The 2014 World Challenge season was the twenty-fifth consecutive year for the series. There were eleven race weekends – the series kicked-off in March at St. Petersburg, Florida and ended at Miller Motorsports Park in September.

Two new classes were introduced in 2014 – GTA and TCA. There were now three categories for GT and Touring cars:

  • Grand Touring (GT) – This is the series quickest group. Examples of vehicles racing in this class include: Porsche 911 GT3 R, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, McLaren 12C GT3, Cadillac CTS-V R, Lamborghini Gallardo FL2, Audi R8 and Ferrari 458 GT3.
  • Grand Touring Sportsman (GTA) – This class includes the same vehicles as GT. However, the drivers are not considered professionals. Competitors in this category are evaluated after each event and based on their performance may be elevated to the GT class.
  • Grand Touring Sport (GTS) – The cars in this category are similar to the GT vehicles but have more preparation restrictions. This class includes the Ford Mustang Boss 302, Chevrolet Camaro, Aston Martin GT4 and Porsche Cayman S.
  • Touring Car (TC) – This division is for smaller sedans and sports cars which are permitted some performance modifications. Examples of vehicles competing in this category include: Honda Accord, Kia Forte, Mazda MX-5 and Porsche Boxster.
  • Touring Car A (TCA) – Many of the cars competing in this category are the same as those found in Touring Car. What sets them apart are the minimum amount of modifications that can be made – most changes are to improve the safety of the vehicles.
  • Touring Car B (TCB) - The slowest of all the World Challenge categories is based on the Sports Car Club of America’s B-Spec class. Examples of vehicles competing in this group include: Chevrolet Sonic, Honda Fit, Mazda 2 and Mini Cooper.

During the 2014 season, the GT cars would compete in sixteen fifty-minute races. The Touring Cars had fourteen forty-minute events. Results from these races would determine Driver and Manufacturer Champions in the six classes.

The season ended at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. Rounds thirteen and fourteen for the Touring cars would be held on the ten-turn 2.2-mile ‘West Course’.

The start of penultimate Touring Car round and Brian Price driving a Honda Fit leads the TCB group into turn one. Directly behind Price is the second fastest class qualifier Nathan Stacy racing a Ford Fiesta. Also, in close contact are the Minis of Jason Fichter and Andrei Kisel.
Touring Car points leader Michael DiMeo finished seventh in Saturday’s race after starting sixth in Compass 360 prepared Honda Civic Si. To date, this was DiMeo’s worst finish of the season. In the finale, DiMeo finished fourth but his results in Saturday’s race was enough for him to claim the 2014 Touring Car title. This was the second consecutive Touring Car Championship for the Compass 360 team.
The No. 36 Kia Forte Koup was driven by TCA points leader Jason Wolfe. Wolfe started the weekend’s first event third in class but moved into second at the beginning of the race. Despite pressure from Ernie Francis, he was able to hold the position. In the finale, Wolfe fared much better when he was victorious over his teammate Nic Jonsson. His efforts earned him the driving title and Kia the TCA Manufacturer’s Championship.
To date, race one at Miller Motorsports Park was Andrei Kisel’s best performance of the season. Kisel qualified his Mini Cooper third in TCB and maintained the position all the way to the checkered flag. But the season finale would produce even better results. Kisel started third and finished second, just 0.401-seconds behind TCB winner Johan Schwartz.
Steven Doherty, driving a Nissan Altima, was the third fastest Touring car in round thirteen qualifying. Doherty was third until lap-7 when he made a pass on Michael Pettiford for second place. He was unable to catch race leader Adam Poland and finished in the runner-up spot. Doherty dominated the weekend’s second race. Starting second he jumped into the lead and won by a margin of 10.218-seconds.
Round thirteen was a perfect race for Adam Poland. The Mazda MX-5 driver competing in the TC class started from the pole and led flag to flag. This was Poland’s second win of the 2014 season. In the weekend’s second race, Poland started from the pole position but was fifth at the checkered flag. He finished third in the Driver’s Championship.
TCB points leader, Brian Price started from the class pole position and led flag to flag winning by a margin of 2.178-seconds. On Sunday, Price led the first three laps but was passed by Schwartz and Kisel. He would maintain this position and was third at the checkered flag. Price’s journey to the TCB title started with four wins and two seconds in the first six races – from there never lost the points lead.
Nic Jonsson had a flawless performance in the weekend’s first TCA event. Driving a Kia Forte Koup, he started from the class pole, led flag to flag and in the process turned the fastest race lap. In round fifteen, Jonsson exchanged the lead three times with his teammate Jason Wolfe. On the last lap, Wolfe took the lead for the final time relegating Jonsson to a second place finish.
The weekend did not get off to a good start for Johan Schwartz in the No. 12 Honda Fit. Schwartz was the quickest in TCB but started last after his car failed the post-qualifying technical inspection. He improved eight positions during the race and finished fifth in class. In round fourteen, he was gridded fourth in TCB but took the lead on lap-3 and scored his third victory of the season.
Attending his second race event of 2014 was Michael Pettiford driving a Pontiac Solstice. Pettiford qualified second overall in the first race. He ran second until he was passed on lap-7 by the Nissan Altima of Steven Doherty. Pettiford was third at the checkered flag. However, his car was found to be out of compliance and he started last in race two. Despite his poor grid position, Pettiford finished second in TC.
Ernie Francis drove the No. 98 Breathless Performance Mazda MX-5. Francis was the second fastest TCA competitor in round thirteen. He battled with point’s leader Jason Wolfe and finished third at the checkered flag. Unfortunately, the season did not end well for Francis. He started second in the 2014 finale but was the first TCA car to retire.

POS.CLASSDRIVERCARLAPSRETIREMENTS
1TCAdam PolandMazda MX-524-
2TCSteven DohertyNissan Altima Coupe24-
3TCMichael PettifordPontiac Solstice24-
4TCBryan HeitkotterNissan Altima Coupe24-
5TCKarl ThomsonHonda Civic Si24-
6TCFred EmichVolkswagen Jetta GLI24-
7TCMichael DiMeoHonda Civic Si24-
8TCLisa NoblePontiac Solstice23-
9TCANic JonssonKia Forte Koup24-
10TCAJason WolfeKia Forte Koup24-
11TCAErnie FrancisMazda MX-524-
12TCAJason CherryMazda MX-524-
13TCAShea HolbrookHonda Civic Si24-
14TCBBrian PriceHonda Fit22-
15TCBNathan StacyFord Fiesta22-
16TCBAndrei KiselMini Cooper22-
17TCBTyler PalmerMini Cooper22-
18TCBJohan SchwartzHonda Fit22-
19TCBJason FichterMini Cooper22-
20TCBP.J. GroenkeHonda Fit22-
21TCBNic DuynsteeHonda Fit21-
22TCBPaul HoltonHonda Fit19Retirement
23TCBTom NobleMini Cooper8Retirement
24TCBLeo ParenteFiat 5007Retirement
25TCBGlenn NixonMini Cooper1Retirement

POS.CLASSDRIVERCARLAPSRETIREMENTS
1TCSteven DohertyNissan Altima Coupe24-
2TCMicheal PettifordPontiac Solstice24-
3TCFred EmichVolkswagen Jetta GLI24-
4TCMichael DiMeoHonda Civic Si24-
5TCAdam PolandMazda MX-524-
6TCEmilee TominovichVolkswagen Jetta GLI24-
7TCSteve BurnsPontiac Solstice24-
8TCKarl ThomsonHonda Civic Si23-
9TCBryan HeitkotterNissan Altima Coupe0Did Not Start
10TCAJason WolfeKia Forte Koup24-
11TCANic JonssonKia Forte Koup24-
12TCAJason CherryMazda MX-523-
13TCAMike SkeenHonda Civic Si18-
14TCAErnie FrancisMazda MX-50Did Not Start
15TCBJohan SchwartzHonda Fit22-
16TCBAndrei KiselMini Cooper22-
17TCBBrian PriceHonda Fit22-
18TCBTyler PalmerMini Cooper22-
19TCBNathan StacyFord Fiesta22-
20TCBGlenn NixonMini Cooper22-
21TCBJason FichterMini Cooper22-
22TCBP.J. GroenkeHonda Fit22-
23TCBLeo ParenteFiat 50021-
24TCBPaul HoltonHonda Fit6-
25TCBTom NobleMini Cooper1Retirement
26TCBNic DuynsteeHonda Fit0Did Not Start

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