A Friday full of emotions in Daytona, where the first round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge 2022, the US endurance championship dedicated to touring cars, took place.
As a side dish to the famous ‘Rolex 24’, the race saw the triumph in the TCR Class of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce built by Romeo Ferraris for KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering.
On board the car born in Opera were Tim Lewis Jr. and Roy Block, who after a series of changes at the top managed to climb to the top and stretch in the final 30 ‘without giving rivals a chance to attack them, cutting the finish line at the end of the 4-hour race with a margin of about ten seconds on the pursuers.
The Hyundai Elantra N of team Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian also went on the podium, but if the place of honor obtained by Michael Lewis / Taylor Hagler is a good result for the reigning champions of the category, the great news is the third place hit by their teammates.
Robert Wickens, Hyundai Elantra N TCR
Photo by: Bryan Herta Autosport
At the wheel of the Korean car # 33 there were in fact Mark Wilkins and Robert Wickens, with the latter returning to action in the racing world after the terrible accident suffered in 2018 in IndyCar in Pocono that relegated him to a wheelchair.
The Canadian has decided this year to face a new and difficult challenge on a vehicle adapted to his needs, with the controls on the steering wheel which are then deactivated when it is up to his colleague Wilkins to replace him in the driving shifts.
“Physically I am fine, but in the last few months I have trained hard to take advantage of this opportunity – said Wickens, who ran for about 90 ‘before giving way to his colleague – I could have done more stints, I was having fun and I was energized! “
“1258 days after what happened, here I am, on the Daytona podium! Thanks to the team, Hyundai and all those who have always supported me in this adventure. But it’s not over, I won’t stop … I’m back!”
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