Keeping Pace in Wisconsin
Sep 1, 2023
Road America
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
July 28-30 2023
In a long, high-caliber series like the Porsche Carrera Cup, consistency is key. Individual race victories are important, but real success depends upon a team’s ability to lay down quality laps and compete for the podium week in and week out. At Road America in Elkhart Lake, the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/MDK Motorsports team did just that with two runner-up finishes.
No Time to Dawdle
Saturday’s 40-minute race started fast for Mark Kvamme. Chasing Scott Noble in the Am-class, he moved deftly through the 33-car field in the opening lap. Gaining three overall positions without much trouble, Kvamme bore down on Noble just as two Pro-Am cars went into the wall hard on Road America’s famed Carousel. Both drivers walked away, but the mess caused by the crash took a huge chunk out of the remaining race time.
At the restart, only five minutes remained on the clock, just enough time for three more laps. The frontrunners pushed hard out of the gate. Kvamme and Noble battled feverishly, forcing each other to make increasingly aggressive moves. Then on the big-looping Carousel section, Kvamme drifted a little bit off the drive line onto Road America’s newly resurfaced, and very slippery, asphalt. He lost time on Noble but held on for a second-place finish at the checkered flag.
Last Minute Lead Change
Determined to take a step up on the podium, Mark Kvamme and the No. 43 laid down good lap after good lap on Sunday. After a short caution period slowed the action momentarily, Kvamme sped into first place with 27 minutes remaining. Quality driving, good positioning and minimal mistakes had the MDK/Racing to End Alzheimer’s team tasting victory for more than 20 minutes. But nothing is guaranteed.
Bumping and jostling is all part of racing. Sometimes the car comes away unscathed, other times it takes varying degrees of damage. As the No. 43 entered the tight right turn known as Canada Corner, it sustained a hit to its rear that slowed the car by a mere second. Unfortunately for MDK/Racing to End Alzheimer’s, Scott Noble took advantage. With 6:30 remaining, he flashed brilliance and made an incredible inside move to take the lead. The hope of victory slipped away for the No. 43, and it crossed the finish in second place.
Despite the last-minute heartbreak, it’s hard not to feel positive about two podium finishes. You can’t win ‘em all, but for those you don’t, you can come in second. Thanks for tuning in.