Sowery Describes “Brave Choice” to Stay on Slicks in Downpour

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Toby Sowery described the “brave choice” that kept him on on track with slick tires amid a rain shower that helped vault the No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR Oreca 07 Gibson into the LMP2 race lead and eventual class win and championship title after an early setback in Saturday’s Motul Petit Le Mans.

Sowery was at the wheel of the LMP2 car when rain hit in the fourth hour of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title-decider, which saw the FIA Silver-rated Briton jump to first in what he admitted was a “50/50” call at the time.

It came after co-driver George Kurtz lost time after serving a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility with the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 of Frankie Montecalvo, that initially put the championship-contending team one lap down.

“The team has a lot of good guys that sit on the pit wall,” said Sowery. “If they say the call is slicks, I trust them. Obviously they trust the input that I give back.

“It was about a 50/50 call. It could have gone one way or the other. I think we gave the brave choice the option today and that paid off for us.

“Whether or not it would have dictated any positions in the race, I don’t really know.

“To be able to go out there and show that we’re still as quick as the other LMP2s on wet tires was quite fun.

“The first few laps were pretty sketchy. To know you have two or three drivers on wets trying to get past you in Turn 1 isn’t easy, but it’s part of racing.”

It turned out to be the first of two comeback drives, after co-driver Alex Quinn, while running second in class at the time, was hit by title rival Tom Dillmann in the No. 43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca, which damaged the car’s rear deck.

Quinn was then forced to limp the car to the pits for repairs, while Dillmann was served with a drive-through.

“The whole race, not just that incident, was pretty chaotic,” said Quinn. “In the beginning it didn’t seem like things were going our way. Of course we got back in it.

“That incident with Tom, it was tricky. We had damage on the car. I guess it’s a chance to thank the team because they repaired it insanely quickly and kept us actually on the lead lap.

“In some ways it maybe helped us because a fuel advantage, the next yellow came, we cycled back to the front. Tom got a penalty for it. That switched the positions.

“I was frustrated at the time, but that’s actually when I did a lot of my best laps during the race. I guess everything happens for a reason. In the end it all worked out.”

Quinn drove the car to top class honors, which ensured that he and Kurtz claimed the LMP2 championship.

Kurtz: IMSA LMP2 Title the “Crowing Achievement” in Racing Career

For Kurtz, it marked his first season-long IMSA championship title after narrowly missing out on two previous attempts.

The CrowdStrike founder and CEO also won the Jim Trueman Award, which provides an automatic invite to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“It’s been elusive,” said Kurtz. “We talked about the level of the drivers in IMSA just in general. When you look up and down the LMP2 lineup, it’s stacked. You have great drivers, some of the best literally in the world.

“You have arguably a spec car and you have incredible professional drivers. I think ‘Herculean’ understates what [Toby] did in the rain. I mean, it was crazy.

“To be able to put it all on the line in a one-race shootout that had so many ups and downs, to actually have it all fall into place to get the win and the championship after so much hard work that we put in, the team put in, it’s a lifelong dream.

“I’ve won other championships in other series, but to win an IMSA championship is a crowning achievement for me, and the rest of the team as well.”

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