Brian Henderson and Robert Noaker in the No. 84 Pagid/Sabelt Honda Civic TCR and Ryan Eversley and Scott Smithson in the No. 94 Qelo/Dinner With Racers/Lemons of Love Honda Civic TCR Try To Keep Two Race Win Streak Alive
LAKEVILLE, Connecticut (July 14, 2021) – Atlanta Speedwerks’ two-car IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR effort brings a two-race winning streak to Lime Rock Park this week, July 16 – 17, for the Lime Rock Park 120. The two-hour race is round six of the 10-race championship.
Saturday’s race, which begins at 11:05 a.m. EDT, can be seen live via TrackPass on the NBC Sports app. The race will be re-aired on Tuesday, August 10 at 1 p.m. EDT on NBCSN.
The team won back-to-back races at Watkins Glen International, with the No. 94 Qelo/Dinner With Racers/Lemons of Love Honda Civic TCR driven by Ryan Eversley and Todd Lamb capturing the four-hour win, and the No. 84 Sabelt/Pagid Honda Civic TCR driven by Brian Henderson and Robert Noaker capturing the second of the back-to-back races in upstate New York.
Scott Smithson, who co-drove with Ryan Eversley in the second Watkins Glen round, returns for Lime Rock Park with Eversley, while Henderson and Noaker continue their season-long run. Smithson and Eversley crossed the finish line second behind the sister car in the Watkins Glen finale before a weight issue in post-race technical inspection saw that result demoted.
Eversley and the No. 94 car enter the Lime Rock Park race second in the Drivers’ and Team championship race, respectively. Henderson and Noaker share sixth-place in the Drivers’ championship and the Team championship, while the two cars have combined to boost Honda to the lead in the Manufacturers’ championship standings.
The Honda Civic TCRs will be dramatically different at Lime Rock Park than they were going into back-to-back weeks at Watkins Glen, due to IMSA Balance of Performance adjustments. The cars will carry an additional 60 kg of weight (approximately 132 pounds) as compared to the weight of Eversley and Lamb’s win, and three-liter reduction in fuel capacity.
The last visit to Lime Rock for the Michelin Pilot Challenge came in 2019, where Henderson and Lamb teamed for a fourth-place finish. Though not driving for Atlanta Speedwerks, Eversley finished fifth in the same race in a Honda Civic TCR. This will be the first IMSA race at Lime Rock for Noaker, and the first visit to the track for Smithson.
Two-day event begins on Friday, July 16 with a pair of one-hour practice sessions at 10:05 a.m. and 1:25 p.m. EDT, followed by qualifying at 4:20 p.m. EDT. That qualifying session sets the grid for Saturday’s race, which takes the green flag at 11:05 a.m. EDT. The two-hour race can be seen live on the NBC Sports app.
Todd Lamb, Team Owner: “Lime Rock is situated in a picturesque area. It’s a very physically demanding track because of the high g-loads and constant turning. There’s very little opportunity to rest on the very short straightaway. You lose a lap putting under green so the crew has to be spot on, and any time saved in the pit usually leads to positions being gained which is critical since it can be hard to pass on the track. The TCR cars aren’t much slower than the GS cars so managing faster and slower traffic is very much a key to success in the race.”
Ryan Everlsey, Driver, No. 94 Honda Civic TCR: “We’re headed to Lime Rock looking for a little redemption after a disappointing result at Watkins Glen. It’ll be nice to return to Lakeville after missing a year due to the pandemic, but it’s another first-time track for Scott so we have our work cut out for us. Fortunately he was very fast at Watkins Glen, which was also new to him so I’m confident we will be strong come race time.”
Robert Noaker, Driver, No. 84 Honda Civic TCR: “This will be my second time visiting Lime Rock, the first time being in a Mazda MX-5. On paper this track doesn’t seem too difficult, but that’s far from the truth. This track is very unique with the elevation changes, difficulty to pass, and just how short the track is. The speed difference between TCR and GS are going to be a lot closer here with the TCR cars being so quick in the turns. With Lime Rock consisting of mostly turns, GS traffic will definitely be a factor.
Brian Henderson, Driver, No. 84 Honda Civic TCR: “I am excited to get back to Lime Rock because I do not get to race there often! It is such a fast-paced track, so there is always a lot of action. GS traffic will definitely come into play later in the race. I know we will have a fast Honda Civic Type R thanks to the guys at Atlanta Speedwerks. Coming off our first win just two weeks ago I am more pumped than ever going into this one!”
About Atlanta Speedwerks
Atlanta Speedwerks is a professional road racing team and prep shop, providing road racing services, car builds, roll cages, arrive and drive programs, and performance parts. Headquartered near Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the company runs winning arrive & drive programs in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, Mazda MX-5 Cup, Porsche Club of America and SCCA Spec Miata, among others. Professional coaching and driver development round out the company’s offerings.
