Kia Racing remained in the hunt for the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) championship this past weekend, taking to the track at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for Rounds 11 and 12 of the series. Amid a field of Mustangs, Camaros, Porsches and Aston Martins, Kia Racing’s Mark Wilkins, pilot of the No. 38 B.R.A.K.E.S. Optima turbo, took the win in Round 11, his second victory of the season and his sixth podium this year. Taking advantage of Mid-Ohio’s fast, open circuit and cool ambient temperatures, both of which suit the Optima turbo’s power and aerodynamic shape, Wilkins and Kia closed in on the lead for the GTS Driver and Manufacturer championship point standings this weekend after scoring the win Saturday and a fourth-place finish on Sunday -- Wilkins’ tenth-straight top-five result dating back to the Long Beach, Calif., race in April. The PWC title fight moves to Sonoma Raceway for Round 13 on August 25.
“Every win, every top-five finish brings us closer to the championship, and Mid-Ohio was just another piece of that puzzle. We were confident that this track would lend itself to the strengths of our Optima turbo, and that’s exactly what happened,” said Wilkins. “A first-place finish is always something to celebrate, but the work is far from done. Being so close to the top means the entire Kia Racing team will now have to dial up our efforts on all fronts, on and off the track, to be ready for a final push towards a championship in these last two races at Sonoma and Houston.”
Teammate Nic Jönsson, driver of the No. 36 DonorsChoose.org Optima turbo, also had a strong run at Mid-Ohio. Having captured the pole for Round 11 on Friday – setting a GTS lap record in the process – Jönsson then clocked the fastest lap of the race Saturday, leading the field for most of the 50-minute contest until a damaged CV joint brought his race to a premature end. Jönsson was credited with 15th place and currently sits 10th in the Driver Championship standings.
“The priority is to help Mark win the Driver Championship while accumulating as many points as we can for Kia in the Manufacturer Championship. Both goals are well within reach,” said Jönsson. “The team’s objectives should always come before individual ambitions. It’s all about the greater good. That’s how Kinetic operates and that’s the reason for our success so far this season. Now, it’s time to capitalize on our opportunity.”
The Pirelli World Challenge series next heads to Sonoma Raceway on August 25 for Round 13 before finishing the 14-round season on the streets of Houston on October 6.
Televised coverage of Rounds 11 and 12 from Mid-Ohio is scheduled to air Sunday, August 18, at 2 p.m. ET on the NBC Sports Network (dates and times subject to change). Race fans can always tune in online for live race coverage at www.world-challengetv.com
Wednesday, 7 August 2013
Wilkins chasing PWC championship with second victory
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