contribute. As I focus my energies on the NSX, we knew that we needed to find a top-notch driver for the TLX to bring Acura the best possible result.”
“I am thrilled to be joining RealTime Racing this weekend in Ohio and excited to become part of the Acura family,” Pumpelly enthused. “The team and brand have achieved tremendous success in the series and it’s an honor to be able to work with all the people involved. The Acura TLX is an amazing car which should do well around the tight turns of Mid-Ohio. The team has been a huge help in getting me comfortable in the car and I’m eager to get on track with it.”
It’s the Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio presented by Honda Racing weekend and will see the new NSX GT3 make its U.S. public test debut, with Peter Kox driving.
A number of photos and tweets are below.
I'm thrilled to be joining @RealTimeAcura this weekend at Mid Ohio. Finally teammates with @RyanEversley again. pic.twitter.com/irAqlG5tKf
— Spencer Pumpelly (@SpencerPumpelly) July 28, 2016
Soooo.... we have some other news too... @SpencerPumpelly #Acura #TLXGT pic.twitter.com/RQolpChrs1
— RealTime Racing (@RealTimeAcura) July 28, 2016
The big sexy! @SpencerPumpelly @RealTimeAcura #TeamATL pic.twitter.com/F7bLqvhe2l
— Ryan Eversley (@RyanEversley) July 28, 2016
#TeamATL pic.twitter.com/cpAe1ZEsBz
— Ryan Eversley (@RyanEversley) July 28, 2016
I'm told I can finally show you guys the @Acura #NSX GT3... pic.twitter.com/QfIgZG5WTa
— Ryan Eversley (@RyanEversley) July 28, 2016
A few more shots of the @Acura #NSX #GT3! Come by @RealTimeAcura this weekend to have a look! pic.twitter.com/OO1di25N3p
— Ryan Eversley (@RyanEversley) July 28, 2016
So this is pretty cool! @RealTimeAcura @HondaRacing_HPD pic.twitter.com/cMxII8eNAn
— Spencer Pumpelly (@SpencerPumpelly) July 28, 2016