Sebring brought the bumps along with knowledge for the next round

A challenging race week for the team in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, with fuel mileage issues ultimately preventing both of the Audi RS 3 LMS TCR cars from completing the full race distance. Despite leading laps and showcasing impressive speed throughout the two-hour race, Ryan Eversley and Celso Neto finished in 9th place, while Ron and Megan Tomlinson secured 11th.

After two practice sessions on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning, the team moved into qualifying on Thursday afternoon. Neto maximized his Audi's performance, earning a fourth-fastest lap and securing a spot on the outside of row two. Ron Tomlinson, behind the wheel of the second Precision Racing LA entry, qualified 13th, as he and Megan looked to advance once racing began.

Neto had a strong start, quickly moving from his row two starting position to lead the opening stint of the race. He kept a steady pace, carefully managing the car before handing the reins over to Eversley. However, Eversley was forced into early fuel-saving mode, as the team struggled with fuel mileage throughout the race. Though the team believed they had enough fuel to make it to the finish, the #7 Audi ran out with just a few laps remaining.

“Great racing and great driving from both myself and Ryan,” Neto said. “It was a tough race, very different from Daytona. Without any safety car periods, we were forced into a fuel mileage race, with many cars running out after the checkered flag. Unfortunately, our Audi wasn’t the best on fuel, and having to stop twice really hurt us. But we showed great pace—leading the first stint for over 20 laps. We now need to focus on improving our fuel efficiency for the next race. Despite the result, the team did an excellent job, and we’ll keep pushing forward.”

Eversley shared his frustration: “It’s disappointing to end a strong start this way. We knew fuel mileage would be an issue if the race stayed green, but we encountered a problem with the car. I had to start saving fuel from lap one. I could push for a fast lap at the start of my stint to gain track position, but then I had to save. The team gave me a fuel target, which I hit, but it didn’t matter—we ran out with eight laps to go. I’m confident we would’ve been in the top four without that issue. It’s frustrating to run well and not be able to capitalize on it.”

Meanwhile, Ron and Megan Tomlinson made impressive progress from their P13 starting position, moving into the top ten as others began to suffer from fuel issues. The team made a calculated decision to push for a strong finish, taking risks in the hope of capitalizing on the misfortune of others. However, the #37 entry ultimately ran short on fuel by one lap and was classified 11th.

“Unfortunately, we ran out of fuel on the final lap, but that was a decision we made together,” Megan Tomlinson explained. “We took the risk and hoped we could make it to the finish line and gain positions as others faltered. I want to thank the team for their hard work and long hours this weekend. They put in a lot of effort to get the car dialed in for the race, and it got better as the race went on. We’ll take everything we learned and apply it to the next one.”

While the results didn’t reflect the team’s potential, we remain focused on continuing  progress in the season, with hopes for improved performance and fuel efficiency in the upcoming races.

Thank you to the entire team trackside for all of their hard work and dedication and to our incredible fans we appreciate all of your messages!

Looking to change our fortune around at the next event, we will now shift our focus to the Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca event in May.