DAYTONA BEACH, FL (Friday, January 26, 2024) – Team TGM has started the 2024 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in the best possible way, with both of the team’s Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4 entries standing on the podium after the four-hour battle.
The series season opener delivered an edge-of-your-seat race at Daytona International Speedway, with the final results not settled until the race’s final moments.
At the checkered flag, Team TGM’s Matt Plumb and co-driver Owen Trinkler finished third after receiving a final splash of gas with just a few laps to go.
Also on the podium was the sister car, No. 64, driven by team owner Ted Giovanis, Hugh Plumb and Kris Wilson. The trio scored their first Bronze Cup win in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Championship.
The final 30 minutes of the race were driven by fuel strategy decisions for the entire field but especially dramatic for the top ten.
At the race start, Owen Trinkler turned his front row start into a race lead, and the No.46 entry remained in contention, running with the front of the pack for the entire race.
“The last few minutes were hectic. It’s always that fine line of how much you want to push or save the position you are in,” said Matt Plumb, who piloted the No. 46 Aston Martin to the race finish.
“Everybody up at the front was giving each other room, but it was starting to get a little more tense at the end. I realized that everyone was in fuel save mode. The camaraderie was there but you could tell at any minute everyone was going to go their separate ways the last few laps.
“I think we made the most of our weekend. Coming back from Owen’s incident in testing and where we were at the end of last season, we really put everything together today.”
Owen Trinkler had added incentive after a very trying month and a half on the recovery trail.
“The last six weeks have been hell for me,” Trinkler said.
“An incident happened here testing in mid-December, which resulted in severe burns. I’ve had two surgeries and was in the hospital for almost three weeks.
“The team at Halifax Hospital took great care of me. IMSA was so gracious with John Doonan and Jim France taking care of things here in Daytona and getting me back to Nashville to Vanderbilt Hospital, where I could not have gotten better care. I’m so thankful for all the care I’ve received.
“We weren’t sure how my arm would react but I drove an hour and a half in the car. Gave enough time for Matt so that he wasn’t completely exhausted at the end. I will keep getting better, and we will be ready for Sebring.”
Next up for Team TGM is round two of the series at Sebring International Raceway.
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Ted Giovanis
“TGM is glad to have both cars on the podium, Matt and Owen in third for the overall finish and Hugh, Kris Wilson, and myself for the Bronze Cup win. Our strategy worked out pretty well. We could have done things a little bit differently, but all in all, I think everyone drove well.
As everyone else pulled in, we wanted to move up and take advantage of the fuel strategy. It was an excellent day for TGM, the team really did a great job.”
Hugh Plumb
“Our goal was basically to put one car on the podium, and the other win the Bronze Cup. Ted did an amazing job bringing the car to us; Kris got in and did a fantastic job. Protected what we had and ended up in the top half of the field. We had a smooth race, and I’m super, super happy with the guys, all the TGM crew.
“These guys have worked their asses off, but we haven’t had the great finishes the past couple years, and I think we are on a trajectory of changing that. We have a great group, great pairings in each car and everyone is super happy moving forward to Sebring.”
Owen Trinkler
“Fantastic day for Team TGM at Daytona. We qualified second and led the race early on, and that felt so good. We haven’t led a race in a long time, and getting on the podium here at Daytona was great. It was nice to get up there with Matt – he did a great job the second part of the race. The fuel strategy worked out well, and our engineer John Terry made that call and put us in P3, making it a great day for Team TGM.”
Matt Plumb
“The crew really worked their tail off; Joe (Varde) and John Terry really put together a great plan in testing and then the race. Everything was calm, and we knew what we were doing. I think we got a little bit lucky at the end, but the pace was good, and I just happened to have a few BMWs to give me a draft and pull me around. P3 we will take it! We are off to Sebring, where we have high hopes. The team is working great, Ted and the rest of the guys finished first in the Bronze Cup, great job TGM.”
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.
