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Wheelhouse Motorsports faced a weekend full of challenges but showed impressive determination and resilience to come away with a fifth-place finish after two grueling races.
The weekend began with a productive test day on Thursday as Robert Noaker helped establish the baseline setup for the team's GT4 Mustang. The crew arrived with several suspension components, including softer spring packages, they wanted to evaluate. After multiple runs and adjustments throughout the day, the tam felt confident they had developed a competitive set up heading into race weekend. Dan McKeever also logged valuable test time behind the wheel as the team continued refining the car.
Friday's qualifying session got off to a difficult start when McKeever encountered clutch issues early in the session, forcing an unscheduled trip back to the paddock. Although the team worked quickly to diagnose and repair the problem, there was not enough time to return the care to the track before qualifying was underway. Once repairs were made, Noaker took over and delivered a strong performance, placing the Wheelhouse Mustang second on the starting grid.
Despite the qualifying success, the team continued to battle mechanical gremlins. Throughout Thursday and Friday, the car showed signs of running excessively rich, meaning the car was using up more fuel and faster. The crew worked tirelessly to figure out the cause, replacing components and exploring multiple solutions. While the Mustang remained competitive at higher RPMs, it continued to run rough under deceleration and lower engine speeds.
Starting the opening race, Noaker wasted little time moving the Wheelhouse Mustang to the front of the field. He controlled the race throughout his opening stint and appeared poised to lead comfortably before the team's fuel-consumption issues struck. Running rich caused the car to use fuel at an alarming rate, forcing Noaker to slow his pace and carefully bring the car back to pit lane.
The unscheduled fuel concerns dropped Wheelhouse to fifth position before Noaker returned to the track for another stint. Midway through that run, he began reporting brake fade in several braking zones, though he felt the issue remained manageable.
When McKeever took over, he immediately noticed the brake problems had worsened significantly. Although he was able to continue turning laps, the team's pace began to suffer. A full-course caution gave the crew an opportunity to inspect the car, where they discovered the root cause of the problem: a broken rear brake rotor.
The Mustang was brought behind the wall for repairs, costing the team valuable time and leaving them seven laps behind before rejoining the field. McKeever and Jim Farley each completed additional stints, but the team wanted to focus on preparing the car for Sunday's race, the decision was made to retire the car early.
Determined to solve the fueling issue before Race Two, the team believed a replacement ECU could provide the answer. The only available unit was back at the shop prompting a frantic effort to get the part transported to the track. After several phone calls and logistical coordination, the ECU arrived the same day. Unfortunately, the replacement did not resolve the issue and instead worsened the symptoms. Even so, the crew continued working late into the evening to prepare for Sunday's race.
Race Two began in much the same fashion as the first, with Noaker immediately establishing himself at the front of the field. Driving a remarkably consistent race, he once again put Wheelhouse into the lead and maintained the top position for a significant portion of the morning.
However, luck again turned against the team when a flat front-left tire foraced an unscheduled top and dropped the Mustang once lap behind the leaders.
Refusing to give up, Noaker, Farley, and McKeever delivered a series of strong stints to keep Wheelhouse firmly in contention despite the setback. With approximately one hour remaining, the team had climbed back to fifth place and remained just a lap down when a red flag halted the race.
In a strategic gamble, Wheelhouse elected not to pit during the stoppage. The decision moved the Mustang ahead of the race leaders and back onto the lead lap for the restart. Noaker did everything possible to keep the field behind him, but competitors on fresher tires eventually worked their way past, relegating Wheelhouse back to a lap-down position.
When the checkered flag flew, Wheelhouse Motorsports secured a hard-fought fifth-place finish.
While the final result did not full reflect the team's pace throughout the weekend, the performance showcased the determination of everyone involved. Between fuel issues, clutch problems, brake failures, a flat tire, and a late-race strategy gamble, the team overcame a long list of obstacles while remain competitive throughout both races.
Wheelhouse Motorsports now turns its attention to the next round of competition at Sebring International Raceway, carrying plenty of momentum and confidence after a weekend that demonstrated the team's grit and perseverance in the face of a tricky race weekend.
Race One:
#92: DNF
Race Two:
#92: 5th
Wheelhouse Motorsports introduces its 2026 driver lineup for the IMSA Mustang Challenge and World Racing League seasons — the largest roster in team history.
January 6, 2025
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