Black Sheep Racing Overcomes Weather Challenges at Road America

Black Sheep Racing faced a weekend of highs, lows, and unexpected changes at Road America in the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America series. Originally slated for two races, the schedule was heavily impacted when severe weather rolled into the region on Saturday, forcing the cancellation of race one. Series officials have confirmed that the missed race will be made up during the upcoming Watkins Glen International event later this month, adding an extra layer of excitement to an already crucial penultimate round.

Despite the condensed format, Black Sheep Racing’s sole driver, Laura Ely, made the most of the weekend. In qualifying, Ely showed strong pace, earning a fifth-place start for Sunday’s race in the 992 Masters class at the 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course at Road America.

In the single race of the weekend, Ely navigated the challenges of the field and varying grip conditions, ultimately securing a respectable seventh-place finish in the 992 Masters class. While the result was solid, Ely and the team had their sights set on more, knowing there was untapped potential left on the table.

“Of course, we were hoping for two races this weekend, but that’s racing,” explained Ely. “The weather was completely out of our control, and we had to adapt quickly. I’m proud of how we performed in qualifying and how the Black Sheep Racing crew stayed focused through the changes. With the makeup race now at Watkins Glen, we have another great opportunity to fight for strong results, and I can’t wait to get back on track.”

With Road America now behind them, Black Sheep Racing turns their attention to Watkins Glen International, August 29–31. The penultimate round of the 2025 season will now feature an additional race to make up for the Road America cancellation, giving Ely and the team three chances to climb the podium and collect valuable championship points before the season finale.