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BRISCOE AND CAMPBELL TASTE SUCCESS IN AMERICA

Ryan Briscoe and Matt Campbell tastes success in America - Photo: LAT

By Bruce Williams

Ryan Briscoe and Matt Campbell tastes success in America - Photo: LAT

Ryan Briscoe and Matt Campbell tastes success in America – Photo: LAT

Australian duo Ryan Briscoe and Matt Campbell enjoyed success at the most recent IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship round, Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

By HEATH McALPINE

For Briscoe, it was a dramatic outright victory joined by Kiwi Scott Dixon and Renger van der Zander racing the Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R after the two leaders collided during the closing stages.

Acura Team Penske’s Ricky Taylor and Action Express Racing’s Pipo Derani came together at Turn 6, resulting in both being delayed significantly. Taylor’s Acura ARX-05 DPi spun, while Derani suffered much worse out of the incident with his Cadillac DPi-V.R. travelling through the gravel trap and into the concrete wall.

Just 10s in arrears was van der Zande, who was able to snatch the lead and with an unlikely victory. Importantly, this result enhanced Briscoe and van der Zande’s DPi title aspirations by extending their lead to eight points with three rounds remaining.

“This is massive,” exclaimed Briscoe. “It was such a great finish, and it just shows never give up and just hang in there. Renger did a hell of a stint there at the end, and he kept saying, ‘I’m not going to give up.’ Then fortune fell our way. We had a fast car all afternoon and I’m just so proud of this team.”

Taylor, who was teamed with Helio Castroneves and Alexander Rossi recovered to second as the race was completed under safety car due to a heavy incident for one of the factory Porsche 911 RSR-19s at The Esses.

The sister team Penske Acura driven by Dane Cameron, Juan Pablo Montoya and Simon Pagenaud completed the podium.

While one Porsche failed to see out the finish, the other piloted by Campbell, Nick Tandy and Fred Makowiecki scored the manufacturer’s first GTLM win of the season in what was another closely fought contest.

In a race compromised by safety cars, the Porsche team held off the Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R driven by Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg to take the win.

A mistake by Augusto Farfus in the race leading BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE during the concluding stages of the race handed Makowiecki the victory. The Brazilian ran wide when holding a 20s lead as grass and dirt filled the intakes forcing Farfus to pit.

He greeted the flag third, sharing the M8 GTE alongside John Edwards and Jesse Krohn.

A spin for Campbell after a collision with a faster competitor delayed the Australian during his stint as he expressed his amazement of how the race played out after the event.

“Quite honestly, I never expected the race to go like that,” said Campbell. “We experienced ups and downs, but ultimately we drove a fantastic race. This win is something very special.

“I’m over the moon.”

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