GTS Results for Saturday, May 28, 2016

On Friday, May 27^th, the Pirelli World Challenge rolled into Lime Rock Park bringing with it great racing action for its two day stint. I attended Saturday, May 28^th and witnessed some intense battles between cars of all types and marques and very competitive drivers.

Unfortunately the early morning practice of the GT/GTA cars was cut short by a red flag of the session due to a horrific accident in the first turn, Big Bend. The #87 Bentley, driven by 21 year old Andrew Palmer crashed into the #4 Aston Martin of 26 year old Jorge De La Torre. Eye witnesses indicated that the Bentley hit the Aston Martin so hard it went over it. Both drivers were taken by ambulance to Sharon Hospital and then by helicopter to Hartford Hospital. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.

Racing did continue later that day with a reorganized schedule. The first race of the day became the GTS race. The drivers put on an incredible show for the fans with the #10 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 of Lawson Aschenbach trying to hold off the #13 KTM X-Bow GT4 of Brett Sandberg. This continued for 45 of the 50 minute race. Then Sandberg made an attempt to pass and came close. Aschenbach was just able to maintain his position. Then Sandberg made another attempt and pulled it off coming off the left-hander at the entrance to No-Name Straight. Aschenbach was right on his back bumper.

The GTS cars were using the chicane at the uphill and as always they catch the curbing on driver’s right and then on driver’s left to make as straight a line as possible through the entrance to the chicane. This time Sandberg went too deep and took too much curb causing his KTM X-Bow GT4 to lose traction, clinb the opposite curb, spin-around, and drive straight into the side of the #10 Camaro Z28. This caused Aschenbach to spin and end up facing the wrong way on the grass at the top of the chicane. Luckily he was able to continue. Sandberg was not.

During the incident the #45 SIN R1 GT4 of Racers Edge Motorsports, driven by Jade Buford was able to pass, along with the Roush Racing Ford Boss 302 of Jack Roush, Jr. and the Mantella Autosport KTM X-Bow GT4 of Martin Barkey. This was the order at the finish with the #10 Camaro Z28 of Aschenbach taking fourth spot.

It was a great day to watch racing and the Pirelli World Challenge provided some fantastic battles.