Team Seattle-The Heart of Racing drivers Mario Farnbacher and Ian James had a positive run in today’s TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of the America’s (COTA).
The team strategist, Mike Johnson, employed a race scheme that had Farnbacher (Ansbach, Germany) and James (Phoenix, Ariz.) in a position win with one hour to go in the race. Double stinting young Farnbacher, the German was able to gap the GTD field by 30 seconds by the time he handed the blue 23 Porsche over to James on lap 46. James set out to complete the strategy. Just a few laps later he began to have brake issues and on lap 54 he had contact with an LMPC car in Turn 20 resulting in a broken front right radiator on the Porsche. The team repaired the 23 and returned it to action some five laps down. Then, adding insult to injury, the brake issue further manifested itself and put James into the Turn 15 gravel trap ending the day early.
“The team had a great race plan and it was working out,” James said. “Mario had a great couple stints and got us out into the lead. I started to have some braking problems. I locked up the brakes and got into the back of a PC car and then the brakes went altogether. The positive is we are knocking on the door for that win. On to Petit.”
Farnbacher had an incredible drive to take the Team Seattle-Heart of Racing Porsche from 12th position on the grid to the lead. He led 28 laps on the day.
“I had a good double stint,” Farnbacher said. “I had some under steer on power down out of the turns. We had a good strategy and it looked like we were in a good position. It is too bad that Ian had the brake issues. We showed we could run upfront and it was nice to have the Team Seattle-Heart of Racing out in the lead today.”
Alex Job, team owner, had the team in a positon to win.
“We took a little different approach today by running Mario for a double stint,” Job said.“Mario had a good lead when he handed over to Ian. Ian was having brake issues early into his run and had a lock up and then the contact with the PC car. We fixed the car and then we had another brake issue. It was a good team effort. We led most of the race, so all positives heading to Petit in two weeks.”
The series ending TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta will run Oct. 4.