Lack of luck for Carter and Plumb at Mid-Ohio

Al Carter and Hugh Plumb came to Mid-Ohio, 5th round of the 2013 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, with the desire to do well and the ambition to restart the second part of the season on a positive note after a 54 day Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series break. Unfortunately despite their determination, Plumb and Carter finished 16th at Mid-Ohio after a tough race.

On Wednesday before the race, Al Carter and Hugh Plumb visited the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. This was the third year in a row that The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation organized a visit of the hospital with the drivers as part of the "B+ Foundation Fighting Childhood Cancer Tour". Carter and Plumb met with a good group of children and their families and some accepted B+ Racing's invitation and attended the Diamond Cellar Classic race on Saturday, thanks to tickets made available by the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

#48 Fall-Line Motorsports, Al Carter, Charles Espenlaub

Photo by: Jay Alley

In qualifying Hugh Plumb signed the 4th fastest time after a much contested qualifying session.

On Saturday for the race, Plumb started on the second row and right away was on the attack and tried everything he could to lead the race. During 90% of his stint Plumb was racing in 3rd place, the position that he held when he gave the wheel to Al Carter for the second half of the Diamond Cellar Classic at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Al Carter, who scored a podium finish twice last year at Mid-Ohio, wanted to return to the Mid-Ohio podium but his hope quickly vanished after only a few laps. During the pit stop and driver change Carter's cool suit hose got stuck in the door of the No. 45 BMW and forced the driver from Greenville, Delaware to return to the pit twice to close and secure the door for the rest of the race. In exiting the pit, Al Carter did not see the red light located at the end of the pit lane to regulate the pit traffic and was penalized with a drive through + 30 second stop for not observing the red light. The No. 45 Eagle B+ Racing Fall-Line BMW lost a lap because of the incident and thanks to a savvy race strategy, the Fall-Line Team manager and engineer of the 45 car were able to put Al back on the lead lap for the end of the race.

In addition to a great lack of luck at Mid-Ohio, Carter had to keep a slower pace to save fuel and avoid another pit stop at the end of the race but after the last full course caution he was able to gain a few position and crossed the finish line in 16th.

Eagle B+ Racing