which was lapping Willow
Springs about 3 seconds
faster than Truspeed.
About half way through
the race, Team Prototype
Development Factor y Five GTM
car developed mechanical
problems in its gearbox and
pulled into the paddock for
repairs. Unable to repair
the car in time to compete
for the ES win, Team PDG
finished in time to get back on
track and take the checkers.
By then, Team TruSpeed
Autospor t had a firm grip on
the ES win, despite pitting
for a new tire change.
"It was almost event-free,
but we did have contact, light
contact. We tore a wheel,"
said driver Kelly Collins. "We
were tr ying to get as many
points as we could so we
get maximum points in our
class, first place and that's
what we needed, because we
want to win the championship
again for these guys."
ESR
Picking up where the team
lef t off at the 2016 25 Hours of
Thunderhill, Team Ryno Racing
qualified first overall with a
blistering 1:18.056-second
lap time. That time was six
seconds faster than its closest
competitor, a Norma chassis
running in the 1:24s. Still, we
hold races because none of
them is a foregone conclusion,
and Willow Springs can
be a punishing track.
Ryno driver Ryan Carpenter
took the second stint just
before sunset and carried
the team for a flag-to-flag
class win and first overall.
"It was good and then
it star ted getting dark —
real dark — there were no
reference points whatsoever,"
Carpenter said. "All the
reflectors are really old and
some of the paint strips were
really old. Through turns 8
and 9 I had to take different
lines just so I could see the
track. About ever y lap and a
half someone would go off or
drop a wheel in 8 and 9, so
it was a complete white out
most of all the last stint."
Carpenter also added
that the team learned what
cause their right rear stub
axles to fail at the 25 Hours
of Thunderhill last year. One
of the impact guns they used
to torque the wheel was set
too high. They use the same
gun on both cars, so both
cars experienced the same
failure. — Brett Becker
RESULTS
ES
W E R C
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