Temple of VTEC Rumors and News - Plumbs Podium Fenton Acura at Mid-Ohio

Plumbs Podium Fenton Acura at Mid-Ohio

June 27, 2006 � Keene, NH

Matt and Hugh Plumb scored a third place finish for Bill Fenton Motorsports in Sunday�s Grand-Am Cup race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, but their joy was somewhat overshadowed by a devastating three-car crash which destroyed their second team car.

Long-time Fenton team driver Bob Beede was severely shaken in the crash which destroyed the #29 Southern Auto Auction/Acura Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles Acura RSX, but was not injured.

�There were a lot of yellow flags for people off course and accidents,� said Matt Plumb, �and I just got caught behind too many uncooperative lapped cars that made it difficult for me to pass. It was really a tough race and I�m glad Hugh and I salvaged something from the weekend that Bill Fenton would have been proud of.�

Fenton was unable to attend the race due to a prior family obligation. His spot as Beede�s co-driver was taken by long-time teammate Mike Liebl.

�My part of the race, starting the car, really went well,� added Hugh Plumb. �Between the drivers and Steve Wheeler, our team manager, we worked out a pit stop strategy that worked well for us.

�I�m really proud of the whole team for keeping their focus and their heads high after the way the weekend started.�

During Saturday�s practice, Bob Beede dropped a wheel off the edge of the course, a common occurrence, but the Acura caught a rut in the ground created by rainfall from the massive storm that blew through the area the previous night, bounced high in the air and came down on its right side. �I was just lucky I didn�t go over,� he said, having no crystal ball to predict what would happen on lap 48 of the race on Sunday.

Following lengthy repairs on the #29 Acura, the car was good enough for Beede and Liebl to qualify 31st quickest in the series record 37-car Street Tuner class field, while the Plumb brothers were grided eighth.

The massive crash, involving another Acura RSX and a Honda Civic, occurred when one of those cars spun approaching the fast left-hand Turn One, and immediately involved Beede and the other driver.

According to Grand Am officials, all three cars rolled multiple times; one went so high it almost hit the bottom of the driveover bridge they were passing beneath.

With their third place finish, Matt and Hugh moved into a four-way tie for third place in the Street Tuner class Driver Championship points, and maintained Acura�s second place standing in the Manufacturer Championship points race, only 13 points behind Chevrolet, with four races to go.

The race was taped by SpeedTV for a July 9, 11 a.m. airing on the Speed Channel.