Maddie Aust continues remarkable consistency with another top-6 finish at Watkins Glen
- RACERS
- Jun 30
- 4 min read
Maddie Aust and Mark Wilkins continued their consistent IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge campaign at Watkins Glen with another clean and strategically executed race, combining Aust's mistake-free opening stint and Wilkins' late-race recovery to secure their fifth top-6 finish out of five rounds.
Maddie Aust and Mark Wilkins continued their consistent IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge campaign at Watkins Glen with another clean and strategically executed race, combining Aust's mistake-free opening stint and Wilkins' late-race recovery to secure their fifth top-6 finish out of five rounds.
Maddie Aust arrived at Watkins Glen third in the championship standings of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR category and just off her first podium finish in the series. In her second campaign with Bryan Herta Autosport, the young American had rapidly established herself as one of the most reliable drivers in the class, securing an impressive streak of solid results alongside teammate Mark Wilkins aboard the #98 Hyundai Elantra N TCR.
Aust narrowly missed the podium with fourth-place finishes at both Daytona and Sebring before finally breaking into the top three at Mid-Ohio, where another composed performance secured the duo's first podium of the season and elevated them into third place in the championship standings.
Arriving at Watkins Glen for the fifth round of the season, supporting the prestigious Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen, Aust and Wilkins were aiming to continue that momentum and strengthen their title challenge with another front-running result.
Practice began on Friday morning under wet conditions, forcing drivers to immediately adapt to the trucky Watkins Glen road course. With dry running finally available in FP2, the team continued working through its race programme ahead of qualifying. Although outright times remained tightly grouped throughout the competitive TCR field, the #98 Hyundai showed encouraging pace as preparations focused on Saturday afternoon's two-hour contest.
Qualifying saw Aust once again take responsibility for securing the grid position. The young American steadily improved throughout the session before producing a best lap of 1:57.811, placing the Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai 12th on the TCR grid.
Saturday afternoon brought warm, dry conditions for the fifth race of the season. Aust lined up P12 in class for the opening stint. The start proved clean across the TCR field, allowing Aust to immediately settle into her rhythm while carefully avoiding unnecessary risks during the opening laps.
She completed the opening tour in 13th position after Riley Pegram briefly moved ahead, but almost immediately Aust switched back and gained a further place when the #77 Stallion Motorsport Cupra received a drive-through penalty for a starting infringement.
Further drama soon unfolded at the front of the TCR race, as early leader LP Montour suddenly slowed dramatically aboard the Honda Civic, dropping to the rear of the field with mechanical troubles. The incident promoted Aust into P10 position while teammate Mark Wilkins prepared for the second half of the race.
Throughout the opening stint Aust focused once again on consistency in a clean stint. Although Riley Pegram at times closed the gap behind, Aust remained unchallenged, maintaining steady lap times.
As the race approached the first scheduled pit window, Aust remained close to the top-10.
While many of the GS class entries completed their driver changes, the TCR cars remained on circuit longer, briefly mixing with the GT4 field as differing pit windows created some multi-class traffic.
Aust continued circulating consistently and gradually climbed into ninth position in class as competitors ahead peeled into pit lane.
Having once again kept the Hyundai clean while avoiding mistakes during a busy first hour of racing, with approximately one hour completed, Aust brought the #98 Hyundai Elantra N TCR into the Bryan Herta Autosport pit box from ninth place. Canadian Mark Wilkins climbed aboard to complete the race.
Once the driver changes had cycled through, Wilkins resumed the race running tenth in TCR. The Canadian quickly settled into a strong rhythm, maintaining lap times comparable to those around him while carefully managing traffic as the GS and TCR strategies continued to overlap.
With approximately 45 minutes remaining, the race entered another crucial strategic phase as teams prepared for their final fuel stops. Wilkins gradually moved forward through the order; when several competitors completed their second stops, the Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai climbed to ninth position, before Wilkins overtook the Victor Gonzalez Racing Cupra to move into eighth.
He then found himself chasing the sister Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai ahead. Although separated by roughly seven seconds, Wilkins consistently matched the pace of Gottsacker in front while carefully managing fuel over the closing stages.
As the final minutes approached, fuel strategy became increasingly critical across the TCR field - several competitors were forced into significant fuel-saving measures, while Bryan Herta Autosport could extend Wilkins' stint longer.
The strategy proved effective, as Wilkins became one of the final TCR runners to make his last scheduled stop, allowing the #98 Hyundai to cycle into an increasingly advantageous position. Once back on track, he immediately resumed his competitive pace and capitalized on every opportunity that emerged.
With just over 12 minutes remaining, Bill Auberlen's BMW lost a wheel, triggering a Full Course Yellow that neutralized the field. The caution worked in Bryan Herta Autosport's favour, as Wilkins caught up with the pack, and when racing resumed with only four minutes remaining, the field was tightly compressed once again.
Wilkins executed another excellent restart and remained within the leading group of TCR contenders. Just moments later, another incident involving a loose kerb at the Bus Stop chicane forced race control to deploy a second Full Course Yellow on the final lap, ending the race under caution.
Before the neutralization was called, Wilkins had managed one final decisive move, overtaking Gottsacker to gain another position. The timing proved crucial, allowing the Wilkins and Aust to secure sixth place.
After another intelligent and mistake-free performance from both drivers, Maddie Aust and Mark Wilkins crossed the finish line sixth in the TCR class, adding another excellent points haul to what has been a really consistent campaign for the duo.
The result further strengthens their third position in the championship standings with 1360 as the series reached its half-way point of the season.
Attention now turns north of the border as the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge heads to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on July 10-12.
