“Our day didn’t start out as planned, but we were able to rebound to finish the day with a solid fourth place finish" - Taylor Hagler delivered an impressive recovery drive in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge round at Indianapolis, overcoming an engine failure in qualifying to finish fourth after charging through the field and showing strong pace throughout the race.
Taylor Hagler was the protagonist of a spirited comeback in the ninth round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season at Indianapolis, as an engine failure in qualifying sent her #77 Hyundai Elantra N TCR to the back of the TCR field and forced the Bryan Herta Autosport crew to an impressive effort to make the grid for the two-hour race.
With an outstanding first stint, Hagler charged through the field and moved up into the top three, with her teammate also retaining the podium position until a late race pit stop for fuel that dropped them to fourth. It was nevertheless a brilliant recovery drive for Hagler, who showcased great pace in her stint and racecraft at the start, adding yet another top five to a strong second half of the season.
Hagler headed to the Racing Capital of the World, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with several starts under her belt at the circuit, including three previous editions in the Hyundai TCR. She aimed to keep momentum after a streak of good results that began at Watkins Glen, where the Bryan Herta Autosport duo secured their first top-five this year, followed by a fourth place at Mosport.
Although bad luck denied her a podium or potential victory at Road America and VIR, the two-time TCR champion was clearly on a positive run.
"Heading back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is something I always look forward to," said Hagler before the weekend. "The support from the community and the fan turn out for this event is so positive to see."
"We have data from past years that we have learned from and can implement this weekend. While the road course is flat in comparison to other tracks, the oval banking is a unique factor here. Bryson [Morris] and I will continue to push as we have to get the No. 77 Hyundai Elantra N TCT back on the podium at BHA's home race."
Practice sessions were also a positive start to the event, with Hagler and Morris recording the seventh and sixth fastest times ahead of qualifying. However, disaster struck when Hagler took to the track in the morning qualifying session, and her car's engine went up in smoke on her outlap.
The team rushed to change the engine, and after four hours of work, they made it just in time for the car to be on the grid for the race.
Hagler started the first stint with an amazing performance, going from P13 to P6, clearing most of the TCR field on the first lap before a Full Course Yellow came out for the stricken Racers Edge Motorsports Honda Civic of Wu, neutralizing the action.
At the restart on lap 3, there were incredible battles in TCR, with everyone engaged in tight duels. The #17 Unitronic Audi was handed a drive-through penalty for jumping the start and a turn 1 crash involving the #76 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai of Brown and the Road Shagger Racing Audi of Ernstone triggered another full course yellow. Hagler did a great job avoiding the chaos and moved up to fourth place.
Fifteen minutes into the race, the GS class used the caution to pit, while the TCR field stayed out. The Victor Gonzalez Racing Hyundai accelerated away from the lead as the green flag waved again, ahead of the BHA trio of Wilkins, Gottsacker, and Hagler.
Hagler's pace was strong from the restart, and the top four were the only TCR cars lapping under the 1:34 mark. The BHA Hyundais ran close together, with Hagler extending her gap to the fifth-placed HART Honda Civic and opening a 5-second buffer, while keeping the gap stable to her teammates ahead by almost 2 seconds.
On lap 22, the TCR race leader was hit and spun at turn 1 by the #71 Rebel Rock Racing Aston Martin, triggering another safety car. Hagler moved up to third place before the race was neutralized, and the pit window opened. All the TCR front-runners pitted on lap 26, and Hagler handed over to Bryson Morris after recovering from P13 to third.
After the round of pit stops, however, the #17 Unitronic Audi and the #5 KMW Motorsports Alfa Romeo had managed to get ahead, with Morris rejoining in fifth, right behind teammate Robert Wickens. Morris immediately set purple sectors and started to put pressure on Wickens, who held position. Morris stayed glued to the back of the #33 sister car and found a way past on lap 38, moving back up to fourth.
The top five began to check out, and Morris, in clear air, started gaining on Lewis' Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR. Morris found a way past the #5 machine on lap 47, returning to a podium position. His pace remained competitive, and despite being 6 seconds behind the leaders, he soon halved the gap.
He temporarily ran second as Mikey Taylor pitted for the second time, just before his own second stop on lap 52 for refueling. Morris set a fast lap on his outlap and, after falling behind Tim Lewis again, resumed his chase of the #5 Alfa Romeo, gaining four seconds in ten laps and moving ahead with six minutes to go.
The leading trio stayed out, hoping for a caution, but Pegram's Audi had to pit for fuel in the closing minutes, handing fourth place to Morris. Ahead, Filippi and Wickens, who had gambled on fuel, held a 40-second advantage with a few laps remaining.
Mason Filippi and Robert Wickens made the strategy work, securing a BHA Hyundai 1-2 with a single-stop strategy, followed by the #17 Unitronic Audi. Hagler and Morris brought home a hard-fought fourth place in a dramatic finale.
Despite missing out on the podium, it was one of their best finishes of the year, marking their third top-five result of the season and matching their personal best finish of fourth this year.
“Our day didn’t start out as planned, but we were able to rebound to finish the day with a solid fourth place finish", said Hagler. "A big thank you to the No. 77 Bryan Herta Autosport team for their quick work to replace the engine and get us on the grid in time to race."
"The start was one of those moments you love as a racing driver - finding the lane that is open and pushing the car before the first turn", she continued. "We will finish out the season at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with the same mentality of pushing as hard as we can.”
Hagler and Morris will head into the final round of the season at Road Atlanta, taking place on October 9-11 in support of the Petit Le Mans event. The duo currently sits seventh in the championship standings.
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