Remo Ruscitti is looking to take a next step up after a rookie of the year season in pro sports car racing.
The 19-year-old Burnaby driver, who raced the Pirelli World Challenge season for the Compass 360 Racing team in the touring car class this year, was named the series’ top rookie last month after finishing his debut season in third place in the overall driver’s standings.
Ruscitti, who graduated from Notre Dame Regional School last year, finished all 14 races in the Pirelli series in his Compass 360 No. 71 Honda Civic Si in the top 10 this year, including 11 top-five finishes and eight podiums. He also recorded three fastest laps in races this season.
Compass 360 swept the top three places in the driver’s standings and also won overall team and crew of the year.
“We had really good car preparation all year. It was good for my experience,” said Ruscitti. “I was always fast and always had a shot at winning, but it just never came into the puzzle the way we wanted.”
Being a rookie on the circuit, Ruscitti was at a disadvantage with his lack of familiarity on the various tracks, he said, adding he was close to taking his first checkered flag at a number of venues.
Ruscitti almost won his first race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin (Texas) back in March.
He was also close at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, where a drive-through penalty cost him the lead. Sonoma, California was another close call and in Houston, Ruscitti had the car to beat, but a late accident on the track never allowed the race to get back to green.
“For sure, it was a learning curve all year,” said Ruscitti. “The plan is to race in the (Grand Am Road Racing) Continental Tire in the same series as Michael (Valiante).”
Valiante, who drives Honda for the Heart of America Racing Team in the street tuner class, as well as for 8Star Motorsports in the Rolex Daytona Prototype series, was instrumental in helping Ruscitti get behind the wheel on the pro circuit.
“(Michael) has been a really big help with my career,” said Ruscitti, who also races go-kartsfor the Italkart team, which Valiante coaches and manages.
“That’s where I want to be next year,” Ruscitti added.
Ruscitti expects to know more about where he might be racing by the beginning of next year.
Going from karts to sports cars had its challenges.
“A lot of it was learning about being patient,” Ruscitti said.
With longer races came the challenges of physical endurance and conserving the car, while negotiating the unaccustomed tight cornering and transition that came with driving a closed-wheel vehicle on some of North America’s most challenging tracks.
Ruscitti intends to stay on the track this month at the Super Nationals in Las Vegas.
The former Tag senior rookie of the year will be competing at the Super Nationals, where he placed fifth overall in 2012.
Ruscitti, who was runner-up last year at the Superkarts U.S.A. national championships, said karting is a great way to start.
“I love it,” he said. “I’ll always do it. It’s too much fun.”
