2020 IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge
Mid-Ohio 120 Double-Header
September 25-27, 2020
Rounds: 6 & 7 of 10 in the 2020 Michelin Pilot Challenge
Racetrack: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Mansfield, OH
2.258-mile road course, featuring 13 turns
Race 1: Saturday, September 26, 2020 at 1:05 pm ET (10:05 am PT) (2 Hours)
Race 2: Sunday, September 27, 2020 at 10:35 am ET (7:35 am PT) (2 Hours)
TV: LIVE on NBC Gold Track Pass
Live timing and scoring from each session available at www.IMSA.com
Live radio commentary for every session at www.IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com
BHA FAST FACTS:
Sweet Ohio Memories: Bryan Herta Autosport scored their first IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race when Michael Lewis and Mark Wilkins finished first in the #98 Hyundai Veloster N TCR. Combined, the BHA line-up of phenomenal drivers have won 9 races at Mid-Ohio.
Road Trip: Mark Wilkins has taken up a new form of travel to the race events this year. He will drive the all-new 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid to Mid-Ohio. “This has been a season of road trips for me. I love driving and I’ve had a unique opportunity to sample some of Hyundai’s finest new vehicles. I took the Palisade to Road America and more recently have been racking up the miles on the all-new Sonata Hybrid! I look forward to my drive to Mid-Ohio, the car is really nice to drive and I think of it as a long practice session on the way to the race event. I definitely push it to its paces! The mileage with the hybrid is absolutely phenomenal, it’s 730 miles round trip and I should be able to do it on about a tank and a half of fuel, less than $40”
Five in a Row? The Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Veloster N TCR cars have led 258 of the 391 (65%) laps raced in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (IMPC) this season. Three of the four cars have won a race, including the last four races, and every BHA car has finished on the podium at least once. The BHA Hyundai’s are currently ranked first (#33), second (#21), third (#98) and 11th (#29) in the championship. Hyundai leads the manufacturers championship by 17 points over Audi and has a 22-point lead over Honda and Alfa Romeo.
Young Guns: Parker Chase (19) and Spencer Brockman (20) made their IMPC debut in the #29 Vertical Bridge Hyundai Veloster N TCR when IMSA returned to racing after the quarantine at Sebring. The duo has wasted no time getting up to speed in their Hyundai Veloster N TCR, they have finished on the podium the last three races in a row. Parker set the fastest lap in the four-hour race in Atlanta earlier this month and they’ve led 39 laps so far this season.
Bryan’s View: “Mid-Ohio was a breakout weekend for us last year as Michael and Mark scored our first IMSA win as team there. So, coming back to a track that was really a launching point for us is exciting. The Ohio fans always give us a warm welcome, we are looking forward seeing them this weekend.”
#33 Hyundai Veloster N TCR
Drivers: Gabby Chaves and Ryan Norman
Best Start: 1st Best Finish: 1st Championship: 1st (146 points)
- The #33 car has led every race this season, 177 total laps led, more than any other car.
- An Ohio native, Ryan Norman grew up in Cleveland.
Gabby Chaves: “I am super excited and focused after a small break coming off our win at Road Atlanta. This doubleheader at Mid-Ohio will be really important for us in the championship fight. I can’t wait to get back on track with Ryan and the 33 Veloster N TCR and do our best to keep the streak going for Hyundai!”
Ryan Norman: “Having grown up in Cleveland, racing at Mid-Ohio is always really special for me, but this year probably more than ever. Heading into the doubleheader as the championship points leader is exciting. Mid-Ohio is certainly one of my favorite tracks, I’ve got lots of wins and podiums there and plan to add a few more this weekend and hopefully extend our championship lead in the #33 Hyundai Veloster N TCR.”
#21 Hyundai Veloster N TCR
Drivers: Harry Gottsacker and Mark Wilkins
Best Start: 1st Best Finish: 1st Championship: 2nd (144 points)
- Mark Wilkins (and former co-driver Michael Lewis) are the defending IMPC race winners at Mid-Ohio.
Harry Gottsacker: “The schedule for this weekend will be an interesting one with two race events in one weekend, knowing how strong the Veloster N TCR handles on a track like Mid-Ohio gives me a lot of confidence going into the doubleheader. It will be busy for sure, but it is a track that I really enjoy and look forward to each season. We had a great car last year and Mid-Ohio and I felt like it was one of my standout races of the 2019 season. Mark and I are ready to bounce back from our issues at Road Atlanta and fight for the championship!”
Mark Wilkins: “What’s better than one race at Mid-Ohio? Two! Our first victory for the Veloster N TCR in IMPC took place at Mid-Ohio last year, so needless to say I’m excited to get back there and even more excited for two races and copious amounts of track time! It’s a huge weekend for points with results likely setting the stage for the balance of the season.”
#98 Hyundai Veloster N TCR
Drivers: Mason Filippi and Michael Lewis
Best Start: 3rd Best Finish: 1st Championship: 3rd (141 pts)
- Michael Lewis (and former co-driver Mark Wilkins are the defending IMPC ace winners at Mid-Ohio.
Mason Filippi: “I can’t think of anything better than the Mid-Ohio Double Header! The Hyundai Veloster N TCR was amazing there last year, it is the type of track that really suits the Veloster with tight, twisty sections. I had a really good start there passing multiple cars on the green flag last year. It was definitely one of those moments that stands out in my mind from last season and I know this year we will be even better. It will be awesome doing two back to back races and I can’t wait to battle for the win on Saturday and Sunday.”
Michael Lewis: “We are at the halfway mark in the season, and as a team, we’ve been scoring many manufacturer points for Hyundai in our Veloster N race cars. We will keep working hard to get more points for Hyundai and Bryan Herta Autosport during this double-header weekend at Mid-Ohio! We hope to give our fans who watch our races at the track this weekend and on NBC a good show in both races!”
#29 Vertical Bridge Hyundai Veloster N TCR
Drivers: Parker Chase and Spencer Brockman
Best Start: 4th Best Finish: 2nd Championship: 11th (114 points)
- Parker Chase set the fastest lap of the race at the previous round at Road Atlanta.
- Parker and Spencer have finished on the podium three races in a row.
Parker Chase: “Thrilled to get this double header weekend underway at Mid-Ohio. It’s going to be a fun but yet challenging on all of the drivers. Coming off our 3rd straight podium, we have yet to see the top step. Bringing home our first victory at Mid-Ohio is certainly our main goal and it will be very rewarding to do so.”
Spencer Brockman: “It’s been a few years since I raced at Mid-Ohio and I can’t wait to hit the track in the Veloster N. The car is perfectly suited for this type of track. We’ve had a fast car at every race so far, this weekend should be no different. The podium has been good to Parker and I since we started in IMPC in July, yet we are still 11th in points. It’s a tight battle and another couple of podiums this weekend in the Vertical Bridge Hyundai should push us to the top-five.”
