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Not all fairy tales come true, and unfortunately for the Audi RS3 LMS TCR team this one was not meant to be. Starting off the championship weekend with guests from around the world, the Minnesota based team took every precaution possible to prepare the new for 2022 second generation Audi TCR for the battle ahead.
With unknown weather throughout the weekend, the team hoped to capitalize on some dry running during free practice one. After setting some initial fast paced laps, the team struggled with an unstable car in the high speed corners towards the end of the session, causing the team to cut their lapping early and head back to the hauler to debrief.
Due to the unique event schedule with one practice session per day on Wednesday and Thursday it allowed the team to fully debrief and reevaluate their setup prior to practice two. Right out the gate during the first few laps, South African driver Mikey Taylor reported over the radio “Oh yeah, this is so much better”. With that, the team was able to tick through their testing plan, and post the 6th fastest time in the hotly contested 2023 TCR class.
With heavy rains overnight, and cooler temperatures on Friday morning heading into the early qualifying session, the team knew getting the Michelin slick tires fired up would be the biggest challenge in the 15 minute session. However, no one could have predicted how slick the Road Atlanta Raceway would have been, causing lap times to increase by over a second from the previous day. Minnesota based Chris Miller, wrestled the #17 car throughout the session with several scary moments and the rear Michelin tires struggled to get up to temperature in the 50 degree Fahrenheit weather. With mere seconds remaining Miller went for one more flying lap and started to light up the timing screens with purple sectors, ultimately crossing the finish line with a lap time of 1.28.103, one tenth of a second faster than the chasing pack of four Hyundai Elantras. Miller taking his fourth pole position of the year!
Starting the race from pole position with their nearest championship in fourth position the team had high hopes for their championship run, but as Miller was approaching the green flag, disaster struck and the #17 entry completely lost all forward drive as Miller came over the radio reporting a gearbox issue. In mere seconds, all championship hopes were crushed after all the hard work and preparation throughout the season. After getting the car towed back to the paddock, the experienced team went to work diagnosing the issue which eventually turned out to be a failed input shaft, the first of its kind for a gen2 Audi in the USA.
"The second half of the season was a testament to what this team and driver pairing is capable of with 3 wins, 4 pole positions, and 5 podiums. From building relationships with our partners and authorized dealers in the paddock at every round to the overwhelming outreach of support amongst customers, partners, and fans throughout the world and everywhere in between — I'm super proud of what we've accomplished. Losing out on the championship just came down to shear luck, which wasn't on our side this time. We'll be back in 2024!" said John Staffi, Technical Director at Unitronic.
Even with the unfortunate result in Atlanta, the #17 team was still able to take home 3rd in the team and drivers championship, along with winning the VP Fuel Front Runner Award which is awarded to the team who was able to lead the most laps throughout the season. Thanks to their four victories this year, Audi was also able to finish second in the TCR manufacturers championship, only 10 points shy of dethroning Hyundai after winning the last four manufacturer titles.
On behalf of the entire team, we would like to thank all of our fans for their consistent support throughout the year and especially those who were able to attend various races across the USA and Canada. We would also like to extend a big thank you to our sponsors LIQUI MOLY, Sabelt and Out There Brands along with a multitude of Unitronic Authorized Dealers who’ve gotten involved with our racing program and encouraged us to keep pushing hard this season. We couldn’t have gotten this far without your support!
ROAD ATLANTA GALLERY
About UNITRONIC®
UNITRONIC® engineers industry-leading aftermarket performance enhancing software and hardware for Audi®, Volkswagen®, Seat®, and Skoda® cars worldwide. Best known for its performance software engine and transmission calibrations, Unitronic enhances vehicle performance while maintaining complete OEM-like reliability and drivability. Unitronic’s UniCONNECT+ Programming and Diagnostic Interface empowers Unitronic Clients to safely reprogram their engine and transmission control modules from the comfort of home, anywhere in the world. Learn more about Unitronic's competitive advantage at www.getunitronic.com
About JDC-MILLER MOTORSPORTS
JDC-MILLER MOTORSPORTS is a world-class multiple championship winning sportscar racing team, with a total of 18 championships, 60 wins, 57 pole positions, and 195 podiums, most of which coming by way of their Prototype class programs running in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. Highlights include an Overall Win at the Six Hours at Watkins Glen in 2018, 2017 Winner Extreme Spirit Award, and 2017 Winner Jim Trueman Award, providing the team an automatic entry into the 2018 24 Hours of LeMans. Learn more at www.jdcmotorsport.com
About LIQUI MOLY USA – Canada
LIQUI MOLY USA – Canada is a subsidiary of LIQUI MOLY GmbH, a global motor oil and additive company based in Germany selling products in more than 150 countries. LIQUI MOLY offers more than 4,000 items globally covering automotive, powersports, commercial vehicles, boats and watercraft and more. LIQUI MOLY USA - Canada is actively involved in motorsports in numerous capacities highlighted by teams in IMSA USA and IMSA Canada, TC America and Trans AM. Learn more at www.liqui-moly.com
About OUT THERE BRANDS
Out There Brands was founded by professional racing driver Mikey Taylor. He saw a need for a company that offers extreme personalization and customer service in the branding industry and founded OTB in order to fill it. Producing custom-made displays and apparel to bring attention to our customers. Using his experience in the motorsport industry, Mikey focused on working with suppliers and forming partnerships to utilize only the best materials and products from around the world to deliver durable, cost-effective and stand out products! Learn more at www.OutThereBrands.com
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