PATRÓN HIGHCROFT RACING'S HOT PURSUIT IN MID-OHIO ENDS IN SECOND-PLACE FINISH
Source: Patrón Highcroft Racing
Jul 21, 2008 - 8:22:57 AM
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Flawless Teamwork Delivers Fourth Podium Finish
of the 2008
Season
EVENT: Acura Sports Car
Challenge
DATE: July 19, 2008
LOCATION:
Lexington, OH
TRACK: 2.25 mile, 13-turn
Permanent Road Course
Riding high on last week's history-making
first-place win at Lime Rock Park, Patrón Highcroft Racing again went to battle
against the Penske Porsches, providing high-wire tension and excitement in the
last several minutes of the Acura Sports Car Challenge. Scott Sharp, who
started the race from the second place on the grid, drove a brilliant stint,
maintaining his position and handing off a strong car to his co-driver, David
Brabham, about an hour into the race. Brabham, who finished the race, engaged
in a fierce on-track contest for LMP2 class leadership, and made a clean pass of
Patrick Long in the #6 Penske Porsche with just 14 minutes remaining . He then
fought until the last second to overtake the #7 Penske Porsche, but the class
victory was ultimately not meant to be for this young team from
Connecticut.
"It was a strong day for the entire team" said Sharp, as he
stood with David alongside the #9 Acura ARX-01b after the race. "Both David
and I pushed really hard. We both drove the wheels off the car! The Michelin
tires really performed consistently all week. It was an incredible competition
with five or six cars in the same class going at it nose-to-tail in the late
stages of the race. I call that pretty awesome racing. David got stuck in
traffic and fell back but did really well to get back up and challenge for the
lead. We're really happy with our result. Now we've got to keep our momentum
going in the rest of the season by continuing to finish on the
podium."
"It was a thriller to the end" said Brabs, as he climbed out
of the cockpit of the Acura. "We seem to be making a habit of doing that. In
the end, we just ran out of time. Although the #7 (Penske) Porsche was very
fast, I think we were a little bit quicker. It's very difficult around here,
you lose too much of the aerodynamics being behind the car in front. And you
really do need a break in the traffic: sometimes I got it, sometimes I didn't.
I was right behind him (the #7 Penske Porsche) right at the end but it wasn't
meant to be. When I passed Patrick Long (in the #6 Penske Porsche) - I knew I
was quicker. I saw a slow car coming up in front of us and I just backed off on
the main straight to get a good run. Luckily, the slower car went toward the
middle, Long went left and I went right. It was a question of who was going to
brake latest. I managed to get past him and then it was just a matter of
catching the leader. This is a great result for Patrón Highcroft Racing. From
our win last week, Acura's and the team first overall first-place finish, to
second place this week, the team is on a definite roll."
"Week in and
week out, we're providing a lot of excitement for everybody, that's for sure"
said team owner, Duncan Dayton. "Hats off to the Penske Racing team. We've
been fighting hammer and tong with the Penske Porsches pretty much all season
long. The traffic breaks just didn't happen for us this time, but it was a
great hunt and a stupendous race -- really terrific driving by both Scott and
David and great work by the entire team."
Race
Results
1 Audi Sport North America
LMP1
2 Audi Sport North America
LMP1
3 Penske Racing
LMP2
3 Patrón Highcroft Racing
LMP2
5 Lowe's Fernandez Racing
LMP2
6 Penske Racing
LMP2
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