Car Blanche Scores Maiden Victory at Road America in Dramatic IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Car Blanche, the newest entrant to the IMSA ranks following YRB Racing’s acquisition of the former van der Steur Racing operation, has made a forceful statement. In just its third race weekend, the team secured its first overall and Grand Sport (GS) class victory in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at the Road America 120.

Drivers Allen Patten and Trenton Estep started ninth on the grid in the No. 66 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO but utilized flawless strategy in changing weather conditions to prevail in a race that ultimately ended under caution.

A Battle for the Lead

The decisive moment came with 18 minutes remaining when Estep, having taken over from Patten, executed an authoritative pass on Matt Plumb in the No. 46 Team TGM Ford Mustang GT4. The two cars banged doors on the run to Turn 3, contact that knocked the left-side mirror off Estep’s Aston. Plumb retaliated with a "hip check" to the right-rear corner of the Aston as it turned into the apex, but Estep maintained control.

He pulled out to a 4.66-second lead before an incident with 10 minutes to go brought out a full-course caution, freezing the order and handing Car Blanche the checkered flag.

Plumb and co-driver Paul Holton finished second, marking their best result of the year. The final podium spot went to Caio Chaves and Guilherme Salas in the No. 54 PanAm Motorsport Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2.

Strategy Wins the Day

Most of the 120-minute race was run in light rain or drizzle. However, conditions dried enough for all competitors to switch from rain tires to slicks during pit stops just over 40 minutes into the race. The timing was critical for driver changes. Patten had gained three spots to sixth on the opening lap and moved up to fourth before handing the car to Estep.

The race’s turning point arrived when the third of four full-course cautions flew with 50 minutes remaining. The top three runners missed the window to enter the pits before they closed. After making a second stop, Estep and the No. 66 Aston found themselves running fifth, but crucially, they were the leading car that would not need another fuel stop. Meanwhile, Plumb and Team TGM gambled on additional cautions to make the finish on a single stop, a strategy that ultimately fell short.

“We had really good pace in traffic, and the team made a perfect call to get us in before the yellow,” Estep said. “We only took left sides [tires], which helped us jump one spot in the pits. I maximized it and moved on.”

Car Blanche team principal Chris Deely praised his drivers’ composure. “We finally gave Trenton a car he could work with at the end. P5 and P4 was good…but we even said on the stand in the last hour of the race, if we didn’t come away with a win, we wouldn’t have been happy. I have the utmost trust in both drivers, especially at the end.”

For Patten, the victory capped a rapid rise. “Man, it means everything,” he said. “I’ve been driving for three years and only racing for two. It’s been a pretty crazy journey... I’m learning a tremendous amount from Trenton he’s absolutely first class.”

Championship Implications

In an unusual day where each of the top five in the GS championship finished seventh or worse, Robert Noaker and Nate Cicero in the No. 13 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford Mustang GT4 extended their championship lead. Their 11th-place finish builds their unofficial lead to 100 points over Austin Krainz/Stevan McAleer and Dillon Machavern/Luca Mars.

Noaker explained their missed opportunity: “I was struggling with the radio back there in Canada Corner that’s just how the track is and we just missed the call. Just ended up being unfortunate. I think we might have ultimately been able to make it like the other Mustangs, but our other competitors in the points had some misfortune after ours and I think that saved us a little bit.”

Dupont Shines in TCR Action

In the Touring Car (TCR) class, Denis Dupont earned high praise as “a machine on restarts” after securing a dramatic victory in the No. 76 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR, sharing duties with Preston Brown.

Dupont ran second behind Celso Neto in the No. 55 Gou Racing w/Stallion Audi RS3 LMS TCR. Neto had inherited the lead through an off-sequence pit strategy, avoiding a second stop to gain track position. However, on a restart with 23 minutes to go, Dupont used slower GS-class traffic to his advantage. He slipped past Neto exiting The Kink with under 15 minutes remaining, pulling away under green before a final caution sealed the win.

“I saw him having some GS traffic, and I managed to pass the GS right away,” Dupont explained. “(Neto) was super-fast, so it was then good to keep him behind.”

This marks Dupont and Brown’s second win of the year and the 33rd for the Herta team, putting them just one win shy of Turner Motorsport’s all-time series record of 34. They gained 50 points on championship-leading teammates Mason Filippi and Bryson Morris, who finished third. Unofficially, the No. 33 Hyundai leads the No. 76 by 150 points with three races remaining.

Honda’s streak of four consecutive poles ended without a podium finish, as the No. 93 MMG Honda Civic FL5 TCR rallied from brake issues to finish fourth.