Lawson Aschenbach, Tony Gaples and Blackdog Speed Shop are looking ahead to Saturday’s second GTS race for the Pirelli World Challenge at Lime Rock Park. Friday’s first race saw a mix of weather conditions that did no favors to either of the team’s Chevrolet Camaro GT4.Rs.
Aschenbach finished fifth in the No. 10 Blackdog Speed Shop Camaro and Gaples 12th – sixth in the GTSA category – with the No. 11 Blackdog Speed Shop entry.
Aschenbach, the GTS Driver’s Championship leader, posted a race lap good enough for the second start spot for Saturday’s 2:50 p.m. ET round.
“Things never clicked for us today,” said Aschenbach, who ran as high as third early. “I never felt comfortable in the car until it was too late. Starting second tomorrow is the only reward so hopefully we can keep this Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R up front and deliver that first win. Conditions should be better and hopefully our result will be as well.”
Gaples also made a strong start and gained multiple spots early with the rain still falling. The GTSA Driver’s Championship leader ran as high as ninth before the track began to dry.
“It was a promising start. I was really driving the Blackdog Speed Shop Chevy Camaro well in the rain,” said Gaples, who will start eighth Saturday. “It was a great equalizer and I would have liked to the rain continued. Unfortunately it didn’t last, and neither did our momentum. We simply are at a performance deficit – not great power and not great handling. You need at least one of those to have a chance. At this moment, we don’t have either.”
The combination of Blackdog Speed Shop and the Camaro platform is a winning one in Pirelli World Challenge. Blackdog Speed Shop is the winningest team in PWC GTS competition with 18 victories. The team won three consecutive GTS Driver’s Championships – Aschenbach in 2013-14 and Michael Cooper in 2015 – as well as the 2013 GTS Team title during Blackdog Speed Shop’s first season in the category. Chevrolet was the Manufacturer’s Champion that season, as well.
