The Lionheart IndyCar Series in iRacing continues to push on. Recently the HyperX 200 at Gateway took place. Here is your race report.
The Lionheart Indycar Series in iRacing continues to deliver high quality racing, the HyperX 200 at Gateway produced another fine race of drama and high speed entertainment for round 15.
Written by Darren B of simrace247.com
Top 5 on the grid
- #96 Van De Sandt
- #91 Maleczka
- #19 P. Kraus
- #88 Brophy
- #1 Blocker
30 cars are ready to duel for 160 laps of high speed action, blink and you will miss it. Green flag, let’s go, pedal to the metal. A clean opening lap, wow do these cars pick up speed fast, the top five remain in leaderboard formation, but some will want to get into this and assert some authority. VDS remains out front and Blocker wants to make some moves against Brophy in P4. On lap 6, Showen and Guyon tangle and hit the wall after Kinsella has a massive moment as the car steps out and spins up. Back at the sharp end, it’s as you were, Blocker can not get past Brophy for P4, and the top 3 are breaking away.
Lap 20 top 10
- Van De Sandt
- Maleczka
- P.Kraus
- Brophy
- Blocker
- Harrington
- Taylor
- Pinheiroo
- Rigney
- M. Kraus
Blocker goes for it again, Brophy is resilient, and Harrington in P6 has been gaining on them while they duel. This is going to be a race of patience, or strike hard and fast and make it count. Its got that vibe about it, Brophy is doing a Stella job defending, and Blocker may need to switch up the plan. VDS is leading by 1. 5 seconds over Maleczka, with P. Kraus sitting 1 second behind him in third. Blocker is hounding Brophy, maybe the tactic of applying consistent pressure to Brophy is the next plan whilst saving some fuel in the draft.
Van De Sandt enters pit road at the end of lap 44, with a slight lock up, but no drama. Brophy, Blocker and Harrington follow on the next lap and enter the pits, is this the moment for Blocker to pounce? We start to see others come into the pits, the shuffle up begins, Brophy and Blocker are side by side exiting the pits, and Blocker seizes the moment and takes it.
Lap 50 top 10
- Van De Sandt
- Maleczka
- P.Kraus
- Blocker
- Brophy
- Harrington
- Taylor
- Rigney
- Riggs
- M. Kraus
It may have been risky exiting the pits, but Blocker had to do something, now it’s time to put the hammer down. He has pulled a gap over Brophy by 1 second with P. Kraus 1.1 seconds ahead, let’s see what Blocker can do. Lap 54 Carey has a pedal issue and uses the inner wall to slow the car up, green flag remains as he brings it back to the pits without creating issues on track. Blocker is gaining on P. Kraus in third, the gap is closing to half a second, Maleczka in second is 1 second ahead of Kraus in P2 with VDS leading by 1.8. Maleczka is sitting pretty in second, he has been keeping good pace with VDS out front and is gaining.
As Maleczka enters the sub second draft range, let’s see if he goes for the move or keeps the rhythm and pressure. Cars start coming into pit road at the end of lap 88, VDS comes in at the end of lap 89, Yellow flag, Riggs loses control of his car and slams into the high wall. Lap 96 gets green flag racing underway once again VDS leads, Blocker second, Blocker is in a perfect position as he and VDS are opening a gap.
Lap 100 top 10
- Van De Sandt
- Blocker
- Maleczka
- P.Kraus
- M.Kraus
- Chin
- Sexton
- Taylor
- Marquez
- Beard
That yellow earlier had a massive impact on the standings, Blocker is setting some hot laps, this race has been coming to him. Yellow flag, lap 103, it’s Brophy and Harrington! Brophy loses traction and slides up the track at high speed, Harrington and Lanini had nowhere to go. With 53 laps to go, the green flag returns, Blocker goes for it, he wants to take the lead as he goes side by side with VDS, Blocker is up to P1.
39 laps to go top 10
- Blocker
- Van De Sandt
- Maleczka
- P.Kraus
- Chin
- M. Kraus
- Sexton
- Marquez
- Beard
- Rigney
The laps are starting to enter their final phases, will another yellow play its part or can we remain green until the chequered flag? With 35 to go, we start to see some drivers coming down pit road for the final stops, Team Simrace247 driver Nunez is first to come in. Blocker has a half a second gap over VDS, the top 6 are covered by 4 seconds. Blocker and VDS enter pit road together with 22 to go, its going to be interesting. They get super close as they drop anchor for the pit lane speed limit. Blocker exits in front of VDS, The Kraus pair enter on the next lap, Sexton and Maleczka come in, and Chin also. P. Kraus pinches the position on track over Maleczka and sets the quickest lap of the race for good measure. Taylor and Graaf are still out in the lead but have not made their final stops, Taylor comes in with 11 to go, Graaf comes in at the end of that lap.
M. Kraus passes Chin, P. Kraus has set another fastest lap of the race with 9 to go. It’s that time, P. Kraus has been going about his business and now he is rising to the front. the top 3 are covered by 0.7. Cue the dramatic music, 5 to go, VDS is searching for a move on Blocker, near contact. Kraus is on the tailpipes of VDS, Blocker has the smallest of margins, is it enough? Kraus sets another fastest lap.
Victory in the HyperX 200 at Gateway
After a strong closing phase of the race, Adam Blocker has taken victory at the HyperX 200 at Gateway. He kept his cool and brought it home to take the top step. Speaking in HyperX victory lane ” The whole race was really tough to pass, Brophy and I had a really good fight for 50 laps”. It’s always great to see racers show respect to their opponents, but he still got the job done. Speaking about taking the lead “I had to take the chances” as he got the move done on Van De Sandt.
ROUND 15 World Wide Technology Raceway Top 10
Finish | Team | Driver | Start | Laps | Interval | Laps Led | Inc | Pts | Bonuses/Penalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #1-Powerslide Adrenaline |  Adam Blocker | 5 | 160 | – | 42 | 0 | 62 | (+1) Led a lap (+1) 0 Incidents |
| 2 | #96-Powerslide Adrenaline | Alexander van de Sandt | 1 | 160 | -0.335 | 101 | 0 | 58 | (+1) Start on overall pole (+1) Led a lap (+1) 0 Incidents |
| 3 | #19-PRIVATE LABEL Team Hype | Philip Kraus | 3 | 160 | -0.635 | 0 | 0 | 51 | (+1) 0 Incidents |
| 4 | #91-Powerslide Ignition | Robert Maleczka III | 2 | 160 | -1.000 | 9 | 0 | 49 | (+1) Led a lap (+1) 0 Incidents |
| 5 | #59-Kresin Motorsport |  Matthias Kraus | 11 | 160 | -6.401 | 0 | 0 | 46 | (+1) 0 Incidents |
| 6 | #93-PRIVATE LABEL Team Hype Purple | Joshua Chin | 23 | 160 | -7.122 | 0 | 1 | 43 | |
| 7 | #63-Alkentech NHR | Andrew Marquez | 8 | 160 | -9.745 | 0 | 0 | 42 | (+1) 0 Incidents |
| 8 | #5-Synergy Motorsports Silver | Brian Beard | 20 | 160 | -13.357 | 0 | 0 | 40 | (+1) 0 Incidents |
| 9 | #00-Synergy Motorsports Blue | Mike Rigney | 10 | 160 | -13.709 | 0 | 0 | 38 | (+1) 0 Incidents |
| 10 | #26-Synergy Motorsports Blue | Bradley Sexton | 14 | 160 | -15.762 | 0 |