Max Lange wins in Pocono and moves up to 2nd place in the championship
Pocono once again brought many caution periods. Max started from pole position, got off to a good start, and secured his place at the front. Max Heilek and Michael started the race from the midfield. Unfortunately, Michael’s race ended on lap 73 due to a Big One. Max Heilek steadily worked his way forward but was unlucky in the end as his car sustained damage. Max Lange fought his way back to the front after his pit stops and managed to win the race.
Results for the NASCAR-FAN Store Threewide Racing Team:
1st place: Max Lange
19th place: Michael Heilek
17th place: Max Heilek
Race Report Max Lange #66:
The final race of the Round of 16 took place at the Tricky Triangle in Pocono. This time, the race was set for 80 laps, with a stage caution on lap 25.
After qualifying, the starting order was set: I secured pole position with my #66 Ford Mustang, followed by the #17, #20, and #67. However, after a poor start, all three managed to overtake me. By lap 17, the second caution of the race had already come out, leading nine drivers to pit. The rest of the field stayed out to maintain track position and earn crucial stage points. I managed to finish fourth at the stage break, earning seven points for the overall standings.
After the remaining drivers pitted, I found myself restarting in P11 on lap 29. On lap 30, a minor incident occurred in the midfield, and I took a hit. To be safe, I pitted again to repair the damage. This dropped me to P22 for the restart on lap 34, forcing me to fight my way back up. A long green-flag run followed, during which I worked my way up to P5.
On lap 56, I planned to refuel under green, but right after I passed pit entry, a caution came out. After the rest of the field pitted under yellow, the race restarted on lap 61. Two more cautions and a Big One followed, setting me up in second place for the restart on lap 77. The leader in the #24 spun coming out of Turn 1, allowing me to take the lead.
What followed were three of three possible overtime attempts (G/W/C), where I defended my position and secured the race win. This victory guarantees my qualification for the Round of 8, which begins in two weeks in Michigan.
Race Report Max Heilek #12:
Yeah, this time it was off to the flat triangle in the Pocono Mountains for the second and final race of the Round of 16.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take many points from Nashville, leaving me 10 points below the cutline heading into this race.
To make things worse, Pocono has historically been one of my weakest tracks in my iRacing career. The good news, though, is that the track offers plenty of strategic opportunities, which I definitely planned to take advantage of.
My initial strategy was disrupted by a caution just before the stage break, so I opted to stay out in an attempt to grab more stage points. However, many others had the same idea, meaning I restarted outside the points on old tires.
Despite that, I managed to push my #12 NASCAR-Fan Store Threewide Racing Mustang up to P9 and secured a few points.
Looking at the standings and the other playoff contenders, it became clear that scoring my way into the Round of 8 was nearly impossible.
Conclusion: It was win or go home!
A green-flag pit stop followed by a caution brought me back into the top 5.
Over time, I slipped back a bit, but another caution allowed me to take fresh tires and go all-in on the attack!
At the next restart, I gained nearly 10 positions in Turn 1 alone. But to get past my teammate Max, I had to push to the absolute limit and take some big risks.
After a series of overtimes, I made slight contact with the #17 on the final restart, which damaged my steering and ended my chances of advancing.
Still, I’d rather crash out of the top 5 after a strong comeback than settle for P12—this playoff system leaves no room for playing it safe.
Now, I’ll try to shake things up for the final 8 and hope that our last remaining car, Max in the #66, can make it to the Championship 4!
Race Report Michael Heilek #75:
Somehow, I remembered Pocono as being easier to drive. But when I tried to set a timed lap in practice, I nearly lost my mind. My lap times left a lot to be desired, so I decided to rely on others’ mistakes in the race and just focus on making it to the finish.
With the entire field ahead of me, the race got underway. It didn’t take long for the first caution to come out. Small incidents kept happening, with several drivers’ cars taking heavy damage, allowing me to gain positions.
In the final third of the race, the driving became increasingly aggressive. Then, on lap 73, a battle for the front positions triggered a BIG ONE. Unfortunately, I got caught up in it, and my car was so badly damaged that I had to retire to the pits.
From there, I cheered on Max Lange in the #66 and my son Max in the #12 for the rest of the race. Sadly, Max #12 couldn’t hold onto his strong P5 position in the third and final overtime, dropping back to P17. Meanwhile, Max #66 secured another victory for the NASCAR-FAN Store Threewide iRacing Team.
