Michael Schein Takes Two Top 10's in Patron Challenge at New Jersey
Millville,
NJ, Michael
Schein took two top 10 finishes this weekend in the IMSA Patron GT3
Challenge Series at New Jersey Motorsports Park. The young New
Yorker finished seventh, in class, in the race on Saturday and sixth in
Sunday's event.Schein, from Glen Cove, New York, recovered from a rough last race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca last month where he got into the Turn 11 wall in the second race to end his day within the first two laps of the event. The Alex Job Racing crew was able to get the No. 21 Porsche GT3 back in top shape for the New Jersey weekend.
Schein qualified tenth for the first race with a time of 1:25.096 which started him on the fifth row. "We went to the track on Monday of this week to get some laps. I don't think it was the best track for this group of cars because it is narrow and tough to pass. We also had the kink back in Turn Three. The only real opportunity to pass is coming into Turn One. I like the track, when you are running by yourself."
In the first race Schein got a good start and was able to finish seventh in class.
"I got a good start in the first race. I was having a lot of trouble with Turn One, I think I spun it three times in the first race which was pretty awful. I was carrying a little too much brake and the back came around, then I locked the rear wheels. I kept going and was able to get back a couple of places to finish seventh." Based on his fast lap from the first race, a time of 1:26.068, Schein would start seventh for the second event.
"I started seventh in the race, had a good start. I made it up to fourth and then spun on a restart. After three or four laps I was back in fourth. I had another spin and was running 11th. There was a car that was disqualified and I ended up sixth. Compared to what happened at Laguna I was real happy with the weekend."
Alex Job, team owner, is pleased with the progress of his young driver.
"Michael shows a lot of speed," Job said. "It is easier to try and slow someone down than to try and push them to go faster. He was having a real problem spinning in Turn One. He has all of the tools we just need to work a little more with Michael on finding the cars limits. The crew did a great job to repair the car from the damage at Laguna Seca."
The Patron GT3 Challenge will travel to Miller Motorsports Park to run a double race weekend on July 9-11.
Alex Job Racing is one of the most successful teams in IMSA history with 37 wins (54 in team history). This record is supported by 45 pole positions and 75 podium finishes. The team has won three championships (GT in 2002, 2003 and 2004) complimented by their two GT class wins at Le Mans. The team also boasts seven Sebring 12 hour wins.
