The keys to success in every aspect of life include the ongoing management of expectations. Whether it is your own or those of the people around you, it may well be the key to success regardless of the sphere in which you operate.
For Rebel Rock Racing, that particular task has been somewhat of a challenge in 2024 as early season results have placed the team from Deland Florida in the thick of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge title hunt. The acquisition of the brand new Aston Martin Vantage GT4 along with the methodical pragmatism of Team Manager, Robin Liddell dictated that early season goals should be modest with sights set on reaching the lower level of the Top 10 on race days.
Three events and one win into the season, the drivers and crew of Gaydon’s 4.0 V8 Twin Turbo head to the Mid-Ohio SportsCar Course within 70 points of the Championship lead but no longer carrying the luxury of flying under anyone’s radar.
Sunday’s O’Reilly Autoparts 4 Hour headliner sees the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge take center stage at the thirteen turn, 2.25 mile natural terrain road course North East of Columbus. The second endurance race of the season will see Andrew Davis join the regular duo of Frank DePew and Robin Liddell. The trio shared testing duties there in late May and will arrive at Mid Ohio as prepared as anyone in the GS field.
Andrew Davis, is eager to return to Mid Ohio under racing conditions. “I’ve been waiting patiently for my return with Rebel Rock Racing, and now it’s go time! Coming off our test there, I feel that the Vantage GT4 is ready for a strong run. I have decades of experience at Mid-Ohio, but this 4 hour enduro will be the first of its kind. I’m certain the event will be full of great battles and plenty of action.”
For Frank DePew, the intensive early season testing program has had the required result. “Unlike Andrew, I do not have significant experience at Mid-Ohio having only raced there a few times. However, the time we spent testing there has given me a lot of confidence. I feel good about my pace and our team’s opportunity for a good result!”
“The strong start to the season really did surprise us and maybe changed our thought process a little bit, hence the reason we were a little disappointed with the result last time out at Laguna,” said Robin Liddell. “Getting in two full days of testing last week at Mid Ohio was therefore really beneficial as we are still learning this new car and with no previous data on the car from previous years essentially each track we go to is a new experience. Both Frank and Andrew did a super job at the test and I’m certainly looking forward to the longer four hour race format where we will be the headline event.”
The Green Flag for Round 4 of the 2024 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at Mid-Ohio SportsCar Course drops at 12:40pm. The race is live on Peacock in the USA. For International viewers without a TV broadcaster, the race can be seen live at IMSA.TV. IMSA Radio will also have non-stop live coverage of the race. For full event coverage please follow Rebel Rock Racing on Twitter at @RebelRockRacing, on Instagram at @rebelrockracing and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rebelrockracing2.0.