Second Win for Grant at Pittsburgh
Wampum, PA – Keith Grant took another determined and dominating race victory at the new Pittsburgh International Race Complex, leading from green to checkered flag. Grant started on pole to complete a weekend sweep with two wins in two races in rounds nine and 10 of the 2015 Atlantic Championship Series season. After Grant’s margin, it was Gaston and Conner Kearby in second and third to round off the podium.
Grant was challenged by a persistent Conner Kearby early in the race, but the young driver hiccupped, which allowed Grant to build a bigger lead and the ability to check out on the field for his first sweep of the season.
“I have been looking for the sweep all year,” said Grant, who drives the No. 40 Polestar machine. “I thought we had an opportunity at Road Atlanta or Mid-Ohio, but kept making mistakes. We had an issue at VIR, and we finally put a weekend together and it worked out real well. Conner is sticking with me in the standings and it’ll probably go to the last race.”
G. Kearby logged one of his best efforts of the season with a second place over C. Kearby as those two drive a pair of K-Hill Motorsports Swift 016/Mazda Atlantics. The second place run also gives G. Kearby the Atlantic Challenge class win, thus netting him two trophies and two podium appearances directly after the race.
“Conner did an off-track excursion and it gave me an advantage,” said G. Kearby. “It was cruising after that. I wasn’t going to give him anything, he has to earn it.”
C. Kearby could not repeat his Saturday performance of second, settling for a third place and a points day to keep Grant within range in the Championship battle.
“I made a mistake over in turn five or six and up the hill. I lost it and did my best to bring it back,” said C. Kearby. “I was making my way back on and getting my tires warmed up, someone had hit the (apex) tires and brought them out on the track. I clipped one of them and jammed by thumb up; from there I was just trying to make it through the race.”
Chris Ash bettered his Saturday performance for Comprent with a fourth place drive, finishing ahead of teammate Bob Corliss, who logged a second straight Atlantic Challenge podium in a nice drive in his No. 17 Swift 014/Toyota.
Keyvan Andres was a big story line coming into the Sunday, as the Watkins Glen and VIR winner showed up at the track Sunday morning and strapped into his K-Hill No. 47. After qualifying well, he vaulted to fourth on the start, but a reported wheel/tire issue cut his chances short.
Full results are available on www.AtlanticChampionshipSeries.com under the Results tab.
The Atlantic Championship Series season continues with a highly-anticipated weekend from New Jersey Motorsports Park, August 28-30.