Sebring - one to be forgotten by all four Vantage GT4 runners in today Michelin Pilot Challenge race

Friday, March 20, 2026

There was disappointment all round as far as the four Aston Martin Racing powered contingent were concerned as an opening lap multi-car crash took two of those cars out of the running before later pit lane penalties thwarted the efforts of the remaining two at the second round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series from Sebring earlier today.

With thirty-three GS (GT4) cars taking the start, an incident within the midfield of that group saw nine cars end up in a crumpled heap, still short of the start line that saw the race go immediately into a prolonged Full Course Yellow period.

The #71 Rebel Rock Racing Vantage GT4 of Frank DePew (behind the wheel) and Robin Liddell was one such casualty having sustained extensive damage to the complete shell as those nine cars impacted with themselves and the outside retaining wall. Thankfully, DePew was able to extricate himself from his car but their race was more than done for the day.

The other casualty was the #14 Circle H Racing AMR of David Hampton (starting) and Thomas Merrill who at first appeared to have avoided damage from that crash but subsequent visits to their box and then behind the pit wall proved different. In polar opposite to their opening round podium success, round two of the Michelin Pilot Challenge Series would finish with a DNF for the Circle H Racing team.

That left just the #26 Heart of Racing AMR of Hannah’s Grisham and Greenemeir as well as the debuting Van Der #66 entry of Trenton Estep and Allen Patten to compete within the remaining twenty-three strong GS class for what would be no more than ninety minutes of racing.

That would have been the general plan anyway but rear end contact for the #26 car would see them running within rear right panel rub and bodywork damage that allowed the #66 car to come through for position as they saw out the opening laps of racing P8 and P9 respectively in class. A further Full Course Yellow saw the race again neutralised for debris on track but that again saw out another fifteen minutes of racing after which the race took a downturn for the remaining two AMR runners.

Going into the final hour of racing, the #66 car would find themselves at the head of the class however drive through penalties for each crew (crew over the wall too soon for the #26 and wheels rotating upon the jacks for the #66) would see both cars suffer from a drive through penalty which in this kind of series, firmly put paid to any chance of a top ten finish.

At the end, the #66 crew were first across the line in P14 whilst the #26 crew suffered worse with their P17 finish as all now look forward to the next round of the series from Michelin Raceway Laguna Seca at the start of May.

Photo credits – Teams / Series / social media