TAVARES, Fla. -  Alex Job Racing driver Dino Steiner continued his assault on the IMSA Challenge by Michelin Driver's Championship by recording two podiums finishes this past weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, as part of the Acura Sports Car Challenge. The IMSA Challenge ran two races on Friday, July 18.
 
Steiner, the current IMSA Challenge point leader, also extended his consecutive podium streak to eight when he finished third in round seven and then followed that up with a second-place finish in round eight.
 
In the first race, Steiner started third in the No. 15 Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and battled driver Wayland Joe for second throughout much of the 19-lap event. On lap 10, Steiner turned the fourth fastest lap of the race with a 1:27.643 (92.795 mph), which qualified him fourth for the next race later in the day.
 
"Dino and Wayland Joe had a pretty good battle going, but Dino just couldn't seem to get by him," Kerry Foote, Alex Job Racing crew chief, said. "It was a pretty good race. The top three guys finished where they started. Overall, the car was pretty good and we didn't have any issues with it. We are still chasing that elusive 'perfect setup.' But, we're getting there."
 
Alex Job Racing driver Juergen Haering qualified seventh and finished eighth in class (11th overall) in the first race. In just his first season with AJR, Haering continues to drive well and looks to finish in the top-five in the driver's point standings by season's end.
 
"Juergen ran a pretty good race," Foote said. "He is still looking to move up in the point standings because he missed the Utah race. If he continues the run well, he has a good shot of finishing in the top-five."
 
Steiner started the next race from row two and followed pole sitter Bob Faieta (who is 16 points behind Steiner in the championship hunt) through the first three corners and was in second by the time the pack hit the back straightaway. From that point, Steiner and Faieta managed to put a gap between them and the rest of the field.
 
"When the race started, Dino followed Faieta through turn three and down the back straightaway," Foote said. "This was how Dino was able to maintain second place. But, unfortunately, Dino could not get by Faieta and finished second. Faieta had it [his car] hooked up. He is doing a fantastic job this year. Fortunately for us, he had an engine issue and missed a race at Utah. So that puts us in a pretty good position in terms of the championship."
 
In the second race, Haering started 11th in the No. 17 Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. But, unfortunately for Haering, his race did not go as planned. On lap 15, the No. 43 machine driven by Darrell Carlisle made contact with Haering and knocked him off track four laps shy of the end.
 
"Juergen and Carlisle were going through the Essess when Carlisle slipped up and knocked Juergen off the track," Foote said. "When that happened, it broke the radiator and damaged some bodywork. Unfortunately that ended Juergen's day and he was pretty disappointed. Carlisle came up to him immediately after the race and apologized to him. He said it was his fault. That put Juergen in a better mood."
 
Steiner leads the IMSA Challenge by Michelin Driver's Championship point standings with 146 points. Faieta is second with 130, followed by Patrick Kelly (86), Carlisle (66), Galen Bieker (64), Haering and Martin Snow (58).
 
IMSA Challenge by Michelin series rounds nine and 10 are set for Aug. 21-24 at Mosport International Raceway, as part of the Mobil 1 Grand Prix of Mosport.