TAVARES, Fla. (Aug. 4, 2015) - Cooper MacNeil and Leh Keen are heading to WeatherTech's home track at Road America for this weekend's TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Continental Tire Road Race Show Case, Aug. 7-9.
MacNeil (Hinsdale, Ill.) and Keen (Charleston, S.C.) stood on the podium last year at Road America. The duo also participated in The Hawk vintage weekend at the track four weeks ago. Coming into the seventh round, MacNeil and Keen sit third in the GTD points chase, just seven out of the top spot. Both drivers are looking forward to running the four-mile, 14-turn Road America circuit and going home with a strong finish.
"In order for us to get back on the podium at Road America we will have to qualify well and have a perfect race," MacNeil said. "We are in the championship hunt and there's only a few races left so we need to capitalize on everything from here on out. The car needs to be set-up for the whole track so we can minimize our lap time and be the quickest. My favorite section of Road America is turns 9 through 14. The rhythm there is awesome and I look forward to going back to my home track. We had a good time a few weeks back running vintage cars at The Hawk weekend, so we have a good rhythm to start the weekend.
Keen likes the high speeds of Road America.
"Road America is a 'big one' for us because it's WeatherTech's home race," Keen said. "You realize that when you drive in and see all the WeatherTech signs. It's, of course, Cooper's favorite too. It was great to fly the WeatherTech flags on the podium last year and we are really planning to do the same this year. Hopefully one step better. With three long straights the braking will really be key. Lots of high speed brake zones that we will have to slow our Alex Job Racing prepared WeatherTech Porsche down in. So a comfortable strong braking car is really key. Confidence in the brake zone will give us confidence in the corners as well. Which is important as such a big fast track. I really like the Carrousel that sling shots you into the Kink and then down the long twisting straight to Canada. Turn 1 is also a great high speed corner. Cooper and I were just up at Road America a couple weeks ago racing in The Hawk. I was driving some old Turbo Porsche race cars that were a real blast. So we are all warmed up and ready to go!"
Alex Job, team owner, has the team and cars ready for a successful weekend.
"We have done well at Road America the past few years," Job said. "Cooper and Leh were on the podium here last year. The team came up in July and had some fun running vintage cars that helps a driver when he has laps at the track previous to a race weekend. To be in contention come Petit Le Mans for the championship, we need to have a strong run this weekend."
The Continental Tire Road Race Showcase from Road America will be televised live on Sunday starting at 3:00 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1. Qualifying can be viewed live at 4:35 p.m. on Saturday at IMSA.com.