ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (Aug. 4, 2019) – Promising beginnings to the Road America Road Race Showcase ended in disappointment for CORE autosport. With 30 minutes left in the race, a broken gearbox forced the team to retire the car from Round Nine of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Jon Bennett started the No. 54 ADT Nissan Ligier DPi from ninth on the grid. He held on to his spot in the DPi field, even through GTD and GTLM class traffic. When it was time to hand over the wheel to Colin Braun, the car was on the lead lap, on the same fuel strategy as the leaders and poised to make a run to the front.
Approaching the final round of pit stops, Braun was up to sixth and catching fifth place. He was attempting to pass a GTLM car in Turn 14 when the two cars made contact, sending Braun spinning. He was able to recover, but when he got back up to speed, he communicated that he was unable to shift into fifth or sixth gear. Braun brought the car onto pitlane where the team determined the problem was terminal.
It was a tough result to swallow after CORE’s heart-stopping win at Road America last year.
The team will have an opportunity to turn its season around in the next IMSA race on the schedule at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, August 13 – 15.
JON BENNETT
Driver: No. 54 ADT Nissan Ligier DPi
“There’s a quote about effort equals performance, but unfortunately that hasn’t been formulating for us right now. The team has done an incredible job. The car was running great until that moment and as Colin said I think we were in a good place for a top five if not better. Who knows what could have happened with yellows and things like that. It’s frustrating for everyone, because we’re right there and close to a breakout performance for the Nissan and the whole team. It makes you hungrier and we’re ready for Laguna Seca.”
COLIN BRAUN
Driver: No. 54 ADT Nissan Ligier DPi
“I’m super proud of Jon’s stint. I think we had a good weekend going. I’m really proud of all the guys. We were making ground on the guys in the mid-pack.
“I don’t know what happened in the end. I passed one of the GTLM cars on the outside in the last turn like I’d been doing the whole race and the next thing I know I felt a tap and spun out. Then we had a gearbox issue following that.
“I’m disappointed for the guys; they deserve more. It would have been a good race to see if we could get by the 10 car. I think we could have had a top five.”