Block/Lewis score Alfa Romeo’s maiden victory in IMSA

Tim Lewis and Roy Block pushed Alfa Romeo to its first victory in the TCR class of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at the end of a wet race at Road Atlanta. The postrace celebration stirred emotions for the drivers and crew of the #5 KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce.
“I got out of the car and the first person I saw was Brian Carroll, our chief mechanic,” Lewis said. “He was excited. Then I saw Louis Milone, the team owner, running down pit lane with his hands up and tears in his eyes. He was just elated. It was a really good feeling to bring that win home for the team. Those guys have worked day in and day out, year after year, to try to make this happen.”
Lewis crossed the line ahead of Denis Dupont, who teamed with Rory van der Steur to finish second in the #19 van der Steur Racing Hyundai Veloster N. Parker Chase and Ryan Norman were third in the #98 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR.
The victory meant that Lewis and Block moved into a second-place tie with Chase in the standings, 190 points behind the #77 BHA Hyundai Veloster drivers Taylor Hagler and Michael Lewis.
The Michelin Pilot Challenge season resumes on September 11 at Laguna Seca.

Road America – Race
1. R. Block/T. Lewis (KMW Motorsports, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce), 43 laps
2. R. van der Steur/D. Dupont (Van der Steur Racing/Hyundai Veloster N), 3.883
3. P. Chase/R. Norman (Bryan Herta Autosport, Hyundai Elantra N), 8.244
4. M. Wilkins/H. Gottsacker (Bryan Herta Autosport, Hyundai Elantra N), 1 lap
5. C. Miller/M. Taylor (JDC-Miller MotorSports, Audi RS 3 LMS), 1 lap

Championship points
1. M. Lewis/T. Hagler 2050 pts; 2. P. Chase 1860; 3. R. Block/T. Lewis 1860

Picture: IMSA/Michael Levitt