Freedom Autosport encountered a number of unexpected challenges during their home race at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday. All three of the team’s Mazda MX-5s faced unusual circumstances, and Freedom had to settle for a best finish of 15th in the ST class of the IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race.
In the early stages of the 2.5-hour race, the No. 26 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5 emerged as an early contender. Andrew Carbonell, despite being under the weather, rallied long enough to drive until the first full-course caution at 30 minutes. He ran as high as fifth during his stint.
Tom Long took over from Carbonell, moving into third. He soon realized, however, that Carbonell’s complaints about feeling hot in the car were not just the result of his illness. Engine heat was leaking through a gap in the underside of the chassis, and the heat grew so extreme that Long was forced to pit.
Meanwhile, U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer and Randy Pobst had to battle a loose car. Much hotter temperatures on race day meant the setup was not quite where they would have liked it. Dwyer had to start the No. 27 Mazda MX-5 at the back of the field after ST qualifying was rained out, but he managed to make up positions before handing over to Pobst. It was Pobst’s first time in the car all weekend because of his travel schedule, and he made the most of it to finish 15th.
Heat wound up affecting all three of the team’s cars in one way or another. Mark and Mat Pombo were solid in the opening half in the No. 25 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5, but overheating issues ended their day early.
The Freedom Autosport crew worked tirelessly throughout the weekend, despite the challenges that continued to develop.
“The results don’t reflect the incredible dedication of our crew, who put so much effort into making Freedom Autosport a top competitor,” says team owner Derek Whitis. “Our team persevered against the odds, and we hope to reward their hard work by being back at the front when we head to Austin next month.”
Whitis has every reason to expect a good result there: he and Long teamed up to take second at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas last year. The race will be on September 20.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
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