ALTON, VA (August 27, 2022) – The penultimate round of the 2022 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season came down to fuel strategy, with the No.64 Team TGM car driven by Ted Giovanis and Owen Trinkler taking third place in the Virginia is for Race Lovers Grand Prix.
Giovanis started the race and had a great stint when a timely caution flag came out about 50 minutes into the race. Trinkler took over driving duties to the finish and slashed his way through the field on the IMSA circuit he considers his home track.
In the sister car No.46, Hugh Plumb drove through the pack after a disappointing qualifying session, and Matt Plumb made his way up to a podium position in third in the final moments of the race. Sadly, he was forced to make a late race pit stop for a splash of fuel after several other cars in the top ten ran out of fuel in the final laps.
“Joe (Varde) had us on a different pit strategy which was key to our finish,” said Ted Giovanis, team owner and co-driver of the #64. On track, Trinkler took the checkered flag in fourth place, however, post-race technical inspection led to a disqualification advancing the #64 car into third position in the final results.
“After a red flag in qualifying, both Hugh (Plumb) and I started toward the rear of the field. However, Hugh did a masterful job working his way through the field and handed the car over to Matt in seventh position.
“From there, Matt moved up steadily to third, unfortunately though, the #46 was just a lap short on fuel and was forced to come in for a splash a couple of laps from the finish.”
Based in Braselton, GA, Team TGM heads to their home track, Road Atlanta, for the season finale, the FOX Factory 120, on September 28-30.
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Ted Giovanis
“I was disappointed at the start, I wanted to do a little bit better, but I think everything sorta worked out. I stayed clean and then got into a rhythm and hung with the pack. There were a couple of cars that got by me, and I was able to use them as a pacer.
“I got the car close to the top ten when I pitted, and Owen took over from there. A good day for TGM. We came in third, and I think the other car was down the ladder, but that was a fuel deal with the 46 car. Matt and Hugh both drove really well. All in all, we’ll take it and move on.”
Owen Trinkler
“A great day for Ted Giovanis and TGM. I’m so proud of our boys from the back of the field all the way up to third. If we didn’t have that caution near the end it would have been tight on fuel, we were saving fuel right from the get-go. Our Porsche 718 RS performed flawlessly all day. The guys did a great pit stop, Ted did a great stint, did what he had to do, and kept the car clean.
“The caution at the end helped us maybe a little bit, but guys still ran out of fuel. We were going to be good to go at the end. We were saving fuel right from the start of my stint. We came home fourth – the best finish since Daytona. Ultimately we were moved into third place after tech inspection. I’m just so happy for Ted. We’ve gained some great momentum going into Atlanta.”
Hugh Plumb
“Obviously not the day we had hoped for. Of course, we would have rather been third than fourteenth, but that’s a gamble you have to take. We didn’t want to be conservative; we’re not in the championship hunt, so we tried to stretch the fuel as far as we could. We waited for the yellow to come out, but we started to stumble under that yellow, so once we went back green, we knew with two laps to go, we were not going to make it.
“We desperately had to stop for fuel, it wasn’t even close. I’m super happy for the No.64 car, Owen and Ted, they deserved the third-place finish, which is awesome. The TGM guys did a great job with the pit stops and although the day didn’t go as we would have planned or liked, a lot of great things happened, they are just not happening at the right time. There is nothing we can do about that, we controlled what we could control beyond that the chips fell where they did.”
Matt Plumb
“We’re disappointed with the finish, but we took a chance, and this time it didn’t pan out. Based on past races at VIR we thought there would be more cautions, but it wasn’t until close to the end that we finally got one. Hugh did a great job bringing the car through the field in the first hour of the race, and when I took over, I was trying to save fuel, brakes, tires for a fight at the end.
“We just didn’t get the cautions we needed to save enough fuel and had to come in. We’re all very happy for Ted and Owen getting third. The entire crew did a great job with both cars on pit stops, and Ted and Owen were able to take advantage of that. We’ll go onto Road Atlanta and be strong as we always are there.”
Ted Giovanis the author
FOCUS FORWARD: Life lessons from racing
Life comes at you fast when you’re traveling 180 miles per hour. For Ted Giovanis, it’s also where you can learn the most valuable lessons. Since becoming a race car driver three decades ago at age forty-six—a ride that is still in overdrive—Giovanis has discovered how the tools of racing and the teamwork within it are applicable to life and business. In forty-eight motivating and, at times, exhilarating chapters, he shares his experience and knowledge.
