Stevenson Motorsports needed Andrew Davis to drive the No. 6 Chevrolet Camaro Z/R for 45 minutes in the season finale to lock up the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Grand Sport (GS) drivers’ championship.

 

Once Davis drove the required 45 minutes in order to score points, he needed to turn the car over to Robin Liddell before exceeding the maximum one-hour, 45 minute driving time. Once Liddell got on track, he would be awarded points identical to Davis per the IMSA rule book and they would be assured sharing the championship.

 

Davis started from the pole in the No. 6 Stevenson Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R due to qualifying being rained out. He led the opening four laps and then ran second behind Jade Buford in the No. 158 Multimatic Motorsports Ford Shelby GT350R-C for the remainder of his 50-minute, 55-second opening stint. 

 

Liddell was up to fourth by the one-hour mark, and ran the final 20 minutes in second, challenging eventual winner Trent Hindman all the way to the checkered flag – coming up only 1.194 seconds shy of victory.

 

“We did what we had to do, and we got a second place out of it,” Johnson said following the race. “That’s even better. It was a great job by the whole team. It just shows you how strong this team is. We finished every single lap. 10 races, eight podiums, four wins – 100-percent reliability. That’s what it takes to win in this series.”

 

By starting the race, Stevenson Motorsports locked up its first team championship since joining the series in 2009 – after finishing third in 2012 and second in both 2013 and 2014.

 

“I’m real happy for the whole team, but especially John and Susan (Stevenson),” Johnson added. “It’s taken us too long for us to get this for them.”

 

While Davis was celebrating his championship at his home track, Liddell was wishing the race went another lap or two longer. 

 

“I’m kind of disappointed that I couldn’t get the win,” Liddell admitted after getting out of the car. “I wanted to win the race, but we didn’t have enough pace. But here we are P1 in the championship and that’s the big prize, so I’m super happy about that.”

 

Mantella Autosport Ends Year With First Podium: Martin Barkey and Kyle Marcelli ended the year by bringing Mantella Autosport its first podium finish, taking third in the No. 80 MBRP/Praxair/The Sport Lab Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R. Car owner Anthony Mantella and Mark Wilkins matched their best finish of the year, taking fifth in the No. 8 Gulf Lubricants/MBRP Exhaust/Cycles Devinci Camaro.

 

“It was an awesome race,” said Barkey. “The Mantella guys prepared a great car for us, it was fun to drive in the rain. Kyle Marcelli drove the wheels off the car, and I was fortunate enough to get a great start and hold on to a few extra positions. It was a great achievement for the team, and it’s great to do it in the last race of the season.”

 

Barkey and Marcelli matched their career best, third at VIR in 2014 co-driving a Porsche 911 for Rebel Rock Racing. Prior to 2015, the team’s best finish was seventh last year at VIR for Mantella and Wilkins co-driving an Aston Martin Vantage.

 

New Car, Same Result for Compass360: Compass360 Racing ended the 2014 campaign with its third victory of the season for Kyle Gimple and Ryan Eversley in its No. 75 Honda Civic Si at Road Atlanta.

 

After giving its tried-and-true Hondas one final race at Daytona, the Toronto-based team switched to a pair of Audi S3s at Sebring in March, including the No. 75 AERO Advanced Paint Technology/Children’s Tumor Foundation entry for Gimple and Paul Holton.

 

The team ended the year on a high note, with Gimple and Holton giving Audi its first ST victory in the No. 75 while Jim McGuire and Nico Rondet placed a season-best ninth in the No. 74.

 

“This has been a year – or more – in progress, and it’s great to bring the Audi Quattro S3 home for Audi today. It looked like it might come down to Kyle or Ryan (Eversley was in the No. 93 HART Honda Civic Si), and Kyle got the job done today.”

 

Audi’s lone prior victory in the Continental Tire Challenge was at VIR in August, 2002, with Alejandro Lince and Don Istook co-driving an Audi S4 to win in the GS II category.

 

Third Car’s a Charm for MINI: After running two cars at most of the races since joining the series at Sebring, LAP Motorsports owner Luis Perocarpi stepped up and entered a third MINI John Cooper Works for the season finale. 

 

Finally given the opportunity, the No. 73  MINI co-driven by Mat Pombo and Derek Jones gave the MINI John Cooper Works Team its best finish, taking second in the Street Tuner (ST) class. Prior to the finale, the team’s best finish was 10th at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, scored by Zach Meyer and Remo Ruscitti.

 

“I have no idea what to say – we’ve worked so hard to be here,” Perocarpi said. “I’m passionate about the sport, and the team worked super hard to be here. The MINI is amazing. Unfortunately, we lost a lap early, so it was amazing to make the lap up and still finish second.”