2022 Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Official Program

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OFFICIAL PROGRAM PUBLISHED BY

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FEAR LESS. DRIVE MORE. When the pressure of G-forces collides with the pressure to podium, some break. Others push through. Push through the heat of 150-degree cockpits. Through the fatigue of a triple stint. Through the thought of getting on the brakes one millisecond earlier.

The more we drive. The less we fear.

The more we push. The better we get.

RC F GT3 racecar shown. Trademarks shown are those of their respective owners. ©2022 Lexus

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lexus.com/motorsports @LexusRacingUSA @VasserSullivan

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TABLE OF CONTENTS M A Y

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LEXUS GRAND PRIX AT MID-OHIO 2022 OFFICIAL PROGRAM

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Focal Point

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Welcome Letters

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Cross Pollination: Technology Transfers Both Ways in IMSA Racing

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That's a Wrap... Or Is It?

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IMSA Car Classes

23

Wickens' Return to Racing Inspires on All Levels

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Mid-Ohio and MX-5 Cup are a Match Made in Heaven

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Four Classes and 34 Cars are Entered to Race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

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Entry lists

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Hone your Skills at Mid-Ohio

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Spot Ten

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Map

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Schedule

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FOCAL

POINT PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHARD DOLE // IMSA MEDIA

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

CAMERA NIKON D5

EXPOSURE 1/2000 sec. at f/7.1

FOCAL LENGTH 70.0 mm

#12: VasserSullivan Lexus RC F GT3, GTD: Frankie Montecalvo, Zach Veach

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ISO 400

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Cooper® Discoverer®

Rugged Trek™

THESE TIRES ARE MADE FOR THE STREET. AND SOMETIMES THAT STREET’S A RIVERBED.

©2022 Cooper Tire & Rubber Company. All Rights Reserved.

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WELCOME TO THE 2022 LEXUS GRAND PRIX AT MID-OHIO! On behalf of our entire team at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2022 Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio!

Sportscar racing is what we were founded on, and we can’t think of a better way to kick off the season. We’d also like to welcome Lexus and their local Ohio dealers to the Mid-Ohio team and truly appreciate their support of this event and look forward to working with them for years to come.

We have a world-class event in-store for you this weekend and hope you enjoy yourself while at the track. Several different IMSA sportscar classes will be competing for Mid-Ohio bragging rights all culminating with the Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race on Sunday afternoon.

Don’t forget that this weekend is just getting the action started at Mid-Ohio in 2022! Join us June 24-26 for the Vintage Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio (SVRA & Trans Am), The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented By The All New 2023 Civic Type R, NTT INDYCAR SERIES event July 1-3, the debut of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the O'Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio, July 8-9, and, of course, the iconic AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 22 - 24.

We look forward to seeing you at the races all summer!

Craig Rust President, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

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IMSA THANKS OUR 2022 PARTNERS

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GREETINGS IMSA RACE FANS, On behalf of the France family and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), it is our honor to welcome you back to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and the Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio.

Sunday’s two-hour, 40-minute headline race features the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, which is known as the pinnacle of professional North American sports car competition. The picturesque circuit here at Mid-Ohio will offer the perfect showcase, not only for the race fans in attendance, but also for the live television audience watching on USA network.

This race will feature four WeatherTech Championship classes representing a host of world-class manufacturers. Sleek Daytona Prototype international (DPi) machines will be battling from the Keyhole to the Esses to the Carousel for overall wins for the final time prior to next year’s highly anticipated debut of the new GTP class featuring state-of-the-art new prototypes.

The LMP2 class brings even more high-tech prototypes with Pro-Am driver lineups and outstanding race teams, while a robust field of hungry racers in LMP3 will offer up even more prototype action.

And the Pro-Am GTD class featuring a wide variety of exotic sports cars from many world-class manufacturers cannot be overlooked. The WeatherTech Championship’s most populous class returns to battle not only for the season-long title, but also WeatherTech Sprint Cup honors.

You won’t want to miss Saturday’s headliner either, the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, featuring production-based race cars in a two-hour, high-speed traffic jam. And there’s even more racing where that came from, including a pair of Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires races and the IMSA Prototype Challenge returns for Round 2 on its 2022 schedule with a one-hour, 30-minute battle on Sunday morning.

We are proud to showcase a motorsports experience unlike any other where fans can get up close and personal with the drivers, teams and cars. Our paddock is open to all ticketholders and you won’t want to miss the all-driver autograph session in the WeatherTech Championship paddock Sunday morning!

Make sure to obtain one of our Fan Guides which are available throughout the facility. They contain illustrations of each race car in the field to determine who’s who on the racetrack. You’ll also notice digital displays on all WeatherTech Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge race cars. These inform you where each is running in its class throughout a race.

Be sure to download the IMSA app for live Timing & Scoring, onboard cameras and up-to-the-minute news and information.

And whenever you can’t be with us at the racetrack, be sure to tune into NBC Sports’ outstanding coverage on the NBC and USA television networks or streaming on Peacock.

Thank you again for joining us this weekend!

Ed Bennett

John Doonan

CEO

President

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STAFF LISTING

GREEN SAVOREE RACING PROMOTIONS

STAFF Kim Green Chairman & CEO Kevin Savoree President & COO

OFFICIAL PROGRAM

MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE

STAFF

Nathan Savoree Accounting

Craig Rust President

Ryan Cash, Kathy Nolan, Craig Kersey, Chad Seufert, Matthew Borkan Sales & Client Services

Stephen Timms, Dave Schwall, Deven Keady, Nathan Young, Weston Bell, Kris Boatwright, Nathan Long, Spencer Prill Operations & Facility

Michael Morrisey Executive Vice President & CFO

Brian Sipes Safety

Jeff Atkinson Vice President, Sales and Marketing

Paul Alterio Security Dr. Alice Frazier, M.D. Medical Dave Howard, Sue Leach, Lynda Oxenfeldt Race Control

115 - 42 Industrial St. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4G 1Y9 EXECUTIVE

Tim Rutledge Group Publisher & CEO

Mike Raven, Tammi Sipes, Gwen Duff y, Anita Karklins, Tiona Howard Ticketing & Box Office Cindy Loomis Catering Services Sonny Gee, Scott McKinley, Max Gee The Mid-Ohio School John Fippin Lead Public Address Announcer

SALES + ADMINISTRATION

Anna Rutledge Special Projects Editor

Randi Bentia Audience Development Manager

Adam Gordon Associate Editor

Richard Robles Director, Client Services

George Webster Motorsport Editor

Jason Redmond Motorsport Marketing Manager

DESIGN + PRODUCTION

IMAGE CREDITS

Queue Gonzalez Creative Director

IMSA Media, GSRP, Ignite Media/Mazda Motorsports

Patrick Dinglasan Production / Senior Art Director

STORY CREDITS

Patrick Beltijar Senior Art Director Julia Neukom Intern

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Steve Bidlack, Jenna Hood, Jack Carney Marketing & Communications

EDITORIAL

Edward Shintani Senior Art Director

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Mark Robinson, IMSA Media, GSRP ADVERTISING

sales@ppmghq.com Phone: (416) 922-7526 Toll Free: 1-800-667-7223 www.ppmghq.com

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PRESENTED IN PART BY YOUR LOCAL PARTICIPATING LEXUS DEALERS

WELCOME TO THE LEXUS GRAND PRIX AT MID-OHIO Time to enjoy one of the greatest tracks in North American racing! We’re thrilled to announce this year’s Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio will be presented in part by your local participating Lexus dealers. Race teams from all over the globe—as well as many passionate Lexus owners and race fans—will travel to Mid-Ohio this weekend to experience world-class racing at this iconic circuit.

The Mid-Ohio course holds great significance to the Lexus Racing program as it marked the first-ever win in North America for the Lexus RC F GT3. Lexus has since gone on to win three consecutive races here, narrowly missing a fourth straight victory in 2021. In just five years of racing in GT3 competition, Lexus has quickly made Mid-Ohio feel like home. The Vasser Sullivan race team is eager and ready to bring Lexus back to the podium again in 2022.

We hope you enjoy a weekend full of thrilling racing action and look forward to delivering a great race experience for every guest in attendance.

RC F GT3 racecar shown. Trademarks shown are those of their respective owners. ©2022 Lexus

lexus.com/motorsports

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@LexusRacingUSA

@VasserSullivan

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CROSS POLLINATION:

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS BOTH WAYS IN IMSA RACING R Manufacturers Have Applied Numerous Road Car Developments to Their Race Cars

BY DAVID PHILLIPS

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acing improves the breed. It’s a mantra nearly as old as motorsports.

Be it the first use of a rearview mirror on the Marmon Wasp piloted to victory in the inaugural Indy 500 by Ray Harroun, the disc brakes developed in the heat of competition in the 1950s, race-inspired independent suspension, keyless ignitions, composite materials and scores of other examples, innovation has beat a path from the track to the showroom. Even today’s most humble daily drivers bristle with technologies introduced and developed on the world’s racetracks.

And yet, such is the pace of contemporary automotive technology that the cross polli-

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nation between track and road is very much a two-way street. For example, ABS (antilock braking system) was, if not commonplace, widely available on passenger cars in the ’80s before finding its way into racing thanks, in part, to the reluctance of sanctioning bodies to take any element of the control of the car out of the driver’s hands (or in this case, feet) in favor of on-board computers. Indeed, to this day ABS is only permitted in the GT Daytona (GTD) and GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) classes of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship.

But that doesn’t mean technology developed on road cars is nowhere to be found on IMSA grids. In a pleasingly ironic twist, for example,

the rearview cameras found on the Chevrolet Corvette CR.8s are based on the technology initially developed for road-going ‘Vettes. Take that, Mr. Harroun!

And those Daytona Prototype international (DPi) Acura ARX-05s campaigned by Meyer Shank Racing and Wayne Taylor Racing? Their 3.5-liter turbocharged V-6s are derived from the production “J35” engine found in several Honda/Acura production vehicles (e.g., the Honda Ridgeline, Honda Pilot and Acura MDX).

Not surprisingly, examples of technologies and gadgetry flowing from road cars to race cars are most often found in IMSA’s various GT categories, which feature than a dozen

automotive manufacturers in GTD and GTD PRO categories of the WeatherTech Championship as well as the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) and Touring Car (TCR) classes.

For instance, although Hyundai has enjoyed great success with its Veloster N TCR (sweeping the top three Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR spots in 2020), the marque added the Elantra N TCR to its quiver starting last season. The Elantra features production-based electric power steering and turbo/wastegate systems complementing its two-liter, turbocharged I-4 engine-based powertrain that is almost entirely production-derived.

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2022 SCHEDULE INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY JANUARY 27-30 1 DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY MARCH 16-19 2 SEBRING BEACH STREET CIRCUIT APRIL 8-9 3 LONG RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA APRIL 29 - MAY 1 4 WEATHERTECH SPORTS CAR COURSE MAY 13-15 5 MID-OHIO RACEWAY AT BELLE ISLE PARK JUNE 3-4 6 THE

GLEN INTERNATIONAL JUNE 23-26 7 WATKINS TIRE MOTORSPORT PARK JULY 1-3 8 CANADIAN ROCK PARK JULY 15-16 9 LIME AMERICA AUGUST 5-7 10 ROAD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY AUGUST 26-28 11 VIRGINIA RACEWAY ROAD ATLANTA SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 1 12 MICHELIN

LEARN MORE AT IMSA.COM

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Even Porsche – where race cars are designed concurrently with their road car siblings (and vice versa), and the 911 GT3 Cup and 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport road and race cars were debuted to the public at the same time – utilizes the road car to race car technology transfer model at times. Case in point: The air conditioner used on the 911 GT3 R (featured in both GTD and GTD PRO) is pulled from Porsche’s road cars and adapted to the racing environment.

Although the GT classes may hold a substantial lead over the prototypes in the road car to race car technology transfer sweepstakes of 2022, that balance figures to change next year.

With the debut of hybrid powertrain technology in the new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class, the manufacturers already committed (Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Porsche) will inevitably apply the lessons learned and, in many cases, the technology already available in new car showrooms to the prototypes that will set the overall pace in IMSA beginning with the 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

And while that trend figures to accelerate as more manufacturers join the GTP ranks in the coming seasons, inevitably, innovation will also flow from the hybrid race cars to the hybrid road cars of the future in what amounts to a case study of how racing improves the breed. Still.

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THAT’S A WRAP. . .

OR IS IT?

While More IMSA Teams Are Using Vinyl Wraps to Display Car Designs, Traditional Painted Liveries Still Exist … and Win

BY DAVID PHILLIPS

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erhaps the most endangered species in motorsports in recent years has been the bodywork painter of race cars. For as their cost and weight have come down, vinyl body wraps – essentially car-sized decals covering the entire bodywork – have increasingly become in vogue throughout the IMSA paddocks.

And why not? In an age when primary, secondary and associate sponsorships can shift race to race, market to market, it makes sense to be able to change a race car’s livery almost as quickly as mechanics can change a windshield tearaway during a pit stop.

“There are so many what are called ‘repurposed paint job’ races – the reliance on individual partners to be featured at individual races,” says Mike Hull, Chip Ganassi Racing’s managing director. “You’ll have an event at say Sebring and then the very next weekend they’re racing with

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“A wrap is definitely less time-consuming and somewhat more cost-effective.”

a totally different livery or partner, and you can change the wrap in the field, so to speak.”

Speaking of in the field, when bodywork has been bent, folded and/or mutilated during an incident in practice or qualifying, wraps enable teams to present their cars with a pristine appearance on race day that same weekend.

“If your bodywork gets roughed up, you just basically pull off the wrap and put another one straight on, whereas with painting you have to go through a whole range of steps if you want to refresh it,” says Bryan Herta Autosport team manager Phil Howard. “A wrap is definitely less time-consuming and somewhat more cost-effective.”

Wrapping also enables teams to create and readily duplicate intricate liveries. Take, for example, two of IMSA’s most distinctive looks of late: Pfaff Motorsports’ silver and “tartan” GTD PRO Porsche 911 GT3R and Era Motorsports’

“crayon” Le Mans Prototype 2 car, the latter featuring a design created by young race fan Owen McEachern. Faithfully painting Owen’s design on Era’s ORECA LMP2 07 would have been nigh onto impossible. And yet, Era ran a wrap of that livery in the 2021 Rolex 24 At Daytona, reverted to a more conventional look for the balance of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship schedule and then reprised the crayon wrap for the Motul Petit Le Mans season finale.

And if slightly less impossible than duplicating the crayon livery, it would have been tedious in the extreme to paint that tartan plaid on the Pfaff Porsche, let alone its spare body panels.

“I don’t think you find many cars in GTD painted,” says Steve Bortolotti, Pfaff Motorsports’ general manager. “Given all the intricate body work, wraps are just easier to work with. “(Our) wrap is actually a red vinyl that the plaid is printed on. Then we add the silver. We

have templates for the car that we’ve had a few years now, so we’re pretty familiar with the process, which makes it go a lot quicker. The company we use – C17 media – can bang it out in about a day. It’s still a lot of work applying because the patterns have to line up. I’ve tried to do repairs of my own from time to time and made an absolute mess of it, so we leave it to the pros.

It’s a simple matter of having a roll of the wrap tucked away in the trailer if we need it.”

But for all the advantages of wraps, paint can still be found on the IMSA grids, and in victory lane. For example, the overall win in the 2022 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts went to Ganassi’s No. 02 Cadillac DPi-V.R. Make that, CGR’s “painted” No. 02 Cadillac DPi. “Cadillac wanted to create the branding image that everyone saw at Daytona and Sebring,” Hull explains. “We thought we could do a really

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good job of getting the feel they wanted if we painted them the first time around. And there was a lot of work put into that by our paint shop.

They really relished the opportunity because we don’t do a lot of painting at the moment. So, it was refreshing to see the appearance of the cars and how professionally they were presented based on what Cadillac wanted us to achieve, together with them.

“We may wrap the cars as time goes on, it’s hard to say, but the cars looked terrific on the racetrack and we had a lot of compliments off the racetrack, so it was a great exercise for us.”

Although wraps are in the ascendancy, don’t shed too many tears for the painters. While many race teams outsource the creation of their wraps to the same services responsible for some of the gaudy liveries sported by commercial vehicles you see on the street, many teams that once had a dedicated paint shop and painters have transitioned their facilities and personnel to wrapping. Because, for all the talk about the ease and efficiency of wrapping, as much preparation goes into prepping a race car for a wrap job as a paint job.

The next time you attend an IMSA race, look behind the pit boxes and you’ll see replacement noses, wings and tail sections stacked two and three deep. Wrapped or painted? Only a seasoned observer (or a member of the team) can say for sure.

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WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP

CAR CLASSES

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship features two styles of cars – Prototype, which showcases the latest automotive technology and are uniquely designed for the racetrack, and Grand Touring, which is based on road-going production models. These two styles of cars make up the series’ five classes – Daytona Prototype international (DPi), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3), GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and GT Daytona (GTD).

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o help fans follow the on-track action, the WeatherTech Championship uses a Leader Light System.

It allows fans to easily identify the position of each car in its respective class. The position of the car is displayed on an LED panel mounted on the side of the car and the color of the LED number corresponds with the class.

For instance, an illuminated LED red number 5 on a GTD PRO style car means that car is in 5th position in the GTD PRO class.

DAYTONA PROTOTYPE INTERNATIONAL (DPI) The fastest and most technologically advanced sports cars in North America, the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) is specifically designed and engineered for the race track. DPi cars use chassis built to international specifications powered by engines from mainstream automotive manufacturers like Acura, Cadillac and Mazda. In addition, DPi bodywork includes styling cues that align with these engine manufacturers.

LE MANS PROTOTYPE 2 (LMP2) The Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) is a closed-cockpit car developed by four approved constructors. In addition to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, LMP2 cars are eligible to compete in other global series such as the FIA World Endurance Championship, which includes the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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LE MANS PROTOTYPE 3 (LMP3) The Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) is an entry level closed cockpit car developed by four approved constructors. In addition to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, LMP3 cars are also eligible to compete in the IMSA Prototype Challenge – one of IMSA’s driver development series – as well as other international series such as the European Le Mans Series (ELMS).

* GTD PRO not racing at Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio

GT DAYTONA PRO (GTD PRO) GTD PRO will include race cars built to FIA GT3 technical regulations. GTD PRO offers the opportunity for factory teams and driver lineups to compete in the class. More info coming soon!

GT DAYTONA (GTD) The GT Daytona cars are enhanced (not defined by) technology and utilize the global FIA-GT3 specification. The GTD class consists of cars from leading manufacturers such as Acura, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, and Porsche.

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Keep your engine Keep your younger forengine longer younger for longer

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WICKENS’ RETURN TO RACING INSPIRES ON ALL LEVELS Paralyzed Driver Says There’s More to Come after Podium Finish in First Michelin Pilot Challenge Race

BY JEFF OLSON

D

eep in the comments of one of Robert Wickens’ Instagram posts is one from someone he’s never met: You’re so inspirational.

It could have been any of the 319 comments on a workout video viewed more than 33,000 times. Like many of the comments, inspiration is the theme.

Wickens didn’t intend to be an inspirational figure. He didn’t share the agony, challenges and progress of his rehabilitation or the photos of his wedding, standing with his wife Karli, for clicks.

The original intent, however, has been achieved.

“My wife and I didn’t publicly share our recovery journey just to get comments or attention,”

Wickens explained. “We did it to try to raise awareness for what spinal cord rehabilitation looked like. We didn’t expect the ripple effect of how it would inspire people.”

It has inspired people, again and again. His return to racing last month became the story of the days leading up to the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

His posts of a third-place finish in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race drew tens of thousands of views and thousands of comments. Always, inspiration emerged as the primary topic.

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“You don’t expect to really have that big an influence on somebody,” Wickens said. “I didn’t become a race car driver to influence or motivate, but it’s the power of the sport. I’ve always believed that my voice is in my work. I’m not a particularly over-spoken person, but I always like to lead by example and by showing that hard work will always pay off.”

In ways that can’t be measured by clicks and comments, his hard work has paid off. Forty-one months after a crash left him paralyzed, Wickens is racing again. His story isn’t his as much as everyone’s, a contact point for understanding and motivation and hope.

“I’m just one of thousands who deal with spinal cord injuries every day,” Wickens said. “It just so happens that I have a relatively strong platform to share the journey.”

‘IT’S SOMETHING BIGGER THAN RACING’

A Formula One test driver in 2011, Wickens further established his professional career during six seasons in Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), posting six wins and twice finishing among the top five in championship points. A promotional ride swap at Sebring between Wickens and fellow Canadian James Hinchcliffe in 2017 eventually led to Wickens signing with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports for the 2018 IndyCar Series season.

In his first race, Wickens won the pole position at St. Petersburg, then led 69 of 110 race laps before contact on the final restart ended his chance at a win. He finished among the top five in seven of the next 12 races. But his car went airborne at Pocono Raceway and tore into the fence, leaving Wickens with severe injuries: a thoracic spinal fracture, a spinal cord injury, a neck fracture, fractures to the tibia and fibula in both legs, fractures in both hands, a fractured right forearm, a fractured elbow, four fractured ribs and a pulmonary contusion.

Months of rehab followed as Wickens attempted to regain movement in his legs, but his recovery eventually reached a plateau. He talked with Bryan Herta, whose Michelin Pilot

Challenge team was fielding a car with hand controls for paralyzed driver Michael Johnson in the Touring Car (TCR) class.

“I’m not regaining any more muscle function,” Wickens said after signing with Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian in January.

“Unfortunately, it’s looking like I’ll be in a chair for the remainder of my life as long as modern medicine and science stays where it is.”

That’s when the enormity of the attention surrounding Wickens’ story became clear to Herta.

Before and after Wickens and teammate Mark Wilkins finished third in the Touring Car (TCR) class in the No. 33 BHA Hyundai Elantra N TCR, Wickens was the center of attention at Daytona, followed by reporters and fans and a camera crew filming a documentary.

“The reaction we had rivaled the amount of interest in the overall winner in the 24-hour race – that’s how big it was,” Herta said. “You can’t explain that in any other way than it transcends racing.

“Anybody who was even tangentially interested in motorsport knew about it at the time.

You connect to it. You imagine if that was you

or someone you cared about. It’s just a natural human thing to put yourself in that position and try to relate to and understand what that really means. Somebody’s life changed in a moment, and the life of everybody around them has changed.”

True, Wickens’ life has changed. Also, in a significant way, it is back to normal.

“It was exactly what I needed,” Wickens said of Daytona. “I say this is just the beginning because my goal is to return to an elite level of motorsport, to a level I was at prior to my injury.”

Herta is there – along with everyone else in racing – to make that happen.

“We’re all emotionally invested in this,” Herta said. “We’ve got six cars and 12 drivers, and we want them all to be successful. We try to put our best effort into all of them. But with Robby, it’s emotional.”

Wickens understands the notion of emotional investment; he’s been emotionally invested in his own career since he was a kid in karts. He didn’t expect the attention he’d receive for this part of his career, though. Neither did Herta.

“It’s a redemption story, a comeback that everybody can feel good about and see some kind of positive in,” Herta said. “There’s not an end to the story yet. To see him overcome and provide hope is what it is.

“We all hope that we can overcome challenges in our lives. To see somebody like Robby overcome a challenge far greater than any of us can ever face, on the human side it just gives you hope. If he can get through that, I can get through whatever it is in my life that’s holding me back right now.”

LEXUS GRAND PRIX AT MID-OHIO

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MID-OHIO AND MX-5 CUP ARE A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN T Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has been a fixture of the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires since the series made its debut in 2006. The classic road course has all the qualities needed to create spectacular door-to-door racing in this spec series.

he Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup is known for close racing, lots of drafting and incredible finishes. The catalyst for these amazing 45-minute races is the MX-5 Cup car. It’s the same road-going Mazda Miata you can buy at a dealership, only after these leave the assembly line in Japan, they head to Flis Performance in Daytona Beach, Florida, to be converted into a true race car. Several components on the car are sealed to ensure even competition and a cost-saving platform.

Coming into Mid-Ohio with the Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship lead is Indiana driver Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering).

So far, Thomas is the only driver with multiple wins this season; winning Round Two at Daytona International Speedway and Round Three in St. Petersburg.

It’s only a 20-point lead for Thomas over Selin Rollan (No. 87 Hixon Motor Sports) who is the most recent race winner and was a winner at Mid-Ohio last year. Both Thomas and Rollan

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are former recipients of the Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout Scholarship.

Each year Mazda holds a competition for amateur Mazda racers to help them go pro in MX-5 Cup. The overall winner receives a scholarship to compete in MX-5 Cup valued at $110,000, a runner-up scholarship valued at $75,000 is also awarded, plus one female racer receives the Mazda Women in Motorsports Initiative Scholarship, also valued at $75,000.

The current $110,000 scholarship winner is Connor Zilisch, a 15-year-old so talented he’s been picked up by NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick’s management team. Look for Zilisch in the No. 72 Hixon Motor Sports car making physics-defying moves at the front of the field.

Zilisch, along with fellow Mazda scholarship recipients Bryce Cornet (No. 65 Hixon Motor Sports) and Laura Hayes (No. 22 Thunder Bunny Racing) are part of a talented crop of rookie drivers all vying for the $80,000 Rookie of the Year prize. However, it wouldn’t be shocking to see one of these gifted newcomers take home the $250,000 year-end championship purse that goes to the series champion.

It was a rookie who took a race win at MidOhio last year: Chris Nunes (No. 32 Formidable Racing) didn’t get to celebrate the win, however, since he was on an airplane when it was revealed that the winner on track was underweight and therefore disqualified, promoting Nunes to the win. He hasn’t seen the top step of the podium since and has been eager to remedy that and get a real victory celebration.

The remaining venues on the calendar include Watkins Glen International (June 23 – 26) Road America (July 1 - 3), VIRginia International Raceway (August 26 - 28) and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (September 28 - 30).

All MX-5 Cup races are streamed live on RACER.com and IMSA.com/tvlive. They are then available for on-demand viewing on the RACER and IMSA YouTube channels. For more information about MX-5 Cup visit www.mx-5cup.com.

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FOUR CLASSES AND 34 CARS ARE ENTERED TO RACE AT MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE Here are some storylines to watch this weekend:

FOUR CLASSES IN ACTION:

Four of the five WeatherTech Championship classes will compete at Mid-Ohio, led by the top-tier Daytona Prototype international (DPi) class. Also joining the action will be Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3), the ultra-competitive GT Daytona (GTD) class and Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) making its return to Mid-Ohio for the first time since 2019. In all, 26 cars are entered.

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LEXUS DOUBLES UP IN GTD:

Lexus takes on the title sponsorship role at Mid-Ohio this year and is maximizing its presence on the racetrack. The manufacturer has entered one car each in the GTD and new GTD PRO classes this season, but since GTD PRO is not part of the Mid-Ohio program, Lexus has shifted both its Vasser Sullivan entries to GTD for this race. The drivers of the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 that normally competes in GTD PRO have found past success at Mid-Ohio. Jack Hawksworth and Richard Heistand teamed to win in GTD in 2019. Hawksworth followed that a year later with a GTD victory alongside Aaron Telitz, who shares the No. 12 Lexus with Frankie Montecalvo this season.

LEWIS JOINS NTE/SSR LAMBORGHINI SQUAD:

Jaden Conwright, driving in the No. 42 NTE/ SSR Lamborghini Huracán GT3 this season — and the first IMSA Diverse Driver Development scholarship recipient — is paired with an experienced Lamborghini driver at Mid-Ohio. Corey Lewis has raced in a Lamborghini in all but one of his previous 44 WeatherTech Championship starts, including wins in the 2018 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts and the 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

PARITY RULES:

Through the first four events of the 2022 season, of the four classes competing at Mid-Ohio, only one team – the No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R in GTD – has won its class more than once. The points battles in each of the four classes racing at Mid-Ohio bear that out.

No leader in DPi, LMP2, LMP3 or GTD has an advantage of more than 31 points – essentially the difference between a first- and second-place race finish. In fact, the DPi standings see a tie at the top between the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 and the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Acura.

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ENTRY LIST

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

DAYTONA PROTOTYPE iNTERNATIONAL #

Drivers / Nationality

Team

Sponsor

Car Type

01

(G) Renger van der Zande (P) Sebastien Bourdais

NLD FRA

Cadillac Racing

Cadillac V-Performance Academy

Cadillac DPi

02

(P) Earl Bamber (P) Alex Lynn

NZL GBR

Cadillac Racing

Cadillac Accessories

Cadillac DPi

5

(G) Tristan Vautier (P) Richard Westbrook

FRA GBR

JDC Miller MotorSports

Mustang Sampling / Cadillac / Galp / Misahara

Cadillac DPi

10

(P) Ricky Taylor (P) Filipe Albuquerque

USA PRT

Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05

Konica Minolta

Acura DPi

31

(P) Pipo Derani (G) Tristan Nunez

BRA USA

Whelen Engineering Racing

Whelen Engineering

Cadillac DPi

60

(P) Oliver Jarvis (P) Tom Blomqvist

GBR MCO

Meyer Shank Racing W/Curb-Agajanian

AutoNation / SiriusXM / Arctic Wolf

Acura DPi

LE MANS PROTOTYPE 2 (LMP2) #

Drivers / Nationality

Team

Sponsor

Car Type

8

(B) John Farano (G) Louis Deletraz

CAN CHE

Tower Motorsport

Tower Events

ORECA LMP2 07

11

(B) Steven Thomas (G) Jonathan Bomarito

USA USA

PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports

TAFS

ORECA LMP2 07

18

(B) Dwight Merriman (G) Ryan Dalziel

USA GBR

Era Motorsport

Motul / Mechanix Wear

ORECA LMP2 07

20

(B) Dennis Andersen (S) Anders Fjordbach

DNK DNK

High Class Racing

Polar Handtools / Polar Seafood / Mascot Workwear / HRX / Motul / Skaarup / Ceramic Speed / Stobag / Wexler / ATS /

ORECA LMP2 07

52

(S) Josh Pierson (B) Patrick Kelly

USA USA

PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports

End ALZ

ORECA LMP2 07

81

(B) Henrik Hedman (P) Juan Pablo Montoya

USA COL

DragonSpeed USA

ORECA LMP2 07

LE MANS PROTOTYPE 3 (LMP3) #

Drivers / Nationality

Team

Sponsor

Car Type

7

(B) Mark Kvamme (S) Trenton Estep ( < 30)

USA USA

Forty7 Motorsports

Drive Capital

Duqueine D08

13

(B) Orey Fidani (G) Kuno Wittmer

CAN CAN

AWA

Orlando Corp / OMP / Sonic Tools / Racing Spirit / Urbinco / Westrock / Motul / Projekt / C17 Media

Duqueine D08

30

(B) Ari Balogh (G) Garett Grist

USA CAN

Jr III Racing

AirBnB / S2 Cyber

Ligier JS P320

33

(G) Joao Barbosa (B) Lance Willsey

PRT USA

Sean Creech Motorsport

Exelixis / Focal One / Alta

Ligier JS P320

36

(S) Jarett Andretti ( < 30) (S) Josh Burdon ( < 30)

USA AUS

Andretti Autosport

Gallant / Window World

Ligier JS P320

38

(B) Dan Goldburg (S) Rasmus Lindh ( < 30)

USA SWE

Performance Tech Motorsports

Cardio Access / CSCI / Care Evolution / AIG Technologies

Ligier JS P320

54

(B) Jon Bennett (G) Colin Braun

USA USA

CORE Autosport

Crowdstrike / Motul / FLEX-BOX

Ligier JS P320

58

(S) Dakota Dickerson ( < 30) (B) Josh Sarchet

USA USA

MLT Motorsports

74

(S) Gar Robinson ( < 30) (G) Felipe Fraga

USA BRA

Riley Motorsports

34

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Ligier JS P320

Th

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GT DAYTONA #

Drivers / Nationality

Team

Sponsor

Car Type

1

(G) Bryan Sellers (S) Madison Snow

USA USA

Paul Miller Racing

TOTAL Lubricants / UIS and Paul Miller Auto Group

BMW M4 GT3

12

(S) Frankie Montecalvo (G) Aaron Telitz

USA USA

VasserSullivan

16

(B) Ryan Hardwick (G) Jan Heylen

USA BEL

Wright Motorsports

17

(G) Jack Hawksworth (B) Richard Heistand

GBR USA

VasserSullivan

Lexus RC F GT3

27

(S) Roman De Angelis (P) Maxime Martin

CAN BEL

Heart of Racing Team

Aston Martin Vantage GT3

28

(S) Michael de Quesada (S) Daniel Morad

USA CAN

Alegra Motorsports

Navisec Cyber Security / GT Motorcars

Mercedes-AMG GT3

32

(S) Mike Skeen (S) Stevan McAleer

USA GBR

Team Korthoff Motorsports

Herb Korthoff

Mercedes-AMG GT3

39

(S) Robert Megennis (G) Jeff Westphal

USA USA

CarBahn with Peregrine Racing

Accel / Menlo / DataRobot / Palantir / SailPoint / Optimizely

Lamborghini Huracan GT3

42

(S) Jaden Conwright (S) Corey Lewis

USA USA

NTE/SSR

Southwest Funding / Gas Monkey Garage / Dropup / Fuquette

Lamborghini Huracan GT3

51

(G) Ryan Eversley (S) Aidan Read

USA AUS

Rick Ware Racing

Nurtec ODT

Acura NSX GT3

57

(S) Russell Ward (G) Philip Ellis

USA CHE

Winward Racing

Techemet / First Horizon / Exxon Mobil

Mercedes-AMG GT3

70

(B) Brendan Iribe (G) Jordan Pepper

USA ZAF

inception racing

96

(S) Robby Foley (G) Bill Auberlen

USA USA

Turner Motorsport

Lexus RC F GT3 1st Phorm / Mountain Motorsports / Una Vida Tequila

Porsche 911 GT3R

McLaren 720S GT3 Turner Motorsport / LiquiMoly / Barletta Engineering

BMW M4 GT3

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ENTRY LIST

idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich

MAZDA MX-5 CUP #

Drivers / Nationality

Team

Sponsor

2

R Maximilian Opalski / Conifer, CO

Copeland Motorsports

5

Gresham Wagner / Williamsburg,VA

Spark Performance

7

R Matt Curry / Washington, D.C.

Copeland Motorsports

08

Michael Carter / Savannah, GA

Carter Racing Enterprises

Coach's Corner

13

Jenson Altzman / Phoenix, AZ

McCumbee McAleer Racing

Vervantis / AERO Marketing

15

R Aidan Fassnacht / Madison, NJ

McCumbee McAleer Racing

Sword Performance

21

R Bruno Carneiro / Salt Lake City, UT

Hixon Motor Sports

Rodizio Grill

22

R Laura Hayes / Wilton, CA

Thunder Bunny Racing

23

R Glenn McGee / Tampa, FL

JTR Motorsports Engineering

24

Aaron Jeansonne / San Francisco, CA

Spark Performance

27

R Dante Tornello / St Petersburg, FL

Hixon Motor Sports

Kart4Kids

28

Sam Paley / Villa Hills, KY

McCumbee McAleer Racing

Eclipse / ECSM / Red Team Ventures

31

R Jameson Riley / Darien, CT

Copeland Motorsports

32

Chris Nunes / San Diego, CA

Formidable Racing

Kicker Performance Audio

33

Alex Bachoura / Houston, TX

Spark Performance

Summerwood Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

36

David Staab / Trophy Club, TX

Slipstream Performance

Haynes & Boone, LLP / Liqui Moly / OMP/ Hardway Classic Cars / Velocity Mazda

37

R Michael Staab / Inola, OK

Slipstream Performance

Hardway Classic Cars / OMP / Velocity Mazda / Haynes Boone

39

R John Jodoin / Barrington, IL

McCumbee McAleer Racing

LSC Development

43

R Joey Atanasio / Windermere, FL

Formidable Racing

Dentmax of Orlando

48

Rossi Lee / San Antonio, TX

Spark Performance

51

Tyler Gonzalez / St. Cloud, FL

Copeland Motorsports

55

Moisey Uretsky / Miami, FL

McCumbee McAleer Racing

65

R Bryce Cornet / Norman, OK

Hixon Motor Sports

Mazda Motor Sports

69

R Anthony McIntosh / Milwaukee, WI

JTR Motorsports Engineering

Global Power Components

72

R Connor Zilisch / Mooresville, NC

Hixon Motor Sports

Mazda Motorsports / Apex Storage

76

Matthew Dirks / Johnstown, CO

McCumbee McAleer Racing

80

R Ethan Tyler / Chicago, IL

Hixon Motor Sports

82

Woody Heimann / Findlay, OH

JTR Motorsports Engineering

Woodco Distributing / Troybuilt

87

Selin Rollan / Orlando, FL

Hixon Motor Sports

Austin Hatcher Foundation

89

Justin Piscitell / Wingdale, NY

McCumbee McAleer Racing

Matty's Light

96

Jared Thomas / North Vernon, IN

JTR Motorsports Engineering

JTR Motorsports Engineering

Global Power Components / iRacing

R INDICATES DRIVER IS A ROOKIE

36

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ENTRY LIST IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge

GRAND SPORT # 6 7 8 09 11 12 14 21 22 40 43 46 56 59 60 64 65 71 72 83 93 95 96 877

Drivers / Nationality

Team

Sponsor

Car Type

Tom Long / Fort Mill, SC

Forbush Performance

CMR Construction and Roofing / Zignyl

Toyota Supra GT4

Alan Brynjolfsson / Tampa, FL Trent Hindman / Ocean Township, NJ Andrew Davis / Athens, GA Michael McCann / Canton, OH Ramin Abdolvahabi / Palm Bch Gardens, FL Rob Ecklin / Lancaster, PA Gary Ferrera / Littleton, CO Kris Wilson / Golden, CO Manny Franco / Milwaukee, WI Josh Hurley / Livermore, CA Alfredo Najri / Santo Domingo, DR Andy Jakos / Buenos Aires, Argentina Anton Dias Perera / Memphis, TN Scott Andrews / Torquay, Australia Nick Galante / Greenfield, MA Sean McAlister / Beverly Hills, CA James Pesek / Harrisonville, MO Chad McCumbee / Shallotte, NC Sean Quinlan / Palo Alto, CA Gregory Liefooghe / San Francisco, CA Hugh Plumb / Unionville, PA Matt Plumb / Chadds Ford, PA Kenton Koch / Charlotte, NC Eric Foss / Fort Worth, TX Bob Michaelian / Seal Beach, CA Billy Johnson / Boynton Beach, FL Luca Mars / Sewickley, PA Nate Stacy / Owasso, OK Ted Giovanis / Highland, MD Owen Trinkler / Nashville,TN Brent Mosing / Lafayette, LA Tim Probert / Houston, TX Frank DePew / Richmond, VA Robin Liddell / Edinburgh, Scotland Kenny Murillo / Santa Rosa, CA Christian Szymczak / Oakland, CA Thomas Collingwood / St. John's, NL Spencer Pumpelly / Atlanta, GA Mark Siegel / Palo Alto, CA Tyler McQuarrie / Danville, CA Bill Auberlen / Lake Havasu City, AZ Dillon Machavern / Charlotte, VT Robby Foley / Randolph, NJ Vincent Barletta / Canton, MA Sheena Monk / Newtown, PA Kyle Marcelli / Toronto, ON

Volt Racing

Aston Martin Vantage GT4

McCann Racing

McCann Plastics / NeoMag / Yeti coolers

Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS

Automatic Racing

Stoner Car Care, Invisible Glass, Melbourne BMW, End Alzheimers, Rogue Engineering

Aston Martin Vantage GT4

Capstone Motorsports

Skillsoft

Mercedes-AMG GT GT4

Corsa Horizon with mc Squared

Aston Martin Vantage GT4

Riley Motorsports

Toyota Gazoo Racing Latin America / Purdy Group / Delta Commercial / YPF

Toyota Supra GT4

Riley Motorsports

Bluff City Racing / JDRF / Centrix

Toyota Supra GT4

HARDPOINT

Legistics / Racing to End Alzheimer's

Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS

PF Racing

Ford Mustang GT4

Stephen Cameron Racing

BMW M4 GT4

TeamTGM

JKTGFoundation.org / #HealthInnovation

Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS

Murillo Racing

Mosing Motorcars

Mercedes-AMG GT GT4

KOHR MOTORSPORTS

RACE FOR RP

Ford Mustang GT4

KOHR MOTORSPORTS

Allegheny Ford Truck / Race For RP

Ford Mustang GT4

TeamTGM

JKTGFoundation.org / #HealthInnovation

Murillo Racing Rebel Rock Racing

Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS Mercedes-AMG GT GT4

Urban Grid

Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R

Murillo Racing

Mercedes-AMG GT GT4

BGB Motorsports

Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS

CarBahn with Peregrine Racing

Menlo / Accel

Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS

Turner Motorsport

LiquiMoly / Barletta Engineering

BMW M4 GT4

Turner Motorsport

LiquiMoly / Barletta Engineering

BMW M4 GT4

JG Wentworth Racing

by PF Racing

Ford Mustang GT4

TOURING CAR #

Drivers / Nationality

Team

1

Michael Lewis / Laguna Beach, CA Taylor Hagler / San Antonio, TX AJ Muss / Rumson, NJ Ryan Norman / Estero, FL Roy Block / Winter Park, FL Tim Lewis / Boca Raton, FL Eric Rockwell / Colts Neck, NJ Denis Dupont / Montreal, QC Chris Miller / Minneapolis, MN Mikey Taylor / Pretoria, South Africa Rory van der Steur / Chesapeake City, MD Tyler Gonzalez / St. Cloud, FL Mark Wilkins / Mulmur, ON Robert Wickens / Guelph, ON TBD Mat Pombo / Atlanta, GA Tristan Herbert / Great Falls, VA TBD Michael Johnson / Mount Morris, MI Stephen Simpson / Cape Town, South Africa Gavin Ernstone / Las Vegas, NV Jon Morley / San Francisco, CA Mike LaMarra / Brighton, MI Ryan Eversley / Atlanta, GA Mason Filippi / Alamo, CA Tyler Maxson / Bogart, GA Steve Eich / Marysville, OH Chad Gilsinger / Marysville, OH Parker Chase / New Braunfels, TX Harry Gottsacker / San Antonio, TX Victor Gonzalez / Trujillo Alto, PR Karl Wittmer / Montreal, QC

Bryan Herta Autosport w/ Curb Agajanian Bryan Herta Autosport w/ Curb Agajanian

2 5 15 17 19 33 37 44 54 61 73 77 89 98 99

KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering

Sponsor

Car Type

Hyundai Elantra N

Hyundai Elantra N TCR Hyundai Elantra N TCR

Alfa Romeo of Daytona / Hammer Nutrition / AERO

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR

Belgard & Techniseal Racing

Audi RS3 LMS DSG

Unitronic JDC-Miller MotorSports

Liqui Moly

Audi RS3 LMS SEQ

VAN DER STEUR RACING

EFC Systems Inc

Hyundai Veloster N TCR

Bryan Herta Autosport w/ Curb Agajanian

Hyundai Elantra N

Hyundai Elantra N TCR

LA Honda World Racing

Honda Civic FK7 TCR

NGP Motorsports

New German Performance/Densification Inc./Liqui Moly

Audi RS3 LMS DSG

Michael Johnson Racing w/ Bryan Herta Autosport

Universal Coating

Hyundai Elantra N TCR

Road Shagger Racing

Clear Title / Simply Vegas / Streamline Home Loans

Audi RS3 LMS SEQ

LA Honda World Racing

Honda Civic FK7 TCR

Bryan Herta Autosport w/ Curb Agajanian

Hyundai Veloster N TCR

HART (Honda of America Race Team)

Honda / Aero / H&R / Red Line Oil

Honda Civic FK7 TCR

Bryan Herta Autosport w/ Curb Agajanian

Hyundai Elantra N

Hyundai Elantra N TCR

Victor Gonzalez Racing Team - VGRT

Fiebruz Motorsport / HPD / Sector 5 Motorsport

Honda Civic FK7 TCR

INDICATES ENTRY IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE BRONZE CUP LEXUS GRAND PRIX AT MID-OHIO

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ENTRY LIST IMSA Prototype Challenge

LE MANS PROTOTYPE 3 (LMP3) #

Drivers / Nationality

Team

Sponsor

Car Type

3

(S) Courtney Crone / Corona, CA (B) Terry Olson / Gainesville, GA

Jr III Racing

Bob Stallings Hyundai / Myobrace / S2 Cyber

Ligier JS P320

6

(B) Dan Goldburg / Delray Beach, FL (S) Oscar Bitar / San Juan Bautista Misiones, Paraguay

Performance Tech Motorsports

CSCI

Ligier JS P320

9

(B) Gerry Kraut / North Oaks, MN (S) Stephen Simpson / Cape Town, South Africa

JDC MotorSports

14

(S) Parker Thompson / Red Deer, AB (B) Lance Willsey / Chestnut Hill, MA

Sean Creech Motorsport

Exelixis / Focal One / Alta Equipment Co

Ligier JS P320

AWA

Agritainer / Mantella Autosport / OMP / Sonic Tools / Motul / Projekt / C17Media

Duqueine D08

17

(B) Anthony Mantella / Toronto, ON

Duqueine D08

18

(B) Mark Kvamme / Columbus, OH (S) Dillon Machavern / Charlotte, VT

Muehlner Motorsports America

H&R Das Fahrwerk / H&R Special Springs

Duqueine D08

21

(B) Bob Doyle / Branford, CT (S) Moritz Kranz / Linz am Rhein, Germany

Muehlner Motorsports America

H&R Das Fahrwerk / H&R Special Springs

Duqueine D08

23

(B) Memo Gidley / Sausalito, CA (S) Alexander Koreiba / Branson, MO

JDC MotorSports

AL Autosport

Duqueine D08

AirBnB / S2 Cyber

Ligier JS P320

30

(B) Ari Balogh / Charlotte, NC (B) Thomas Merrill / Salinas, CA

Jr III Racing

40

(B) Keith Grant / Germantown, TN (B) David Grant / Germantown, TN

JDC MotorSports

Duqueine D08

44

(B) Tony Ave / Hurley, WI

Ave Motorsports with GRS

Ligier JS P320

46

(B) Steve Scullen / Hingham, MA (S) Danny Formal / San Jose, Costa Rica

CT Motorsports LLC

Fidelity

Duqueine D08

47

(B) Jon Brownson / Breckenridge, CO (S) Dario Cangialosi / Chester, NJ

Forty7 Motorsports

Westridge Homes / 4EverYoung - Anti Aging Solutions

Duqueine D08

54

(B) Jason Rabe / Forestburgh, NY (S) Tyler Maxson / Bogart, GA

MLT Motorsports

Michael L. Thompson DDS

Ligier JS P320

57

(B) John Saurino / Tulsa, OK (S) Josh Saurino / Tulsa, OK

OPHANIM MOTORSPORTS

iRacing.com

Ligier JS P320

60

(B) Tonis Kasemets / Mundelein, IL

Wulver Racing

61

(B) George Staikos / Toronto, ON (S) Hanna Zellers / Granger, IN

Ave Motorsports with GRS

77

(B) Brian Thienes / Huntington Beach, CA (S) Patrick Kujala / Mäntsälä, Finland

O'Gara Motorsport / Change Racing / USRT

Ligier JS P320 Staikos Homes / GMS Excavating / Corum

Ligier JS P320

Ligier JS P320

INDICATES ENTRY IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE BRONZE CUP

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Trim: 7.875" W x 10.75" H • Bleed: .125" • Live: .25"

WE ENGINEERED THE QUIT OUT OF IT At OPTIMA® Batteries we build and test every battery in the world’s most advanced facility. Everything that goes in guarantees you get the most out — on the track, the trail, the water … anywhere ultimate power, performance and reliability are needed.

LEARN MORE AT OPTIMABATTERIES.COM

WATCH HOW QUALITY IS MADE

A CLARIOS BRAND

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© 2022 CLARIOS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

4/19/22 10:18 AM 2022-05-12 8:47 PM

HONE YOUR SKILLS AT MID-OHIO WITH PROGRAMS FOR EVERY KIND OF DRIVER You’ve been to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course a hundred times, but never have you had the chance to drive on track. Here’s your opportunity! The Mid-Ohio School has specialized courses for all types of drivers from the least experienced to the most experienced, and even options for sportbike riders.

FOR TEENAGERS: > Teen Defensive Driving Providing driving techniques not found in a typical drivers' education classroom, the Teen Defensive Driving Program puts young, inexperienced drivers behind the wheel to learn skills that will be used for a lifetime. Students practice collision avoidance techniques, loss of control recovery skills, bad weather maneuvers through emergency lane change, wet braking, and skid car drills.

On select dates, Double-Up Days will provide two students (teens and/or adults) the life saving skills provided in a traditional Teen Defensive Driving Program for one price. Many parents sign up for the Double-Up Day, so they can participate and also bond with their teen.

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FOR EXPERIENCED DRIVERS: > High Performance Course Learn why your vehicle performs the way it does and how to maximize that performance on the street for more driving enjoyment and to be prepared for any emergency situation.

This course covers the physics and dynamics of precision driving then tests participant skills behind-the-wheel in intense off-track performance driving drills. The highlight of this entry level program includes an hour-long, on-track lapping session at day's end. Participants will also spend time driving the Honda S2000 roadster on an autocross course. > Advanced High Performance Course Attack the same course that challenges the world’s top racers by breaking it down into smaller segments and repeatedly practicing those segments.

Refine your new high performance skills, learn more precise lines and apply these during highspeed cornering and lead-follow lapping drills.

LEXUS GRAND PRIX AT MID-OHIO

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The final step to open lapping includes instructor rides and passing drills before taking the green flag for several hours of open lapping with controlled passing. All driving instruction takes place on the racetrack! > Lapping Program Want more track time? We all do! The Lapping Program is the one for you. You will spend a full day lapping Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and see why the track is called the "Most Competitive in the U.S." The highly experienced instructors will teach you not only the fastest way around Mid-Ohio, but also the race craft to get you to the checkered flag first! > Open Test and Tune: Street Cars Have you always wanted to get your street-legal car on the track at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course? This is your least expensive option! Each group will receive approximately three 20-minute Lead/Follow or Open Lapping sessions, depending on driver skill levels and track conditions. No SUVs, vans, or trucks are eligible to participate.

FOR RACERS: > Open Test and Tune: Race Cars Get some track time at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in your competition car! Perfect for testing that new build, scrubbing some tires, calibrating the brakes, and fine tuning your qualifying and race setups.

FOR MOTORCYCLE ENTHUSIASTS: > Performance Track Riding Get on the track with your sportbike! Novice, Intermediate and Advanced riders are encouraged to participate. Our coaches will aid you in cornering skills, visual skills, body position, throttle control, steering input, lean angle and entry speed. Work on line selection and traction management and brush up on track flags and terminology.

Find something you want to try? Learn more and enroll at midohioschool.com!

LEXUS GRAND PRIX AT MID-OHIO

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10

DIFFERENCES

ALTERED

ORIGINAL

SPOT THE

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TRACK MAP

Bridge REMOVED. No crossing access.

Bridge OPEN. Walk over access.

Bridge REMOVED. No crossing access.

Bridge REMOVED. No crossing access.

Bridge OPEN. Walk over access.

Bridge OPEN. Walk over access.

LEXUS GRAND PRIX AT MID-OHIO

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EVENT SCHEDULE FRIDAY, MAY 13 Time

Series

Session

Michelin Pilot Challenge

Practice 1

11:50 AM - 12:20 PM

Mazda MX-5 Cup

Practice 1

12:45 PM - 1:45 PM

Michelin Pilot Challenge

Practice 2

2:05 PM - 2:50 PM

Prototype Challenge

Practice 1

3:10 PM - 3:40 PM

Mazda MX-5 Cup

Practice 2

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Practice 1

5:50 PM - 6:05 PM

Michelin Pilot Challenge - TCR

Qualifying

6:10 PM - 6:25 PM

Michelin Pilot Challenge - GS

Qualifying

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

SATURDAY, MAY 14 Time

Series

Session

8:10 AM - 8:40 AM

Mazda MX-5 Cup

Qualifying 1

9:00 AM - 10:45 AM

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Practice 2

11:05 AM - 11:50 AM

Protoype Challenge

Practice 2

12:10 PM - 12:55 PM

Mazda MX-5 Cup

Race 1

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Qualifying

2:30 PM - 3:00PM

Mazda MX-5 Cup

Autograph Session

2:40 PM - 2:55PM

Prototype Challenge

Qualifying

3:00 PM - 3:20 PM

Car Corral

Parade Laps

3:10 PM - 3:55 PM

Michelin Pilot Challenge

Open Grid/Fan Walk

Mid-Ohio 120 - Michelin Pilot Challenge

Race

1:15 PM - 2:20 PM

4:05 PM - 6:05 PM

SUNDAY, MAY 15 Time

Series

Session

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Warm-up

Prototype Challenge

Race

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Autograph Session in Paddock

Mazda MX-5 Cup

Race 2

12:10 PM - 12:30 PM

Lexus Car Corral Parade Laps

Parade Laps

12:35 PM - 12:55 PM

Mid-Ohio Car Corral

Parade Laps

12:55 PM - 1:50 PM

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Open Grid/Fan Walk

2:10 PM - 4:50 PM

Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Race

8:40 AM - 9:00 AM

9:20 AM - 10:55 AM 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

11:15 AM - 12:00 PM

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL TIMES ET.

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19_PASMAG_CHALLENGER_CVR.pdf

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CompRT ® Subwoofers Thin-mount. Big bass

©2019 STILLWATER DESIGNS

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PHOTOS by Not Stock Photography

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