JDX Racing driver Callum Hedge conquered a rainy morning at Road America, finally earning his first victory in Porsche Carrera Cup North America.
The race, run on the Pirelli Cinturato WHB rain tire, was ironically a make-up race from the Miami round. That race was postponed due to threatening weather in the area and rescheduled as a third race this weekend at Road America.
Rain, restarts and redemption for Hedge.
Hedge began the race on the Race Brew Pole based on his qualifying performance at the Miami International Autodrome. The race began with an additional pace lap behind the safety car and a single-file start due to the wet conditions.
The polesitter utilized a clear windshield to hold his lead through the opening corners as the field struggled for grip and visibility. Contact between Nikita Lastochkin and Patrick Mulcahy in Turn 12 on the opening lap sent both drivers off track and brought out a full course caution, slowing the field again.
Under pressure from Mobil Pro class point leader Tyler Maxson (TOPP Racing), Hedge stayed in front on the lap six restart. Looking for grip and running the outside line through the Carousel turn, Maxson dropped a wheel off track into the grass and was pulled into the gravel trap. He continued but dropped all the way to eighth place before he was able to rejoin the field.
That gave Hedge some breathing room temporarily, but the field bunched together one last time when a car slid off track and into the gravel trap with 12 minutes remaining.
The eventual winner held his position through one final restart and two clean laps to earn his first victory of the season. Hedge previously crossed the line first at Miami and on Friday at Road America, but post-race penalties dropped him deeper in the field in each of those races.
“JDX Racing gave me a good car all weekend,” Hedge said. “I’ve been driving it pretty well. It hasn’t gone our way this weekend, but the car has been super fast. I’ve done a lot of racing in the rain back home in New Zealand, we used to go out on slicks in the rain and just have a crack at it. I was feeling really comfortable and made sure I kept the car on the island, because that’s the most important thing, and then build the speed and build a gap to bring it home.”
Aaron Jeansonne (Kellymoss) took one last run at Hedge after the final restart but finished second, just 0.383-second behind. Jared Thomas (JTR Motorsports Engineering) held off Janne Stiak (ACI Motorsports) for third. Sabré Cook grabbed her first top five finish of the season, while Maxson ultimately finished seventh but continues to hold the Mobil Pro class championship lead.
Mulcahy, Blind take Pro-Am and Masters wins.
Behind the overall leaders, Scott Blind put in a charge in his Ruckus Racing Porsche 911 Cup.
Blind moved around Solairus Aviation Masters class polesitter Marco Cirone (ACI Motorsports) at the race start, then climbed all the way to ninth place overall by the finish of the race. Cirone finished second in class, followed by Kevin Stadtlander (JDX Racing) on the podium.
“It was incredible,” Blind said. “We were just hooked up, the car felt great, there were no inhibitions. It was hard to see, I’ll tell you that. We just took off, the car felt good. After this weekend, to wrap it up with this top step, maybe we’re still in it a little bit.”
Patrick Mulcahy’s day ended early with contact, but still clinched his 10th win of the season in the Solairus Aviation Pro-Am class.
Battle on the Bricks on deck.
RESULTS.
Miami Race 2 Make-Up
Mobil Pro Class
- Callum Hedge, #9
- Aaron Jeansonne, #24
- Jared Thomas, #96
Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class
- Patrick Mulcahy, #54
Solairus Aviation Masters Class
- Scott Blind, #45
- Marco Cirone, #88
- Kevin Stadtlander, #60
