Action Express Racing: Mid-Ohio Race Report
Action Express Racing traveled to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course hoping to kick off the second half of the 2010 season by duplicating the successful way they started off the first half. Facing challenges typical of a team in their debut year, Action Express has found themselves working through a learning curve in search of a consistently strong setup for the #9 Porsche V8 Riley. The team adopted a new and different approach for the car at Mid-Ohio in hopes of isolating problem areas and improving performance. Despite the efforts, no quick fix was apparent for pre-race practice sessions. A penalty in qualifying allowed little time for the #9 to get up to speed, resulting in an 11th place position for Terry Borcheller on the starting grid.
Fortunately, the car proved better in the race than in practice and Borcheller quickly began to gain ground. A number of full course cautions worked to the team’s advantage, and Borcheller was able to get as high as 2nd place in his opening stint. A lengthy pit stop for the driver change to Joao Barbosa was costly, landing the #9 at the back of the field. Barbosa fought hard under difficult conditions and was on his way to a top five finish when the #10 car bumped him off track while attempting to pass in the closing minutes.
Barbosa went into the gravel but managed to get back on track and into the pits for repairs. With little time left in the race, he was unable to regain any of the ground that had been lost. The Action Express car ended the day in a disappointing 10th place, dropping them to10th place in team point standings. Joao Barbosa was visibly disappointed with the day’s results, saying, “I’m a little bit upset. We had a really tough weekend, but during the race we showed that we don’t quit. Our team worked very hard and we managed to make the car much more competitive for the race than it had been in the earlier sessions.
We had a good plan and strategy in the pits was working well and the entire team was doing a great job. Unfortunately, I was taken out when I was in 4th place and near the end of the race. I am proud to be part of GRAND-AM and this series, and it is great when competition is really close, but you want to see fair competition, not see people taking each other out to make one position. Our team deserved a much better finish for all their hard work.”
Borcheller was also disappointed, but already looking ahead. “We got some help with engineering this weekend at Mid-Ohio and I think it was a definite plus. Over the course of the weekend we definitely found something to go in a positive direction the next time we race. Joao did a great job in the race and the car was fast – unfortunately, we got taken out. We would have had a top five for sure, so that was really frustrating for us all. I think we were on track for a good result, especially considering how much we struggled over the weekend to get the car where we want it.
It would have been a great salvage for the weekend it we had been able to hang on to a top five finish. In going forward, I think we have a new direction now and we have some additional help, so I think that Action Express is going to be back on the right track.” Members of the Action Express team would agree that Daytona International Speedway is their ‘right track’, as they look forward to the next upcoming race. The Brumos Porsche 250 will be held on July 3rd at Daytona, the site of their Rolex 24 victory.
