“Confident” Paley Hoping to “Bring the Fight” to Noaker

Sam Paley said he is “really confident” returning to Mustang Challenge this weekend at Road America and is hoping to “bring the fight” to current points leader Robert Noaker, chasing wins in the final four rounds of the season.

After starting the season behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang GT4 with McCumbee McAleer Racing, it was announced that Paley would finish out the remainder of the Mustang Challenge season racing under his own Paley Motorsport banner.

While Paley hasn’t been on the Mustang Challenge grid domestically since last year, he comes into the race weekend at Road America having stood on the podium in both Le Mans Invitational races in June.

Paley also returns to Ford Performance’s single-make championship following a third-place finish in the 2024 Dark Horse drivers’ standings on the back of a pair of wins, which came during a weekend sweep at the Wisconsin road course one year ago.

“We won this race twice last year, so I have a lot of confidence in this car, especially at this track,” Paley told Sportscar365.

“I haven’t driven this car on this track on this tire, with this current package, so it’s just figuring out some kinks there are.

“Robert runs a great program, so trying to keep it tight with him and give everyone a good race and compete for the win is what we’re here to do.

“I’m very confident. I’d like to say that I relentlessly believe in myself and this Paley Motorsport program. We’ve got a lot of talent under this tent. I’m really confident and I think we’ll get some good results this weekend.

“I love Road America. It’s my favorite track in the country. I did really well here in MX-5 Cup back in the day. I did well here in the Mustang Challenge as well. So it’s my favorite track in the country.

“It definitely matches my driving style. And as a driver, it’s a long lap, but it’s such a rewarding lap. It’s very challenging.

“It’s tough mentally because you have to push a lot of braking zones, and there are also those commitment corners like The Kink and The Carousel where your l belts need to be tight and you need to make sure you’re going through there with some confidence. 

“I think it’s the most complete track that we have here in the U.S., and I love every second of driving it, and this Ford Mustang just reacts so well to the track.”

Thus far, Noaker remains undefeated in points-paying races this season, having won the first four rounds.

Nevertheless, Paley remains focused on securing as many wins as possible in his partial-season effort, despite the fact that a title bid against Noaker is off the table.

Paley said he also “understands” and “respects” his fellow Ford Performance Junior Team driver and his efforts in the paddock, given the similarities between their respective racing careers and the fact that they are both racing for their own, eponymous teams on the grid.

“Robert is the best driver in the world in this car,” Paley said. “I think that’s pretty indisputable. I don’t know if this is public knowledge, but Robert and I have known each other since we were like ten years old.

“I don’t know if I would call it a rivalry, but the competitiveness of him and me goes way back. When you break it down, I’m competing for wins under Paley Motorsport. Robert Noaker is competing for wins under Robert Noaker Racing.

“So not only do I have respect for him as a driver, but the fact that he’s running his own team and own business, just as I am, further proves his commitment to the sport and his dedication.

“The stuff that goes on behind the scenes at the shop, the logistics, the average person doesn’t fully understand everything that goes into it.

“There’s no bad blood there whatsoever, but hopefully we can bring the fight to him, and I know we will. That’s why we’re here.”

Paley added: “We’re not going to be fighting for the championship. Although I hope we start to climb the points as we get races under our belts. We’re definitely here to compete for wins, help Ford Performance, and help Mustang Challenge.

“For me, we need to finish first, and that’s it. We’re here to win races. I’m not even going to look at the points, I’m just going to look at the trophy at the end of the weekend.”