SAMAX - Mid-Ohio race

SAMAX/ Doncaster Racing scored its best Rolex Sports Car Series finish of
the season, taking fourth place in the GT class at Mid-Ohio Sports Car
Course on Saturday evening. Dave Lacey and Greg Wilkins, both of Toronto,
combined for a strong performance, despite driving without a clutch for most
of the two-hour 45-minute race.

 

Lacey started the No. 17 SAMAX/ Doncaster Porsche 911 GT3  Cup car ninth on
the 18-car GT grid. He lost ground in the early laps, but moved back up to
seventh in the first hour of the two-hour 45-minute race. Wilkins took over
at 1h7 during a caution period and moved to sixth on the restart. He gained
another position but lost it just before the two-hour mark as he pitted for
a splash of fuel and tires. He regained fifth with five minutes to the
finish and moved to fourth at the checkered flag.

 

The team's next race is at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach,
Fla., a one-day event on June 29, with morning practice, afternoon
qualifying and an evening race.

 

race report

 

time           driver                        action

 

start            Lacey

1h7             Wilkins in                   pit – driver change, tires,
fuel

1h56           Wilkins                      pit – fuel, tires

 

Dave Lacey:  "We started with a few issues at the start. We had a big
vibration before the race even started, during the two warmup laps. Then our
clutch started to go away, so shifting became a real problem, but we drove
through it. Greg did a great job without a clutch. He ran some really quick
times and brought us up to fourth place. We're happy with fourth and we're
on to Daytona with a clean car."

 

Greg Wilkins:  "It was our best finish of the season. Dave did a really good
job – he got knocked back a little bit on the start, then recouped the
positions. We were in seventh place by the time I got in. The car was
handling pretty well; we got by a few guys and had a good strong run, we
were consistent and the times were pretty good. I ran my fastest [lap] times
of the weekend. Fourth place – not bad, I'm pretty happy about that."

 

online

 

samaxmotorsport.com

 

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Sylvia Proudfoot
HYPERLINK "mailto:sylvia@spurcom.ca"sylvia@spurcom.ca
403 287 3945