Lexington, OH – The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series held its first-ever doubleheader race weekend, competing at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Typically a spring race that features rain and colder temperatures, perfect racing weather greeted the rescheduled event. Bryan Herta Autosport’s 4-car Hyundai Veloster N TCR team raced over 150 laps each over the 2.2-mile, 13 turn road course.
Spencer Brockman and Parker Chase led the Hyundai’s on Saturday, finishing fourth in the #29 Vertical Bridge Veloster N TCR, which catapulted the young guns from 11th to sixth in the championship. Gabby Chaves and Ryan Norman led the way on Sunday in Race 2, where they finished second and extended their championship lead. Mason Filippi and Michael Lewis earned a pair of top five finishes and bumped up one position in the standings to second. Previous points leaders Harry Gottsacker and Mark Wilkins are due for better luck in the coming races as the #21 car finished outside of the top five the last three races because of situations beyond their control.
With three races remaining in the 2020 IMPC championship, Hyundai leads the manufacturers standings. BHA returns to action at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in the Fox Factory 120 on October 16.
#29 Vertical Bridge Hyundai Veloster N TCR
Drivers: Parker Chase and Spencer Brockman
Race 1: Saturday, September 26, 2020
Qualified: 9th (Chase) Finished: 4th
Parker Chase: “It was fun to start for the first time in the Hyundai Veloster N TCR. I had a good start, I passed a couple of cars in the first few laps, then made my way up to as high as second before turning it over to Spencer who raced hard. It was a good points day for us, and it should have pushed us up into the top-ten and we'll fight for the win tomorrow."
Spencer Brockman (finished): "I'm pretty happy with the result. After starting ninth, we ended up fourth and scored very valuable points for Hyundai today. Parker was awesome out there in the first stint, he did a great job getting the car up the field and the BHA boys were quick in the pits. It was fun to turn around and jump back in the car tonight to qualify. It was really different out there at dusk, but fun."
Race 2: Sunday, September 27, 2020
Qualified: 8th (Brockman) Finished: 6th
Spencer Brockman (finished): "It wasn't the best stint for me, I got held up in the back a little bit and Mid-Ohio is a tough place to pass. I worked hard to manage my tires and we got lucky and caught an early yellow right as we were getting ready to pit. The #29 Vertical Bridge crew gave us a quick stop and Parker finished it out from there. The BHA boys worked their tails off this weekend, three 12-hour plus days in a row at the track, huge shout out to them."
Parker Chase: “It was a hectic one. I had quite a bit of contact with another car, not sure why he felt like he needed to push me around out there, but I defended the line and took care of the #29 Veloster N TCR the best I could. The contact definitely damaged our set-up a little bit, which ultimately affected our pace. When that happens, you've got to keep your eye on the big picture and bring it home in the points. Sixth isn't the result we were racing for, but we took a big leap forward in the championship this weekend, so I am pleased about that for Hyundai and the #29 team."
Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian:
Founded in 2009, Bryan Herta Autosport has grown from a single car Indy-Lights team into a 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 Rally Cross, 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 Pirelli World Challenge in partnership with Hyundai and dominated the TCR class, winning seven races with drivers #98 Michael Lewis and #99 Mark Wilkins in the Hyundai i30N TCR, securing the team and manufacturers championships in the process. In 2019, BHA and Hyundai moved to the IMSA Michelin Sports Car Challenge, and the transition was flawless. BHA swept the series driver and team championships with driver Mark Wilkins and Michael Lewis finishing first in the #98 Hyundai Veloster N TCR and young guns Harry Gottsacker and Mason Filippi finishing second in the #21 Hyundai Veloster N TCR. For 2020, BHA continues its successful partnership with Andretti Autosport fielding the #98 U.S. Concrete Honda w/ Curb Agajanian in the IndyCar series for driver Marco Andretti and a four-car Hyundai Veloster N TCR campaign in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with Michael Lewis and Mason Fillipi (#98), Mark Wilkins and Harry Gottsacker (#21), Gabby Chaves and Ryan Norman (#33) and Parker Chase and Spencer Brockman (#29). Bryan Herta Autosport is the U.S. sales agent and parts support representative of Hyundai TCR race cars for customer teams. For more information, visit www.BryanHertaAutosport.com.
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