By: C360 Racing
September 26 2017
Monterey, California – The penultimate round of IMSA’s Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge was a dramatic four-hour battle set amongst the picturesque, rolling grasslands of the Monterey, California peninsula. Widely considered one of the most iconic tracks in the world featuring signature corners including the unique “Corkscrew”, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is also one of the favourite circuits of Compass Racing / C360R, whose success at the track dates back to a win in the series in 2007.
The event marked the second four-hour race of the CTSC season and proved to be a test of the drivers, crew and cars. In early practice, C360R’s No. 75 ST-class Audi S3 looked strong in its freshly-revised livery, notching top time of the day on Thursday. The team’s two GS-class McLaren 570S GT4s struggled for pace, though, with the team working through handling issues on the notoriously slippery Northern California pavement.
This trend continued into qualifying on Friday, with Pierre Kleinubing putting No. 75 on pole, and setting a lap record in the process. The No. 76 qualified in ninth with Paul Holton at the helm, whilst Mathew Keegan was 11th in the No.77 McLaren. Incredibly for one of the winningest Touring Car drivers in North America, this marked Kleinubing’s first IMSA pole position.
“What an amazing day,” gushed Pierre. “I can’t say enough about how this whole team has developed this car. This is probably one of the best cars I’ve ever driven and am so proud to be a part of this effort."
Knowing that anything can happen in a four-hour race, the C360R crew worked tirelessly overnight to prepare the cars and were ready to go for Saturday’s race. Kleinubing kept his APR / Audi Genuine Parts / Pfaff Automotive / Brooklyn Tailors / Race Day Foundation Audi at the head of the field, with Holton making up places in the AlphaClone / AERO Advanced Paint Technology / Race Day Foundation car. Keegan, meanwhile, similarly moved forward in his first stint in the Misahara Jewelry / Santo Mezquila / Alexandre Family Farms / AERO Advanced Paint Technology / Race Day Foundation McLaren.
At the first stop, the team opted for different strategies on the McLarens, with Holton only taking two tires and Keegan getting a full four-tire service. Despite the time saved in the pit (which moved Holton up the order), the car suffered on the low-grip Laguna Seca surface and he fell back, whilst Keegan moved forward. At the team’s second round of stops, Keegan pitted from third position, but Holton was ninth.
In the Audi, Block took over for Kleinubing and drove a great stint, handing back over to Pierre with two hours to go. The McLarens pitted for driver changes, with Nico Rondet taking over for Keegan and Matt Plumb taking the reigns from Holton. Towards the end of Plumb’s stint No. 76 developed an issue with its front brakes, requiring a pit stop for repairs, which put it down a few laps. It returned to the track with Holton back at the helm.
With twenty minutes to go the No. 76 stopped on the front straight with its mechanical issue being terminal, causing a late-race yellow flag that bunched up the field; Kleinubing was seventh in ST and Rondet similarly placed in GS. The run to the front from No. 75 was nail-biting for the team, as Pierre made a dramatic pass around the No. 44 Nissan in turn nine for the lead. He edged away as the cars behind battled for position, taking the chequered flag for the Audi for the first time this season. No. 77 finished in a hard-fought fifth place, which solidifies Keegan and Rondet in third place in the championship, with Holton and Plumb dropping to fifth.
“We’ve been working towards this for two years,” enthused Block. “This win is for all those people that didn’t think we could win in this car! You keep the faith, keep working, improving. You never give up. Succeeding in this series is so, so very hard and that’s what makes taking the win here so sweet.”
Team Principal Karl Thomson was similarly effusive. “Working with Roy and Pierre to get the S3 back to the winner’s circle has been incredibly rewarding. This year's podiums at COTA and VIR were just our warm-up with this car, and we have to thank our partners, especially APR, Audi Genuine Parts and Pfaff Automotive. We can’t wait for the finale at Road Atlanta next week!”
The race is broadcast on FOX Sports and can be viewed on-line at http://imsatv.imsa.com/videos/series/sportscarchallenge.
The final IMSA CTSC event of the season is Road Atlanta on October 6th.
About APR
APR, LLC. is a global leader in performance aftermarket products for Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, and other vehicles. APR develops and manufactures hardware, software, calibration & data-logging tools for engine and transmission controllers, including intakes, exhaust systems, intercoolers, turbocharger systems, suspension, brake systems, wheels, and more. APR delivers software via a 24-hour automated global delivery system from its 78,000 square foot state of the art facility in Opelika, Alabama. For details visit http://goapr.com.
About Pfaff Automotive Partners
Pfaff Automotive Partners, a leading Canadian automotive retailer, was founded in 1964. Its brand offering includes Volkswagen, Toyota, Audi, BMW, Porsche, McLaren, Singer Vehicle Design, Pagani, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Mazda automobiles, and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. It has a 50-plus-year racing history across many forms of motorsport. The company also operates Pfaff Tuning, Pfaff Leasing, and Pfaff Autoworks. For more information, please visit http://pfaffauto.com.
About AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology
AERO Advanced Paint Technology™ is an environmentally sustainable paint applique that eliminates the need for harmful sprayers. AERO was initially designed for The Boeing Company as a lightweight paint film technology for the 787 Dreamliner. As such, the technology provides significant performance gains in weight reduction while enabling the finish to be a fully strippable system. AERO has proven to be successful in the motorsports industry due to the ease of install, significant weight savings, and enhanced durability. For details visit http://rethinkpaint.com.
About AlphaClone ETF
Most investors can't conveniently access established hedge funds. AlphaClone's mission is to empower investors by giving them efficient access to the investment ideas of established institutional investors and hedge funds. Their research and portfolio construction approach, called "cloning", allows any investor to gain exposure to the alpha potential reflected in hedge fund and institutional manager public disclosures. As the AlphaClone name indicates, they seek to clone alpha through a proprietory "cloning" process and make it available to all types of investors. For details visit http://alphaclone.com.
About Santo Mezquila
Santo Puro Mezquila is an agave blend made from 100% Blue Variety Tequilana Weber agave and 100% Espadin agave (Angustifolia variety). Founded by Sammy Hagar and Adam Levine over their shared love of tequila, the duo have brought together an expert team to develop the perfect blend of tequila and mezquila, creating a higher spirit. Santo’s intense agave aroma mixes with an earthy, light smokiness with a hint of herbs. Working with Juan Eduardo Nuñez, third generation Master Distiller from the famed distillery, “El Viejito”, founded in 1937, they crafted and perfected the world’s first Mezquila, and, appropriately called it, Santo. For details visit http://santomezquila.com.
About Misahara Jewelry
Misahara is a fine jewelry house that pays tribute to the warm, shimmering waters of the Adriatic Sea, the golden sand of the Sahara Desert as well as other mesmerizing destinations in the world that its designer, Lepa Galeb-Roskopp is inspired by. Misahara creations are handcrafted in New York and London by experienced ateliers who have worked with some of the world's most prestigious jewelry houses. The collections evoke the feeling of exquisite luxury, channelling a ‘desinvolte and suave’ flare marked by unique handcraftsmanship and the finest quality gemstones. See the collection at https://www.misahara.com.
About The Race Day Foundation
The Race Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) for-good foundation, offering children and families living with life-threatening illness a "day away" from their daily challenges. By harnessing the power of the racing and automotive communities, we are able to provide a uniquely empowering, hope-filled Race Day - a positive experience shared by patients, parents and siblings alike. Learn more at http://racedayfoundation.org.