PODIUM FOR TUCK AND CONQUEST RACING AT INDIANAPOLIS!
The racing gods are often spoken about in motorsport circles in relation to the multitude of uncontrollable chance events that can upset a carefully planned and executed race. The team and their drivers have to get used to doubling down on the effort to minimise the damage these unplanned interventions cause or to maximise the opportunities that they present. Ben Tuck’s second appearance in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship featured exactly that, when three chance events in the final hour turned what was looking to be a dominant win into an epic fight back to reclaim a podium position.
The Tiretracks.com Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis formed the penultimate round of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, where Ben Tuck reunited with the Conquest Racing crew of Manny Franco and Ferrari Pro driver Daniel Serra after competing with them at Watkins Glen back in June.
Confident of a strong showing, Manny Franco tackled the short qualifying session at the ‘Brickyard’ on Saturday afternoon, placing their #34 Ferrari 296 GTD in fifth position out of 18 in the class. As the qualifying driver, Franco then took the first part of the 6-hour race. In what was to become a feature of the race, multiple safety car periods disrupted consistent running and challenged the strategists at Conquest Racing. But after 1 hour and 30 minutes, Ben Tuck took over driving duties in the middle of a Safety Car period in third position.
After five laps, the green flag was shown and with characteristic precision Ben immediately pounced to take the lead of the race. From there he extended the lead, claiming the teams fastest lap of the race until pitting for fuel under the next Safety Car period. Rejoining in third place, he steadily reeled in the cars ahead until retaking the lead for the second time. Just three laps later with 2 hours and 20 minutes to go, Tuck pitted from the front for Serra to go into battle.
Once all the pitstops had been completed, Serra began to steadily pull out the gap to the chasing pack. After an hour the #34 Conquest Racing Ferrari was in a commanding position, ten seconds out in the lead with a single pitstop to go. As his fuel ran down to the minimum and he prepared to stop, the racing gods threw in their first curveball. Debris on the track brought out a Safety Car closing the pitlane. However, with no choice the Brazilian pro driver had to pit for fuel. Taking on the minimum allowed, he then had to pit again as soon as the pit lane was open for the rest of his fuel, dropping him to sixth place.
Serra then worked his way back up to fourth place, closing on a podium position. The second curveball came in the shape of a pair of battling LMP2 cars with just 30 minutes of the race to go, when one of them clipped the Conquest Ferrari and sent it spinning down to fifth position.
Undeterred, Serra fought back quickly reclaiming fourth position. The final intervention came in the form of yet another Safety Car. With the gaps between the cars now closed, Serra had an opportunity once the race resumed to fight for a podium as a consolation for what was looking to be a win just an hour earlier. In an incredible final three-minute sprint to the chequered flag, he snatched third position to deliver an epic comeback for the team.
The result proved that in endurance racing, anything can happen and the never give up spirit can deliver results, even when all seems lost.
Ben Tuck next races in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Ford Racing and Proton Competition in Fuji, Japan on 28th September 2025.
