Paley Sweeps Road America Weekend

Photo: Wes Duenkel/Ford

Sam Paley claimed a sweep of the Mustang Challenge weekend at Road America, having doubled up with victory on Sunday for Southern Paley Motorsports.

Saturday winner Paley, who started on pole, led every lap of the 45-minute race at the four-mile Wisconsin circuit, despite early race pressure from the No. 31 Robert Noaker Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse R of Reid Sweeney.

Sweeney, who started fourth, slotted into second on the opening lap after passing teammates Tyler Maxson and Robert Noaker.

A full-course caution on the opening lap for the stationary No. 30 LAP Motorsports Mustang of Scott Thomson in Turn 13 led to a quick restart.

A second yellow on Lap 6 for fellow Dark Horse Legend driver Mitch Marvosh in the No. 29 RNR entry slamming into the wall at the Kink slowed action and set up a 20-minute shootout to the finish.

Sweeney, however, ran wide on the restart and dropped to fifth, promoting Brandon Gdovic’s No. 46 Precision Performance Motorsports Mustang to second prior to a second off-course excursion for the RNR driver later that lap.

Sweeney later retired from the race.

Paley, meanwhile, took a 2.714-second win over Fletcher, although the McCumbee McAleer Racing driver was assessed a ten-second post-race penalty for not having attended the driver’s meeting, dropping him to fifth.

It moved Gdovic to a runner-up finish after getting around Dark Horse points leader Tyler Maxson in a late-race battle.

Maxson finished third, with Noaker promoted to fourth after Max Opalski was also served a ten-second penalty, but for multiple incidents during the race.

Dark Horse Legends class honors went again to the No. 48 MMR Mustang of Zachry Lee, who enjoyed a battle with Mike Stillwagon’s No. 19 Skip Barber Racing entry in the closing 15 minutes.

Alex Bachoura completed the class podium in his Spark Performance Mustang.

RESULTS: Race 2

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