Mid-Ohio: KnightHawk Racing race notes

KnightHawk takes Class 3rd at Mid-Ohio.

July 2, 2002 Road Atlanta, GA - KnightHawk Racing, running last season's Lola B2K/40, took the 3rd in class podium at the Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio at the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course in Lexington, Ohio this past weekend.

In what turned out to be the "race within the race" the #11 KnightHawk Lola B2K/40, piloted by team co-owner Steve Knight and Mid-Ohio ace John Fergus, took the 3rd spot after an extremely exciting neck-to-neck competition with the Bucknum and Archangel LMP 675's.

KnightHawk entered their Lola B2K/40 that they ran in last year's American Le Mans Series due to the continuing repair of their new MG Lola that was damaged in a spectacular fire during the Le Mans competition. The #11 MG Lola 675 LMP will return with the team for action at this weekend's Road America 500.

Steve Knight started Sunday's race behind the wheel of the silver and orange prototype and due to miscommunication brought the car into the pits while pit lane was closed -- which netted the effort a 1-minute 35-second penalty. Shortly thereafter the team was given another 40-second penalty for having too many men over the wall on their previous pit. While the IMSA officials later admitted that the 40-second penalty was an error, the damage from both penalties had already affected their position in the race -- and ultimately their position on the podium. Knight completed 73-minutes of the 2-hour and 45-minute timed event. Teammate Fergus took over driving duties at 3:20pm EST and completed the remaining hour and a half -- bringing in the team car 3rd in class and 15th overall.

"We had a great race today," said Steve Knight. "We didn't think our engine would hold up because it was the same engine we ran at this year's Rolex 24. But that thing just held up great and it was strong for the whole race. My co-driver John Fergus did a great job, as did the team. We had one funky little thing where the officials gave us a stop and go penalty -- when they didn't mean to. They came back and apologized for it later but the 40-second penalty had already done its damage. We're very happy with our result and the podium finish -- and we'll go on to the next one at Road America."

"I'm thrilled to be here, but as late as last Thursday afternoon I didn't even know I was going to be in the race," said John Fergus. "I got a call from Steve and was very excited to be asked to join the KnightHawk effort here at Mid-Ohio. Little did I know at the time the difficulty KnightHawk was experiencing in order to compete here, what with the fire damage to their MG Lola. So truthfully, we came here with no expectations. This car did the entire 24 Hours of Daytona -- finishing that race 6th overall. No one ever thought that they would need or use this car at all this season -- but they started to throw it all together late last week and here we are on the podium! It's just a fabulous experience and obviously the entire crew did a fantastic job -- that engine ran like a clock!"

The team's finish at Mid-Ohio places Knight second in the LMP 675 driver's point standings and has helped the team's manufacturer Lola maintain first place in the LMP manufacturer's category. KnightHawk Racing is currently second in both the LMP 675 team championship and in the running for the IMSA Cup.

Information on KnightHawk Racing can be garnered at www.knighthawkracing.com and on the American Le Mans Series at www.imsaracing.net.

-khr/hc-