Bronze Cup double for AMR crews after Michelin Pilot Challenge opener last night
Saturday, January 25, 2025
This year, defending GS champions within the #46 Team TGM were back – this time fielding two new Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4 Evo’s, as were four of the five AMR powered runners although the outgoing 17A version was still being represented from within the Van Der Steur team.
It was the older car from the #82 Van Der Steur team who claimed the highest qualifying position earlier on Thursday as NASCAR Infinity racer Sammy Smith placed the car that he would share with Brady Behrmann into a P10 starting position and with the ‘more formidable’ AR powered crews surprisingly much lower down the order as this four-hour season opener kicked off under clear blue skies and fresh winter sunshine.
Despite some clean opening laps within both the GS and TCR classes, the first Full Course Yellow sadly came about after just ten minutes with contact between one such TCR and the #64 Team TGM AMR of Ted Giovanis after (presumably) mis-communication between the two cars exiting the infield on to the banked speedway circuit lead to heavy contact between the two with the TCR ending up in the wall with an engine fire to boot.
Despite some clean opening laps within both the GS and TCR classes, the first Full Course Yellow sadly came about after just ten minutes with contact between one such TCR and the #64 Team TGM AMR of Ted Giovanis after (presumably) mis-communication between the two cars exiting the infield on to the banked speedway circuit lead to heavy contact between the two with the TCR ending up in the wall with an engine fire to boot.
Then upon the restart, the sister #46 Team TGM AMR of Paul Holton was then involved in contact with a car in front leading to front end damage to the new Vantage GT4 Evo and a second quick Full Course Yellow because of the debris field on track at almost the same point of the circuit as the first incident.
Both incidents forced both Team TGM cars to pit (sometimes whilst the pit lane was closed) and the many resulting penalties for incident responsibility, exceeding emergency service, etc basically placed both cars to the rear of the pack very early one. There was to be no fairytale repeat of last year’s podium finish this time around!
After this very messy opening first half hour, the minimum bronze rated driver time for all three driver crews had then been completed and that allowed Andrew Davis to take charge of the #71 Rebel Rock AMR after a cautious opening tint from Frank DePew and by the end of the opening hour, the #82 car was still the lead Aston in P13 (before quickly passing the reigns over to Behrmann) but with its sister #15 of Christine and Ben Sloss holding great ground in P17 in their first IMSA race with their new Vantage GT4 Evo.
Finally, the race was settling into something of a rhythm as various teams had already started running different fuel strategies as the earlier caution periods occurred. That rhythm was rudely interrupted however, as the #71 car suddenly lost a rear wheel whilst coming to the end of its stint. After being recovered back to pit lane under another FCY, that loss was caused by the wheel simply breaking apart with the rim and tyre breaking coming from the section that secures to the hub and whilst the #71 was able to continue – they too were many laps down to the class leaders!
Another restart – another restarting incident forcing another FCY came the way of the way at its midway point as the #64 car was also given a hefty stop plus three minute forty-eight second hold penalty for an incorrect wave around at the FCY before – Friday was turning out bad for Team TGM.
These incidents and penalties effective left the two Van Der Steur crews flying the flag for AMR but the pace at the front was far too hot for these guys as both quietly cycled through their programme over the second half of the race to see just what they could make of things. Despite a fifth FCY within the final hour of the race leaving just a twenty-two-minute sprint to the flag with the #82 crossing the line P17 and the #15 crossing the P19 overall and P3 in Bronze Cup.
However, since the race has ended the results have changed after post-race penalties have been applied and whilst the #82 remains having finished P17, the #15 has gained a place to have now finished P18 overall and P2 in Bronze Cup with the #64 Team TGM car of Giovanis, Kris Wilson and Hugh Plumb to have secured P3 in Bronze Cup with their P19 overall finish.
Too much incident and incident by far to deal with but we can look forward to some more when the series races at Sebring in just a few weeks’ time.
Photo credits – Team / social media / H Pittman