SERKET Racing driver Mark Llano picked up the first two podium finishes of his career in Rounds 9 and 10 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama last weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
“It has been an unbelievable weekend,” Llano said. “I was very excited to get my first podium, let alone add another one in the same weekend, especially at such a tough track like this.”
It was Llano’s second trip to the historic, fast and challenging track.
“One of my teammates last season described this track as a monkey with a knife,” Llano said. “You have to expect the unexpected and be focused every turn of every lap.”
The first podium for SERKET Racing came in Round 9 Friday, July 11. After a rough qualifying in the backup car which saw him start 25th overall, former Marine Llano put down consistent laps to make his way through the field. He climbed as high as second in the Gold Masters class before finishing the race in third position.
“It was an unbelievable race,” Llano said. “It was tight racing, but it was just incredible. I was able to stay out of some of the trouble other drivers got caught in. NGT and the crew gave me an incredible car, as well. I can’t thank them enough.”
Llano used the same strategy during the second race Saturday, July 12. After a solid start, he drove his way through the field to gain eight spots to gain his second podium finish and the Yokohama Hard Charger Award, which is given to the driver who gains the most spots from the green flag to the checkered flag.
“It was a great morning and an amazing weekend,” Llano said. “The competition is just insane. The car setup was perfect, and the Yokohama tires were just like glue on the track. The more I pushed, the more the tires seemed to grip the track.
“I also have to thank all the fans that came out to support us. I saw a bunch of veterans outside of Turn 5 who had an American flag. They would put it in the air every time we passed by. That just gave me more motivation. I’m very thankful for the series and for all those involved.”
SERKET Racing will be back on track Aug. 9-10 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
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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