Alex Job Racing Soldiers to Sixth at Steamy Lime Rock
Alex
Job Racing (AJR)
overcame early contact with the wall to finish sixth in today's running
of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Tequila Patron
Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut.Bill Sweedler had the wheel of the No. 23 Battery Tender/Tequila Patron/Alex Job Racing/Porsche 911 GT3 for the start of the two-hour-and-forty-five minute race. In near 95-degree heat and 100% humidity, Sweedler was able to move up to fourth before being punted off of the precarious Downhill Turn and put into the wall, just ten laps into the race. The team made another quick repair on the radiator and bumper cover to get Sweedler back into action to maximize all points possibilities on the day.
"It was so disappointing, it is my home track and I had a lot of friends and family here this weekend," Sweedler said. "I got hit again at the beginning of the race! I was behind the 32 car and we had a good battle going. I was following him down the hill and all of sudden the Field car hit me in the right rear and spun me hard into the wall in the last turn. The car was stellar here in the dry today. It is too bad that we couldn't put together a better performance for the team and our fans this weekend."
Romeo Kapudija got in on lap 97 and was able to run clean, consistent laps to bring the car to the checker in sixth.
"The car was really good when I got in it," Kapudija said. "The guys did a nice job to get it back out so we could score points. This is a treacherous place and this is the third race that we have been hit from behind.
These incidents have really hurt us in the points standings, we were third and now we are back somewhere. Moving forward we are looking to get a couple of wins for the team. I really appreciate the hard work from the guys. Lime Rock is fun to drive in the dry. The prototypes make it even more exciting. They dive in and try to pass in tough places. You really have to give way to those guys. It is really fast for them around here."
Alex Job, team owner, had his guys battling the weather on Friday and the traffic on Saturday.
"When you are in the class that runs the slowest lap times, it is difficult with the traffic," Job said. "Lime Rock is so tight and the prototypes are so fast that they can misjudge the traffic and closing speed and that is when the action starts. Bill and Romeo have had a tough three races with contact on the track. I hope we have seen the last of it. The next four tracks are a little more wide open so that should help. The guys did a great job to get the car out so we were able to score the maximum points possible, but it was still a tough day."
Round six of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron will be run at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 7.
