Fox Factory 120 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
Braselton, Georgia
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge
When the last race of the season rolls around and we find ourselves staring down a long stretch of offseason days, it can be easy to get a little retrospective. The amount of effort it takes to compete at this level is staggering, and a season can sometimes feel like a lifetime condensed into a few months.
This season in particular saw some serious peaks and valleys, ones that brought us up to and beyond whatever limits we thought we had. Week in and week out, the team has had to be flexible, resilient and dedicated in order to remain competitive. The FOX Factory 120 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta proved no different.
Setting up and strategizing
Similar to the last few races, practice sessions were crucial for the team this weekend. After the incident at Indy, the crew was forced to shift yet again to a different chassis for the No. 19 Mustang. Though this chassis wasn’t necessarily new, it had last been used at VIR, so it needed to be dialed in for Road Atlanta’s speedy elevation changes and tricky track conditions.
Careful not to push the tires too hard before qualifying, Sean Quinlan and Greg Liefooghe used the two practice sessions to get the Mustang zeroed in.
Our social media director, Megan Snedden, was busy too, applying names for our final race.
Fighting through the pack
After qualifying in 17th position, the team knew it had some work to do to get through the crowded field. When Quinlan set off at the start, it was immediately clear that this race would be a dogfight. In the first few chaotic laps, Sean and the No. 19 dodged competitors as the field slowly settled and separated. By the time he finally hit the pit, Quinlan had been battling nonstop for 45 minutes but gained little ground.
When Liefooghe tore out of the pit for his stint, he pushed hard to gain a few positions and settled in at 15th. Just as he was getting ready to make his next move, a caution flag came out with an hour left, sending the No. 19 into the pit lane for a fuel top up and a couple new tires.
On the restart, Liefooghe showed his skill and consistency, posting lap time after lap time that compared with the fastest cars on track. Unfortunately, the rest of the field was remarkably speedy as well, and Liefooghe was only able to move up to 13th before the checkered flag waved.
Looking ahead
If the last race of the season is a chance to look back, it also provides an opportunity to think about what is to come. This year was a challenging one, but there were flashes of greatness that have given us so much reason to be hopeful about the future.
As we wade into the offseason, we’ll be carrying it all with us — triumphs, tribulations and lessons learned. We do it not to dwell on the past, but to prepare for the future. Because when a new season rolls around and a slate of races at challenging tracks is looming in front of us, we plan on being prepared.
Thanks for following along. Much more to come!
Our founder Phil Frengs donned a full crew suit and added the role of “deadman” to his resumé. The deadman operates the lever on the refueling rig. The handle must be held down for fuel to flow into the car, then shut off immediately when refueling is done, in order to prevent fueling accidents. Care and focus are critical, and Phil did a great job!
