Pit+Paddock Civic Type R TCR Locks P5 at 2024 Mid-Ohio IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge

The fourth round of the 2024 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge brought Team ENEOS to the iconic Mid-Ohio circuit, where Dai Yoshihara co-drove with Karl Wittmer in the Pit+Paddock Civic Type R TCR to a P5 finish, collecting valuable championship points.

Wittmer clocked a magical lap time of 1:27.103, shattering the previous lap record by 1.7sec, giving Montreal Motorsport Group (MMG) pole position to start the main Race, the second event in a row where the car took top honors in qualifying. Not only was it an incredible boost for the team as the series midpoint approaches, but the accomplishment is an extraordinary feat at a freshly resurfaced Mid-Ohio, a testament to the team’s solid race prep for one of the country’s most competitive tracks.

Consistency and patience would be key during the four-hour contest, in addition to maintaining overall pace. Wittmer got away clean from the start, leading the field to open a two-second gap to the pack alongside the sister MMG car that launched from P2, good enough to keep them from the drama that ensued behind.

The first caution took place around the 15-min mark as one rival went off road with an unusual failure. The GS and TCR fields quickly overlapped once the race started again, but Wittmer navigated the crowded field fine.

Wittmer went for a pit stop around the hour mark for fresh tires and fuel, resuming the race in P8 behind the sister MMG car. The pair made their way up the TCR field together as the tires got up to temp, climbing to P5 at 2:46, then P3 ten minutes later. Another full course caution occurred at 2:31, triggering the next round of pit stops.

Yoshihara took over driving duty at 2:23, rejoining the field in P6 before the green flag dropped again. Mid-Ohio was another first for him, and served as an opportunity to showcase his ability to adapt to new environments quickly.

Around 1:30 another competitor went hard into the wall in GS, spraying bits of carbon fiber across the track, which quickly brought the full safety car out. MMG used the slowdown for another pit, topping off fuel, swapping fresh tires on, and switching back to Wittmer for the last hour-long sprint. He turned the wick up the final 20 minutes, showing his qualifying pace to climb back up the order, snatching P5 on the last lap.

“This was a strong effort and execution by the whole crew to help us stay in the Championship hunt,” said Wittmer. “We saw a few ups and downs but still a positive race in terms of progressing towards our goals. Hats off to Dai for his mega stint!”

“It was my first time at Mid-Ohio, and I was happy to put in a good, clean stint to give the car back to Karl for the last hour,” Yoshihara said. “Big thanks to the team, our sponsors, and Karl for another positive race!”

NEXT RACE

Yoshihara and Wittmer head to the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen from June 20-23, 2024.