Michelin Pilot Challenge

Hyundai Victorious at Home Event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

Posted on by Katie Brannan
15
May
  • Mark Wilkins and Mason Filippi Win the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120
  • Bryan Herta Autosport Teammates Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker Earn Second Place Result
  • Hyundai Sees Four Elantra N TCR Finish in Top Six Positions
  • Wilkins and Filippi Take Drivers’ Championship Points Lead
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., May 15, 2023 – Hyundai Motor America won at the manufacturer’s home event as Mark Wilkins and Mason Filippi took the checkered flag to win the 2023 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (IMPC). Piloting the No. 98 Hyundai Elantra N TCR for Bryan Herta Autosport, Wilkins and Filippi battled for the lead of the two-hour event with BHA teammates Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker before the No. 98 held the lead off the field after halfway-point pitstops. Reigning 2022 IMPC Drivers’ Champions Taylor Hagler and Michael Lewis finishing sixth.
With Saturday’s victory at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Wilkins and Filippi now assume the lead of the IMPC Drivers’ Championship points standings after three rounds of competition. “Winning at Hyundai’s home race always adds some inspiration,” said Mark Wilkins. “I know I felt that when we won a few years ago. So, coming in today I knew we had a good car. Mason did such a good job and we’ve had so much support from everybody, and our guys just executed. Great result for Hyundai and a great result for Bryan Herta Autosport. So excited for the next one!”
Driving together for the first time in 2023, the pair have finished on the podium in each of the first three races. “We just won here at Hyundai’s home race at Laguna Seca,” said Mason Filippi. “Not only do we have the whole country supporting us from Hyundai USA, but also really cool to see how many N owners we had out here. We talked to so many today, it was really awesome.”
Hyundai’s Team USA comprisedof Taylor Hagler, Michael Lewis, Harry Gottsacker and Mason Filippi – now all head across the globe to Germany for the final chapter of their journey to the ADAC TotalEnergies 24H Nürburgring endurance event. The ADAC TotalEnergies 24H Nürburgring begins on Thursday, May 18th, with practice and qualiyfing sessions before the the green flag drops on the ADAC TotalEnergies 24H Nürburgring race at 4pm CEST on Saturday, May 20, 2023. Watch the action live on motorsport.tv.
  • Top Finishing Hyundai: First place for the No. 98 Hyundai Elantra N TCR driven by Mark Wilkins and Mason Filippi
  • Top Qualifying Hyundai: Second place for the No. 98 Hyundai Elantra N TCR driven by Mark Wilkins and Mason Filippi
  • Hyundai takes the lead in the manufacturer’s standings with 970 points. Honda is second with 940 points, Audi third (930) and Alfa Romeo fouth (910 points).
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 830 dealers sold more than 724,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2022, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com.
Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok
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Mark Wilkins and Mason Filippi, drivers of the No. 98 Hyundai Elantra N TCR Bryan Herta Autosport celebrate a victory alongside Bryan Herta Autosport teammates Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker, drivers of the No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR, in second place at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Ca., May. 13, 2023 (Photo/Bryan Herta Autosport/LAT)
Hyundai became the official vehicle of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in 2023. Above the BHA Elantra N TCR cars on track with the Elantra N pace car. Below: Hyundai owners drive the legendary WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in their personal Hyundai vehicles. More than 130 Hyundai Elantra owners from California, Arizona and Nevada attended the Motul Course de Monterey Powered by Hyundai N.
#1 Hyundai Elantra N TCR
2021 and 2022 Drivers/Team CHAMPIONS
2023 Stats:
Started: 8th Finished: 6th Rank: 7th (740 pts)
Taylor Hagler: “Another race in the books. We have been consistent all year and today showed that. I felt good during my stint and pushed the No. 1 Hyundai as hard as I could to gain positions. Every race that we collect points is a good race, but we want to be on the podium. Every race that we aren’t, the desire builds to get back there and build an attack for the championship. Congratulations to the team for a double podium finish!”
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Michael Lewis: ‘Great pitstop, great strategy, great car and a great job by Taylor for going long and making the tires last in stint 1. We were in the fight and battling hard. The drive through penalty put us behind a bit, but it’s racing and we’ll move forward. Congrats on the 1-2 for the team adn for Hyundai at their home race!”
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#33 Elantra N TCR
2023 Stats:
Started: 3rd Finished: 2nd Rank: 2nd (850 pts)
Harry Gottsacker IV: “We had a great Hyundai Elantra N TCR at Laguna Seca and everything came together for a strong finish in P2. It was nice to put our #33 out front for a long time in front of the Hyundai crowd. We are so close to getting that first win of the season and will keep pushing!”
Robert Wickens: “What a great day for Hyundai. A 1-2 finish at their home race is a great reward for a lot of hard work. Another P2 for Harry and I, we are doing all the right things but keep coming up a little short. Massive congrats to Mason and Mark for controlling the race beautifully. We need to keep this momentum going in to Watkins Glen and try to do one better.”
#98 Elantra N TCR
2023 Stats:
Started: 2nd Finished: 1st Rank: 1st (890 pts)
Mason Filippi: “We just won here at Hyundai’s home race at Laguna Seca! Not only do we have the whole country supporting us from Hyundai USA, but also really cool to see how many N owners we had out here. We talked to so many today, it was really awesome.”
Mark Wilkins: “Winning at Hyundai’s home race always adds some inspiration. I know I felt that when we won a few years ago. So, coming in today I knew we had a good car. Mason did such a good job and we’ve had so much support from everybody, and our guys just executed. Great result for Hyundai and a great result for Bryan Herta Autosport. So excited for the next one!”
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 five championships in as many seasons, including four consecutive team and driver championships, and three consecutive (2020, 2021, 2022) 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 830 dealers sold more than 724,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2022, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com.
Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok
Images: www.BHAMedia.com – Image copyright @LATUSA
Video: Subscribe to the BHA YouTube channel for video updates, Interviews and features from each race weekend: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdpjGo7dEuzYazs2ioBMVPQ/videos
Katie Brannan

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