TEAM NEWS: AIM & Doncaster - Mid-Ohio DP race, GT qualifying

Photo by John Thawley AIM Autosport had a strong start to the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday evening, but an electrical gremlin zapped the rookie team mid-race. Brian Frisselle of Lynchburg, Va., drove the first stint, moving from seventh to sixth on the first lap. After a mandatory stop during the first 45 minutes of the 2.5-hour race, he regained sixth place, but lost power steering and dropped a position. Mark Wilkins of Toronto took over at 1h41 with a fresh battery, but was also hampered by electrical issues that forced an additional pitstop for a third battery just past the-two hour mark. The pair finished 14th, two laps behind the winner.

race report

car time driver action

61 start Frisselle

43m Frisselle pit – four tires, fuel

1h38 Frisselle no power steering

1h41 change pit – Wilkins in, four tires, fuel, switch to second battery

2h01 Wilkins pit – changed battery

Brian Frisselle "It's a bittersweet race. The car was great, had so much potential, and we were running well. We had a bit of a hiccup on the first pitstop that cost us some positions and one of the positions really hurt us because we were getting held up quite a bit. Once we got by, we were one of the quicker cars on the track and it showed how good a car these guys put under Mark and me. The Exchange Traded Gold car was awesome and we'll be coming back strong at the next one."

Mark Wilkins "The car was good, but the power steering would kick on and off and then towards the end it would shut right off. I was fighting my hands – when the steering tightened, I didn't want give it too much wheel because when it loosened up, I was going to go around. It was close a few times. We couldn't run anything electronic because of the battery, so no fan, no cool suit, no air conditioning, no creature comforts. I'm just happy to bring the car home and collect some points."

GT qualifying

Doncaster Racing will start Sunday's Rolex Series GT race from 10th on the 26-car grid. Dave Lacey of Toronto qualified the No. 17 MineStar / Tim Hortons Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car in one minute 26.535 seconds on the 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio road course. He will start the 2.5-hour race and Greg Wilkins of Toronto will drive the second stint.

"We didn't go quite as quickly as we did in practice, but we're the third-fastest Porsche," Lacey said. "The Pontiac product is doing well here and all the Porsches are struggling, so to be third on the grid in that manufacturer category is pretty satisfying. We've got a couple more changes to make to the car and hopefully dial in a bit of understeer for the start of the race."