Hard work, training prepare Freedom Autosport for at Mid-Ohio

LEXINGTON, Oh.- Freedom Autosport has never been on the podium at Mid-Ohio, and the team hopes to change that when GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge races there on Saturday.

#25 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5: Tom Long, Derek Whitis

Photo by: Luis Betancourt

Round five marks the end of a seven-week break, but both the crew and drivers have been hard at work since a challenging round four at Road Atlanta.

Derek Whitis and Tom Long, who finished fourth at Mid-Ohio last year, saw their Road Atlanta hopes end early due to a crash. The No. 25 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5 has been rebuilt and is now ready for redemption at Mid-Ohio.

“The crew has put in a lot of work to get our No. 25 Mazda MX-5 back in top condition,” says Long. “We’re thankful that we had a long break to make sure everything is ready to go!

We’re looking forward to getting back at it, and the Freedom Autosport team is excited about the upcoming rounds and the chance to gain more points in the championship.”

Whitis says Freedom Autosport is ready for the demanding summer schedule. “We’ve got great cars and great chemistry on our team this year and are anxious to get back to it. A podium at Mid-Ohio would be a nice way to kick off the remainder of the season,” he says.

Andrew Carbonell has been training during the break, as well as racing in SCCA events to stay sharp. He and Rhett O’Doski finished sixth in the ST class at Road Atlanta, even after their No. 26 Mazda MX-5 fell to the back of the field twice.

Now, Carbonell and O’Doski will be bringing that fighting spirit to Mid-Ohio, where a top finish has always eluded them. “It’s a hard track for us,” says O’Doski.

“The technical section is where we have the advantage, but it’s hard to pass there, and we don’t have the edge on the straights. Mid-Ohio is always a tough track, but after our result at Road Atlanta, anything is possible.”

Mid-Ohio might be a tough track, but the fans make it a fun venue for the Freedom Autosport drivers. “Mid-Ohio is one of those historic tracks that has a great local following,” Carbonell says.

“It’s a great race to go to because there’s always a crowd, and it’s people who have been going to the track for years. There are always a lot of people cheering us on in Madness.”

Freedom Autosport