Making his first career start at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Raphael Lessard scored his third top-10 finish of the 2020 season, all which have been recorded across the last four races. Lessard, who started 19th, was running fourth late in the 160-lap event but got shuffled back on a late restart and would end the day with a sixth-place result.
Stage One Recap:
- Lessard started in the 19th position after a performance matrix based off finishing position from the previous race, ranking in owner points standings and the fastest lap from the previous race.
- The first stage would stay green the entire way as the rookie driver worked his way up to finish the stage in the 12th position.
Stage Two Recap:
- At the stage break, Lessard radioed to his crew that he was “tight, center off.” Lessard came down pit road four tires, fuel, and adjustments. Under the modified pit road procedure for the event, Lessard would restart 12th. Under the choose rule, Lessard lined up in the fifth row on the bottom lane for the restart.
- After one caution in the second stage, Lessard finished the stage in the ninth position scoring two stage points.
Final Stage:
- During the stage caution, Lessard radioed to his crew that he was “tight center” in Turns Three and Four. After taking four tires and fuel, Lessard was scored ninth, but on the choose lap, the rookie driver took the top lane and would line up in the fifth row on the outside lane.
- At the fourth caution on Lap 128, Lessard had worked his way up to the seventh position. At the restart, Lessard would line up in the fourth row on the outside lane.
- After a 12-lap run, Lessard worked his way up to the fourth position. On the restart, the rookie lined up in the third row on the outside lane but would drop to seventh as the leader did not get going.
- Lessard would finish in the sixth position to score his third top-10 finish of the 2020 season.
KBM PR
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