Team TGM come out on top with an extended lead after another dramatic Michelin Pilot Challenge Series race at IMS

Racing the infield section of the famous banked circuit it was to be a quick Full Course Caution as one TCR entry faltered within the opening corner sequence but the now fifty-five strong grid were soon back to racing before further contact within the TCR class and contact for the #64 Team TGM AMR of Ted Giovanis brought out the Safety Car again in quick succession.

With twenty minutes lost, the race finally got underway with the #46 car of Holton taking second place on the restart and with the #19 Van Der Steur of his namesake up two positions in sixth but it was the championship threatening #28 Porsche of Trent Hindman holding the overall lead.

Todd Coleman was also having a good start to the race within his #88 Archangel prepared AMR as he climbed from his P11 starting position to P7 as the race eventually settled into something of a rhythm.

Just forty minutes in and just over the minimum drive time for the gentlemen drivers of the grid, it all started to unfold for the Aston Martin Racing runners as first the #88 car of Coleman slowed and soon stopped on track within an apparent electrical issue before eventually recouping himself into pit lane for the attention of his team. Then the sole 2024 Vantage GT4 Evo of the #71 Rebel Rock Racing team saw their car of Frank DePew strike the rear of the TCR class leader into turn one – effectively taking himself out of the race as the Safety Car was again required to clear the debris field.

During that caution period, many of the GS class pitted for service and driver change but at least a problem for the #28 Porsche in pit lane saw them exit well outside of the top ten having lead the class into pit lane but having stayed out, the #82 Van Der Steur with Ruckus Racing entry of Brady Behrman and Scott Blind held the lead at the restart although that didn’t remain the same for long.

Benefitting from a pit lane penalty for the then leading Ford Mustang, the #46 Team TGM car of Plumb soon inherited the overall lead with the #19 VDS car of Premat in fourth as the #88 again faltered on track with the re-occurring electrical issue. It was game over for the green Archangel car as the race clocked half distance.

It was not all easy pickings for the #46 car however, as they soon came under pressure from three charging BMW’s from behind, steadily dropping form first to third overall just ahead of their final scheduled stop but he lost time trying to get the car re-going again.

Running differing strategies, both the #46 and #19 Aston Martins fell outside of the top ten before the #46 worked its way back up into contention again with just thorty minutes remaining. At that point the #82 VDS with Ruckus Racing AMR of Blind was shown a black flag which took them out of the race with (unseen) mechanical issues leaving just the #19 and #46 still in contention.

Overall disaster soon came knocking at the Van Der Steur pit wall as an off and later apparent front quarter damage saw the multi-coloured #19 into pit lane where a simple check by the mechanics saw them sidelined for the remaining thirteen minutes of the race – and possibly their championship aspirations. 

Last man standing saw Plumb having to race hard to retain the final step of the GS podium but that wasn’t to be as the championship contending #95 BMW also got past the #46 car by the end for the crew to pit up the points from a P4 finish.

Despite that, the #46 Team TGM of Holton and Plumb extend both their Championship lead as well as the Manufacturers Title hopes over the #28 Porsche crew going into the final round of the season form Petit Le Mans in three weeks’ time.

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