Motorsport News

Trent Hindman, Stevan McAleer Score 2nd Straight Pilot Challenge Win

Stevan McAleer celebrates his victory in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Road America 120 before teammate Trent Hindman can get to victory lane, 8/3/2024 (Photo: Courtesy of IMSA)

Rennsport One’s Stevan McAleer took the lead when Winward Racing’s Daniel Morad pitted for fuel with 20 minutes to go. He then held on to win the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Road America 120 Saturday (Aug. 3) with teammate Trent Hindman for the team’s second straight victory.

“When you’re leading, [you] don’t want a last-minute restart,” McAleer told NBC Sports’ Georgia Henneberry after the race. “I maybe had a little bit [of pace] in the bag earlier on, but when [my crew] told me the times that [the other cars] were running, I knew it was going to be quite exciting at the end.”

Hindman and McAleer’s margin of victory was .394 seconds over Archangel Motorsports’ Todd Coleman and Aaron Telitz. Van der Steur Racing’s Valentin Hasse-Clot and Rory van der Steur were third, then KohR Motorsports’ Luca Mars and Bob Michaelian. McCumbee-McAleer Racing’s Jenson Altzman and Gavin Sanders were fifth.

CarBahn Motorsports with Peregrine Racing’s Sean McAlister and Jeff Westphal were sixth in their BMW, then Turner Motorsport’s Robby Foley and Francis Selldorff. Morad and Bryce Ward were eighth, while Dillon Machavern and Robert Megennis were ninth. Motorsports In Action’s Michael de Quesada and Jesse Lazare rounded out the top-10.

Lazare started from the pole in his McLaren after having topped both practice sessions Friday and winning the pole Saturday morning. Jaden Conwright, carrying ENEOS sponsorship on his Supra, gave chase.

Eventually, Hindman was able to get past Conwright for second. Once there, Hindman immediately started putting the pressure on Lazare for the lead.

Further down the order, McAlister spun at Canada Corner after contact from Baby Bull Racing’s Moisey Uretsky. At the same time, Ward spun exiting the Kink and made slight contact with the wall. Both drivers were able to continue without issue, but lost track position.

Very quickly, the race became a three-man duel between Lazare, Hindman and Conwright. Selldorff had driven up to fourth, but was seven seconds behind.

34 minutes into the race, Skip Barber Racing’s Ken Fukuda spun out in turn 5 after contact from Rebel Rock Racing’s Frank DePew. DePew was given a drive-through penalty for avoidable contact.

Right as DePew was serving his penalty, the race’s first full course caution flew due to debris on the track off of Paul Sparta‘s Random Vandals Racing BMW. Even though the yellow came out before minimum drive-time…

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