WeatherTech Racing finished second in GTD in today’s running of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America.
Cooper MacNeil (Hinsdale, Ill.) had the controls of the No. 22 WeatherTech Porsche for the start of the two-hour-and-forty-five-minute race. MacNeil went away from the grid in fourth due to the retirement of the pole sitter. MacNeil took the green and almost as immediate the field was under caution, the first of five on the day. MacNeil kept the white and black Porsche toward the front of the GTD pack turning the car over to Leh Keen (Charleston, SC) on lap 24 in fifth. Keen had early trouble keeping the pace of the GTD field and dropped back to eighth on lap 36. Under the caution the team made quick work in the pits giving Keen a new set of Continental Tires and returned him to the track in third place. He managed the car through two more restarts and was able to make his way up to second place at the checkered flag. The runner-up position is the first podium for the team. On the strength of the second place finish the duo move closer to the GTD Class points lead with three events remaining.
“It feels really good to get up on the podium,” Keen said. “I can’t say enough about the Alex Job Racing team and their pit stops today. Cooper had a great start to the race and had us up in contention. In the middle of my first run I was stressing. I think there was something happening with our tires. I came in and the guys put a new set of Continentals on the car and got me out in third place. The car was totally hooked-up after that stop. I was able to make a move and get second position. We have gained a lot of points in the last five races, just chipping away at the points lead of that Ferrari. We have a podium and some great momentum going into the last three races of the season.”
MacNeil was in a battle his entire stint.
“The Alex Job Racing crew have worked very hard getting the WeatherTech Porsche up to speed,” MacNeil said. “That is no small task as we are basically running a Porsche Cup car against FIA GT3 cars. The hard work paid off. We have our first podium of the year. I was in a battle my entire stint. I had a front lock-up which caused a flat spot, but that was really close to the pit stop so it didn’t cost us too much. Leh did a great job at the end to get us up into second place.”
Alex Job, team owner, had the complete package today.
“We finally got up on the podium,” Job said. “Leh and Cooper did a good job to keep their composure through the five caution periods. We helped them in the pits by gaining track position and giving them the car to compete today. We didn’t have anything for that BMW, but we had our best showing of the year.”
The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship will travel to Virginia International Raceway for the Oak Tree Grand Prix of VIR to run Aug. 23-24.