David Heinemeier Hansson Finishes Season-Best Fourth Sunday At Utah IMSA GT3 Cup

SALT LAKE CITY, May 2, 2011: David Heinemeier Hansson and Porsche Napleton Racing (PNR) scored their best finish of the 2011 IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama season Sunday at Miller Motorsports Park with a fourth-place finish in the No. 37 Porsche Napleton Racing/37signals Porsche GT3.

Taking the green flag from eighth on the grid, Hansson was able to stay clear of the race-start contact issues that plagued him in the last two races, including yesterday’s opening sprint race at Miller. Hansson quickly moved to the front of the field and ran as high as third before taking the checkered flag in fourth.

“It felt great to finally get a clean start,” Hansson said. “This time the front of the pack was stacked with pros that kept it close but clean. It was a pleasure racing close with (second-place finisher) Brian Wong and (race winner) Tim McKenzie.”

Hansson and the PNR team have had a competitive 37signals Porsche in each of the opening double-header rounds of the 2011 GT3 Cup season but have only been able to race to their full potential twice. They scored a sold sixth in the season-opening race at Sebring in March only to be taken out the following day after competitor contact at the race start. Ironically, contact from the same competitor dropped Hansson and the PNR team from contention at the start of yesterday’s first race at Miller.

Sunday’s race proved to be the best for the first-year team and driver so far although the No. 37 Porsche wasn’t as good as it was at the beginning of the weekend.

“The car wasn't as crisp as earlier in the week, but it was still damn good and was able to last all the way to the end without major drop-offs in lap times,” Hansson said. “Most of the time we were just a couple of tenths off the front guys.”

Sunday’s result was a strong boost for the ever-improving team.

“We are off to a strong start with a new team, new car, new setup, so I can only expect that things will improve from here,” Hansson said.

Next up for the Porsche Napleton Racing/37signals team is Round 3 of the 2011 IMSA GT3 Cup season that will feature races five and six as a featured support series at the Formula One Grand Prix of Canada in Montreal, June 10 – 12.