The seventh IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race was scheduled for 10 October at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. At first, things looked good for a podium by Mario Farnbacher and Meyer Shank Racing, but after a collision they only reached seventh place. However, 200 points are still enough to keep Farnbacher and teammate Matt McMurry in the GTD class championship lead.
“It’s a really bitter result”, said the driver from Ansbach. “The weekend was a difficult one and we had to fight extremely hard. A podium finish was nevertheless still on the cards, but losing it because of a collision is disappointing. Well, we’ve just got to write it off and make a new attack at Road Atlanta.”
Starting position for the 100-minute-race – shortest of the season – was again promising: McMurry started from third on the grid and battled forwards under fearsome conditions on a wet track to second position. Thanks to the team’s strong performance, Farnbacher left the pits to take the lead on the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
After 15 laps in the lead, a penalty, followed by a collision caused by a fellow competitor, dashed all hopes of a podium finish. The 28-year-old and his Acura NSX GT3 #86 ultimately crossed the line in seventh place.
The Ohio-based team has another chance to win points in only a few days. On 17 October, the Petit Le Mans will take place at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Acura driver Farnbacher has happy memories of the ten-hour race on the Georgia circuit, where he clinched the 2019 championship title in the GTD class with Meyer Shank Racing.
