-
Home
-
Latest Headlines
-
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
-
Latest Headlines: NASCAR
-
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
-
Latest Headlines: Moto-Racing
-
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
GRAND-AM
GRAND-AM: Roush Wins CTSCC At Mid-Ohio
Billy Johnson, Jack Roush Jr. pick up Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge win at Mid-Ohio...
Roush Performance's Billy Johnson and Jack Roush Jr. picked up top honors in Saturday's CTSCC race. (Photo: Brian Cleary/GRAND-AM)
An aggressive fuel strategy played out perfectly for Roush Performance drivers Billy Johnson and Jack Roush Jr. as the Mustang-driving duo returned to the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge GS Class winner’s circle with a run to the front at Mid-Ohio.
The CKS Autosport Camaro of Eric Curran and Lawson Ashenbach finished just .307-seconds behind, while the Rum Bum Racing Porsche of Matt Plumb and Nick Longhi restored some championship momentum with a run to third after having won two races earlier in the season.
Roush Jr. opened the race and turned the car over to Johnson, who took the lead on lap 37 as the rest of the field pitted for fuel. The Roush squad was planning on making a subsequent stop for fuel and tires, but with a total of eight caution periods slowing the field, the calculators were put away as Johnson was able to stretch the track position advantage as the field circulated slowly behind the pace car.
But it wasn’t just a fuel sipping run to the win, as a pair of late-race restarts saw Johnson put the full speed of the Mustang to work, holding off a furious charge from behind. The top 12 cars finished within eight seconds of the race leader.
“These Continental tires were awesome,” declared Johnson. “They held up for us and they held up on the much lighter cars. And that was my biggest worry - these really fast lightweight cars behind us and how it would affect us in the last few parts of the race. We had a great pit strategy and gambled a little bit and it came out to our way. That's what we needed to win it. I don't think it was going to be enough for an all out fight but Brad Francis and Lumpy--our crew chief--did a great job with the pit strategy. It was just a team win. It's great to be able to come out with another win with Jack Jr. and hopefully we'll get back our head of steam for the championship.
“It was pretty stressful there-- I think I just realized I can start breathing again right now!” said Roush Jr. in his SPEED Channel interview. “It's been a challenging year we've had a few mishaps but we have a really strong team and I'm really proud of what the guys did today.”
The ST race also saw a stout three-way battle to the finish line, with Michael Valiante leading the way to the checkered flag in the No. 93 HART Honda Civic Si after his co-driver Chad Gilsinger scored the pole and started the race. The duo finished just over .4-seconds ahead of the “Pombo Combo” of Mark and Mat Pombo in the Kia Forte Koup. Former series champion Adam Burrows closed the race out in third to net his best finish of the season for him and co-driver Andrew Novich, who opened the race from fifth on the grid.
Adding to his Rolex Series racing roster on the day, Jonathan Bomarito edged to the early lead after the team Kia Racing entries made contact with each other. The pole winning HART Civic then retook the point before a series of pit exchanges saw Sarah Cattaneo leading the race for RSR Motorsports. Cattaneo incidentally led the ST class while the CKS Camaro of Ashley McCalmont also led overall. Valiante retook the lead on lap 52, and held strong for the final 24 laps to win in just his second Series start.
“I mean I really have to give it to these guys,” said Valiante, who will also be racing for Spirit of Daytona in the Rolex Sports Car Series race. “It’s not a full time effort – they’re all volunteers and they’ve been putting in so much personal time. In just a couple of races we’ve gone from mid-pack to a front running car so being the home race here I’m so happy for myself and also for the whole team.
“It couldn’t happen at a better place,” said Gilsinger. “This is our home track - Mid-Ohio – and we worked really hard to get make sure we would get a good result here. I have to admit I don’t think we were planning on the top step (of the podium) but we were hoping for at least a top-five and it couldn’t get any better than this.”
With experience at Skip Barber Racing School, Lime Rock Park, and several IndyCar teams, Matt Cleary has covered open wheel and sports car racing for over a decade. Working for Sunday Group Management, Cleary also provides strategic motorsports consulting for a range of clients in the sport. You can follow him on Twitter @sundaygroup
The CKS Autosport Camaro of Eric Curran and Lawson Ashenbach finished just .307-seconds behind, while the Rum Bum Racing Porsche of Matt Plumb and Nick Longhi restored some championship momentum with a run to third after having won two races earlier in the season.
Roush Jr. opened the race and turned the car over to Johnson, who took the lead on lap 37 as the rest of the field pitted for fuel. The Roush squad was planning on making a subsequent stop for fuel and tires, but with a total of eight caution periods slowing the field, the calculators were put away as Johnson was able to stretch the track position advantage as the field circulated slowly behind the pace car.
But it wasn’t just a fuel sipping run to the win, as a pair of late-race restarts saw Johnson put the full speed of the Mustang to work, holding off a furious charge from behind. The top 12 cars finished within eight seconds of the race leader.
“These Continental tires were awesome,” declared Johnson. “They held up for us and they held up on the much lighter cars. And that was my biggest worry - these really fast lightweight cars behind us and how it would affect us in the last few parts of the race. We had a great pit strategy and gambled a little bit and it came out to our way. That's what we needed to win it. I don't think it was going to be enough for an all out fight but Brad Francis and Lumpy--our crew chief--did a great job with the pit strategy. It was just a team win. It's great to be able to come out with another win with Jack Jr. and hopefully we'll get back our head of steam for the championship.
“It was pretty stressful there-- I think I just realized I can start breathing again right now!” said Roush Jr. in his SPEED Channel interview. “It's been a challenging year we've had a few mishaps but we have a really strong team and I'm really proud of what the guys did today.”
The ST race also saw a stout three-way battle to the finish line, with Michael Valiante leading the way to the checkered flag in the No. 93 HART Honda Civic Si after his co-driver Chad Gilsinger scored the pole and started the race. The duo finished just over .4-seconds ahead of the “Pombo Combo” of Mark and Mat Pombo in the Kia Forte Koup. Former series champion Adam Burrows closed the race out in third to net his best finish of the season for him and co-driver Andrew Novich, who opened the race from fifth on the grid.
Adding to his Rolex Series racing roster on the day, Jonathan Bomarito edged to the early lead after the team Kia Racing entries made contact with each other. The pole winning HART Civic then retook the point before a series of pit exchanges saw Sarah Cattaneo leading the race for RSR Motorsports. Cattaneo incidentally led the ST class while the CKS Camaro of Ashley McCalmont also led overall. Valiante retook the lead on lap 52, and held strong for the final 24 laps to win in just his second Series start.
“I mean I really have to give it to these guys,” said Valiante, who will also be racing for Spirit of Daytona in the Rolex Sports Car Series race. “It’s not a full time effort – they’re all volunteers and they’ve been putting in so much personal time. In just a couple of races we’ve gone from mid-pack to a front running car so being the home race here I’m so happy for myself and also for the whole team.
“It couldn’t happen at a better place,” said Gilsinger. “This is our home track - Mid-Ohio – and we worked really hard to get make sure we would get a good result here. I have to admit I don’t think we were planning on the top step (of the podium) but we were hoping for at least a top-five and it couldn’t get any better than this.”
With experience at Skip Barber Racing School, Lime Rock Park, and several IndyCar teams, Matt Cleary has covered open wheel and sports car racing for over a decade. Working for Sunday Group Management, Cleary also provides strategic motorsports consulting for a range of clients in the sport. You can follow him on Twitter @sundaygroup
Road Atlanta
LATEST HEADLINES: AUTO-RACING
-
INDYCAR: Inside IndyCar's New Speed, Safety And Technology Initiative…
INDYCAR's Derrick Walker takes Marshall Pruett through where the… -
PHOTOS: Indy 500 Carb Day 2013
Enjoy a selection of photos from Indy 500 Carb Day, including the… -
VIDEO: Amazing 4-Wide Finish To Indy Lights Freedom 100
Ireland's Peter Dempsey came from fourth at Turn 3 on the last lap… -
INDYCAR: Pagenaud Leads Indy 500 Carb Day Practice
After getting whooped in qualifying, Honda turns up the wick for… -
INDYCAR: Miller's Mailbag, 5.24
It's time for SPEED.com's weekly IndyCar Q&A with Robin Miller's… -
USAC: Honda To Sponsor National Midget Championship
Honda announced it would be the title sponsor for USAC’s National… -
GRAND-AM: Valiante Joins 8Star For Mid-Ohio
Daytona Prototype ace to sub for Stephane Sarrazin in next month's… - More News
