Rebel Rock Racing staged a remarkable recovery to snatch a top-10 finish in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge last weekend while home hero Frank DePew added a well-deserved podium finish in the IMSA VP Racing Challenge.
The results were justified for the team from DeLand, FL, who arrived at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) in a confident mood following a victory at the fabulous 3.3-mile circuit in 2023 and a competitive showing last year.
Hopes were raised even higher when Robin Liddell set the pace in Friday afternoon’s IMPC practice session for the two-hour Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix aboard the #71 Aston Martin Vantage GT4.
And they were raised further still when team-mate and Team Principal DePew raced tenaciously in a trio of 45-minute VP Challenge encounters to a pair of fourths and a third spot in the GSX bronze category; his third podium of the year coming as he snatched the position on the penultimate lap of Saturday lunchtime’s race.
That set the Virginian up for the main event on Saturday afternoon and he started well, climbing from his 16th-place starting position to run 14th early on.
Unfortunately contact at Turn One on the third lap of the race left DePew outside the Top 30, but a clever decision from the team not to pit for fuel under an early Full-Course Yellow (FCY) period helped him climb back to sixth spot when the racing resumed on the half-hour mark.
This strategy decision could have paid off handsomely, with the Aston Martin needing only one fuel stop at the one-hour mark, but was not to have the desired effect as #71 was given a drive-through for pitlane speeding at the driver change.
This set the stage for an almighty fightback from 31st position with just 55 minutes left.
The 2015 series champion put the hammer down, taking back position after position as he set the third-fastest lap of the race and was up to P15 when the final FCY of the race ended with 15 minutes to go.
Taking three places on the first lap of green-flag racing, he continued his charge to an eventual ninth spot at the checker – a testament to the performance of the Aston Martin at VIR and the excellent set-up work by the Rebel Rock crew.
DePew and Liddell hold 11th place in the Drivers’ points and have just two races left to make up further positions. The next round, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120, is on September 20th.
FrankDePew:
I can't thank the crew enough as I believe they gave Robin and I a car that could have won the race despite my drive-through for pit lane speeding. I'm not sure we had the outright pace to beat the Supras, Mustangs and Porsches but our strategy was perfect. I have to hold my hand up and say my error may have taken away our shot at the podium or even the win! We still want to get that elusive first win of the year and I can't wait to get to Indianapolis in a couple of weeks.