One lap the difference at IMS

Monday, October 05, 2020

 


Just one lap was the difference between reality and a possible dream class podium position for the Rennsport 1 with Notlad Racing Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4 by the end of the Intercontinental GT Challenge’s 8 Hours of Indianapolis at the weekend.

Having already competed in a full race weekend with the SRO sanctioned GT4 America Series where team regular drivers Matt Dalton and Pat Gallagher enjoyed the success of an overall Pole Position and class podium by the end of the final Sprint X Pro-Am race of that season, the red, white and black Aston was soon out again in the IGTC event alongside ten other GT4 cars which made up for nearly half of the grid with the other, larger GT3 entries.


Joined by Jonathon Taylor, the #33 car would Qualify second in class behind the pace setting #8 Audi R4 LMS GT4 by the time that each driver has entered a competitive lap time.

With then Mother Nature coming into play in the early stages of the race with her intermittent rainfall, the #33 car would enjoy long sessions at the head of the field as they managed to avoid the adversity around the 3.93km IMS infield circuit that others still managed to find despite the relatively small entry with the car only falling away from the lead lap in the latter stages of the 8 hour endurance.


Despite fighting their own little technological battles along the way like when the in-car radio failed with Taylor at the wheel (which needed just a little bit of trackside improvisation), the #33 would come away at chequered flag with the fastest GT4 lap overall and a P4 finish – just one lap the first and second placed BMW’s and the third placed Porsche Cayman.


A great result for a small team all round, a team that has suffered from its own problems in transposing to the Aston Martin at the start of the season. Where these guys go from here is of course up for debate now that the SRO has split the GT4 Sprint X from the Sprint Series and merged it in with the new for 2021 GT America GT3/GT4 Series.

Photo credits – RS1 / IGTC
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