Denver, NC (7 June 2018) Mustang Sampling Racing driver João Barbosa suffered an injury following an accident on his bicycle while training this week. The Portuguese pilot anticipates a return to the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R when the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship heads to Road America on August 3-5.
Mustang Sampling Racing has won the 2016 and 2017 editions of the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen with Barbosa joined by Filipe Albuquerque and Christian Fittipaldi on the top step of the Watkins Glen podium.
“I am really disappointed to have this accident and I hate to miss these races, especially with the amount of success we’ve had at Watkins Glen, I love that track,” said Barbosa. “I was on a group ride on my road bike, and some of the people ahead of me stopped before I was expecting them to, so I fell on my hand and hurt my wrist. It is really unfortunate but I am already focused on my program to get back in the car when the doctors let me.”
The 2018 IMSA season marked the appointment of Fittipaldi as Sporting Director with a race schedule that focused on him driving in the the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup (TPNAEC) rounds. Mustang Sampling Racing has secured the TPNAEC every year since its inception in 2014.
“We are fortunate to already have Christian (Fittipaldi) ready to go for the Glen while Joao (Barbosa) gets better,” said team manager Gary Nelson. “This is tough for Joao—no driver wants to miss any races, but we are looking forward to him making a fast recovery and getting back behind the wheel. Our focus will continue to be on winning as many races as we can.”
The next race on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will be the Sahlen’s Six Hour of the Glen on July 1.
