Another Podium for the Automatic Racing Aston Martin GT4 - Speedway Digest

After winning at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca two weeks ago, Automatic Racing’s Steven Phillips and Al Carter wanted to stand on the podium one more time this season. The co-drivers finished second in Friday’s IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race at Road Atlanta, ending the season with a flawless day in the No. 99 Stoner Car Care Aston Martin Vantage GT4.

Phillips started the race, marking the first time he has raced at Road Atlanta in five years. The team chose to pit during an early caution, putting fuel in the car and sending Phillips back out. Later, Phillips pitted under green to hand the Aston Martin over to Carter.

Not only did the pit strategy work, but the Automatic Racing crew executed perfect pit stops. Both times, the Stoner Car Care Aston Martin was able to beat competitors out of pit lane to pick up more positions. When Carter re-entered the track, he was third, and he gained another spot to finish second.

Both drivers credit the crew for making a big difference in the outcome of the race. “I’m very proud of this team. It was a great run today, and a big key is that it was a team effort. The pit stop by the guys got me up front,” said Carter. “The top entries were all running together, and that pit stop made all the difference. This is a big deal for the team to get two podiums in a row, and I hope we can be a championship contender in 2018.”

Of course, expert driving is also a part of the equation, and Phillips and Carter have proven to be a great combination. “[Automatic driver] Rob Ecklin couldn’t make the race at Watkins Glen, so team principal David Russell asked me if I could fill in,” explained Phillips. “Al and I worked really well together there, so we went to Laguna Seca for the four-hour, and everybody knows the results of that. We’re happy to get another podium finish for the Stoner Car Care Aston Martin GT4.”

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
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.