Photos by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
Harry Gottsacker and Parker Chase, drivers of the #98 Elantra N TCR won the Mid-Ohio 120 on Saturday. It was a back-to-back victory at Mid-Ohio for Chase, and his second career TCR victory. Chase qualified and started the race in fourth, Gottsacker took over mid-way and raced to the checkers. Gottsacker typically qualifies and starts the race, known as a master qualifier, he recently broke the series record for pole positions. Although it was his fifth TCR victory, it was Gottsacker’s first time taking the checkers from the drivers’ seat.
The victory was the third for Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA) and Hyundai at Mid-Ohio, the first win for BHA and Hyundai since Laguna Seca 2021, and the 15th victory for BHA since joining the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2019.
Defending series champions and current series points leaders, Taylor Hagler and Michael Lewis finished second, scoring their third podium in four races this season. Hagler and Lewis have a 130-point lead over the second-place #19 Hyundai Veloster N TCR of van der Steur Racing.
Until the final five minutes, it looked like BHA might be poised for all six team entries finishing in the top eight positions. Misfortunes struck in the closing laps relegating Ryan Norman in the #2 Elantra N TCR from second to ninth, Tyler Maxson in the #77 Veloster N TCR from fourth to eighth, and Robert Wickens in the #33 Elantra N TCR from fifth to 11th. The #54 Elantra N TCR of Michael Johnson and Stephen Simpson ran strong early, but two pitlane speed violations forced them to the back of the field, Simpson tallied a seventh-place finish, their fourth consecutive top-ten result this season.