Michael Lewis and Mark Wilkins Win Wet and Wild Mid-Ohio 120

INDIANAPOLIS, May 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In just their third race in the competitive IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series, Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA) scored their first victory Saturday at Mid-Ohio. Weather was a factor throughout the weekend and Mother Nature played her hand during the 2-hour race, with cold temperatures and intermittent rain creating challenging decisions in the pit box and on the race track.  The experienced BHA crew's strategy was the right one, the pitstops were perfect as both cars led the race with the #98 Veloster N TCR of Mark Wilkins and Michael Lewis ultimately taking the checkered flag and securing Hyundai's first IMSA victory.

Mark Wilkins qualified 6^th in the #98 Veloster N TCR and teammate Mason Filippi 11th.  Both drivers had great starts; Wilkins moved to fourth and Filippi catapulted to sixth on the first lap.  Wilkins drove into the lead before turning the car over to co-driver Michael Lewis just past the half way point of the race. Meanwhile, after vaulting up six positions in the opening laps in the #21 Veloster N TCR, Filippi was racing hard in the top five when contact from a competitor broke the hood pin on the #21 Veloster N TCR, forcing Filippi to the pits for an unscheduled stop.  As Mason pitted for quick repairs the BHA crew were able to keep the car on the lead lap and in contention.  A yellow flag just past the half way point of the two-hour race saw both cars pit for driver changes, fresh tires and full tanks of fuel.  Quick work by the BHA crew enabled the #98 and #21 cars to lead all cars on pit road back out onto the track, with only two cars who had not pitted in front of them. 

On the ensuing restart, Michael Lewis and Harry Gottsacker fought their way into first and second.  Gottsacker had just passed his teammate for the lead in the final 20 laps of the race when a fuel pump issue began to slow the #21 machine, dropping him to seventh by the finish.  Lewis continued his battle up front against the strong challenges from Honda and then swapped the top spot twice with the Audi in the closing laps.  The race was a nail-biter until the end as Lewis masterfully made his final pass with only two laps to go.  Lewis defended hard against the charging #81 Audi throughout the final corners to bring home the team and Hyundai's first ever victory in IMSA competition.

In recognition of the team's valiant victory, BHA was awarded the "Forgeline Spirit of the Race Award".  Fans who enjoyed race day coverage via the IMSA.tv live stream and the IMSA Radio live broadcast submitted their votes via Twitter and selected the #98 Bryan Herta Autosport w/Curb Agajanian team for exemplifying the true spirit of MICHELIN Pilot Challenge racing.

The television broadcast of the Pilot Challenge race from Mid-Ohio will air on Saturday, May 11 at 11 p.m. ET on NBCSN.  Round four of the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge race comes at Watkins Glen International on Saturday, June 29. The Tioga Downs Casino Resort 240 is a four-hour race.

#98 Bryan Herta Autosport w/Curb Agajanian/Hyundai Veloster N TCR

Started: 6^th    Finished: 1st

Mark Wilkins (started): "It was a fantastic day today for Hyundai first and foremost. We really had the best car here this weekend.  The Veloster N TCR was perfect on this tight and technical track and in variable conditions. It was a fantastic event overall. We didn't qualify as well as would have hoped, but sometimes that's the nature of the beast with timing.  My goal was to work my way forward and turn it over to Michael in a competitive position.  Michael took over and just did a fantastic job. It was a crazy nail-biter but awesome.  The Veloster N TCR performed really well here and it is a very satisfying way to go into the busy part of the season."

Michael Lewis: "I am absolutely thrilled to get our first IMSA win and the first for Hyundai here at Mid-Ohio today. It wasn't easy and it was a great show.  The Bryan Herta Autosport Team executed flawlessly, and we fought hard. Great racing, tough conditions and a fantastic finish.  I have to give credit to my teammate Mark Wilkins…he was so quick and gave me a car in position to win."

#21 Bryan Herta Autosport w/Curb Agajanian/Hyundai Veloster N TCR

Started: 11^th   Finished: 7th

Mason Filippi (started): "The start was awesome.  I was in one lane then it was almost like a freeway…I took a second and gave myself a gap and read the traffic, then just took the outside lane and passed about five cars.  The race was competitive and crazy with weather, luckily for most of my stint it stayed dry.   Harry did an amazing job getting to first.  Car was great…. all weekend…this Hyundai Veloster N TCR car is amazing in the mixed conditions….it really gave us an additional edge."

Harry Gottsacker: "We had an eventful race today.  We had the hood come loose and had to serve a black flag to repair it under green flag.  Mason did a great job of getting us back into contention.  I took over in fourth and was able to fight my way to the lead after a restart.  It was really rewarding to lead a few laps for the BHA team.  The conditions were all over the place during my staying and it was changing every lap. Unfortunately, we had an issue with the fuel pump and fell back to seventh at the finish.

BHA Team Owner, Bryan Herta: "I am very happy for the team and Hyundai.  At the same time, I'm really gutted for Mason and Harry they had a great race going and I think we had a chance for a 1-2 finish today.  It was our first IMSA win…that's big.  It was a super exciting race and we'd been saying we thought changeable conditions would favor us and our drivers and that's what we saw.  Everyone nailed it out there…great job by the crew and the drivers were outstanding.  It was a wild race…maybe a little too wild for me, but I am thrilled with the finish for the #98 car and Hyundai."

About Bryan Herta Autosport:
Founded in 2009, Bryan Herta Autosport has grown from a single car Indy-Lights team into a championship winning auto racing franchise.  Led by IndyCar and Sports Car star Bryan Herta, Bryan Herta Autosport has won races in every discipline they've entered, including Indy Lights, Indy Car, Global Rally Cross, Pirelli World Challenge and IMSA. BHA rose to prominence after winning the 2011 Indianapolis 500 in what was the final race of the Centennial Era, a celebration of 100 years of racing at The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with driver Dan Wheldon.  Five years late, BHA partnered with Andretti Autosport, and defied the odds again, winning their second Indianapolis 500 with rookie driver Alexander Rossi.  BHA entered the Global Rally Cross Championship in 2015 under the name Bryan Herta Rallysport, scoring multiple podiums and wins.  In 2018, BHA entered the Pirelli World Challenge in partnership with Hyundai and dominated the TCR class, winning seven races with drivers #98 Michael Lewis and #99 Mark Wilkins in the Hyundai i30N TCR, securing the team and manufacturers championships in the process.  For 2019, BHA continues its' successful partnership with Andretti Autosport to field the #98 U.S. Concrete Honda w/ Curb Agajanian in the IndyCar series for driver Marco Andretti.  Also, in 2019, BHA takes their championship winning Hyundai TCR team to the IMSA Pilot Challenge where they contest the #98 Hyundai Veloster N TCR for Michael Lewis and Mark Wilkins and the #21 for Harry Gottsacker and Mason Filippi.  Just three races into their IMSA debut, BHA won the Mid-Ohio 120 in the #98 Hyundai Veloster N TCR with Wilkins and Lewis. Bryan Herta Autosport is the U.S. sales agent and parts support representative of Hyundai TCR race cars for customer teams.  For more information, visit www.BryanHertaAutosport.com.

About Hyundai Motor America:
Hyundai Motor America is focused on delivering an outstanding customer experience grounded in design leadership, engineering excellence and exceptional value in every vehicle we sell. Hyundai's technology-rich product lineup of cars, SUVs and alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles is backed by Hyundai Assurance—our promise to deliver peace of mind to our customers. Hyundai vehicles are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide with the majority sold in the U.S. built at U.S. manufacturing facilities, including Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Hyundai Motor America is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea.

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America

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