LAKEVILLE, CT (11 July 2022) – Rebel Rock Racing has momentum on its side when it returns to Lime Rock Park for Saturday’s Lime Rock Park 120, Round 7 of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge.
Frank PePew and Robin Liddell are coming off back-to-back fourth-place finishes in the recent races at Watkins Glen International and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, and are running at a circuit that plays to the strengths of their No. 71 Urban Grid Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R.
“I think we should have a good chance at Lime Rock,” Liddell said. “The Camaro should be competitive there, and we’ve had success there in the past. I think it’s a track that suits the car. We’ve been quite competitive the last two races. Obviously, it’s disappointing not to get on the podium, but I think this weekend if we execute well and Frank continues to do his bit, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t challenge for a podium – or even for the win.”
DePew had one of his best career outings at the circuit once known as Mosport Park earlier in July. The team elected to have him pit during an early caution flag during the two-hour race. DePew then pushed past the minimum drive time to pit at the midway point, enabling Liddell to take over and race to the finish without needing another stop.
“I think we performed really well at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, and my pace was reasonable,” DePew said. “I’m happy, and yet I’m disappointed, with the results of our last two races. I think we had an opportunity to win at Watkins Glen, but we had a little miscommunication, because if I stayed out longer, we could have done the race with one less stop.”
DePew has only one start at Lime Rock. Last year, he was running 17th 30 laps into the race when an off-course excursion at the 1.5-mile circuit’s lone left-hand turn led to an early retirement.
“I’m definitely excited about the Lime Rock race,” DePew said. “I think I understand the track pretty well and I’m hoping to get up to speed quickly. The Camaro is good at Lime Rock Park, and I think we’ve got a good chance at a podium finish. Last year was the first time I raced there. I need to be better in qualifying. Right now, I’m racing a second-plus faster a lap than when I qualify and that needs to change.”
Liddell has enjoyed success at Lime Rock in Camaros in IMSA and Grand-Am. He won in 2017 with Stevenson Motorsports with the GT4.R, in addition to a pair of Grand-Am Rolex Series GT triumphs in 2011 and 2012.
“The Camaro is quite compliant at Lime Rock,” Liddell explained. “It’s a bumpy little track with a lot of undulation, and the Camaro seems to handle the bumps quite well there.”
The weekend opens with a pair of one-hour practice sessions on Friday at 10:05 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. (all times ET). GS qualifying begins at 5:05 p.m. on Friday. The two-hour race takes the green flag at 11:05 a.m. on Saturday.
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