Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational Race 1 Report
Le Mans, France – Cameron McLeod claimed victory in the inaugural Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational, leading from the pole position in the #92 Ryan McLeod Racing Cars Ford Mustang Dark Horse R. Following a disqualification of Robert Noaker due to a splitter height infraction, McLeod maintained a five-second gap over Sam Paley, securing his place at the front for the duration of the race.
With approximately four minutes remaining in the 45-minute contest, a red flag was prompted by David Wall crashing into the barriers at the Porsche Curves, eliminating any chance for Paley, driving the #26 Paley Motorsport entry, to mount a final challenge. Wall had started third and was contending for a podium finish.
In a fierce battle for third, Academy Motorsport teammates Marco Signoretti and Matt Nicoll-Jones engaged in a close contest, with Signoretti ultimately reclaiming the position in the #97 Mustang Dark Horse R after Nicoll-Jones briefly overtook him at Indianapolis.
Notably, Noaker staged a remarkable comeback from the back of the grid, rising to seventh by the end of the race despite encountering challenges in overtaking Dark Horse Legends winner Alex Bachoura.
In the Dark Horse Legends category, Bachoura dominated, finishing ninth overall in the #33 Spark Performance Mustang, while Dan McKeever and Alfonso Diaz rounded out the podium in their respective entries.
In the Dark Horse Stars class, Tanner Foust initially secured a win, navigating challenges mid-race, including losing his rear bumper cover on the Mulsanne. However, a post-race penalty for a gear violation relegated him to fourth place, promoting Chelsea DeNofa to the class victory.
Foust’s overall finish was 12th, with DeNofa and actor Frankie Muniz completing the top three in the Stars class.
Race 1 Results:
- Overall: 1. Cameron McLeod (Pole #92), 2. Sam Paley (#26), 3. Marco Signoretti (#97)
- Dark Horse Legends: 1. Alex Bachoura, 2. Dan McKeever, 3. Alfonso Diaz
- Dark Horse Stars: 1. Chelsea DeNofa, 2. Tanner Foust, 3. Frankie Muniz
Race 2 of the Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational is scheduled for Saturday at 8:45 AM CET, streaming live on the Ford Performance YouTube channel.
