TOOELE, Utah - After struggling to find speed during practice, a gallant effort by driver Scott Tucker brought the Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports team a second-place finish in race one of the Ferrari Challenge Series Saturday at Miller Motorsports Park.
Tucker charged from fifth place to third on the second lap around the 2.240-mile road course in his No. 55 Ferrari F4340 and then quickly made a pass to assume the second position behind eventual winner Harry Cheung.
A majority of the race of the race saw Mark McKenzie glued to Tucker's bumper, but Tucker kept him in the rear view mirror and began to distance himself from the third-place driver late in the race.
Tucker made a charge toward Cheung over the closing laps; but, sensing he had a tire going down, he nursed the ailing car for the final three circuits. The tire gave out on the last lap but Tucker was able to bring his Ferrari home to a runner-up finish behind Cheung at the checkered flag. It was yet another podium finish for the most successful driver in Ferrari Challenge Series history.
"We started fifth, and we knew it was going to be a challenge for us to get up to the front," Tucker said. "But, with this Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motosports team behind us - and the cars they put underneath me - we know that anything is possible. We always thought we had a shot to win the race.
"We were starting to make our move and then we cut a tire. I really believe we would have had a shot at a victory if it weren't for that."
Tucker qualified the No. 55 Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports F430 in the fifth position with a fast lap of 1:35.361 (84.563 mph). McKenzie wound up finishing third.
"Scott did everything humanly possible to win the race," Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports Team Manager David Stone said. "His effort was flawless, and he had it in his mind late in the race that he was going to get up there and take the lead. It was unfortunate that we had the tire problem. Otherwise, it might have been a different story."
Tucker and the Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports team continue in their quest for victory during the inaugural Ferrari Challenge weekend at Miller Motorsports Park on Sunday. 
Qualifying for Round 2 is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. local time. The race is set for 1:50 p.m.
Also this weekend at Miller Motorsports Park, Tucker continues to test for Ferrari and their new for Prototype 599XX. He was personally invited to be a factory test pilot by Ferrari's CEO, Amedeo Felisa, in January.
Tucker first tested the car in a private session and exhibition at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the first ever to be held on American soil, in March. Future test sessions will occur at notable race tracks on nearly every continent.
"It's a tremendous honor," Tucker said. "As a long-time Ferrari driver, being asked to help develop the next generation of Maranello supercars is truly a thrill. 
My experience behind the wheel of many Ferrari GT race cars should be a great asset to the process."
This latest round of testing among a select group of international drivers is yet another step in a complex process for the legendary manufacturer. In February, at the Ricardo Tormo circuit outside of Valencia, Spain, the 599XX made its on-track debut with F1 driver Felipe Massa behind the wheel.
ABOUT BOARDWALK
Boardwalk Ferrari, Located in Plano, Tex., is one of the nation's leading Ferrari and Maserati dealerships. The company has extensive involvement in motorsports including relationships in the American Le Mans Series and their extremely successful sponsorship of Level Five Motorsports Ferrari Challenge entry.
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Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com. Celebrating life, every day, everywhere, responsibly.
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