Jones Finds Redemption in Wet CTMP Race 2

Neither sickness nor rain could prevent a determined Jagger Jones from getting back to victory lane in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge.

A day after a win in the No. 87 FastMD Racing with Remstar Duqueine D08 Nissan was negated by a postrace technical infraction, Jones rebounded to win Sunday’s 45-minute race at the 10-turn, 2.459-mile high-speed road course.

Jones was hampered throughout by a stomach illness and endured a treacherous final few laps racing in wet conditions after a light rain fell around the circuit and the entire field was brought into the pits for a mandatory change to wet-condition Michelin tires. Still, he persevered to pick up his fifth overall and LMP3 win in the last six VP Racing Challenge races.

The race began in the dry, with Jones bumping his way past pole-sitter Steven Aghakhani (No. 6 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P320 Nissan) as they battled through Turn 2 on the opening lap.

Rain began on parts of the track less than 10 minutes later, with a full-course caution ordered shortly after.

Race officials declared it a wet race at the halfway point, bringing all cars in for the grooved Michelin tires and returning them to the track in the same running order.

Racing resumed with just under six minutes to go and Jones was off and running away. He took the checkered flag 8.365 seconds ahead of Aghakhani, with Alex Kirby (No. 7 Performance Tech Motorsports Ligier) finishing third for the second straight day.

With two rounds and four races remaining this season, Aghakhani holds a comfortable 500-point lead over Brian Thienes (No. 77 Forte Racing Ligier) atop the standings. Jones is third, 100 points behind Thienes.

Josh Green was hoping it would rain in Sunday’s race, sensing he could make his way to the front in the GSX class.

Green’s wish came true and so did he, making a strategic pass in traffic on the penultimate lap and rolling on to his first VP Racing Challenge victory in the No. 78 Thaze Competition Mercedes-AMG GT GT4.

Green sat in third place when the race restarted late in the wet conditions, trailing Race 1 winner Jack Polito (No. 98 Polito Racing Ford Mustang GT4) and Jesse Lazare (No. 21 Motorsports In Action McLaren Artura GT4).

Three laps later, a slower P3 car balked the trio and Green made his move to maneuver past both Polito and Lazare.

From there, the Mount Kisco, N.Y. resident edged away to win by 1.208 seconds over Lazare.

RESULTS: Race 2