| Conover,
assisted by team technicians Ryan "RJ"
Jenkins, Andy Lancaster, and Benny
Folk, required only an hour to replace the transmission and clutch,
as fourth driver Matt
Brown (Alexandria, VA) waited patiently to get back on track.
In a cruel twist, Brown's return was delayed even further by a malfunctioning
clutch cable - putting the intrepid team over 70 laps behind their competition
once the additional problem was diagnosed and repairs were completed.
Unfortunately, there's
no fighting back from that kind of deficit. Brown turned quick, consistent
laps for a long turn at the wheel as day turned to night, but luck held
for the class-leading York entry as they churned untroubled through the
remaining hours.
Knestis and Kofod
each took an additional turn in the waning hours - the latter's qualifying-time
pace in total darkness with a compromise spare gearbox raising eyebrows
in the pits and providing an up-beat end to a frustrating finish.
Plans and preparation
for Team GTI's assault at the return of the Longest Day 24-hour endurance
(Nelson Ledges, OH) are well underway. Knestis will be joined by Conover
ITA hotshoe Bowie Gray, Canadian Matt
Graham, and Fred Snow, who will bring
years of endurance racing headlight experience to the team.
|
