Hyundai captured two positions on the podium following the first sprint race of the 2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (IMPC) season at Sebring International Raceway. After leading the TCR class since just before the halfway mark in the two-hour event, Bryan Herta Autosport’s (BHA) Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker in the No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR entered an on-track battle with the No. 5 Alfa Romeo Guilietta Veloce TCR. In the closing minutes of the race, the No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR and the No. 5 Alfa Romeo Guilietta Veloce TCR ran side-by-side challenging for the lead before a caution flag flew that marked the No. 5 ahead of the No. 33. Wickens and Gottsacker claimed second position after the lead battle didn’t fall in favor of the Hyundai pairing. Mark Wilkins and Mason Filippi rounded out the podium with a third-place finish, the No. 98 Hyundai Elantra N TCR pairing’s second podium in a row. In a caution-filled event, the reigning IMPC championship team of Michael Lewis and Taylor Hagler fought their way into a top-five result.
The Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 saw the return of van der Steur Racing and the No. 91 Hyundai Elantra N TCR – piloted by Tyler Maxson and Bryan Ortiz – and the co-drivers delivered a finish in sixth. Thursday’s race at Sebring International Raceway brought a bit of a challenging race for the Deily Motorsports No. 74 Hyundai Elantra N TCR finishing in tenth while the No.70 Hyundai Elantra N TCR, piloted by Jacob Deily and Cabot Bigham, was involved in an on-track incident towards the opening minutes of the two-hour race, ending their day early.
