With rain on the forecast and thunderstorms expected on race day of round eight of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, race fans and drivers alike were treated to a beautiful and surprisingly rain-free Ohio afternoon at the scenic Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
In the Grand Sport class, Matt Bell managed to put the #6 Sunoco Chevy Camaro on pole (breaking the track record in the process) and led the opening laps from the #61 Roush Performance Mustang of Jack Roush Jr. Fourteen laps later, Roush Jr. made a pass to the lead and would hold on to it until the first set of pit stops where he handed the lead over to the #07 Euro Motorworks Porsche 911 of Bryan Sellers.
After Sellers came in for fuel and a driver change, Joey Hand took the lead of the race in the #97 Turner Motorsports BMW M3, but was put under fierce pressure from the #61 Roush Mustang, now being driven by Billy Johnson. Eventually, Johnson got his chance with a hard out-braking pass on Hand into Turn 7. The two made contact, but both managed to stay on the road.
Twenty-three laps later Hand tried a similar out-braking maneuver, but from much further back. The results weren't good. Hand smashed into the side of the Mustang, sending both off track, ending Hand's race in the process. Johnson was lucky enough to limp his Mustang home to the finish. This gifted the lead and the race win to the #41 Porsche 911 of Spencer Pumpelly driving for The Racer's Group. Rounding out the podium was the #44 Magnus Racing Porsche Cayman of Leh Keen and John Potter, third place went to the #48 Fall-line BMW M3 of Charles Espenlaub and Charlie Putnam.
Stay tuned for a recap of the ST race!
For full results check
here
For more pictures check
here and
here
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