MMR Claims Breakthrough First Win With Mustang GT4

Photo: Wes Duenkel/Ford

Jenson Altzman and Nate Cicero gave McCumbee McAleer Racing its first victory with the Ford Mustang GT4 in Saturday’s Road America 120 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge contest.

Altzman held off the No. 4 CarBahn BMW M4 GT4 EVO of Cameron Shields for victory in the two-hour race that featured five full-course cautions and only 42 laps of running.

Having started from the team’s third consecutive pole, Cicero held control through a series of early-race yellows, including only one green flag lap in the first 30 minutes, before pitting prior to a yellow with one hour to go for full service and a driver change.

While Altzman re-entered the pits for a top-up of fuel, it briefly gave the lead to Shields, although he got re-passed by Altzman on a restart with 45 minutes to go.

The Ford Performance Junior Team driver crossed the line 0.467 seconds ahead of Shields for he and Cicero’s first career GS victories.

It also marked the first Pilot Challenge win for the latest-generation Mustang GT4, which debuted last year.

The No. 27 Auto Technic Racing BMW of Stevan McAleer and Austin Krainz completed the podium in third.

Jeff Westphal made a late-race move on the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW of Patrick Gallagher for the No. 39 CarBahn with Peregrine Racing BMW to record a fourth place finish.

It came after a late-race penalty for the No. 59 KohR Motorsports Mustang GT4 of Billy Johnson, who was assessed a stop-and-hold plus 60-second penalty for incident responsibility that triggered McAleer to get into the No. 19 Stephen Cameron Racing Mustang GT4 of Gregory Liefooghe, who slammed into the wall on the back straight with 37 minutes to go.

Altzman let Johnson by for the overall lead moments after the penalty was called from race control.

Johnson finished 24th overall and 14th in class as a result.

The GS points-leading No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of Jan Heylen retired late in the running with fluid leaking from the car.

It’s provisionally placed MMR’s Altzman 90 points out of the championship lead heading into the next round at Virginia International Raceway.

Morris, Wilkins Claim First TCR Victory of Season

TCR saw the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR of Bryson Morris and Mark Wilkins take their first class win of the season.

It also marked Morris’ first career Pil0t Challenge victory.

Morris took the class lead from the No. 31 RVA Graphics Motorsports by Speed Syndicate Audi RS 3 LMS TCR of Jayden Conwright in the final hour after Chad Gilsinger’s HART Honda Civic FL5 TCR and the No. 37 Precision Racing LA Audi of Ron Tomlinson came together while battling for the lead.

The No. 98 BHA Hyundai of Harry Gottsacker was initially handed a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility but it was later rescinded by race control.

Gottsacker finished fourth in class, behind the No. 93 MMG Honda of Karl Wittmer and pole-sitter LP Montour, which completed the podium.

RESULTS: Road America 120

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John