Taylor Hagler Checks Off CTMP with Top Ten Finish
Persistence marked the weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for Taylor Hagler as she completed the sixth round of the 2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with a ninth-place result.
Starting Sixth on the grid, Hagler had her eyes set on repeating the 2022 edition of the race at CTMP where she and teammate Michael Lewis stood on the Mosport podium.
Hagler took the green flag and maintained the position through the opening laps. As the grid of GS and TCR entries settled into race pace, Hagler began closing the gap to the position ahead. She continued to push the pace setting the No. 1 Hyundai’s fastest lap of the race on lap 19.
As Hagler broke into the top five of the TCR running order, the No. 1 Hyundai suddenly experienced a cut tire. forcing Hagler to pit lane at the 42-minute mark. The BHA crew went to work quickly to diagnose the cause of the tire failure.
With 45-minutes remaining on the race clock, the No. 1 Hyundai returned to the course with Lewis behind the wheel. Lewis settled in lap after lap to bring the No. 1 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR to the checkered flag in ninth.
Hagler’s globetrotting summer continues as she returns to GT4 European Series competition in Misano, Italy on July 14-16 with W&S Motorsports before returning to Lime Rock Park on July 21-22, 2023.
Taylor Hagler, No. 1 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR: “It wasn’t our weekend and that happens in racing. Just like in any other sport, you can have really great weekends and seasons and then have down weekends and seasons. That isn’t getting us down and we know what we need to focus on heading into the next race weekend. I’m looking forward to getting to Lime Rock in a few weeks!”