Victory slipped away late for the #31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R team on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as Earl Bamber lost the late lead with just over five minutes remaining in the Battle on the Bricks. Yet despite the sting of a near-miss on Indy’s 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course layout, the second-place finish still significantly strengthened Aitken’s championship position.
For most of the two-hour, 40-minute IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship sprint round, the #31 Cadillac controlled the race. Aitken launched from second on the grid and spent the opening 40 minutes running behind pole-sitter Tom Blomqvist in the #60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06. Right as the clock hit the two-hour mark, Aitken struck with a tough outside pass in Turn 7 to grab the lead. After a flawless pit stop, he handed the wheel over to Bamber, leaving his co-driver in command of the race and in prime position to seal the triumph.
