DALLAS, Sept. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nick Boulle of deBoulle Diamond & Jewelry, an independent jewelry salon in Dallas and Houston, Tom Dillmann and Kuba Smiechowski, deliver an impressive P2 finish Sunday at the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, the six-hour IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Inter Europol by PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Team celebrated the runner-up position – and its third podium - of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. With the championship lead extended from 27 to 98 points, the battle for the LMP2 title will be decided at Motul Petit Le Mans next month.
It all started on the most positive note; Boulle claimed his and Inter Europol by PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports first IMSA pole position at the short 3.89 km Grand Prix Road Course, 30th pole position for the PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports since 2014. It was a phenomenal effort, with his fastest three laps all good enough for the pole position, which he aced by almost a full half-second.
The Battle on the Bricks was a tough race for all 56 runners Sunday at Indianapolis. For the #52 Inter Europol by PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports crew and drivers Boulle, Smiechowski and Dillmann, this was no exception, as heavy rain shortly after the start of the six-hour endurance was especially challenging.
Race day brought much cooler temperatures and light rain in the air. Boulle led the way from the start through to lap 7, before slower GT traffic forced him to yield his gap and he wisely yielded 1st place to preserve the car. As the rain intensity increased, he and the LMP2 field were soon in the pits for wet tires, and a deep pass in to Turn 1 in the wet took the #52 car back to the front after 40 minutes of running.
Boulle ran at the front throughout much of his remaining time in the car before boxing from the lead and handing over to Kuba after 100 minutes. Credit to Boulle for surviving the heavy rain, multiple full course yellows, and very difficult driving conditions.
Kuba took over the #52 Oreca but struggled initially and suffered a quick spin that dropped him to fourth. There was a great recovery, however, and he took every opportunity to ensure that he moved the front of the LMP2 field with a strong performance.
Dillmann had the bulk of the running, now in dry conditions. He took over the Oreca with 165 minutes remaining, and while he had plenty of speed, the race-winning #11 was always just a little out of reach due to a brave pit strategy during the race's final caution with one hour to go. Dillmann ultimately took the checkered flag seconds, roughly 25 seconds behind. Crucially, he was ahead of our nearest championship rivals – the #74, #18 and #2.
And through it all, a second-position finish after an exciting 6 hours ahead of key championship rivals was a very welcome reward for all of the drivers' and crew's hard work.
"I'm super pleased with how well the team performed'" said Boulle. "I accomplished my goal of qualifying on pole and delivering the car to Kuba and Tom in perfection running condition and in the lead of the race. Kuba had a tough stint in the wet and did great as well. And Tom did a monster-long final run to finish strong in P2. I think we can all hold our heads up high! I am excited for Petit Le Mans now - we are all working hard to make something special happen to close out the year."
With the Championship lead, Inter Europol by PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports looks forward to the final round at Road Atlanta. The 2024 WeatherTech Championship season closes with the 27th annual Motul Petit Le Mans on Saturday, October. 12 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Live coverage is available on NBC and Peacock starting at 11:00 am CT.
About de Boulle Motorsports / de Boulle Diamond & Jewelry
deBoulle Motorsports is a living and moving illustration of the passion for excellence that deBoulle Diamond & Jewelry has for both jewelry and timepieces. With Nick Boulle at the helm, the team has competed in races across the United States and Europe, specializing in endurance racing at speeds of 200 miles per hour. In 2017, Boulle won the Rolex 24 at Daytona. deBoulle Diamond & Jewelry was established in 1983 by Denis and Karen Boulle. Over the years, they have assembled an unrivaled collection of diamonds, fine jewelry and timepieces unsurpassed in their elegance and depth in selection. deBoulle has served thousands of discerning customers and built a reputation as one of the pre-eminent independently owned jewelers in the United States with locations in Dallas and Houston. For more information, visit deBoulle.com.
About Effex Management Solutions
In seventeen years of being in business, Effex Management Solutions has retained each and every client. We know that our return on investment is directly linked to yours, so we go above and beyond the traditional staffing agency approach to ensure that our services positively affect your bottom line. For more information, visit www.effexms.com.
SOURCE deBoulle Diamond and Jewelry
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