LEXINGTON, Ohio, May 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Under nearly perfect weather conditions at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, the Idemitsu Lubricants America-sponsored No. 55 Mazda Motorsports Mazda RT24-P DPi, driven by Harry Tincknell and Oliver Jarvis, qualified on pole and led the first half of the 122-lap race, before finishing third at the IMSA Acura Sports Car Challenge sprint race Sunday.
The podium finish capped a weekend that saw Tincknell smash the Mid-Ohio track record for the Daytona Prototype international class cars to qualify number one. Tincknell stormed the 13-turn, 2.258-mile road course in 1 minute, 10.027 seconds (116.080 mph) during qualifying to lower the IMSA DPi track record by almost 0.7 seconds, a record previously held by Mazda and Oliver Jarvis.
At the drop of the green flag, Tincknell and Jarvis dominated for the first half of the race before relinquishing the lead and fighting hard for the podium finish. “It definitely hurts that the trophy has a number 3 on it,” said Tincknell after the race. “A 15-second lead in the race but the roll of the strategic dice didn’t fall our way this time. Super proud of every member of the team for a fantastic job and turnaround this weekend.”
The record-setting effort was met with enthusiasm by the Idemitsu support team. “It was a great weekend for Idemitsu and Mazda, setting a track record in qualifying and running strong in the race,” said Mike Park, Senior Director OES and Automotive Aftermarket, Idemitsu Lubricants America. “We have three podium finishes this year and are challenging for every win.”
The Mazda Motorsports Idemitsu No. 55 team resumes action June 11-12 when the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season continues at the Detroit Grand Prix.
About Idemitsu and Contact info:
Idemitsu Lubricants America is the Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) official factory-fill lubricants partner and the bulk oil program supplier for the Genuine Mazda Premium Oil Program, as well as a primary Mazda Motorsports USA sponsor.
About Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. Founded in 1911, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (IKC) is a Japanese petroleum company and the second-largest refiner and lubricants supplier in Japan. In order to evolve into a resilient business entity, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. will continue to, both domestically and abroad, operate and expand in the following five business segments: Petroleum Products, Basic Chemicals, Functional Materials, Electricity & Renewable Energy, and Resources. The company’s Functional Materials segment covers the production and sale of fuel oil and lubricants.
About Idemitsu Lubricants America Corporation Idemitsu Lubricants America Corporation (ILAC) is a premier lubricants manufacturer and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., committed to providing quality, innovation, and service to customers across North America. ILAC offers unmatched production quality, ensuring peak operating performance from a full range of lubricants for the automotive and industrial sectors. Idemitsu Lubricants America Corporation provides environmentally-friendly, cost-effective lubricant solutions that help maximize performance efficiencies and minimize cost.
About Mazda North American Operations Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees Mazda vehicles’ sales, marketing, parts, and customer service support in the United States and Mexico through approximately 620 dealers. Mazda Motor de Mexico manages operations in Mexico in Mexico City.
