WATKINS GLEN, NY (23 June 2022) – Rebel Rock Racing is rested and tested heading to Saturday’s Tioga Downs Casino Resort 120, Round 5 of the 2022 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge.
Frank DePew and Robin Liddell will co-drive the No. 71 Urban Grid Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R as the season reaches its halfway point with a visit to the historic 3.4-mile, 11-turn circuit.
After competing at several challenging circuits which historically did not favor the Camaro, the series now shifts to venues that play to the Camaro’s strengths – beginning with Watkins Glen.
“The Camaro goes quite well at Watkins Glen,” Liddell said. “Our biggest concern is top speed. If the performance of the car in terms of top speed is there, we’ll have a good race car. I think the car should do quite well at the next three races in particular – Watkins Glen, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (July 2) and Lime Rock Park (July 16). I’m looking forward to having a competitive car during those three weekends.”
While resting up during the six-week break since the most recent race at Mid-Ohio, the team managed to slip in a two-day test at the circuit located in the Upstate New York Finger Lakes Region.
“Everything went pretty well at the test,” Liddell said. “Frank did a great job – he was actually a second quicker than he was in last year’s qualifying. Frank’s driving has really come on a lot this year. Hopefully he can continue to make progress in qualifying as well, as he typically races better than he qualifies. He’s having a good run of races where he’s made good decisions and gained places, so I’m excited to see how he will do at The Glen.”
Liddell is a three-time winner of the Sahlen’s Six Hours, in 2006 (Tafel Porsche) and 2012-13 (Stevenson Camaro). He also won twice in the Continental Tire 150 in a Chevrolet Camaro.
“I love the track at Watkins Glen,” Liddell said. “I first raced there in the Six Hours in 2005 (finished fourth), and loved it from the moment I first drove there. I like everything about it, and it’s one of my favorite places to visit. We’ll have a few extra days there to turn the car around for the following weekend’s race in Canada, so that gives us the opportunity to spend some time in the area, which is nice. It’s a lovely part of the world.”
The team is looking for better luck than last year’s extended visit to The Glen, which featured races on back-to-back weekends. The team finished a competitive fifth in its previous visit to WGI in 2019. Rebel Rock is coming off an uneventful ninth-place finish at Mid-Ohio, with Liddell gaining three positions on the final lap.
GS qualifying for the Tioga Downs Casino Resort 120 will be held on Friday at 3:55 p.m. (all times ET). The two-hour race will take the green flag at 3:40 p.m. on Saturday, and will be streamed live on Peacock.
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