Category: IMSA

Brownsburg, Ind. (August 3, 2021) – The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 team arrives at Road America as the current 2021 IMSA WeatherTech Championship points leaders in what has become one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory. While the team has not won at Road America in their 15-year history, they will be looking to both hold onto their Championship lead as well as their first victory at the track.

Co-drivers Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque will pilot the blue and black No. 10 Konica Minolta DPi machine around the 4.0 mile, 14-turn permanent road course. The No. 10 Konica Minolta team’s history includes four podium finishes, two pole positions and 133 laps led.

Ricky Taylor’s last pursuit at Road America concluded in his sole victory at the track while driving the Acura ARX-05. His success at the track includes three podium finishes and two pole positions.

“So far this season we’ve had some strong runs controlling the points situation,” said Ricky Taylor, coming off two recent poles at the back-to-back races at Watkins Glen. “When we get to Road America that’s somewhere where the Acura really excels. Last year Wayne Taylor Racing finished second and the Acura won, so I think the combination of the two should bode well for us. Road America is always a tough race for managing traffic, but when you’ve got pace it makes everything a little easier. Hopefully we keep building on the momentum of this season. We want to win races and hopefully we can win at Road America.”

This will be Filipe Albuquerque’s third time racing at Elkhart Lake. The Portuguese driver will look to best his top finish of sixth place at the track.

“Road America is a track that everyone really likes,” said Filipe Albuquerque. “It’s a track that suits our car again. We are seeing that strategy is playing a big role with a mix of luck this year too as the competition is so close. We’ve only have had one race where we haven’t been to the podium this season and that shows our performance and execution from the entire team.”

“Now that we have a narrow lead in the championship, we just have to take it race by race,” said team owner Wayne Taylor. “Everyone is just so competitive that it is difficult, so we have to keep our nose clean. Road America is one of our favorite tracks because it’s very much like a European track, but it’s the one race that we have never won at. Ricky and Filipe have both raced there which is great and everyone is upbeat about it. We’re going to have a lot of guests at the track with Konica Minolta and Harrison Contracting, plus we are running the Lamborghini Super Trofeo program. It’s going to be a good weekend. We’ve been off for too long, so I’m looking forward to getting back to racing.”

Practice for the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America will begin this Friday at 6:10 p.m. ET. Qualifying for two hour and 40-minute sprint race will begin at 4:05 p.m. ET on Saturday. Green flag for the IMSA SportsCar Weekend race will wave at 2:40 p.m. ET on Sunday with live broadcast coverage beginning at 2:35 p.m. ET on IMSA.TV and TrackPass on IMSA Sports Gold.

About Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future. The company guides and supports its customers’ digital transformation through its expansive office technology portfolio, including IT Services (All Covered), content services, managed print services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been included on CRN’s MSP 500 list nine times and The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for fourteen consecutive years, and received Keypoint Intelligence’s BLI 2021 A3 Line of The Year Award and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Award for its bizhub i-Series. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years and has spent four years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. Konica Minolta partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and works to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter. Wayne Taylor Racing’s existing lineup of partners that also features Harrison Contracting, Acura Motorsports , Hammer Nutrition and CIT.

BATAVIA, Ohio. (August 3, 2021) – The 2021 motorsport season has presented Wright Motorsports with one packed race event after another, and this weekend is no exception. Starting this Thursday, Wright Motorsports will be supporting six Porsche entries at two different events, spanning over 600 miles. In Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the IMSA-sanctioned series of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Michelin Pilot Challenge, and Porsche Carrera Cup North America will race at the famed fan-favorite permanent road course, Road America. Meanwhile, GT America, sanctioned by SRO America, will be competing in the inaugural Music City Grand Prix on the temporary course on the downtown streets of Nashville, Tennessee.

“The expansion we’ve seen at Wright Motorsports this year has really shown the strength of our program and the quality of the individuals we have to make it happen,” said Team Owner John Wright. “We’ve taken great care to get everyone in place and ready for our multi-city race weekend, and we’re ready to get racing.”

IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP | ROAD AMERICA
The drivers and crew of the Wright WeatherTech effort are no doubt eager to get back to racing after the previous round at Lime Rock Park was cut short due to prolonged lightning in the area. With the race red-flagged mid-event, teams had no opportunity to put their professional drivers in and let their strategy play out as intended. Weather won’t seem to be a factor this weekend, with Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin offering perfect summer days with temperatures ranging from high-50s in the morning to mid-80s in the afternoons.

Fourteen other entries are listed in the GTD class to compete against the No. 16 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R of Patrick Long and Trend Hindman, making it the largest class of the event. While the team leads the Michelin Endurance Cup points, the endurance championship within the full-season championship, Wright Motorsports currently stands fifth in the overall standings, just three points away from the next position ahead. Four races remain in the 2021 championship, the next three of which being sprint events. Sunday’s race, the IMSA SportsCar Weekend, will run for two hours and forty minutes, beginning on August 8 at 1:40 PM CT, airing live domestically on NBC Sports Gold’s TRACKPASS, and tape-delayed on NBCSN starting at 8:00 PM ET.

This will also mark the first event that autograph sessions have been on the schedule since the COVID-19 pandemic began in spring 2020. Long and Hindman will be signing outside the Wright Motorsports transporter in the WeatherTech paddock from 10:45 AM to 11:15 AM CT on race day.

DRIVER QUOTES

Patrick Long
No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R
Road America’s long straights and flowing corners make it one of my favorite tracks to visit in the world. The racing is always fierce when we stop off here, so we will be hard at work to quickly dial our setup and hone-in our long-run pace. I am excited to get after it.

Trent Hindman
No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R
Dwelling on past rounds is generally not the way to move forward, especially in the midst of a championship hunt, but I think this Wright Motorsports/1st Phorm team is motivated for redemption – I know I certainly am. I’m excited to get right back to work with Pat and the team at a racetrack that seemingly suits the 911 GT3 R quite well. The strength and resolve this organization has shown all year long is pretty remarkable, the desired results will come as long as we keep doing what we are doing.

MICHELIN PILOT CHALLENGE | ROAD AMERICA
After a third-place finish last month at Lime Rock Park, the No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, driven by Ryan Hardwick and Jan Heylen, jumped from fifth to second in the championship point standings. The team will be riding that momentum into Road America for the Road America 120, a two-hour sprint race on Friday, August 7. The team has shown strong pace and strategy all year long, finishing in the top five for every race entered this season.

The Road America 120 will begin on Sunday, August 7 at 4:35 PM CT, airing live on NBC Sports Gold’s TRACKPASS streaming service.

DRIVER QUOTES

Ryan Hardwick
No. 16 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport
I am excited to be heading into Road America tied for the Michelin Pilot Challenge championship lead. This might be one of the toughest tracks for our Porsche Cayman GT4, but our Wright Motorsports team is up for the challenge. We are going to keep doing what we have been doing, and that is focusing on consistent race finishes.

Jan Heylen
No. 16 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport
For the first time this year, we’ll be going into the weekend leading the championship, and that’s always a good place to be in, and something we’ve worked really hard on the last few weeks. We just need to continue doing what we’re doing and be consistent. Now more than ever, it’s important that we keep that championship in mind and that we make all the right moves and decisions to keep us upfront. Hopefully, we come out of this weekend extending our lead in the championship. Road America is a super fun track, and it presents a lot of good overtaking opportunities. For us, like any other time this year, we’re going to need a little help with the weather. It gets harder for us when it’s too hot. Hopefully, we’ll have cool mornings and not too hot afternoons. The car has been good all year. The team has been super consistent, and Ryan is doing a really good job. We’ll keep doing what we’re doing and come away with a lot of points. A win would be nice. In all the series and classes we compete in, we’ve been consistent. A win is missing here.

PORSCHE CARRERA CUP NORTH AMERICA PRESENTED BY THE CAYMAN ISLANDS | ROAD AMERICA
Coming off a successful weekend at Watkins Glen in June, the trio of Wright Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars also have strong momentum heading into Road America for their next double header. Max Root not only picked up his first pole position of the year, but he and John Goetz together earned the team three podium finishes in two races. Hutton McKenna has also shown a strong consistency in the first half of the season and will look to continue to improve his progression as the team enters the remaining races of the year.

Both races will air live on imsa.tv and porschecarreracup.us, on Saturday, August 7 at 11:35 AM CT and Sunday, August 8 at 9:45 AM CT, respectively.

DRIVER QUOTES

John Goetz
No. 57 Porsche GT3 Cup
I’m looking forward to a fun race at a wonderful track! Our Wright team is on point and ready to roll. The Porsche [type] 992 Cup car keeps feeling better and better.

Max Root
Moorespeed-Wright Motorsports No. 7 Porsche GT3 Cup
I’m very excited to get back to the Porsche Carrera Cup North America with Moorespeed and Wright in the No. 7 car. We have some great momentum coming form the last event at Watkins Glen. We’re going to take all the energy and trail it right into Road America. It’s a beautiful track; four miles of American excellence. I’m looking forward to maximizing the car and enjoying the weekend with the boys.

GT AMERICA | NASHVILLE
Charlie Luck will be taking on new challenges in GT America this weekend, as the series heads to the inaugural Music City Grand Prix on the streets of Nashville. The series, in its inaugural season, will join the likes of IndyCar, Stadium Super Trucks, and TransAm for the exciting new addition to the race calendar. Not only will the weekend present Luck and the other competitors with the task of learning a new course layout, but the temporary street course will provide little forgiveness to any car that suffers a mistake or misfortune. With two races in two days, the field will have to take special care of the machinery to make the most out of the doubleheader event in downtown Nashville.

Race one will take place Saturday evening, August 7 at 7:25 PM CT, followed by race two on Sunday, August 8 at 2:45 PM, and both races will air live on youtube.com/GTworld.

DRIVER QUOTE

Charlie Luck
Porsche 911 GT3 R
I’m very excited to get back to the Porsche Carrera Cup North America with Moorespeed and Wright in the No. 7 car. We have some great momentum coming from the last event at Watkins Glen. We’re going to take all the energy and trail it right into Road America. It’s a beautiful track; four miles of American excellence. I’m looking forward to maximizing the car and enjoying the weekend with the boys.

Visit our store

1st Phorm
1st Phorm is a sports nutrition company based in St. Louis, MO. In 2009, CEO Andy Frisella and his business partner Chris Klein started the brand, and since then, it has become the fastest growing supplement company in the world. 1st Phorm has set the standards in the industry for quality and helping people reach their goals. This new racing partnership is not their first time in the exotic car scene either. 1st Phorm has been the title sponsor for the Gold Rush Rally for six years running. With over a million followers across social media, 1st Phorm has amassed a huge cult-like following known as, “The Legion of Boom.” They stand for a movement in the fitness world. To turn it back to what it was meant to be. Helping others improve their lives, to be a good human… and to drop the excuses and do the work. 1st Phorm is a winning brand and they don’t expect anything less when it comes to their race team. For additional info: www.1stphorm.com

Mountain Motorsports
Mountain Motorsports is a group of motorcycle and powersports dealerships with multiple locations in the southeastern United States. The company was founded by lifelong friends Ryan Hardwick and Justin Price when they opened their first location as a single-line Honda dealership in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1999. The company has since grown into one of the largest retailers of motorcycle and powersports vehicles in the nation, spanning nine dealership locations representing eleven of the industry’s most well-known brands. For additional info: www.mountainmotorsports.com

Una Vida Tequila
Una Vida translates to One Life. That is how this brand started. By people who want to live their “One Life” to the absolute fullest and to their highest potential. A group of guys from the Midwest who love great quality tequila, and want their One Life to have meaning and impact others.

One Life, One Tequila is our CORE BELIEF. We’re building the only tequila brand you will ever need to drink. Una Vida is bigger than just tequila we’re also building a culture of people who want to live their life to their utmost potential.

Our story begins and continues to grow bottle by bottle. It’s a life mission for us to create a community of people who all raise a glass knowing they’re living their ONE LIFE! For more information, visit unavidatequila.com

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series, international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013 and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. The 2020 season will see the team return to IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship. For more information, visit wrightmotorsports.com

Pataskala, Ohio (3 August 2021) – After a busy summer break from racing action, Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) is back in a big way with both of its INDYCAR and IMSA programs this weekend.

MSR has the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix which will see the largest non-Indianapolis 500 grid since 2013 with an expected 28 cars set take on the streets of Nashville (August 8th, 5:30pm ET, NBCSN). Simultaneously, MSR’s IMSA program will compete on the 4.048-mile Road America circuit for the IMSA SportsCar Weekend (August 8th, 2:40pm ET, TRACKPASS).

Helio Castroneves Makes INDYCAR Return to Complete MSR’s Two-Car Lineup in Nashville

Driver Lineup:
Helio Castroneves – No. 06 Transcard Honda
Jack Harvey – No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda

Tune in:
Sunday August 8th, 5:30pm ET on NBCSN
SiriusXM Ch. 205

After collecting his fourth Indianapolis 500 victory in May and recently signing with MSR to compete in the full 2022 INDYCAR season, Helio Castroneves will make his second INDYCAR start of the season on the streets of Nashville on Sunday.

Castroneves will be sporting a new livery for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix as his No. 06 Indy Car will be sponsored by Chattanooga-based company Transcard. The world leader in payment technology solutions will make its INDYCAR debut with Castroneves as he takes on the Music City Grand Prix.

Castroneves will be joined by MSR regular Jack Harvey as he continues his full-season campaign in the No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda. With the team headed to the music capital, Harvey’s Indy Car will also display SiriusXM ‘The Highway’ (SiriusXM Ch. 56) signage along the side pod to promote the country music station’s presence during the race weekend.

The Highway will be recording live at the Music City Grand Prix on Friday, August 6th from 3:00-7:00pm CT at Margaritaville and will be open for fans to listen onsite.

Both Castroneves and Harvey will also be guests on SiriusXM’s live taping of Brick-by-Brick on Thursday from 7:00-8:00pm CT at Margaritaville.

Although it will be the first time that INDYCAR takes on the streets of Nashville, it will be a return to Music City for Castroneves who last raced at Nashville Superspeedway in 2008. Castroneves has seven race starts and three podium finishes on the Nashville Superspeedway oval.

Driver Quotes:

Helio Castroneves:
“I’m so excited to be back racing with MSR this weekend in Nashville. We obviously had an incredible start together with the Indy 500 win, but now we need to turn our focus to the next five races that we are doing together. I spent some time in Nashville last month and got to see the area, and boy I can tell you that I am so excited to drive this track. It’s been quite some time since I drove on a street course, but they are some of my favorites. It’s time to get back to work and hopefully we can have another successful weekend.”

Jack Harvey:
“I’m really looking forward to racing in Nashville this weekend. I’ve never been, so I’m super excited to check out the city as well. This track looks like it’s going to be pretty interesting, so I’m definitely looking forward to getting out there for the first practice on Friday. I really love street course racing, and with it being a new track for everyone, it should be interesting to see how the field plays out.”

Dane Cameron and Olivier Pla Ready to Take on Road America for IMSA SportsCar Weekend

Driver Lineup:
Dane Cameron & Olivier Pla – No. 60 Acura ARX-05 DPi

Tune in:
Sunday August 8th, 2:40pm ET TRACKPASS
Sunday August 8th, 8:00pm ET NBCSN (delayed coverage)
SiriusXM Ch. 202

Both Dane Cameron and Olivier Pla are aiming to turn their IMSA season around starting with the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America on Sunday. The No. 60 Acura has shown pace the last few IMSA outings and qualified on the front row in both Watkins Glen races, but unfortunately was unable to translate that pace into a top result.

Cameron brings with him a second-place finish (2019) at Road America onboard the Acura DPi and is hoping to turn that knowledge into a first victory for MSR this weekend. Pla’s last outing at Road America saw the Frenchman driving a LMP2 which started on the front row and finished seventh.

Driver Quotes:

Olivier Pla:
“Road America is one of those special places where we are all look forward to racing at. The track is one of the best in North America. We’ve had a tough season so far, but we made some progress at Watkins Glen and we’re all hoping to continue that going into Road America this weekend.”

Dane Cameron:
“I can’t wait to get to Road America. I’ve had a lot of great success there over the years and I love the track and the area. Watkins Glen felt like a missed opportunity for us, so I’m hoping for some redemption this week.”

Elkhart Lake, Wisc. (August 1, 2021) – After two successful years in IMSA Prototype Challenge, Jr III Racing is moving up the ranks to make its IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut during the IMSA Sports Car Weekend at Road America on Sunday, August 8th. (TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold, 2:40 PM ET)

The No. 30 Jr III Racing Ligier JS P320 will be the 7th entry in the LMP3 class with sports car veteran Mike Skeen and Terry Olson behind the wheel. The drivers unite again following their dominant weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course where they combined to score the team’s first IMSA podium and best result of second.

Familiar with the 4.0-mile Wisconsin course, Skeen has made seven starts at Road America winning twice in Trans Am TA2 in 2020 and the former, Pirelli World Challenge in 2014. Skeen has been an integral member of the Jr III Racing team serving as a driver coach but stepped into the driver’s seat of the Ligier this year. The race start on Sunday will mark Skeen’s first WeatherTech race in the LMP3 format.

“I am very excited to be a part of Jr III Racing’s expansion into the WeatherTech series,” said Skeen. “This team is incredibly professional and well-prepared for the event, so we have high hopes of success. I will get to drive again with my good friend Terry Olson who shared the car with me in IPC at Mid-Ohio earlier this year with good results. A lot will be on his shoulders this weekend as I will not be present for practice or qualifying as I will be racing TA2 at the Music City GP on Saturday. Hopefully we can collect some trophies at both venues this weekend!”

Growing up just outside Elkhart Lake, Olson first raced at Road America in 1986 and has since gone on to claim wins at the 14-turn course on the club and professional level. Pulling double duty with his full season entry in Lamborghini Super Trofeo, Olson will make his IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship debut on Sunday.

“Road America is the course that I know the best and love the most,” said Olson. “With over 30 years of experience there, I am comfortable and confident getting into the Ligier and pushing myself and it to the limit. We had a great test a few weeks ago and the Jr III Racing team has given Mike (Skeen) and I a fantastic car. Everything has come together to make this happen and my confidence in this team makes this move easy to do. Multi-class racing at high rates of speed will be new to me but it’s a thrilling opportunity and I am looking forward to it.”

The move into IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition is the next step for the growing team, who also run a successful vintage restoration and racing program.

“We always knew that joining the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was a goal for us,” said team co-owner Billy Glavin. “After our result at Mid-Ohio, it gave us confidence that with Mike (Skeen) and Terry (Olson) in our car we can contend for a result. The team has been working hard at preparing not only the car but themselves for taking this step up including practicing pit stops at a quicker pace. Luckily, we have a couple WeatherTech crew veterans and everything is coming together. We love Road America and are excited to take on this new challenge.”

“It is exciting news that JR III Racing will make its debut in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Road America,” said John Doonan, IMSA President. “Our single-make and Challenge championships are critical for the long-term health of our paddock, so it is great to see when teams grow and move up like this. Congratulations to Billy (Glavin) and his team on this announcement and good luck this weekend!”

The IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America will go green Saturday, August 8th at 2:40 PM ET with live coverage available on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold with a race recap airing at 8PM ET on NBCSN.

IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
ROAD AMERICA / IMSA SPORTSCAR WEEKEND
CORVETTE RACING JORDAN TAYLOR AND TOMMY MILNER
MEDIA AVAILABILITY TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 2, 2021

Corvette Racing drivers Jordan Taylor and Tommy Milner met with members of the media during a Zoom conference call Monday ahead of this weekend’s IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America and the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans. FULL TRANSCRIPT:

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R
IT’S A BUSY MONTH COMING UP AHEAD FOR THE TEAM. WHAT’S YOUR MINDSET AHEAD OF EVERYTHING FOR CORVETTE RACING?
“It’s going to be a busy month, as you said. It’ll be hectic. I think the biggest part is logistics for the team – getting parts, cars and people back and forth between the two. They’ve been shipping stuff for the past couple of months overseas to get ready for Le Mans. Timing-wise, it’s difficult having Road America this weekend but at the same time it’s always good to go racing. It was a 1-2 last year for Corvette Racing but it was pretty wild circumstances at the end there with the rain. I think Antonio (Garcia) and Tommy were fourth and fifth on the last restart and survived at the end to get the 1-2. Hopefully it will be a little cleaner and smoother this year. It’s always been a good track for the team and the car. We did a test there earlier this year kind of prepping for this week’s race and prepping for Le Mans in the low-downforce kit. We feel confident going back there and to Le Mans.”

CORVETTE RACING’S ABSENCE FROM LE MANS LAST YEAR WAS STRANGE. HOW WAS IT FOR YOU NOT RACING AT LE MANS IN 2020 AND HAS IT FUELED YOU TO GET BACK THIS YEAR?
“When you watch it on TV – I missed the race in 2018 and 2019 as well – that’s when you remember how special it is. When you’re there, you’re in the moment and enjoying it because it’s Le Mans. But when you’re away from it and watching it on TV like when you were a kid, you definitely miss it and want to be back. It motivates you to get back there and be competitive. Watching last year on TV was difficult. This year if you knew the behind-the-scenes effort that the team has gone through with the resources and getting everything over there, it shows how much it means to the organization and Chevrolet as a whole. I’ve been getting excited. I’ve been watching old Le Mans races during the days while riding my bike in the garage to get motivated. I’m looking forward to getting back.”

TALK ABOUT THE POWER OF MOMENTUM WITH THE RUN YOU AND ANTONIO ARE ON SINCE THE START OF 2020.
“It’s kind of crazy how well it’s gone starting in the last year. After the COVID break last year, things have gone so well. Things just clicked, especially on the 3 car side. A lot of things have gone our way strategy-wise. If you look at the Road America race from last year, we were fourth and fifth until the rain came, and that’s what switched things around and got us back to the lead. There were a lot of circumstances like that where we shouldn’t have been in contention and things just flipped around. At the same time, you need to be prepared for those opportunities. The team needs to be prepared to call the strategy on tire changes in that situation. A lot of times that can fall on experience. We’ve had a lot of close battles with the 4 car where they could have very easily gone the other way and they could have won all those races. Putting ourselves in the right position in a lot of times and having the little things going our way a lot of the times. Antonio and I have been working well together and the chemistry has been good.”

CORVETTE HAS USED ROAD AMERICA TO PREPARE FOR LE MANS. HOW MUCH OF WHAT YOU WILL RUN THIS WEEKEND CAN CARRY OVER TO THOSE FOLLOWING TWO WEEKS?
“The test was important. We learned a lot from the very beginning. We started on our sprint configuration and went to low-downforce. From the beginning to the end, we made a bunch of improvements. Had we not had those tests, we would have been learning those things at Le Mans but the time there is crucial to get on track. We had two days there with low-downforce, and I think Tommy has done 45 days in the simulator around Le Mans with me watching! We’ve put in a lot of time and effort into it. A lot of it is also coming from that simulator time where we saw last year how important, how crucial and how well it worked. That was reiterated and confirmed at our Road America test as well. We knew from the simulation what to expected and what kind of changes we wanted to make. It’s looking positive from that point of view for Le Mans.”

DOES TOMMY DO MOST OF THE LE MANS SIMULATION WORK? DO YOU BOTH PARTICIPATE OR IS IT BETTER TO GET A BASELINE FROM ONE GUY AND WORK OFF THAT?
“I do my fair share! Usually each test is two days and two drivers, and each of us will have our own program. Tommy has been the Le Mans guy most of the days I’ve been there, and then my project would be Lime Rock prep or Road America prep. My focus would be on one thing and his focus would be on one thing. That way every time you get back in the sim, you have something to relate to. Sometimes when you go track to track, it can take a run or two to adjust your brain to what that package is doing to give accurate feedback. Over time, the engineers have developed this process that’s shown to have the best result. Even these days when we go, there are things being adjusted to make it more accurate from a driver and feedback point of view. When I was doing Lime Rock prep, it’s like a 10-lap run and I’d be done in five minutes and Tommy would get in for his 10 laps and I’d sit there for an hour watching him!”

TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH FANS MAKE LE MANS WHAT IT IS, AND HOW PLEASED ARE YOU THAT WE WILL HAVE SOME KIND OF FAN ATTENDANCE AT THIS YEAR’S RACE?
“I’ll never forget my first time there in 2012. I flew over for the Test Day, was 20 years old and was just a little GRAND-AM driver here in America. I walked from the paddock to the pitlane and got stopped by like 10 people who knew my name and had pictures of me printed out of all my different GRAND-AM cars. In America, we have a great fanbase especially with Corvette Racing. When you go to Le Mans, it’s a very unique group of sports car fans. It’s very special. It will be missed but it it’ll be good to have at least some attendance. Missing the parade and some of those things will change a bit of the atmosphere.
“My dad used to say that in NASCAR and Formula One, the fans know the drivers. In sports car racing, all drivers know the fans. In a lot of aspects, it’s true. When you go to Sebring, you have the cows, the monks and the group at Turn 10, and you get to know them. When you go to Le Mans, there are unique people like Therése (Heurtebize), and I think Tommy got knighted in 2015 by a group of British fans there, plus the Nerdmans come from Spain. That quote is true in a lot of aspects. When we go to those events, you expect to see these people every time. So it will be a little bit sad if we don’t get to see those same people but hopefully in a few years it will be back to normal so we can see all our fans again that we recognize every time we go back.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R
WHAT’S YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS APPROACHING THE MONTH OF AUGUST WITH ROAD AMERICA AND LE MANS?
“Our thought process has been pretty heavy on Le Mans in many ways. It’s been a topic of discussion quite a bit within the team. But obviously we have had other things to focus on with Lime Rock in previous weeks and now Road America as well. It’s a very balanced approach. Jordan and I were in the sim recently working on Le Mans and Road America. There is a lot going on, for sure. The first focus is Road America but I’m sure the topic for many of our meetings will be focusing on Le Mans as well. There’s a lot going on for Corvette Racing right now and focusing on one day a time in many ways. It’s busy but exciting.”

CORVETTE RACING’S ABSENCE FROM LE MANS LAST YEAR WAS STRANGE. HOW WAS IT FOR YOU NOT RACING AT LE MANS IN 2020 AND HAS IT FUELED YOU TO GET BACK THIS YEAR?
“I don’t think any of us has taken going to Le Mans for granted. The amount of effort and attention that gets paid toward that race by this team, the engineers, the crew guys and us as drivers… we don’t take it lightly. Having missed last year and watching it on TV for the first time in many years, certainly the excitement ramps up for going back there again this year. Obviously it’s not exactly the same Le Mans experience without the public scrutineering and things like that. The world is still a little uncertain at times but we’re excited to go back. There has been a lot of time and effort spent with this Corvette C8.R to make it as good as we can for Le Mans. We don’t’ know exactly how good it will be until we get there. I think for all of us, we’re excited for what the car can be or could be. We’re excited to see how it goes.”

IS IT FRUSTRATING TO SEE YOUR TEAMMATES HAVE THE SUCCESS THEY’VE BEEN HAVING WHEN YOU AND NICK (TANDY) ARE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR?
“There are moments of frustration for sure. For us on the 4 car, last year there were times where we missed it with setup and strategy. There was a conscious effort as the year was winding down last year to make a better effort to improve in those areas. We started to make some headway there, and in the offseason we continued to go over those things with the team and our engineers… the things that we thought were working well for us and the areas where we needed to improve. This year with Nick, he brings a fresh perspective on it. All things considered, we’ve had good races. We just haven’t had a whole lot of luck in certain situations. The 3 car guys have had great cars, have made the right strategy calls and done everything right. So in that sense they deserve all the success they’ve had. For us, there have had times where we’ve had the opportunities and for some reason or another… sometimes it’s bad luck and sometimes it’s of our own doing in not getting everything 100 percent right. Frustration is part of it but it’s not like desperation. Having been on this time for a long time, I really like the direction this car is going. We are making better decisions, making the right pit calls, making good setup decisions and changes. From that side, I couldn’t be happier. If Nick and I replay the year a little bit, it’s one little thing here and one little thing there, and oftentimes those are just racing things. At Watkins Glen, we were looking pretty good and the front swaybar broke. Those little moments when they start stacking up, that’s where the frustration comes in. But we have to stay focused on what is working for us and the things that we can improve on. We are finding and exploring every other area that we think can be improved and continue on that path. If we keep doing that, then we will have success. I don’t think there needs to be any kind of wholesale change on our side. It’s a matter of continuing down the path we have been going. If we continue do to that, we’ll be in good shape.”

HOW MUCH EMPHASIS DO YOU AND NICK NOW PUT ON LE MANS? HOW MUCH WOULD A LE MANS WIN TURN THINGS AROUND?
“A Le Mans win pretty much trumps everything else. Every year, the team has in general joked that if we won Le Mans and we crashed every other race, it would still be a successful year. That’s a bit of a joke obviously, but a lot of emphasis is put on this race. It’s the biggest sports car race in the world and one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Those two wins at Le Mans in my career are two highlights. Every year I feel like we have a chance to get another win, and this year we will see. We feel good obviously, but with a new car there is still a little bit of an unknown. We don’t have any track time there yet with this car, but we feel good about all the preparation we’ve done. We feel good about it and excited about the opportunity with this C8.R. For us on the 4 car side, it would be a great way to turn our year around and fix all the bad luck we’ve had.”

THE TWO CORVETTES HAVE RACED EACH OTHER HARD THIS YEAR. WHEN YOU GO TO LE MANS AND IT’S A LARGER FIELD IS THAT DETREMENT OR DO THE BATTLES YOU’VE BEEN IN FEEL LIKE THEY’RE ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE SHARP?
“There have only been two or three races where it’s just been the two of us battling. With Daytona, Sebring and the Watkins Glen Six Hours, and having the BMW guys there, they’ve been a huge competitor and continually challenge us. It hasn’t felt, to be honest, so far this year that the field is small. Part of that is that we haven’t had tons of races like that but also the challenge of racing our teammates has been pretty big. The race weekends don’t feel a whole lot different. Those felt like big battles. So far, the feeling and atmosphere within the team hasn’t changed. The Porsche guys are still quick. From that aspect, that hasn’t changed dramatically and some of that could be the attention put on Le Mans and understanding that we will have a big challenge there. Part of the team was over there in Spa for the Six Hours there, so the team is still in this mode of maximizing every single thing at the track. A lot of that energy and motivation comes from knowing we do have this big challenge coming up at Le Mans. The team has stayed pretty focused on that.”

TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND LOOK LIKE THEY COULD BE RELATIVELY COOL. IS TIRE DEGRADATION STILL A BIG ISSUE AT ROAD AMERICA WITH 70 DEGREE TEMPERATURES?
“Probably. The last couple of years it has been quite warm. It seems like more these days with the tire compound options from Michelin that it’s more about making sure you are on the right compound. That kind of takes care of the degradation issue in that sense. Sometimes we are in between compounds and trying to figure out what the right combination is or the right compound to be on can be tricky. It seems like Road America is a little bit of an outlier in some sense for what we maybe normally run for most of the season. It’s a place where we’re always second-guessing our compound choice because of the track surface and the high-speed nature of the track. We’ll treat it as a nice challenge in that sense of making sure we are doing everything we can to get on the right tire as soon as we can in the practice sessions and be able to work from there. The plan is for us to run as we would normally run there for an IMSA weekend, which is the higher downforce spec. I don’t think the team is planning to run a low downforce spec in preparation for Le Mans. The plan is to run our normal sprint package. In that case, it’s kind of business as usual for the team. Because of the testing we’ve done and the work we’ve done in the sim, we have a good baseline for Le Mans. The focus will be maximizing the race weekend at Elkhart Lake and doing the best we can there with the best package for that racetrack.”

TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH FANS MAKE LE MANS WHAT IT IS, AND HOW PLEASED ARE YOU THAT WE WILL HAVE SOME KIND OF FAN ATTENDANCE AT THIS YEAR’S RACE?
“Le Mans is not just the race itself. It is the atmosphere of the racetrack, the energy the fans bring, the energy that the race itself brings and the history of it. Having fans there will make it feel a bit more normal. Missing some of the other aspects of the event like scrutineering in town and the drivers’ parade and things that are just big moments of the weekend… they all add to the whole show that is Le Mans. From that aspect, those will be missed but having fans there in whatever capacity they are is great. As the years have gone and us as drivers being involved in the race, the few opportunities that I’ve had to watch the racecars go around at speed in-person close to the track, it reminds you of how special it is to see these cars in-person and at full speed. For a lot of European fans, it will be the first time to see the Corvette C8.R. Hopefully it all goes smoothly and the fans have a good time.”
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Rob Lorndale, Pedro Torres, Jordan Wallace and Vernon McClure Competing Under the TPC Racing Banner in Doubleheader

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (July 30, 2021) – TPC Racing has brought a full slate of cars and drivers to this weekend’s Porsche Sprint Challenge North America doubleheader at Road America, including one 991.2-generation Platinum Cup car (for Vernon McClure), two 991.1-generation cars in the Gold Cup (Rob Lorndale and Pedro Torres), and a 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport in the Silver Cup (Jordan Wallace).

The Road America doubleheader comprises rounds 10 and 11 of the 14-race Championship in each class. The 40-minute races, at 2:15 p.m. CDT on Saturday, July 31 and at 10 a.m. CDT on Sunday, August 1, can be seen live through the subscription service at FloRacing.com.

The team enters the weekend on a variety of strategies, with Lordale, Torres and Wallace all steadily improving throughout their first seasons amidst increased competition. McClure, meanwhile, is both racing for wins and in a pseudo-test session for the Porsche Carrera Cup North America race at Road America one week later.

Despite the learning curve, Lorndale currently sits fourth in the championship hunt for the Gold Cup class. Coming off of a successful test at Road America in the past couple of weeks, Lorndale’s confidence in the No. 6 TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup has skyrocketed.

“I like Road America a lot,” Lorndale said. “It is fast with a couple technical sections and a lot of fun! I had a tough outing at VIR in the last rounds, due to mechanical issues. At the Road America test last week, I was back in a solid car and felt very comfortable. I drove with a new level of commitment, especially in the brake zones. The plan is to keep this approach rolling into the race weekend.”

Torres joins Lorndale as both a teammate and competition in the Gold Cup class, and has two podiums already this season in the No. 16 Stoneleaf/TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – both at Barber Motorsports Park in rounds three and four.

Wallace returns to the track in the No. 35 Dasbold/TPC Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport in Silver Cup competition. Wallace ran in the top-five in the last round, and is searching for more in his first visit to Road America.

“I’ve never been to Road America, and I’ve only seen it a few times on the simulator so it’s going to be an interesting and fun time for me getting to learn the track and getting to know how everything works out there,” Wallace said. “I’m really excited though. I feel like I’m getting a lot more comfortable in the car and we’re starting to feel like we know what we want out of the setup to get to the pace of the front runners and hopefully be very competitive this coming weekend. I’ve been training hard and working really hard and I’m excited to get out there and get more seat time in the car. We’ve only had two weekends in the car so far and I believe with seat time, especially, we’re going to be very competitive and very consistent. I’m looking forward to working with the TPC guys and putting that Dasbold car up front!”

McClure, a series regular in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America championship for the newest generation of Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, returns to the Sprint Challenge in the No. 101 Main Street Homes/TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. McClure ran the VIR rounds and challenged for the podium before fading, but this weekend’s doubleheader comes just one week in advance of the Carrera Cup effort at the same track.

“It’s been a busy few weeks for our TPC Racing crew guys, and once again they’ve come through and have everything ready to go,” Harris Levitas, Director of Race Operations, said. “Our goals with each driver are to continue to improve, and if we each do our parts and make that happen I think we’ll see some strong results this weekend at Road America.”

The event weekend begins on Friday, July 30 with nearly two hours of practice to learn the 4-mile Road America layout. A pair of 20-minute qualifying sessions on Saturday morning set the grids for the two 40-minute sprint races, the first of which takes the green flag on Saturday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. CDT. Sunday’s race begins at 10 a.m. CDT, with both streamed live through the subscription service at FloRacing.com.

About TPC Racing:
TPC Racing is the Mid-Atlantic’s premier maintenance, service, tuning and modification center dedicated solely to Porsche sportscars. TPC Racing specializes in R&D and sales of high-performance modifications for Porsche sports cars and race cars, offering a wide range of vehicle upgrades. Best known for a line of forced induction solutions for the Porsche 911, Cayman and Boxster, a long-time focus on only one make, Porsche, has enabled TPC Racing to become experts in Porsche service, tuning, and racing. In 2000, TPC Racing began entering races under its own banner, scoring an SGS-class Championship in 2004 in the Grand-American Rolex Series and was a class winner in the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and captured the 2013 and 2016 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA Gold Cup Championships. More information can be found at www.TPCRacing.com.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (July 29, 2021) – Era Motorsport is returning to sprint racing next weekend, joining the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Road America with Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel racing the No. 18 Oreca in the LMP2 class.

“I’m excited to be back racing at Road America,” said Merriman. “It’s such a great course, and with the strides we’ve been making with the LMP2 car, we should have a strong and fun run here. We’ll miss Kyle, but it’ll be great to have Ryan alongside. Given our success so far this year, I’m sure we’ll have a great weekend.”

After winning the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the full-season IMSA program downscaled to run only the endurance races, allowing the team to participate in and win the Asian Le Mans Series Championship with JOTA Sport, as well as join the European Le Mans Series with IDEC Sport. Co-owner Kyle Tilley has also expanded his own racing program to venture into the NASCAR Cup Series while also continuing to race in his historic racing efforts.

During the Road America race weekend, Tilley will be racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen International, allowing Ryan Dalziel to step in as Dwight’s main co-driver in the IMSA SportsCar Weekend. Tilley and Merriman finished third in class at Road America in 2020, after torrential downpour created treacherous racing conditions in the final 20 minutes of the race.

“I’m really happy to be back in IMSA for a sprint race first and foremost, but more importantly at Road America with Era Motorsport,” said Dalziel. “We decided that Road America, with the high-speed nature of the track, would be great preparation for Dwight and with Kyle already committed to his NASCAR weekend I’m honored they asked me to fill in. We started off 2021 super strong but the last couple of races, Watkins and Monza, haven’t gone well so we are looking for a strong rebound and good momentum into the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

The IMSA SportsCar Weekend race will run for two hours and 40 minutes, beginning Sunday, August 8 at 1:40 PM CT. Competitors will have two practice sessions on Friday and Saturday to prepare before Qualifying on Saturday afternoon, which will air live on imsa.tv at 3:05 PM CT. The race will air tape-delayed from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM Eastern on NBCSN, but fans in the United States not attending can tune in live via TRACKPASS, the streaming service by NBC Sports Gold. Fans outside the States can check IMSA’s International listings here.

SCHEDULE | All Times U.S. Central
Friday, August 6
5:10 PM – 6:10 PM Practice 1

Saturday, August 7
8:55 AM – 9:55 AM Practice 2
3:05 PM – 3:20 PM LMP2 Qualifying

Sunday, August 8
9:00 AM – 9:20 AM Warm-Up
1:40 PM – 4:20 PM IMSA SportsCar Weekend (Race)

About Era Motorsport
Era Motorsport was formed in 2018 with the idea of providing unmatched excellence in historic racing. Just two years later, the team expanded to the world of professional sport car racing, fielding an Oreca 07 in the prolific IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2021, the team went on to win at the iconic Rolex 24 At Daytona, in what was their second attempt competing in the event. Motorsport isn’t just a hobby, it is a way of life: a passion that is in the team’s blood. Whether you find us in the IMSA WeatherTech paddock with modern prototypes or chasing down lap records in our fully restored classic sports cars, or even globetrotting to experience historic F1 at some of the world’s most iconic circuits, Era Motorsport has something for everyone. In 2021, the team will return to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the full LMP2 season and also contest in the full seasons of the Asian Le Mans championship and European Le Mans Series.

ELKHART LAKE, Wis., July 28, 2021 – There’s always a buzz when Road America is discussed among drivers. The layout, the challenges, and the beauty are just a few topics regarding the 4.048-mile permanent road course in Elkhart Lake. It took 13 years and races in a slew of different cars and series for Jordan Taylor to claim his first victory at the prestigious track.  Taylor and Corvette Racing teammate Antonio Garcia took the checkered flag in 2020 at Road America in the GT Le Mans class for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. They’ll go for a second straight victory at the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America, Aug. 5-8. “It was a crazy couple of laps to get that win, so it was a very happy day,” Taylor said of the 2020 event. He ran the first stint, and Garcia got behind the wheel about 45 or 50 minutes in. It was a Taylor-made race day at Road America in 2020 as Ricky Taylor — Jordan’s older brother — drove to victory in the No. 7 Acura with Acura Team Penske. Helio Castroneves was Ricky Taylor’s teammate in the win. Ricky Taylor competes with Felipe Albuquerque in the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Konica Minolta Acura this season.  Jordan Taylor first competed at the track in 2007 during a junior formula event with Skip Barber’s racing school. Road America left a memorable first impression on the Orlando native, who turned 30 in May. He said that Road America’s long straightaways, huge brake zones, and high-speed corners are unique attributes. “It’s a high-level track, some sections risky and dangerous, but as a driver, you enjoy elements of it because it adds character to the racetrack,” Taylor said. “It’s got famous corners like the Carousel and the Kink that are known pretty much worldwide by those names. I think seeing them for the first time in person after hearing all those stories was intimidating, but that’s what makes Road America so special.” Taylor and Garcia worked together well in their first full-time season running together in 2020. They won five races and claimed the GTLM drivers championship. They pilot the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R. The 2021 IMSA event at Road America is considered a sprint race at 2 hours and 40 minutes in length and consists of one driver change. The first driver will compete for 30 to 90 minutes, and his teammate will run the final stint. “If you’re doing more than one driver change, something is going wrong with your race or strategy,” Taylor said. “Having one driver change and doing it the way we’ve been doing it is the most efficient way to have a successful race.  “The guys at Corvette have been racing in these series for so long and understand the strategy so well. It’s very finely tuned with how it plays out.” Taylor doesn’t anticipate massive changes in the team’s strategy on race weekend, considering the crew and engineers had a solid plan last season. They’re running the CR.8 that found success in 2020. “We can take all that data we processed, see what we learned and what didn’t work,” Taylor said. “We had fast cars last year, so we don’t want to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.” Taylor said he’s eager to defend the race win in his return to Road America. “It’s one of the tracks that everyone knows about, everyone talks about,” he said. “You talk about old-school race tracks that all the drivers love, and Road America is high on that list.”  Tickets are available, and additional event details, ticket pricing, and camping information can be found at www.roadamerica.com or by calling 800-365-7223.  Anyone 16-years-old and under is FREE with a paying adult at the gate. Racing runs rain or shine. To plan your visit, check out Road America’s Frequently Asked Questions webpage at www.roadamerica.com/faq

About Road America: Established in 1955, Road America is conveniently located between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 65 years. Along with over 500 events held seasonally at the 640-acre facility, several major weekends are open to the public, which include the IndyCar Series, the MotoAmerica Series, three vintage racing events, numerous Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and NASCAR. Road America’s park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, numerous camping options, fantastic concessions, and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. Fans can also stay and play in cabins conveniently on the grounds and find all sorts of souvenirs, collectibles, and apparel at the 7,500 sq. ft Paddock Shop. Affectionately known by many as America’s National Park of Speed, Road America can accommodate groups of all sizes, including weddings and corporate events in the Tufte Conference Center. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers various group event programs, including geocaching, disc golf, and off-road adventure tours, karting, and the Road America Motorcycle and Driving Schools. For more information, visit www.roadamerica.com Follow Road America on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube or call 800-365-7223

DALLAS, Tex., (July 23, 2021) – Following a successful fourth-place finish at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen last month, Audi Sport Customer Racing team NTE Sport is back in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next month for the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America. The No. 42 Audi R8 LMS will be piloted by returning drivers Don Yount and JR Hildebrand.

“We’re excited to be competing in our first WeatherTech sprint race,” said Team Owner Paul Mata. “We have some great momentum from our fourth-place finish at the Glen, and I can’t wait for our team to get on the ground at Road America. Having JR back is just icing on the cake. He did great at Daytona, and we’re thrilled to have him back as our program is continuing to progress.”

Yount and Hildebrand previously teamed up together with Andrew Davis and Alan Metni for NTE Sport’s debut in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in January. While the team’s run ended early use to an issue with the gearbox, the Texas-based team returned in July for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, with Yount, Jaden Conwright, and Markus Palttala. In an impressively stacked field, the No. 42 Audi R8 LMS finished fourth; a strong finish for the team’s second-ever race in the series.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the car with JR and seeing what the Audi can do at Road America,” said Yount. “It’s one of my favorite tracks and I’m sure NTE will bring a sorted, complete racecar to the fight.”

Road America will welcome fans back into the paddock for the entirety of the weekend and be the first race since 2020 to hold a series-wide autograph session. Fans can meet the drivers and receive signed posters and hero cards at the team’s garage on Sunday, August 8 starting at 10:45 AM Eastern.

“I can’t wait to jump back in the NTe car at Road America,” said Hildebrand. “It’s such an awesome track. Anytime you get a chance to race there, is a great opportunity. It looked like the guys definitely got dialed in at the Glen, so I’m looking forward to hopping in with Don to see what we can do!”

NTE Sport will load in and set up for the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America on Thursday, August 6 before practice sessions begin Friday evening. Saturday, August 7 will host the final practice session, followed by two separate qualifying sessions for the GTD class: one for Sunday’s starting position, and the other for additional championship points.

The two-hour, forty-minute race will begin on Sunday, August 8 at 1:40 PM Central, airing live on NBC Sports Gold’s TRACKPASS streaming service. IMSA Radio will also offer live coverage worldwide from the event for qualifying and the race. For full event information, visit imsa.com.

Brian Henderson and Robert Noaker Led in No. 84 Sabelt/Pagid Honda Civic TCR, No. 94 Qelo Capital/Dinner With Racers Honda Civic TCR of Ryan Eversley and Scott Smithson Recovered from Practice Crash For Top 10

LIME ROCK, Connecticut (July 18, 2021) – A challenging night turned to a challenging day for Atlanta Speedwerks on Saturday at Lime Rock Park, but the team persevered for a pair of top-10 finishes in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR-class competition.

Brian Henderson and Robert Noaker led the way for the team with a sixth-place finish in the No. 84 Sabelt/Pagid Honda Civic TCR. Henderson started second and led 30 laps in his stint before, during, and after the third full course caution of the race. Using the those long, multiple cautions in the first hour of the race as a guide, Henderson stayed in the car for an extended one-hour, 20-minute stint. Unable to find one last caution, the team made its driver-change and pit stop under green with 40 minutes to go, falling a lap down as Noaker climbed behind the wheel. Noaker fought to hang on for the finish on the lead lap.

The more heroic effort came from the Atlanta Speedwerks crew, who worked through the night to prepare the team’s third Honda Civic TCR after the No. 94 Qelo Captial/Dinner With Racers/Lemons of Love machine crashed in Friday’s practice. The car, which was essentially meant to be a parts car and needed functional parts from the original car to race, was finished – without fully functioning anti-lock brakes – less than five minutes prior to the field pulling onto the track for pace laps.

By rule, the team started the race at the end of the field from pit lane and immediately served a drive through penalty, then went to work. Scott Smithson, through clean, steady driving and attrition from other drivers, climbed as high as eighth before stopping with one hour, 15 minutes remaining. Eversley rejoined in 10th but was assessed a pit lane penalty that left the car two laps behind the leaders.

Eversley, like Smithson driving without a cool suit on a 90-degree day because it didn’t make the change to the new car, fought his way up one additional position for a stellar finish under the circumstances.

The effort leaves Eversley second in the Michelin Pilot Challenge Driver Championship, and the No. 94 Atlanta Speedwerks car second in the team points. Henderson and Noaker are seventh in the Driver points as well as the Team standings, and the finish today keeps Honda atop the Manufacturers Championship after six of 10 rounds in the 2021 season.

Atlanta Speedwerks and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season resumes at Road America, August 5 – 8, for round seven of the season.

Ryan Eversley, Driver, No. 94 Honda Civic TCR: “I can’t say thanks enough to the crew guys. This Atlanta Speedwerks team, all year, if there’s something that needs to be done then someone will pick it up and do it. That came to the forefront this weekend when we needed everybody to jump in and get the spare car built up. We didn’t have a great race, but we did finish. I didn’t think we were going to make the grid just because the time was running out. We didn’t have anything we couldn’t overcome. We had a car that I think could have been in the top five if we didn’t have some on-track issues to overcome. That was monumental. I have to thanks to Honda/HPD and JAS Motorsports for building such a safe car. Scott was fine after the incident and was able to race competitively. It’s a testament to Honda in general. This car starts as a street car and he was able to race after a crash like that, that’s a huge deal. It was tough on track. With the extra weight we’re now carrying, the degradation was so bad and no tire could run with that much weight. But we’re not going to give up and still leave here second in the points.”

Scott Smithson, Driver, No. 94 Honda Civic TCR: “That was a rough weekend. With the crash yesterday, the crew worked all night and got the car going but we ran without ABS. In my stint, usually I can gut through things pretty well but I’m pretty banged up with my ribs and all the right hand corners. We did what we could do. Ryan had a really good stint. But we don’t want to have any more of these.”

Brian Henderson, Driver, No. 84 Honda Civic TCR: “The start of the race was wild. We got up in there and worked our way to the lead. We managed to hold onto the lead for a while and chose to stay out. We got our lap back and got up to sixth and Robert was able to hold off the guys behind him and secure that sixth place finish. Obviously, we would have loved to finish a little higher than that, maybe on the podium, but overall it’s not terrible. We finished the race and are looking for the next one at Road America.”

Robert Noaker, Driver, No. 84 Honda Civic TCR: “It was hot at first. The Cool Shirt was having issues, so I didn’t have that. The nature of this track, you never get a break. I was just running laps, running laps, and it was getting hotter and hotter. I got pretty worn out. But the extra weight killed us at the end, we just didn’t have the grip. The team did whatever they could and we still came out in sixth.”

About Atlanta Speedwerks
Atlanta Speedwerks is a professional road racing team and prep shop, providing road racing services, car builds, roll cages, arrive and drive programs, and performance parts. Headquartered near Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the company runs winning arrive & drive programs in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, Mazda MX-5 Cup, Porsche Club of America and SCCA Spec Miata, among others. Professional coaching and driver development round out the company’s offerings.