Mies: “Different View” Working With Multiple Mustang Teams

Photo: Wes Duenkel/Ford

Chris Mies believes that working with multiple teams campaigning the Ford Mustang GT3 EVO provides a “different view” on how the customer and factory-supported operations approach the car.

Mies has been drafted into his fourth different Mustang squad this weekend, joining Dollahite Racing’s Pro-Am class lineup for the Desder Indianapolis 8 Hour alongside Alex Sedgwick and Scott Dollahite.

It comes just one week after concluding the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with the factory Multimatic Motorsports-run team in GTD Pro and one month after claiming overall pole and finishing second in the Suzuka 1000kms with the Miedecke Motorsport/Team MPC outfit.

The Ford Racing factory driver has also made starts with Haupt Racing Team in both the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour and Nürburgring 24 this year.

“It’s cool, especially coming off Suzuka now with the pole and P2 in the race, it was pretty cool to be back with the old team,” Mies told Sportscar365.

“I never worked with Dollahite before but I like the concept of IGTC, obviously, racing all over the globe with different teams and cool tracks.

“It’s exciting. Once I’m here, I could stay for another week, right? It makes sense.”

When asked what he can bring to the Texas-based team, which has largely competed in the Pro class of GT World Challenge America powered by AWS competition this year, before moving to Pro-Am for the season finale, Mies said it’s likely to be a two-way street.

“I hope I can give some tips to them,” he said. “I don’t know on what level they are; I’m sure they’re doing a great job.

“Maybe I can even learn more from them than they can learn from me. They get the full support from Ford, so they know the car inside-out as well.

“But if I see something which I think would work, I would obviously bring it in.

“But from what I hear, I’m pretty sure they’re sorted quite well.”

Mies said racing with multiple Mustang squads this year has been beneficial to the program as a whole.

“I think it helps because you get a different view from another perspective, like how different teams work,” he said.

“Obviously we are quite privileged to be in IMSA with Multimatic. I think that’s one of the best teams you can work with and they do a fantastic job.

“But then you also see it from the view of HRT or Dollahite or MPC.

“MPC, we helped a lot because they were new to the car, so that was more on us drivers to help get their head around the car.

“Now, the same as HRT with Dollahite now, it’s an experienced team, they know the car. But it’s still interesting to see. Maybe I can take something to Multimatic and learn from it.”

While the Mustang GT3 EVO is coming off a class win in last month’s Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Mies said Saturday’s GTWC America/Intercontinental GT Challenge season finale could present a different set of challenges.

“It’s a bit different but for sure, I just came fresh out of Indy,” he said. “We had a bit of bad luck with Car 65 but I think we could have been, maybe a 1-2 but at leas a 1-3 in the race.

“We know what it needs to have a quick car there. Now we just need to fine tune it and adjust it for the Pirelli tires.”

When asked if he thinks they may be able to fight for an overall win, given there’s only five Pro class entries in the race, Mies said “I hope so.”

He added: “At least another podium would be nice. I need to see how it goes but I think the Mustang is quite good on the Indy track; it suits the car quite well.

“I don’t see anything why we shouldn’t be in a position to be at least top-three.”

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