Beyond the results and the points, there are times when winning just means something more. For TechSport Racing’s Frankie Muniz and Tyler Stone, that was certainly the case at Road America.
After scoring podium finishes at Sonoma Raceway and Road Atlanta with their No. 30 TechSport Racing Ford Mustang GT4, the team arrived at the legendary Wisconsin circuit believing it had the potential to take another step forward. They did just that, and then some, going above and beyond by delivering back-to-back Am class victories, giving TechSport Racing its first double-win weekend and turning a promising season into something truly special.
The significance of the weekend could be felt in the words of the drivers just as much as it could be seen on the top step of the podium. It was evident that the sense of gratitude ran throughout the weekend.
“It was absolutely incredible to experience that,” said Tyler Stone. “Having to fight like we had to in order to keep the position and get the wins was just incredible.”
For Muniz, Road America already held a special place in his heart. The four-mile layout is his favorite track, making the opportunity to stand on its podium even more meaningful.
“I mean, go for it, you know?” Muniz exclaimed when asked what he would tell someone dreaming of becoming a racing driver. “You only get one life, and that's one thing I've always lived by.”
Muniz's own racing journey has been defined by that philosophy. Rather than wondering whether a dream is too ambitious or arriving at the perfect moment to pursue it, he has continued to chase it, even sometimes, as he put it, by diving in “off the deep end.”
At Road America, that same leap produced a moment he had been dreaming about for a long time.
“To be here at Road America, my favorite racetrack ever, and get wins with Tyler, with Ford in the Mustang GT4 car, I'm so beyond thrilled,” he expressed. “I love this so much.”
The first victory in Race 1 was the product of a shared effort between Muniz and Stone. Muniz helped put the car into contention during the opening stages before handing it over to Stone, who then had the responsibility of bringing it home at the front.
“We fell back a little bit at first, but then we fought hard to get back to the front,” Stone explained. “We had to come back, I think from third, to get back to first. It was just incredible.”
For Stone, the achievement was particularly satisfying given the strength of the competition in the Am class.
“Our competition at the Am class level is incredible from top to bottom, so to get a win and reach the top step on the podium is awesome,” he shared.
And then came Sunday. If Saturday's victory was special, Race 2 transformed the weekend into something neither driver would soon forget. With rain adding another layer of uncertainty, Muniz found himself facing a challenge he hadn't experienced in nearly two decades.
“I haven't driven in the rain in 17 years, so I didn't know what to expect,” he admitted.
What followed was another winning performance, and for Muniz especially, a deeply personal moment.
“Coming into the weekend, I was at a little bit of a low,” he revealed. “I couldn't ask for a better story. I want to be an inspiration for my son. To get to do this, to feel this, to be an inspiration for him, well that is why you do it. There’s no feeling like this on the planet.”
Stone, meanwhile, had his own reasons for feeling a little extra satisfaction at Road America. He admitted that he had been anxious about returning to the track after experiencing difficult results there in the past. To leave with two victories was therefore more than a successful weekend, and more like a personal breakthrough.
“I've had not-so-good luck here,” Stone said. “So to leave with two wins is unbelievable. Like I said in Atlanta after our podium there, we felt like the sky's the limit for us, and this proved it.”
Now, with the final rounds approaching, that belief has evolved into something more tangible: a championship fight.
“We're very, very excited about going into the final rounds with the chance to fight for the championship,” Stone remarked.
From a manufacturer standpoint, the achievement was equally significant to Ford Racing as a whole. The Mustang GT4 has established itself as a competitive platform around the world, and Road America added another chapter to that story with its first Pirelli GT4 America victories.
“The Ford Mustang GT4 has proven itself against stiff competition around the world and can now add SRO GT4 America to its list of series victories,” said Chris Ward, Ford Racing Global Customer Racing Manager. “It was especially meaningful earning this result with our customer team, TechSport and drivers Frankie Muniz and Tyler Stone. Road America threw everything at them, and the team and drivers responded with not one but two wins—an amazing success. You could tell in the eyes of Frankie how much this meant to him. This will only motivate both him and Tyler to finish out the rest of the season with further strong results, I'm sure."
The two trophies will go into the team's collection. The championship points will carry into the final rounds. The Mustang GT4 will continue its pursuit of more victories.
However, the memories created along the way, including a first win at a favorite track, a second victory in the rain, a long-awaited breakthrough for a driver who never stopped chasing his dream, and the shared belief between two teammates that they can now fight for something bigger, will last far beyond the conclusion of the weekend.
Road America gave TechSport Racing more than just two wins and a strong haul of points. It gave the team a weekend to believe in what might come next, and the hunger to go out there and fight for it.
