Corvette Racing didn’t quite get the finish they were hoping for at Road America this weekend. A hectic race and number of unfortunate incidents contributed to the team finishing sixth and seventh in the GT Le Mans class.
A tough qualifying session on Saturday put the team’s No. 3 and No. 4 C7.Rs near the back of the grid for the start of the race. Oliver Gavin was the quickest Corvette driver with a lap of 2:04.650 in the No. 4 car he shares with Tommy Milner, putting them in sixth for the start. Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 car set a best lap of 2:04.738, putting him even further back in eighth.
Upon the start of the race, Milner and Garcia were bounced around in a frantic field of cars. The Corvette Racing team strategically called both cars in early to put for two tires and fuel, but any ground they may have made up was undone when Garcia hit a piece of debris on the track, puncturing his tire. Milner meanwhile had to serve a one-minute penalty after leaving pit lane when the exit was closed.
The second half of the race was less action-packed and Gavin even managed to make his way up to fifth, however a run-in with another car moved him back towards the bottom of the grid.
It may not have been the 1-2 victory Corvette Racing wanted, but the result was enough for Magnussen and Garcia to hold onto their lead in the GTLM driver’s championship. Chevrolet also sits in first in the manufacturer standings for the series, while the No. 3 car is still winning the team championship.
The next race of the Tudor United Sport scar Championship, the Oak Tree Grand Prix on August 24 at Virginia International Raceway, will be crucial for Corvette Racing if they wish to hold onto their lead.
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