The result gave the pair and their #71 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 their first podium finish of 2025 and lifted them from 15th to 8th place in the Championship standings.
The undulating 2.24-mile Laguna Seca circuit had never previously given the team from DeLand, FL, more than a ninth-place finish, but there were clear signs from the moment that Liddell set the sixth-best time in FP2 that this time could be different. DePew, who shared the vice-champion position with Liddell in the 2023 series, delivered consistent times through practice and qualified 18th.
A cautious start to avoid potential mayhem and keep the car safe resulted in a drop to 19th for DePew. The Virginia-born racer stayed clear of the kind of trouble that is inevitable on such a narrow and twisty track and was able to settle into a rhythm as the track stayed ‘green’ for the opening 54 minutes and moved the car up to 13th when he ultimately pitted for fuel. Michelin tires and a change of driver.
DePew’s pace and consistency was critical in the success of the #71 Aston Martin; by keeping the distinctive Green Vantage on-target for a single-stop strategy to minimize time loss. That rhythm, however, was cancelled by a pair of Full-Course Caution ‘Yellow’ periods that reduced the race to a slow-speed procession and bunched the field together.
With the pits open, Frank was called in two minutes shy of the one-hour, half-way mark to hand over to co-driver Robin Liddell and to allow the Aston Martin to take on enough fuel to make it to the finish. Due to excellent work by the Rebel Rock crew, the car was in 9th place when the race resumed under green. Once allowed to race again, the driver from Scotland swiftly moved up the order; a legacy of several decisive passing moves and a number of penalties issued to other cars during the second half of the race.
Seventh within ten minutes of climbing aboard, Liddell continued to charge forward and was sixth – a result of a spectacular four-wide battle heading up towards The Corkscrew.
Fourth with half an hour left, an opportunistic move on a rival in traffic and another rival’s penalty promoted the 2015 series champion to second place by the chequered flag; just 0.6 seconds from a first victory of the year.
Frank and Robin, who secured their 12th IMPC podium together, used the result to propel them from 15th to P8 in the Drivers’ standings. The next event will be a four-hour race at Mid-Ohio on June 6-8.
Frank DePew said: “This was a great result. Laguna Seca is a track where we haven't tested because it’s so far from home, so usually we come here thinking a Top-10 would be a good result. To finish on the podium is well beyond expectations. My stint was all about getting my head down, knocking off the laps and staying consistent and tidy and I did that. I knew our only chance of a result here was a one-stop strategy so that meant I stayed out longer than normal, but it was worth it. The team executed the pitstop brilliantly and Robin always gets it done. We’ve ticked a lot of boxes here so we go home happy.”
Robin Liddell said: “We’re over the moon to finish on the podium when honestly I thought we could potentially get in the top six if everything went our way. This race was just crazy. Fun, but crazy. Frank drove a great opening stint and was so good, in fact, that we left him in for the full hour, which is the only way we could do a one-stopper and finish on the podium. That was absolutely the key to the race and that – plus lots of people telling him it was the best they’ve seen him drive – should hopefully be a big boost to him. My stint was fun with some wild restarts and I was lucky not to get a puncture from running over debris late on. After the disappointment from the wheel failure at Daytona at the start of the season, it feels as though our season has finally got into gear.”