Tough times for the Aston Martin Racing powered contingent at Mid-Ohio
Monday, June 09, 2025
Within the earlier two VP Racing Sportscar Challenge races, there was only the #72 Rebel Rock Racing AMR of Frank DePew within that twenty strong LPM3/GT3 and GT4 based cars but perhaps the less said about that the better as DePew had earlier contact within Race 1 and was forced to retire after only three laps before lasting only slightly longer in the second forty-five-minute race to retire after twelve laps.
That left four AMR powered crews competing within the four-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge race as its fourth round of the season.
Hopes from the Team TGM team were again elevated in qualifying as Paul Holton again stuck his #46 car onto the front row of the grid in P2 whilst the other three Astons from the Van Der Steur, Team TGM and Rebel Rock stables all struggled towards the rear of the GS class.
Unfortunately, the sun had all but gone ahead of Sunday’s start and it wasn’t long before the GS leaders were lapping the GS class tail enders (including the #15 VDS car of Christine Sloss just after the fifteen-minute mark. Dropping down to fifth at the half hour mark, Holton soon had more cars around them to what he would have preferred before the first full course yellow of the race.
Two more quick FCY’s then followed before eventually going back to green which unfortunately saw the #15 VDS car of Ben Sloss edged off the track and into the tyre wall. By the end of the second hour both Team TGM cars and the #71 Rebel Rock Racing AMR of DePew, Andrew Davis and Robin Liddell found themselves behind some of the faster TCR based cars on track.
With the order of DePew handing onto Davis and then onto Liddell sparked something of a wonder recovery drive from the Scotsman who gradually elevated his position from its lower third position on track into more palatable by the end. Going into the final hour, by taking service Matt Plumb in his #46 car dropped out of the top ten with Liddell just a few more places back as the Aston was clearly struggling for pace compared to its Porsche and BMW rivals.
With the sun finally trying to make an appearance, it was a mad dash to the flag before a late FCY for a spun car on the infield heightened the tensions. Getting back to green and with all the pack line astern to one another, it was Liddell’s final opportunity to make up ground as he was now within the top ten although eventually, he and his #71 crew would finish P8 overall and in class.
With the #46 Team TGM car finishing P11 overall and in class, their sister #64 car of Ted Giovanis, Hugh Plumb and Kris Wilson did earn themselves another Bronze Cup podium finish by finishing P17 in class and second within the Bronze Cup sub-class. The #15 Van Der Steur car of Christine and Ben Sloss were sidelined after that restart incident and failed to finish for the first time this season.
The next round of the series will be from Watkins Glenn in two weeks’ time.
Photo credits – Teams / Series / social media
