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Team Falken Shines At GRIDLIFE Road Atlanta

BRASELTON, GA – Team Falken displayed another masterclass performance this past Mother’s Day weekend at the GRIDLIFE Special Stage in Road Atlanta. At the high-speed track, Matan Rosenberg took 1st place with his #484 Chevrolet Corvette in the GLTC class, and James Houghton took 3rd with his #41 Acura TSX, both equipped with Azenis RT660+ tires.

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Team Falken was exhilarated to race in Road Atlanta, as it was Rosenberg’s first time racing the course and Houghton’s first time back on the course since 2019. The event weekend also forecasted unpredictable Georgia weather, so the drivers prepared with wet weather in mind. Team Falken adapted quickly and came into the qualifying round hungry to compete. Rosenberg set his fastest qualifying lap on the first lap before catching traffic, with a lap time of 1:36.088, securing a second-place starting position for the first race, and Houghton finished the qualifying race in fourth place, securing a fourth-place position. The GLTC class was very competitive for this event, with the top five cars finishing qualifiers with less than one second from each other.

Rosenberg took advantage of his vehicle’s capabilities and advantageous start up front and on the outside line for the first round. Rosenberg pulled away from the other competitors by turn three, and with consistent laps and defensive racecraft, he held onto his spot and secured a first-round win. After his tough start in fourth place, Houghton took a position for the round. “We pushed to get to P3 before the end of lap one,” recalled James. “The RT660+ tires were incredible and quick to warm up, which helped give us an edge early in this round.”

The next day, the grid woke up to a wet track and rain: an immediate forecast of more challenging racing conditions for the rest of the event. Houghton’s strategy was to play it smart with speed, commitment, and wet weather in mind. His strategy proved worthwhile, as he held onto his third-place position. At the front of the grid, Rosenberg pulled away with a comfortable lead and secured another round win. However, the last event’s winner, Eric Kutil, gained some ground with his front-wheel drive and lightweight Honda Civic and earned the fastest lap to give Rosenberg a challenge for the next round.

Grid positions for round three are determined from lap times set in round two, so Rosenberg started the round in second behind Kutil, and Houghton started in fourth. The third round was eventful for both Rosenberg and Houghton, with Rosenberg battling it out with Kutil up front and Houghton clawing his way through traffic. Rosenberg and Kutil started the race aggressively, with Kutil forcing Rosenberg to back out by turn three. The two were head and tail throughout the race; however, Rosenberg noticed Kutil’s ABS struggling mid-race. Rosenberg capitalized on the opportunity and formidably passed Kutil in the major braking zone of turn 10A before the apex, which earned him the round win. Over in the fourth position, Houghton gained a position in the first lap; however, a mishap pushed him back to ninth place in the middle of the race. Determined to regain some positions, Houghton remained diligent and executed two passes, finishing in seventh place for the round.

The final round started with the usual inverted grid, where the top ten drivers began the race in reverse order. This year’s event in Road Atlanta was the wettest of the season so far, and this round featured heavy spray that caused poor visibility and low grip. With a start in the back, Rosenberg planned to run a clean race to secure the overall win, so he played it safe to have the car undamaged, resulting in a twelfth-place finish for the round. On the other hand, Houghton started the inverted race in fourth and was determined to make up the points lost from the previous round. He took advantage of the clearer visibility up front, overtook third and second within the first two laps, and then took the round win at the end. With all points added up, Rosenberg finished the event in 1st place and Houghton in 3rd place.

Matan Rosenberg remains in 2nd place overall with 168 points, just 1 point behind class leader Eric Kutil. James Houghton earned 8th place overall, standing at 74 points.

“We’re glad we finished this intense event with the car in one piece,” stated Matan Rosenberg. “These three wins will help add up to the season championship, and I am eager to race again in the next round at Gingerman Raceway.”

“What an outstanding performance from Matan and James,” said Gerald Alvarado, Falken Tires’ Supervisor, Passenger Car Motorsports & Events. “Even with these intense weather conditions, their efforts and willingness to compete were rewarded.”

The next event will be The Midwest Festival, held at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Michigan, from June 6th – June 8th, 2025.