Maddie Aust returns to the top-5 in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with clean run at Laguna Seca

Maddie Aust and Bryan Herta Autosport teammate Suellio Almeida secured their second top-five finish of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season with a strong P5 result at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, gaining six positions from the start in a clean and consistent drive from both drivers.

Photo credits: Perry Nelson / LAT

Maddie Aust and Bryan Herta Autosport teammate Suellio Almeida secured their second top-five finish of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season with a strong P5 result at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, gaining six positions from the start in a clean and consistent drive from both drivers.

Aust stepped up to the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2025 with Bryan Herta Autosport, sharing the #9 Hyundai Elantra N TCR with series newcomer Suellio Almeida. The pair impressed on debut with a fourth-place finish at Daytona but faced a setback at Sebring, where a fuel issue late in Aust’s stint ended a promising run. Despite that disappointment, the duo has shown encouraging pace in their rookie IMSA campaign so far.

At the iconic Laguna Seca circuit, Aust and Almeida gradually built speed over the practice sessions, placing 14th in FP1 before Aust improved to P11 in FP2 with a 1:32.685 lap. Maddie continued to find time in qualifying, posting a 1:32.303 to secure 11th on the TCR class grid for the two-hour race.

Aust took the start on Saturday and made a clean getaway, gaining a position in tenth as the field settled into the early laps. Running consistently right behind the #5 KMW Motorsports Honda and ahead of the sister #76 BHA Hyundai, she maintained steady pace in the 1:33 range.

Aust increasingly gained ground on the Rockwell Audi, which later sustained damage after contact with the #57 Mercedes. As the former pitted to assess damage, Aust moved into ninth.

With one hour to go, the first Full Course Yellow was triggered after the #99 Hyundai lost a tyre carcass.

During the caution, the GS class pitted first, followed by the TCR field. Aust handed over to Almeida, who rejoined the race in ninth.

Shortly after the restart, the race was neutralized again as the #14 Porsche was beached in the gravel. Almeida had already jumped up to P7 during the brief restart; another incident followed when the #93 Honda of Wittmer retired with suspension damage, allowing Almeida to climb to sixth on the next restart.

A major crash for the #44 McLaren brought out yet another caution and bunched up the field again with just 14 minutes remaining. In a tight midfield pack at the final restart, Almeida briefly dropped a spot but recovered to sixth, then inherited fifth when Ryan Eversley was handed a drive-through penalty.

Although Almeida couldn’t quite close the gap to the Baker Racing Hyundai ahead in the final laps, he brought the car home in fifth, securing valuable points in the TCR class.

Both drivers delivered clean and well-managed stints, moving up six positions from their starting spot to take their second top-five finish of the season after Daytona.

Following three rounds, Aust and Almeida now sit sixth in the TCR championship standings with 730 points. The next challenge will be the four-hour race at Mid-Ohio, scheduled for June 6–8.