Roger Eagleton was all thumbs up when he returned to the driver’s seat for DIG Motorsports. (Photo: Seth DeDoes)
PAHRUMP, Nevada – After winning the 2019 Trans Am West Coast Championship in the GT Class, Roger Eagleton took a healthy breather.
The Burlingame, California native spent that time to concentrate on his off track priorities.
Following a near four-year reprieve, Roger was back in the driver’s seat at the 2.76-mile, 18-turn Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. Refreshed, motivated and determined, the FIA “Bronze” rated racer was ready to compete tenaciously on the track.
About two weeks before racing at Spring Mountain, Roger drove 11 laps at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, California. Before the race weekend, Roger expressed his excitement about racing in a TA2 car for the first time.
“I am so stoked to be back in the paddock here with the Trans Am Racing Series,” Roger said. “After picking up a Championship in the GT Class on the West Cost in 2019 with DIG Motorsports, I took a little time off to regroup and focus on business and life, but I am back and ready to roll.
“I am back in the saddle with DIG Motorsports, but this time behind the wheel of their No. 33 Five Star Property Management/DIG Motorsports TA2 car. And let me tell you — it is a beast!”
As Roger acclimated to the TA2 car, he showcased his prowess seen in 2019 in a GT Class car. Ahead of the combined race weekend, Eagleton reacclimated quickly during Friday’s optional test sessions with a competitive car.
Gaining speed and confidence, Roger placed P15 and P9 in the combined test sessions. The 2019 Trans Am West Coast GT Class Champion duplicated those efforts in Saturday’s practice sessions. Placing P14 and P9 during those on track sessions, Roger qualified a respectable P13 for Sunday’s race of 33 entries.
Once race day arrived on Sunday afternoon, Roger dropped the hammer with precision and poise. Starting P13, Roger drove up to P10 by Lap 5 when the race’s first caution ensued.
(Photo: Seth DeDoes)
Restarting in P9 on Lap 9, Roger moved up to P8 before another caution was out on Lap 10. Just three laps later, the race resumed with Roger driving up to P7 on Lap 14.
Falling to P8 on Lap 15, the race was back under caution conditions for three laps. Starting with the Lap 18 restart, Roger clicked off competitive times mirroring those inside the top 10.
However, Roger’s promising efforts were over just 21 laps into the 75-minute race while running P8 due to mechanical issues. Roger finished P18 with Will Rodgers scoring the overall win while Brody Goble won the TA2 class.
Although Roger’s race day was cut short at Spring Mountain, he expressed optimism when speaking to our race reporter.
“Overall, I’m happy with the team and our performance given our very limited testing prior to the event and my non-existent time in this type of car,” Roger said. “We were making consistent progress throughout the weekend and come race time, we had a very clean start in a crowded field and managed to keep our car clean while moving up in the field. Sitting in P7 after one of the restarts, I was plotting my moves on the P5 and P6 runners when we had a mechanical issue that ended up taking us out for the day.
“While I’m disappointed that we did not get a chance to finish the race and show our true pace, I have to take a mature look at the task I undertook this weekend, jumping into a TA2 race car with zero prior experience, and be happy with using this event as a learning experience in my continual development as a professional driver.
“I’d like to thank the team and sponsors for all their effort and support this weekend and I look forward to the next one!”
Following Spring Mountain, Roger has not fully quenched his racing fix. If anything, his intended goals are even more ambitious for 2024.
After racing at Spring Mountain, Roger Eagleton wants to race full-time in 2024. (Photo: Seth DeDoes)
“Our goal for this outing was getting some solid race miles under our belt and prep for a full season effort on the West Coast in TA2 in 2024,” Roger said. “We have space available for a title sponsor. If you want to be a part of Championship winning team next year, let’s talk and make it happen!”
Follow Roger’s social media platforms on Instagram (@rogereagleton) and Facebook (@RogerEagletonRacing) and visit his official website (https://rogereagletonracing.com). For more information on Five Star Property Management, please visit https://www.gofivestarpm.com/.
About Five Star Property Management
Five Star Property Management is Northern California’s leader in Single Family, Condominium and Multi-Family Apartment Rentals. Founded by Roger Eagleton in 2012, Five Star Property Management’s mission is cutting costs and improving the lives of tenants. Proudly serving 13 different locales, count on Five Star Property Management to meet and exceed expectations.
For more information, please visit our official website at https://www.gofivestarpm.com/, our YouTube channel (@FiveStarPropertyMgmt) or call us at (650) 435-5906. Find out why Five Star Property Management is the Bay Area’s premier boutique property management company!
