Fiat 500 makes history by winning the first ever SCCA B-Spec series race – Touring Car-B class in the Pirelli World Challenge – at the 2.2-mile Miller Motorsports Park West Course. Driven by Jonathan Start, Fiat 500 won two 30-minute consecutive races and is currently leading the Touring Car-B class after opening weekend. It also achieved a fourth place finish in Sunday’s race.

Fiat couldn’t have nailed it better. Winning the inaugural race and leading the championship is not only great for the 500’s motorsport career, it also helps with Fiat’s ongoing efforts to market the car in America. Turns out there are better ways to promote the Fiat 500 than putting a fit model in every damn commercial!

Start’s sweep on Saturday plus his fourth-place finish on Sunday gives him the points advantage early in the nine-round drivers’ championship with a 54 point lead over Honda driver Sage Marie (389-335) and 62 point lead over Ford driver Craig Capaldi. Fiat also holds the manufacturers’ championship lead with 22 points, followed by a tie between Mazda and Ford with 16. Honda has 15 points, while Kia has scored 3.

“I raced smart, and I think that’s what it was,” Start said. “I wanted to be smooth, I wanted to be consistent, and I wanted to take care of my tires in the first race and I think I did. I watched the other guys and there were some moves where I was like, you guys are nuts. You guys are going to scrub your tires.
“At the end of the day, it’s two wins in the first round of World Challenge TCB, and I’m happy.”