DNF at ESPR; Win Points Championship | New York
A course that most drivers were calling "a disaster" took its toll on the SCL Racing Rally Mazda Protege leading to numerous mechanical issues including a blown gear box. After stage 1 Driver Neeraj Gupta and Co Driver Cameron Carr were already having issues on stage. A rough stage dislodged a section of charge piping and the car was without boost for the first 3 stages. On stage 3 the main power relay came loose and the car came to a halt after a section that already destroyed one of the rear coilovers. At service 1 the team at Understeer R&D had everything fixed with only seconds to spare. The second stint proved much better with the team putting down competitive times on a course that took out much of the competition. On the last stage of day 1 the car lost 3rd gear and the duo were forced to finish the stage in second gear. "When we left control at the end of the stage I could not get the car into 2nd," said driver Neeraj Gupta. "I remember trying to get it into gear a few times then finally BANG and then I only had 1st and 5th! I wasn't sure we could even make it back to service but somehow we did. After a long talk with the team we decided to pack everything up and call it a day." Luckily for the team Greg Healey in the Datsun Z and Michael Gillespie in the Ford Escort also DNF'd earlier in the day securing SCL Racing points championship. It wasn't the day anyone expected! What an end to the season! Eat. Sleep. Race. Repeat!
