Drayson Racing Mid-Ohio Pole Run Ends With Collison

However, the No. 8 Drayson Racing Lola Coupé with Judd Power was unable to capitalise on its first-ever Series pole position after a collision with a slower GTC car ended the team’s race.

Paul Drayson (Gloucestershire, UK) started the event at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with the plan to hand the closed-cockpit car over to team mate Jonny Cocker (Guisborough, Yorks, UK). At approximately the one-hour mark of the two-hour and 45-minute race, Drayson and a Porsche from one of the production-based classes touched. The Drayson car spun into the gravel trap and it took several minutes to extricate. Whilst Paul Drayson was able to return to the pit lane the crew immediately recognised a bent steering arm on the right-side suspension. The arm was replaced. Once Cocker returned the car to the track, he was able to determine that the power steering was damaged in the contact as well causing its performance to be unpredictable and dangerous.

The crew worked diligently to repair the difficult-to-reach motor deep within the nose of the British-built racer. However, time eventually played out. ALMS rules dictate a car must complete 70 per cent of the overall winner’s time and the No. 8 was unable to do so. Therefore, it is not given a finishing position and will score no championship points for this race.

The programme now turns its focus on two of the North America’s iconic tracks: Road America in Wisconsin on 22 August and Mosport International Raceway in Canada the week following. Both venues should play well to the Drayson Racing Lola-Judd’s strengths. Based on the performance shown here at Mid-Ohio, as well as the last event at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, these races will provide Drayson Racing with an excellent opportunity to capture its first career ALMS victory to match this weekend’s first Series’ pole position.

Television coverage of today’s race can be seen, tape-delayed, in North America on CBS Sports, Sunday, 15 August beginning at 12:30 (ET). UK and European viewers will also see the broadcast on 15 August via MotorsTV starting at 16:30 (UK)/17:30 (CET).

Quotes

Paul Drayson,Owner/Driver: “A disappointing end to a great week.”

Jonny Cocker, Driver: “A fantastic week for the team; brilliant progress throughout. We are showing we are making massive progress. Unfortunately, we just had an unlucky race. I am really looking forward to Road America. The Lola-Judd should be really good there. I think we can continue our winning pace and, hopefully, carry it through to the race there.”

Dale White, Team Manager: “I guess my Dad would have called this character building. It’s frustrating as we are all working so hard. The competition is so tight out there in all of the classes that things like this are going to happen. We have shown the speed and our luck will turn. Once it does, watch out!”

© RIF | ALMS