Watkins Glen, N.Y. (28 June 2014) – Stevenson Motorsports has become quite familiar with the top step of the Watkins Glen podium having won the Sahlen’s 6 Hours of the Glen in 2012 & 2013 while competing in Rolex Series competition.
Now focused entirely on the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge for 2014, it was still a similar and relished outcome as Stevenson Motorsports once again sprayed the victory champagne in Watkins Glen’s famous Gatorade Victory Lane on Saturday.
Both cars ran in contention for the podium all race long, but it was the No. 6 Camaro Z/28.R of Andrew Davis and Robin Liddell that emerged to take the Continental Tire 150 at the Glen victory. It is the duo’s second win of the season after also winning at Sebring International Raceway earlier this year.
Matt Bell and Andrew Lally took fourth in the No. 9 Camaro Z/28.R, just missing out on a double podium finish for the Stevenson squad.
Stevenson Motorsports opened the weekend quick off the trailer with both cars, and started the race in good position with Davis starting second and Bell starting fourth. It turned out to be all the more important to have a starting spot at the front when a multi-car incident occurred at the start finish line, but fortunately behind the Stevenson Motorsports Camaro Z/28.R machines.
A long caution period saw the combined GS and ST class field circle behind the pace car and when the race finally went back to green, Davis took over the lead and Bell slotted into second in line as the Stevenson Camaros paced the field.
Lally took over driving duties in the No. 9 Camaro Z/28.R when the team brought Bell in under the second full course caution, taking the opportunity to also make a driver change with the No. 6 Camaro Z/28.R as Liddell took over for Davis. Lally emerged from pit road in the sixth position but quickly worked his way back up into the second position, with the No. 6 Camaro Z/28.R running up front.
Despite driving an ill-handling car due to contact earlier in the race, Lally hung tough to stay in podium contention for his entire run.
Liddell once again took over the race lead on Lap 43 and continued to pace the field until the very last lap when in a thrilling battle to the finish, Liddell defended masterfully against the second place car to take the checkered flag first just .169-seconds ahead.
“It’s a great day – we had a 1-4 finish and we had a 1-2 going for a long time in the race,” said Team Manager Mike Johnson. “Andy (Lally) had some contact with the No. 46 car and then I think that just hurt the car that little bit. We were burning up fuel just a little quicker because the toe was out. I’m just really pleased for the team. We had a horrible weekend in Kansas, but we backed it up with a win. Watkins Glen was horrible for us for a long time and now this is three in a row. It’s great and now we’ll just get ready to go to Canada!”
Stevenson Motorsports next heads to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in two weeks for Round 8 of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship.
The Continental Tire 150 at the Glen will be televised on Sunday, July 6 at 10:00 AM on FOX Sports 1.
ANDREW DAVIS, NO. 6 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO Z/28.R: “I’m very excited and proud for this Stevenson Motorsports crew and everyone at Team Chevy and Pratt & Miller Engineering. It’s always special to win a race but to win another race at Watkins Glen is a great achievement – such a historic track. I can’t say enough about our Camaro Z/28.R. The crew guys did a great job. I was able to get a great restart after a botched start of the race. I got a great jump and was able to get in the lead before Turn 1. From that point, I had the best view in the house so I put my head down, focused on that view and tried to drive away from everybody because I wanted to give Robin the car in first. The guys did a great job and we achieved that.”
ROBIN LIDDELL, NO. 6 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO Z/28.R: “The support from Chevrolet and Pratt & Miller with this new Camaro Z/28.R has been fantastic. Two wins in the debut season is great. Today was an interesting finish to say the least. It was a massive scrap over the last three corners. The guys made some great pit stops – both the No. 6 and the No. 9. In terms of strategy, we called it perfectly. We didn’t gamble for any yellows. We did our stops as if it were going to be a green race, and we ran out of gas on the last lap essentially with a loss of fuel pressure. I’m really happy with the execution from the team. Thanks to Stevenson, Pratt & Miller and Team Chevy. The Camaro Z/28.R was a brilliant car all weekend.”
MATT BELL, NO. 9 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO Z/28.R: “Congratulations to the No. 6 guys, they did great today. I tried to help the 6 out and hold them up a little bit by just trying to make them work a little harder for it. We’re in a good place, Andy (Lally) did a great job and a top-five today was great.”
ANDY LALLY, NO. 9 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO Z/28.R: “It was a tough day. We had a little too much understeer in it. But then it got better in the middle. The guys gave me a great car and the Stevenson crew did an awesome pit stop. I just have to thank Team Chevy and Z/28. I can’t complain about fourth. Congratulations to Andrew and Robin and all the guys on the 6 car for working so hard this weekend.”
