THRILLING WEEKEND OF RACING AT ROAD AMERICA FOR STR38 MOTORSPORTS
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin - The excitement was palpable this weekend as STR38 Motorsports took to the iconic Road America track for round 5 of the Pirelli GT4 America Championship. The team delivered an outstanding performance, showcasing their skill and determination in both qualifying sessions and races.
In the qualifying session, the #88 car, expertly piloted by Harry Gottsacker, secured a strong 3rd place on the starting grid, setting the stage for an intense race ahead. Chandler Hull, also behind the wheel of the #88 car, earned himself a 7th place spot on the starting grid for race two. Meanwhile, in the #438 car, Robert Mau and Chris Allen demonstrated their proficiency, earning the 5th and 4th positions on the grid for races one and two, respectively.
As the races unfolded, the action on the track was nothing short of exhilarating. In race one, the #88 car narrowly missed out on a podium spot, securing a solid 4th place finish in the Silver class. In the #438 car, driven by Robert and Chris, race one didn’t go to plan, an issue meaning that the pair came home 12th in the highly competitive Am class.
Race two brought even more excitement as the #88 car climbed through the field to fourth overall, crossing the finish line 3rd in the Silver class. However, a penalty for mid-race contact between Hull and a competitor unfortunately demoted the #88 car down to 6th in class post-race. The #438 car, driven by Robert and Chris just missed out on the podium, securing a respectable 4th place finish and valuable championship points.
Chris Allen, driver #438: “STR gave us a fast BMW M4 GT4, as always. It also helped that we tested here the week before the race. Given the strange decision to cancel our Q2 times, Rob and I are satisfied that we drove back to P4 in class to get some good points in race 2 after a disappointing technical issue in race 1. We’re looking forward to Sebring where we get three races to try to gain some ground in the championship.”
Robert Mau, driver #438: “Road America threw everything at us including tricky new pavement, electrical gremlins, and a loss of qualifying times. We fought all weekend and were proud to come from last place to 4th in race two.”
Chandler Hull, driver #88: “Road America once again showed that Harry and I have great pace together. The team gave us a strong BMW M4 GT4 as always and it was a rocket ship on the straightaways. This new track surface is still tricky to get right since we have to be so precise and stay on line, making passing a little bit more challenging than it should be. It’s only a matter of time before Harry and I are on the top step of the podium this season.”
Harry Gottsacker, driver #88: “It was nice to be back at Road America and get back to work with the STR38 Motorsports Team. It wasn’t a straightforward weekend for us, but we had good pace and had some good battles out there. Looking forward to the next one!”
Jon Miller, team manager: “We’re happy to be leaving Road America with some good points for both GT4 entries. Unfortunately, the #438 suffered a strange technical failure in race 1. The series decided to cancel qualifying 2 after a shortened session due to a red flag caused by another competitor’s crash. We were pretty frustrated with this choice, as Chris put in a solid P4 qualifying effort, and by the series’ own rules, all cars had an opportunity to set a lap time so we expected those times to stand. This meant that the #438 started at the back of the field and had to claw their way back to nearly a podium finish. It was a smart, clean and inspired drive from Rob and Chris and the fight for the AM championship is still on as we 5 races to go. Harry and Chandler put in some stellar laps throughout the weekend. We continue to make performance gains in the setup of this new GT4 BMW and our two Silver drivers have contributed heavily to the direction and development. Harry’s last lap pass for the podium on Sunday had us on the edge of our seats. The #88 is looking for its first win of the season in Sebring and we can’t wait to get back on track.”
STR38 Motorsports extends its gratitude to their valued partners, including Cannonball Storage, OVN, Simseats, Ozium, Caza de Oro, MOTUL, HRX, and BMW Motorsport, for their unwavering support. The team now looks ahead with excitement to the next challenge, the sixth round of the Pirelli GT4 America Championship at Sebring International Raceway from September 22-24, as they continue to vie for the 2023 championship title.
For more information about STR38 Motorsports and their upcoming events, visit their official website at www.st-racing.org/str38motorsports. Follow the team on Instagram @str38motorsports for updates and behind-the-scenes glimpses leading up to the race.