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- Category: Road Racing
July 16, 2022
Toronto, Ontario – Louis Foster has taken another step forward in his quest for the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires title with a flag-to-flag win by a 5.2 second margin in this afternoon’s L&W Supply Grand Prix of Toronto for his Canadian-owned Exclusive Autosport team.
This is the fifth win of the year for the driver who hails from Basingstoke, England, and has now become the first driver this season to win on each type of circuit – road, oval and street – on the 2022 schedule.
Enaam Ahmed, who is chasing his first win of the season for Juncos Hollinger Racing, finished second with Josh Green of Turn 3 Motorsport, who rebounded impressively from a heavy crash in the morning qualifying session, third.
Results
Foster continued his rich vein of form during qualifying on Friday afternoon when he posted the fastest time to clinch another Cooper Tires Pole Award, his third of the season. He held off Ahmed’s challenges at the start but that was short-lived when caution flags flew midway through the opening lap for a wing on the front straight from the #2 entry of Jonathan Browne of Exclusive Autosport.
The resulting single file restart was no problem for Foster as he continued to extend his gap while second through fifth battled nose to tail. Reece Gold (Juncos Hollinger Racing), Nolan Siegel (DEForce Racing) and Green were in the thick of the battle as Green managed to displace Siegel for fourth.
A second, brief caution on Lap 10 for Salvador De Alba (DEForce Racing), who found the tires in Turn Three, wiped clean the 4.9 second lead Foster had developed and the ensuing result gave Green the opportunity he needed to bump Gold from a podium finish.
With his victory today, Foster earns another PFC Award for team owner Michael Duncalfe and extra points for fastest race lap and most laps led bringing his tally to a 63-point lead over Gold in the standings.
Tomorrow’s L&W Supply Grand Prix of Toronto Race Two will see Foster again lead the field to the green flag following qualifying this morning with Siegel, Green, Gold and Jordan Missig (Pabst Racing) rounding out the top five. The action will get underway at 11:40 am EDT.
Provisional championship points after 13 of 18 rounds
1. Louis Foster, 315
2. Reece Gold, 252
3. Nolan Siegel, 244
4. Enaam Ahmed, 243
5. Josh Green, 231
6. Braden Eves, 218
7. Kiko Porto, 207
8. Salvador De Alba, 199
9. Jack William Miller, 179
10. Yuven Sundaramoorthy, 173.
Louis Foster (#90 Copart.com/Novara Technologies-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus PM-22): “Our pace on cold tires was better than everyone else’s so we were able to pull out a good lead early. The safety car bunched us up, but the car was great and we were able to stay out front. The team worked hard, as they always do, and I’m proud to bring them a win in their home country!
“It’s been a good stretch, these past five races. I think it just comes down to getting a feel for the tires and how to maximize them in qualifying – we’ve had strong race pace all year, but we didn’t get the results because of where we qualified. Once we’ve been in the lead, we’ve been able to drive away. But before this year, I’d never driven on an oval or on a street course. St. Pete was such a new experience but this weekend, I had so much more confidence coming in. You can’t make a mistake, it’s so unforgiving. The championship is obviously in my mind – we just have to make correct decisions in the races and be smart. But we’re starting on pole again tomorrow so we’ll be aiming for another win.”
Enaam Ahmed (#47 Clear Capital Market/The Support of Pakistan-Juncos Hollinger Racing Tatuus PM-22): “It seems as though these past two weekends – this one, and Mid-Ohio – Exclusive has really made a step forward and we haven’t quite had their pace. We’ve been good in qualifying, but I knew Louis would be fast and the only place I’d be able to get him would be on a restart. I pushed hard and was able to get alongside but it was just too difficult to pass. I tagged the wall in qualifying this morning so we’re starting seventh tomorrow, but I’m just going to focus on moving forward.”
Josh Green (#3 SessionGuardian/Zimperium-Turn 3 Motorsport Tatuus PM-22): “I have a wrap on my right hand so I don’t have a lot of grip in the middle of my hand, so the last sector – especially Turn 11, which is super high speed with a big load on the steering wheel – it was a bit difficult to get the car hooked up the whole way through. Those last five laps were a struggle, but I’m so proud of the Turn 3 guys. They made an awesome car, putting it back together quickly after this morning, so I know we’ll have something to fight with tomorrow. Bit of rest and some ice tonight!”
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- Category: Road Racing
July 16, 2022
Toronto, Ontario – Myles Rowe was simply picture perfect this afternoon as the Atlanta, Ga., native romped to his fifth win of the year. Rowe extended his championship points lead with his seventh consecutive podium finish and brings his Pabst Racing team another step closer to its first driver’s title in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship. Crossing the finish line with a comfortable lead of 5.7 seconds over the field, Rowe had little pressure in an all-green flag race on the ultra-challenging 1.786-mile circuit held on the streets of Toronto.
Teammate Jace Denmark finished second to notch his seventh podium of the season with Jagger Jones of Cape Motorsports, a winner earlier in the season at Barber Motorsports Park, in third for Race One of the Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Toronto.
Rowe claimed his third Cooper Tires Pole Award of the year yesterday, but was subsequently issued a post-qualifying penalty of two grid spots for missing the entrance to pit lane and completing an additional lap after the checkered flag fell. That handed the prime starting spot to Denmark with Jones also moving up to slot in second.
Both Denmark and Jones held pace until Lap 3 when Rowe found his way to the front. He held off a brief challenge from Denmark but by Lap 5 had managed a gap of over a second which continued to grow as he settled in comfortably.
Michael d’Orlando of Cape Motorsports, who entered the weekend fresh off his third win of the season two weeks ago, finished fourth after a move on Jacob Douglas of Exclusive Autosport on the opening tour. The biggest mover of the race, however, was his brother, Nicholas d’Orlando, with a gain of three positions to finish ninth and claim the Tilton Hard Charger Award.
With a full bonus points hull for pole, laps led and fastest race lap and another PFC Award for team owner Augie Pabst, Rowe now holds a 26-point lead over d’Orlando.
Following a second qualifying session this morning, Denmark will start on pole for Race 2 of the Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Toronto at 9:45 am EDT tomorrow, followed by Jones, Rowe, d’Orlando and Billy Frazer of Exclusive Autosport.
Provisional championship points after 14 of 18 races:
1. Myles Rowe, 329
2. Michael d’Orlando, 303
3. Jace Denmark, 290
4. Jagger Jones, 250
5. Billy Frazer, 223
6. Bijoy Garg, 196
7. Thomas Nepveu, 196
8. Christian Weir, 168
9. Nicky Hays, 161
10. Spike Kohlbecker, 160.
Myles Rowe (#22 Penske Entertainment-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “The weekend is going really well right now – we’ve had good pace all weekend. We qualified first but unfortunately got a penalty for missing the pit lane but we made a good recovery. It’s awesome for the whole team to come back and recover to get the win. We qualified third for tomorrow’s race so the job is not done, but it’s a good start to this great weekend.”
Jace Denmark (#23 Radford Racing School Metal Works-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “It was great to lead the race for a few laps, but my teammate was able to get by. Small mistakes led up to losing the lead, but it’s a really good points day for Pabst Racing. I’m happy with the results but we’ll be going for one more step tomorrow.”
Jagger Jones (#3 Cape Motorsports Tatuus USF-22): “Solid finish in third. We didn’t get the great start we wanted so we were fighting from behind a bit. We need to work harder tonight and tomorrow to figure some things out – and hopefully we can have a bit more pace to run with the front guys. We’re starting second, so we’re all focused on getting the win tomorrow.”
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- Category: Road Racing
July 15, 2022
Toronto, Ontario – Practice for Rounds 5 and 6 of the Sports Car Championship Canada (SCCC) presented by Michelin race series got underway late this morning on the temporary street circuit at the Honda Indy Toronto.
“The Toronto circuit can be very intimidating with fast corners, challenging braking zones and concrete walls on all sides,” said Chris Bye, President of SCCC race series organizer FEL Motorsports. “Today’s practice provided a steep learning curve for our drivers, most of whom have not raced here before, who demonstrated that they are equal to the task with lap times that quickly improved with each time around the circuit."
Fastest of the GT4 cars was Zachary Vanier, driving the number 9 Pfaff Motorsports 2019 McLaren 570S sponsored by Technica Mining.
Lapping fastest of the TCR cars was Jerimy Daniel, driving the number 10 TRC Motorsport 2021 Audi RS3 LMS TCR sponsored by FIX Auto.
Qualifying will take place at 11:15 am Saturday. The first of two weekend races will be Saturday afternoon at 4:30 pm. The second race will be at 12:35 pm on Sunday ahead of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race.
The SCCC is the leading sports car championship in Canada. The series combines two internationally recognized classes – TCR and GT4. The race series consists of 12 races over six race weekends. Each race weekend includes practice, qualifying and two 40-minute sprint races. There are three podium winners from both classes for each race with points awarded from 1st to 10th place.
Showcased in the world-renowned TCR class are cars from manufacturers such as Hyundai, Audi and Honda with comparable horsepower that are required to meet strict homologated (standardized) parts in the touring car class. FEL Motorsports, with the support of IMSA, has signed a three-year deal with World Sporting Consulting (WSC) for a coveted TCR licence in Canada from 2022 to 2024, bringing the Sports Car Championship Canada into the global racing community.
The GT4 class, in conjunction with SRO Motorsports Group, features high-performance sports cars, including Mercedes, Ford and Porsche, that are also regulated under homologation standards.
Sports Car Championship Canada (SCCC) is now in its second year as a national Canadian championship with drivers competing for prizes and money. SCCC’s race promoter FEL Motorsports is actively involved in revitalizing and reinvesting in motorsports in Canada.
For further information on FEL Motorsports, visit www.felmotorsports.com.
About FEL Motorsports
FEL Motorsports grew out of a deep base of automotive roots from FEL Automotive Learning and Promotion. FEL Motorsports is focused on growth and sustainability in the Canadian Motorsports landscape by giving back to its teams through prizing and prize money.
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- Category: Road Racing
July 15, 2022
Lakeville, Connecticut – Today is "N Day" the official day celebrating Hyundai's N performance line of vehicles. The BHA team honored N Day with an exclamation point, clinching the first two rows for tomorrow's Lime Rock 120 grid at Lime Rock Park.
Robert Wickens topped the charts, winning his first IMSA pole position and his first pole position driving with hand controls. It took just four laps for Wickens to set the pole winning time of 54.048 at 98.448 mph. His time was the fifth quickest overall, he outqaulified 18 competitors from the faster GS class. It's been a month full of firsts for Wickens and his teammate Mark Wilkins.
The pair won at Watkins Glen, their first win of the season and Wickens' first as a disabled racer. The following weekend, Wickens missed qualifying as he and his wife Karli welcomed their first child, Wesley Joseph. The next day Wickens arrived back at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park just in time to earn their second victory of the season, a joyous occasion for the Canadian driver pairing and their passionate fans on home turf. The win in Canada was all the more impressive as it came from the back as Wickens was forced to start last as a consequence for missing qualifying.
Wickens welcomes his front row start for tomorrow, "I'm happy, I pushed a lot, saving that left front which seems to be pretty important here, and I think I did a good job of that. Fortunately, we were able to set that time pretty quickly and then park it, great job to everyone at BHA. This place is awesome you really have to push here. Traffic will be an issue on such a small track, so I'm glad to start up front, and the #33 Hyundai #Elantra #N #TCR is dialed in!"
Parker Chase earned his season best qualifying result; he and co-driver Harry Gottsacker IV will start second in the #98 Elantra N TCR. The pair have one victory and one podium so far this season and are currently ranked third in the standings.
Rounding out the top-three, it was a great day for Michael Johnson in the #54 Universal Coating Elantra N TCR. The trailblazer for racing with hand controls, Johnson earned his best qualifying result of 2022 today at Lime Rock Park, the same track he and co-driver Stephen Simpson won at in 2018. Johnson's career best start was at Daytona in 2019 when he won the pole position.
2022 two-time pole winner, Mason Filippi will start fourth. His co-driver, Tyler Maxson has also qualified first on two occasions this season and will take over at the half-way point.
AJ Muss qualified sixth, his fourth top six start of 2022 in the #2 Elantra N TCR. Muss and co-driver Ryan Norman will contend for their second podium of the season.
2021 Lime Rock Park race winners and current championship leaders Taylor Hagler and Michael Lewis will start ninth, based on Hagler's qualifying time of 55.094 seconds. Hagler made history when she became the first woman to win a IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Lime Rock Park last year. Michael Lewis holds the track qualifying record from his pole winning run in 2019 at 54.034 second.
The green flag falls for the 2-hour Lime Rock Park 120 at 11:05 am ET and will be televised live on NBC's Peacock TV. Live radio coverage in addition to live timing and scoring will be available at IMSA.com.
Noteworthy:
*For the first time ever, two paraplegic race car drivers will start from the first two rows tomorrow, in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Lime Rock Park 120 at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, CT.
**Hyundai's web series, "Next Level" released the first episode of the 2022 season today, titled "Drive to Three-Peat." The episode takes a look at BHA's expansion to six cars and the excitement and challenges behind the first two races of the season. Watch here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZbtY2LR2Ag
Lime Rock Park 120
Bryan Herta Autosport Starting Line-Up
P.1 Robert Wickens and Mark Wilkins #33 Elantra N TCR
P.2 Parker Chase and Harry Gottsacker IV #98 Elantra N TCR
P.3 Michael Johnson and Stephen Simpson #54 Universal Coating Elantra N TCR
P.4 Mason Filippi and Tyler Maxson #77 Elantra N TCR
P.6 AJ Muss and Ryan Norman #2 Elantra N TCR
P.9 Taylor Hagler and Michael Lewis #1 Elantra N TCR
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- Details
- Category: Road Racing
July 14, 2022
Lime Rock Park 120
Round 7 of the 2022 IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge
July 15-16, 2022
Racetrack: Lime Rock Park (LRP), Lakeville, CT
1.5-mile road course, features 7 turns
Race: Saturday, July 16, 2022, at 11:05am EST
TV: Live on NBC’s PEACOCK: www.peacock.tv
Listen: Live radio commentary for every session at www.IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com Live timing and scoring from each session available at www.IMSA.com. Live updates are available throughout the weekend on BHA social media and www.bryanhertaautosport.com
FAST FACTS
Historical First Wins: Taylor Hagler re-wrote the IMSA history books when she and co-driver Michael Lewis won the Lime Rock 120 in 2021. The win made Taylor the first woman ever to win in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, and the first woman to win a TCR race in North America. Michael Johnson and Stephen Simpson scored their first TCR win in 2018. It was Johnson's first Sports Car victory, and the first victory for an IMSA driver racing with hand controls. Johnson, a paraplegic broke his back at the age of twelve racing motorcycles, he was competing 15th national title when he was injured.
Lime Rock Park Track Record: Stephen Simpson holds the track record for the fastest TCR lap time at 55.025 seconds at 96.697mph. Simpson set the record on July 20, 2019.
Mark Wilkins set the fastest lap of the race in 2021 with a 55.069 second at 96.620 mph.
Two for Two: Michael Lewis has a perfect record racing with Hyundai at Lime Rock Park. Lewis and Mark Wilkins won at LRP in Hyundai's debut season in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2019. IMSA returned to the park in 2021 and he won again, this time with co-driver Taylor Hagler. Both wins came in Lewis's championship winning seasons. Lewis the first ever two-time IMPC TCR Champion, and Hagler currently lead the 2022 TCR Championship by 40 points.
POLE! The #77 Elantra N TCR team have won the pole in four of six races this season. Mason Filippi qualified first at Sebring and Watkins Glen, and co-driver Tyler Maxson was fastest at Daytona and CTMP. The only two poles missed this season were when the pair raced the Veloster rather than the Elantra N TCR car at Laguna Seca and Mid-Ohio.
Back-to-Back Wins: Mark Wilkins and Robert Wickens opened July with back-to-back victories. They earned their first of the season at Waktins Glen and then raced from 15th to first, a spectaculor show for their home crowd at Canadian Tire Motorsprorts Park the following week. The victories sent Wickens to third in the points standings, tied with teammates Harry Gottsacker and Parker Chase. Wilkins is ranked 9th, 200 points behind due to missing Mid-Ohio.
Next Level: Hyundai's racing web series, "Next Level" returns with the 2022 season debut on Friday, July 15th. The episode titled "Drive to 3-Peat" takes viewers on an intense and thrilling journey behind the scenes, on and off the track with the Hyundai competitors in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge.
#1 Hyundai Elantra N TCR
2021 Drivers/Team CHAMPIONS
2022: Best Start: 5th Best Finish: 2nd Ranked: 1st 1690 pts.
Taylor Hagler: "Lime Rock was where Michael and I captured our first win in IMSA together, and I’ve been looking forward to getting back there all season! It was a turning point for us last year, certainly a confidence builder getting that first win. I really enjoy the high-speed nature of the track and how it is constantly flowing. I think the Elantra N TCR will really suit the track characteristics. We have had a good season so far and I’m hoping we can continue to build a nice points lead at Lime Rock in the last half of the season."
Michael Lewis: “Lime Rock is next! I love this track as it is so unique. It’s super- fast in our TCR cars and there is so much action happening between traffic and perfecting your line. This race has a great fan turnout too and it definitely gets you stoked to go racing.”
#2 Elantra N TCR
2022: Best Start: 2nd Best Finish: 3rd Ranked: 10th 1350 pts.
Ryan Norman: “Our results this season don't represent our pace and they certainly don't represent the efforts by AJ and I and the #2 Elantra N TCR team. This track suits our style and it's going to be one heck of a battle this weekend."
AJ Muss: "It felt so good to get that podium finish at Watkins Glen, Ryan and I are focused on a repeat this weekend. Lime Rock Park is a great track, it's obviously been a great track for the Hyundais. This track likes an elbows out approach. Ryan and I can shine in those circumstances, mix in some patience, Elantra N TCR speed and a great strategy and we're all set."
#33 Elantra N TCR
2022: Best Start: 2nd Best Finish: 3rd Ranked: 6th 1250 pts.
Mark Wilkins: “It’s race week and I’m really looking forward to getting back to Lime Rock Park! This is a really challenging and chaotic circuit. Physically, it’s always a bit difficult; It’s busy with little time to rest (short lap) and it’s always the hottest race of the season. On top of the physical challenges, we tend to mix it up with the GS cars a lot here and that adds to the difficulty. That being said, I love this race and I embrace the challenge. We’ve had a lot of great success at Lime Rock Park in the past and I expect we’ll be in the thick of it for the win again this year. Coming off of two wins and a podium sweep at CTMP, I think the team has a great deal of momentum going into this weekend. If Robert and I can keep up our string of wins, we have a real shot at getting ourselves back in the championship fight."
Robert Wickens: "After a great few weeks I am looking forward to getting back to business at Lime Rock. This June/July stretch was always going to be an important time of the season with 3 races in 4 weeks. Thankfully the entire 33 car has been performing well and we are hoping to keep this string of good results going this weekend at Lime Rock."
#54 Universal Coating Elantra N TCR
2022: Best Start: 3rd Best Finish: 1st Ranked: 8th 1220 pts.
Michael Johnson: "I'm very excited to get back racing in Connecticut at Lime Rock! I got my first professional win (2018) here so it is always a special place for me. I've always enjoyed the flow and short lap times. Let's get another win!"
Stephen Simpson: "I love this track and the intensity it requires. Nothing would be better than to get another victory here with Michael at Lime Rock Park."
#77 Elantra N TCR
2022: Best Start: 1st Best Finish: 7th Ranked: 13th 1020 pts.
Mason Filippi: “Looking forward to getting to 'The Bullring.' Lime Rock is a fun, fast track in our TCR cars, and dealing with traffic and strategy due to the short, high-speed lap is tricky. Tyler and I are hoping for a strong end to our season. We've got qualifying down, we have the speed, just searching for a good race result."
Tyler Maxson: "I always look forward to Lime Rock Park. The fast track provides for some of the best racing all season long as it is a high-speed chess match. While it is important to be fast, it is more important to position yourself for a chance to attack in the final thirty minutes of the race. We have proven our pace in qualifying throughout 2022, and will look to continue that, but also top the podium for both Bryan Herta Autosport and Hyundai. A win or podium this weekend can really go a long way in helping finish our 2022 season strong”
#98 Elantra N TCR
2022: Best Start: 1st Best Finish: 1st Ranked: 2nd 1300 pts.
Harry Gottsacker IV: "Lime Rock is a race that is one of the biggest tests for drivers, cars, and crew. It is typically one of the hottest races we have all year and there is no time to take a break on such a short track. The racing is typically elbows out and that fits with how the 2022 IMSA TCR season has been. We keep getting better with our #98 Elantra N TCR and we want to keep putting it on the podium and fighting for wins."
Parker Chase: "Looking forward to rolling off at Lime Rock on Friday morning. With the track being only a mile and a half, I think the competition will be tight and mixed up a lot with the GS cars similar to what we saw at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. The championship is getting tight, so the rest of the season is going to be about staying out of trouble and maximizing results the rest of the year."
Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian
Founded in 2009, Bryan Herta Autosport has grown from a single car Indy-Lights team into a multi-championship winning auto racing franchise. Led by IndyCar and Sports Car star Bryan Herta, Bryan Herta Autosport has won races in every discipline they have entered, including Indy Lights, Indy Car, Global Rallycross, and championship titles in Pirelli World Challenge and IMSA.
BHA rose to prominence after winning the 2011 Indianapolis 500 in what was the final race of the Centennial Era, a celebration of 100 years of racing at The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with driver Dan Wheldon. Five years later, BHA partnered with Andretti Autosport, and defied the odds again, winning their second Indianapolis 500 with rookie driver Alexander Rossi. In 2018, BHA entered the American Sports Car scene beginning its immensely successful partnership with Hyundai.
Together, BHA and Hyundai have won four championships in as many seasons, including three consecutive team and driver championships, and two consecutive (2020, 2021) manufacturer's titles in IMSA's Michelin Pilot Challenge. For more information, visit: www.BryanHertaAutosport.com.
BHA/Hyundai Customer Support: Bryan Herta Autosport is the U.S. sales agent and part support representative of Hyundai TCR and TCA race cars for customer teams. The BHA/Hyundai Customer Support Team offers trackside engineering support, setup and tuning advice, and part and order fulfillments for the Hyundai Veloster N TCR and TCA teams and drivers from the BHA’s headquarters in Speedway, IN. Since its North American debut in 2019, the Hyundai Veloster N TCR has scored 27 race wins, and three TCR championship titles.
Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America focuses on ‘Progress for Humanity’ and smart mobility solutions. Hyundai offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles. Our 820 dealers sold more than 620,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2020, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com.
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