Despite showing good potential, Maddie Aust's second round in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at Sebring was ultimately derailed by fuel issues, leaving the Bryan Herta Autosport duo to salvage a P12 finish after a top five in the season opener.
Following a very positive debut in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at Daytona—where Maddie Aust finished in the top five on her first outing in the Hyundai Elantra N TCR, shared with fellow series rookie Suellio Almeida—the Bryan Herta Autosport duo faced a more challenging second round at Sebring International Raceway. Their strong run was cut short due to fuel issues towards the end of Aust's stint, taking them out of contention for a solid finish.
Maddie has made a strong start to her IMSA career, having previously competed in single-seaters in the F4 U.S. Championship before switching to touring cars in the TC America series. Her transition was immediately competitive, as she secured podiums and race wins in the TCX class, displaying impressive adaptability to the new platform.
In 2024, Aust moved to the Toyota GR Cup North America championship, where she made solid improvements throughout the season in a highly competitive grid of over 30 cars. She consistently finished in the top 20, with a personal best of 14th at COTA.
For 2025, the Texas native teamed up with Suellio Almeida, who made his TCR debut after winning the North American Radical Cup as a rookie, having transitioned from esports.
After a strong display at Daytona, the pair aimed to carry their momentum into Sebring, a notoriously demanding track for both drivers and machines due to its rough surface and challenging bumps.
“Sebring is a track with serious character, but that’s exactly why I am looking forward to this track", Aust commented before the event. "Bryan Herta Autosport has been putting in the work to get us prepared, especially with the driver camp in NYC last month. Now, it’s time to push hard and see what we can accomplish in our second race of the season!”
The duo ran just outside the top ten in the two practice sessions but made steady improvements ahead of qualifying. Their consistency in longer runs was an encouraging sign for the two-hour Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 on Friday.
Aust took the wheel for qualifying, setting an initial lap time of 2:18 before improving to the 2:16s range. She hovered just outside the top ten with five minutes remaining but couldn't quite improve on her final attempt, ultimately posting a 2:16.493. She would start P14 in the TCR class.
At the green flag, the field got away cleanly across both the GS and TCR classes, with Maddie Aust holding P14 in class. Settling into her pace, she made an early move on William Tally’s #5 Honda Civic, quickly pulling away and closing in on the Gou Racing Cupra while lapping a few tenths quicker than the cars ahead.
She navigated an early tricky situation with a spinning Mustang just in front of her, avoiding the incident and moving up to P11 by lap 8.
However, one lap later, she was hit by Preston Brown’s Hyundai, dropping to 13th. Brown received a drive-through penalty for causing the collision, allowing Aust to recover to P12.
As the pit window approached, more incidents unfolded in TCR, including contact between Bergstein and Mauro, though the race always remained green. Aust ran in P11 and posted her best laps towards the end of her stint.
Drama struck again on lap 26 when Maddie Aust’s car began slowing down due to fuel issues. The car temporarily restarted but ultimately came to a halt, forcing her to park it on the side of the track.
The #9 BHA Hyundai was eventually recovered and brought back to the pits, where Suellio Almeida took over the driving duties. However, by the time he rejoined, they were already 11 laps down, running P13 in class.
Despite the setback, Almeida demonstrated strong pace, setting a 2:14.455 lap time—using the remainder of the race as a test session while showcasing promising potential.
With the race running uninterrupted from flag to flag, several teams were forced to pit for fuel in the final two minutes. Having rejoined later in the stint, Almeida had no more fuel drama and could go to the end.
Suellio Almeida took the checkered flag in P12 in class, gaining one position after the race-leading #33 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai was disqualified post-race.
It was a challenging race for the BHA duo of Aust and Almeida, but they once again displayed strong pace. While unlucky not to capitalize on their speed, the drivers of the #9 machine will aim to bounce back in the third round at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on May 8-10. They now sit eighth in the TCR class championship standings, with 470 points.