Mark Wilkins is one of the best drivers in the Pirelli World Challenge for Touring Car Racing (TCR) and made his season debut racing for the Hyundai-Kia team. Wilkins had never raced in a Hyundai, but shocked the competition by driving his i30N to Victory Lane as the winner of the 2018 Circuit of the Americas race (COTA).
“The car just ran flawlessly for us and didn’t give us any trouble whatsoever. That made our job a little bit easier; the car balance was good and we were just right in the window — and I think thats the key for these World Cups,” Wilkins said in an interview with Kurt Hansen of Race Central on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7
Wilkins is driving a Hyundai for the first time in his career, and unlike teammate Michael Lewis, who received his car weeks before COTA, Wilkins received his car only a few days before the race giving him hardly any time to test and make adjustments to the new car, “We actually finished last in testing on Thursday,” said Wilkins.
A few days after finishing last in testing, Wilkins and his team were able to make the proper adjustments to ensure his car ran to the best of its ability, enough for a first-0place finish.
Winning a race in the Pirelli World Challenge is already an accomplishment itself, but do to it in a brand-new car in your season debut is incredible. Wilkins has set the bar high already. “Racing is a tough deal, and you have to enjoy the great weekends when they come,” but to continue the success through the season, Wilkins said that “the key is to be consistent through the year. Consistency is what gets you to championships.”
Sorry – this audio content is no longer available., including what he had to say about his next race at Virginia International Raceway and how his Hyundai i30N compares to the competition.
Sorry – this audio content is no longer available.
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