Tom Blomqvist and co-driver Colin Braun claimed a hard-fought podium at the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, finishing third in a dramatic IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Starting from ninth on the grid, Blomqvist and Braun executed a near-perfect fuel-saving strategy in the No. 60 Acura ARX-06, climbing through the field to challenge for the race win in the closing stages. However, a late-race caution with just eight minutes remaining neutralised the team’s advantage, setting up a two-lap sprint to the finish where Blomqvist crossed the line in P3.
The pair made significant progress throughout the two-hour, 40-minute race. Braun handled the opening stint, managing traffic and extending his fuel window to give the team strategic flexibility. Blomqvist took over midway through the race, maintaining strong pace and stretching fuel targets to position the Acura at the front during the final pit cycle. When a yellow flag was thrown just after the final stop, the timing proved costly — allowing rivals to conserve fuel under caution and finish without further stops.
“Obviously a solid result for the guys, especially after starting last,” said Blomqvist. “It’s a shame we couldn’t win the race — we had a bit of luck fall our way today, but in the end, it just didn’t keep going our way. That yellow at the end really helped the two cars ahead and added an energy buffer for them. I had to settle for third, but I’m still very happy with the result. It’s great points and good momentum heading into Petit Le Mans.”
The podium marks another consistent finish for Blomqvist and Braun, strengthening their position in the Michelin Endurance Cup standings and helping close the gap in the manufacturer championship, with Acura now just seven points behind Porsche heading into the season finale.
In association with MBP
