By alley - Jul 28, 2014, 3:00 PM ET

Tough Day at the Brickyard for Kyle Gimple

INDIANAPOLIS – Kyle Gimple was all set for a big day at the Brickyard on Friday after qualifying the No. 75 Compass360 Racing Children’s Tumor Foundation/HPD/Racing4Research.org Honda Civic Si fifth on the grid at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Unfortunately, a gearbox issue on the car presented itself early in the race which made it a tough day for Gimple and his Compass360 Racing team.

When the Brickyard Sports Car Challenge went green and the 55-car combined-class grid set out for battle, Gimple cleanly maneuvered the No. 75 Honda Civic through Turn 1 to remain fifth in line. Through the green flag run, Gimple ran as the highest Honda Civic on a track that doesn’t best suit his car. Unfortunately, as Gimple ran seventh in the order, he reported a transmission problem.Unable to get the car to run into any gear other than fourth, it was a tough day in the office for Gimple and co-driver Ryan Eversley. The Indianapolis event turned into a points-gathering race for the Compass360 team with both Gimple and Eversley completing the necessary time behind the wheel in the ailing car in order to earn valuable points toward the championship. “It’s just really heartbreaking,” said Gimple. “We’ve been at Indy three times now and each time a mechanical issue has caught us out. It’s so disappointing because everyone wants to win at Indianapolis and I think we had a chance today. The car had been so good up until that point and I had no warning that the gearbox issue was coming. It just went and from then on it was just about staying out on track and keeping out of the way of the other cars and just collecting points.”He and Eversley persevered to take 21st at the finish.Gimple looks forward to the next round of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge in two weeks’ time at Road America.Source:

Kyle Gimple PR