Noaker Continues Winning Form in Mixed Condition COTA Race 1

Photo: Wes Duenkel/Ford

Robert Noaker picked up his ninth Mustang Challenge victory out of nine races this season in a mixed-condition Race 1 at Circuit of The Americas.

Noaker, who started from pole in the 16-car field, led flag-to-flag in the 45-minute contest, which started behind the safety car for one lap due to wet track conditions.

While the 3.4-mile circuit began to dry out, drivers remained on wet-weather Michelin tires, as mandated to start the race a the race was delcared wet by officials.

Noaker finished 18.640 seconds ahead of the No. 26 Ford Mustang Dark Horse R of Sam Paley, with former IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race winner Britt Casey Jr., in his series debut, completing the Dark Horse podium in the No. 91 Robert Noaker Racing entry.

Casey Jr. passed the No. 22 TechSport entry of Devin Anderson for the final podium position on Lap 7.

Anderson, meanwhile, held on to finish fourth, with RNR’s Sandy Satullo completing the top-five.

Mustang Cup points leader Will Lucas, in his points-paying Mustang Challenge debut, was sixth, ahead of the No. 18 McCumbee McAleer Racing entry of Marco Vento.

Noaker, meanwhile, will only need to start tomorrow’s race in order to clinch the championship ahead of next month’s season finale at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

The battle for Dark Horse Legends class honors came down to a two-horse race between Zachry Lee and Alfonso Diaz, who exchanged the lead numerous times in the second half of the race.

Lee, in the No. 48 MMR Mustang, retook the lead from Diaz with six minutes to go but the positions exchanged again moments later, giving the win to Diaz’s TechSport entry.

Diaz clawed back 60 points on Lee in the title race and now sits just 100 markers behind Lee with three races to go.

Alex Bachoura rounded out the DHL podium on Saturday in his No. 33 Spark Performance Mustang.

Race 2 for Mustang Challenge takes the green flag Sunday at 9:50 a.m. CST, prior to the FIA World Endurance Championship headline Lone Star Le Mans race, with live coverage on Peacock as well as IMSA and Ford Performance’s YouTube channels.

RESULTS: Race 1

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