Michael Valiante drove the 8Star Motorsports No. 3 Corvette to a second consecutive runner-up finish in the Grand Am Rolex sports car series at Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen in New York on Sunday.
Valiante, who led a race-best 33 laps in the race, caught up to eventual race winner Christian Fittipaldi of Action Express Racing on the final lap and closed within a fraction of the lead at the checkered flag, posting the closest finish ever, at .265 seconds, in a six-hour Daytona Prototype race at Watkins Glen.
The North Burnaby racer took over from owner driver Emilo Potolicchio on the fifth lap and moved the Chevrolet up from 13th place into first after the opening two hours on the 3.4 mile, 11-turn road course.
Valiante gave way to co-driver Stephane Sarrazin on Lap 75.
At the four-hour mark, Sarrazin, who kept the car among the leaders, was charged a 60-minute stop-and-go penalty for unnecessary contact with another race car.
With one hour and 20 minutes remaining, Valiante got behind the wheel again with the car in 11th place.
Valiante made his last stop with less than 45 minutes left and the No. 3 car in third place 10 seconds behind the leader.
At the white flag, Valiante picked up more than a full second on the final lap.
The second-place finish gave 8Star a total of 177 points, just 12 points behind fourth place, 13 points out of third and just 17 from first overall.
The No. 3 car is also third in the North American Endurance championship team point standings.
"It's disappointing not coming in first, but how can you complain about coming in second. The team has done an outstanding job.
"It was great to be paired with Stephane (Sarrazin). We hit it off right away. He is a fantastic driver," said Valiante in an 8Star press release. "Everything went to plan. . We can't complain. . It's first time with the team - Stephane and my first race together - so for a podium, I am happy. But, I really wanted to win."
The eighth race of the Rolex Grand-Am Series is the Brickyard Grand Prix on July 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Third-place for HART Honda team
Valiante also helped the Heart of America Honda to third place in the Continental Tire 150 at the Glen on Saturday.
Valiante and co-driver Chad Gilsinger drove the Honda Civic Si to third in the street tuner class at Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Two weeks earlier, Valiante drove the No. 93 HART sports car to a second-place finish at the Mid-Ohio Diamond Cellar Classic.
