Paul Miller Racing COTA Post-Race Report

Paul Miller Racing and team drivers Christopher Haase and Dion von Moltke raced to a come-from-behind podium finish Saturday at Circuit of The Americas where they placed third in the No. 48 Castrol EDGE Audi R8 LMS in the Lone Star Le Mans.

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The podium result, the first for the No. 48 team since Watkins Glen in June, came after Haase capped a late-race charge through the field with a last-lap pass for third place. 

The team had to overcome a costly 60-second stop-and-hold penalty in the first 45 minutes after race officials ruled pole-starting driver von Moltke failed to stop for a red light at pit exit.

The No. 48 fell out of the top 10 running order after the penalty but never went a lap down. Haase took over for von Moltke and passed several competitors in the race's final hour.

"For my stint in the last hour I'd say I risked the whole hour," Haase said. "I just drove over the limit of the car, hoped that it would work out and it did, luckily, at the end. I think this was the shot for us to come back in the championship and Dion did a great job in the beginning. Tough race but good at the end."

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Only next month's season-ending Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta remains on the 2015 schedule, a race Paul Miller Racing won last year. They will defend their victory at Road Atlanta while also focusing on winning the 2015 IMSA TUDOR Championship GT Daytona (GTD) Championship.

Saturday's third-place finish helped the No. 48 team and drivers move to within one point of the championship lead heading into the Road Atlanta race.

The No. 48 Paul Miller Racing team, and Haase and von Moltke, now have 255 points in both the GTD team and driver championship standings, just one point shy of the leaders in both battles.

A full Paul Miller Racing report from the Lone Star Le Mans will follow.