Persevere to overcome

The 2021 United States Touring Car Championship season got underway in Las Vegas.

The ARG MBO Motosports Racing Team found itself hard-pressed to finish getting the cars ready on time. A lot of mechanical work had been going on in the off season and the cars just arrived to the transporter that night.

Before the trip to Las Vegas even began there was drama, as the transporter suddenly blew a turbo hose and was unable to make the trip. The team was undaunted and rallied as two trucks and two trailers were put into action and off to Vegas they went.

The drama continued to unfold as the team began its race day.

The number 23 ARG BMW M3 normally driven by Doug Makishima was unable to have him in the driver's seat as he was recovering from an injury.

Last year's United States Touring Car Championship driver Pete Bovenberg was substituted into the car for the event. The team encountered more difficulty as they were unable to make the morning practice, or the afternoon practice. The team then was told they would not be able to qualify the car. The number 23 BMW M3 now driven by Pete Bovenberg would be regulated to start at the back of the field.

Pete Bovenberg had this to say “I knew starting at the back of the pack was going to be a great challenge. I had never driven this car before, and I had not driven a rear wheel drive car in about 5 years. I was unfamiliar with this configuration of the track. God must have been watching over me and Lady Luck must have been riding shotgun because when the green flag came down, I dropped the clutch and put the throttle to the firewall. The car hooked up and I got a great Launch. I drove like a hot knife through butter to the front of the field”.

“By Turn 4 my teammate Edgar Lau was the only one in front of me so I tucked behind him for several laps in order to learn the track and figure out the car. Midway through the race I passed my teammate and put down some qualifying laps and sailed to the checkered flag.”

The Team finished with one first and two second place trophies and the Plastex Top Team award for the weekend. The spray of the champagne was extra sweet and well deserved.