Ryan Mathews and the DSE 2012 "White Monster" Claim the GT Class at the New NCM Motorsports Park

Mooresville, NC - It was a beautiful warm weekend out in Bowling Green, KY for the next installment of the Optima Search for the Ultimate Street Car at the new NCM Motorsports Park. Detroit Speed engineer, Ryan Mathews, captured the GT class in the Detroit Speed 2012 "White Monster" Camaro Test Car.

The Detroit Speed sponsored autocross and the speed stop challenge morning sessions provided the perfect start to a full weekend of racing. Ryan Mathews running the 2012 "White Monster" Camaro put down some fantastic times and was in a groove all weekend long. Ryan captured first place in the GT autocross with Bryan Johnson finishing in 2nd place in his DSE "Equipped" 2013 Camaro. Ryan continued his fantastic Saturday by taking the speed stop challenge as well. Kyle running in the GTV class drove hard all Saturday but came up just short with second place finishes in the autocross and the speed stop challenge.

The Hot Lap Challenge took place Sunday and Ryan and Kyle were doing more of the same, putting down top times all day long. Ryan was able to finish 2nd in the hot lap challenge which guaranteed him the top spot in the GT class. Bryan Johnson was able to beat Ryan by about a second on the road course in his DSE "Equipped" 2013 Camaro which had him finishing in 2nd overall in the GT class. With Ryan already qualified, Bryan accepted the invite for Las Vegas. Ken Thwaits almost made it a DSE "Equipped" GT class sweep but finished two points out of the 3rd overall spot.

Kyle, driving the DSE 1970 Camaro Test Car put down some of the fastest times of the weekend on the road course and barely edged out Brian Finch for 1st place. Although that 1st place finished helped, Kyle was still a few points away from 1st overall in the class and settled for a very respectable 2nd place finish. Congratulations to Brian Finch for his 1st place finish in his DSE "Equipped" 1971 Camaro and an invite to the season ending event in Las Vegas. Not only were Kyle and Ryan having all the fun, but Chris Porter, DSE's Project Manager brought home 3rd place overall in the GTV class in his 1986 Porsche 951.

This event was littered with DSE "Equipped" rides including Mark Turner who captured the design & engineering challenge in his Nova. Congrats Mark.

This was a great weekend for Detroit Speed and all the Detroit Speed "Equipped" vehicles as a whole. The team will now head back to the shop and prepare for the next Optima Search for the Ultimate Street Car taking place June 20th - 21st at Michigan International Speedway.

 

Optima Search for the Ultimate Street Car Bowling Green Highlights:

 

• Ryan won the GT Class with a 1st place finish in the autocross and speed stop and a 2nd place on the hot lap

 

• Kyle won the hot lap challenge in the GTV class and finished in 2nd in both the autocross and speed stop

 

• Bryan Johnson driving his DSE "Equipped" 2013 Camaro accepted the invitation to Las Vegas in the GT class

 

• Brian Finch clinched his invite to the season ending event in Las Vegas with a 1st overall in the GTV class in his DSE "Equipped" 1971 Camaro.

 

Done