Robert Noaker’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse R made it a closer contest in the second race of the Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational, but in the end the Ford Performance Junior couldn’t hold off Cameron McLeod.
Australian McLeod took his second victory of the weekend while Noaker, who was moved to the back after qualifying due to a ride height infraction, had to settle for second after an impressive run through the field.
American Ford Performance Junior Team driver Noaker took the lead as a slow zone period ended with just over five minutes left in the race. McLeod appeared not to recognise the restart, and Noaker quickly erased the 10-second deficit to McLeod and took the lead.
With half a lap to go, McLeod went to the outside at the entrance to Mulsanne corner, then went back to the inside. Side-by-side on the run to Indianapolis, McLeod claimed the lead over Noaker just before the corner on the final lap.
Sam Paley took the lead from McLeod at the start, but his rear bumper cover was dangling after contact with Dan McKeever and McLeod was soon able to reclaim the point. Paley, who slipped behind Jenson Altzman for period, would recover to finish third. Altzman made a late-race thrust to take the podium position back, including some contact, but Paley held on for third.
The incident between Paley and McKeever at the start was one of many during the first several corners of the first lap. Chip Van Vurst spun, collecting Andrew Miedecke. Then there was a serious incident involving Marco Signoretti and Tom McGlynn in the Daytona chicane as cars were trying to avoid the spinning cars of Tom Tait and Chelsea DeNofa. At that point, there were enough broken cars around the circuit to bring out a safety car.
Before the yellow came out, Noaker was up to 17th.
The 45-minute race returned to green with 28 minutes to go, with McLeod pulling out a small lead over Paley and Jenson Altzman. Altzman was embroiled in a battle with fellow Ford Performance Junior driver Nathan Vanspringel, but Vanspringel wouldn’t finish after a wheel problem.
Meanwhile, Robert Noaker, putting in the first sub-4:20 lap turned by any Mustang Dark Horse R during the weekend, was continuing his march toward the front; up to fifth by halfway into lap five with 17 minutes to go.
That created a fairly furious battle between Paley, Altzman, Vanspringel and Noaker, who would shortly get into fourth with an impressive pass around the outside of Vanspringel before Vanspringel suffered his issue. Altzman would finish fourth ahead of Matt Nicoll-Jones.
Rallycross and drifting champ Tanner Foust had an impressive run after a penalty in Race 1 for using sixth gear, making it up to sixth overall and taking the Dark Horse Stars win. Actor and NASCAR racer Frankie Muniz finished second in Stars, in 10th position overall, with television presenter Chris Harris claiming third in the category.
Alex Bachoura’s hope for another Dark Horse Legends victory ended with contact with Tate Pritt. That left Alfonso Diaz to take the Legends class win in 11th position overall. Tim Miles was second in Legends, followed by Drew Neubauer.
Feature image © Wes Duenkel / Ford
