Bentley Team Absolute enjoyed its best Pirelli World Challenge weekend yet, with Adderly Fong (HK) securing pole position in Saturday’s race and collecting podium finishes both days.
Fong had never been to the 14-turn, four-mile road course before, but that didn’t stop him from clocking the fastest qualifying time in his No. 88 Bentley Continental GT3. His blistering lap of 2:05.352 (115.279 mph) was set on his final flyer, just as the checkered flag came out.
In Saturday’s 50-minute race, Fong was flanked by a pair of Acuras, who managed to beat the polesitter into the first turn. Fong did his best to retake the spot immediately, but ran wide in Turn Five and fell back to fifth. From there, he focused forward and was able to claw his way back to third by the race’s end. It was Fong’s first Pirelli World Challenge podium.
Fast race laps from Saturday set the grid for Sunday’s 50-minute race. This put Fong’s Bentley fourth for the start. He was up to third on the opening lap before the first and only full-course caution of the race was issued.
After the restart, Fong reeled in the No. 05 Nissan GTR GT3 and with less than 10 minutes to go he was around the Nissan and into second. He held off a late-race charge from the No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R. GT3 to finish second, improving on the previous day’s World Challenge career-best finish.
Highlights from the Pirelli World Challenge weekend at Road America will air on CBS Sports Network, Sunday, July 3, at 3pm ET.
Next up for Bentley Team Absolute in the Pirelli World Challenge is Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, July 29 – 30, in Lexington, Ohio.
ADDERLY FONG (HK) #88 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT3
“It was fantastic to get a pole position for Bentley Team Absolute. My start was good, but the Acuras were very fast on the straights. I got a bit too eager on the opening lap trying to keep them behind me and I made a mistake. As I was fighting my way back to a podium finish, I had the pleasure of racing with some real legends in the sport like Johnny O’Connell and Patrick Long. It made for a memorable maiden World Challenge podium.
“Sunday was even better, going from fourth to a very hard-fought second place. I was filled with emotion crossing the finish line, thinking about how we are carrying on the success in America that Andrew Palmer started. We missed him a great deal this weekend and continue to wish him a fast recovery.”