Every race has a winner, but like objects in a rear view mirror, some wins are bigger than they appear.

That was certainly the case with a breakthrough TUDOR United SportsCar Championship overall race win in Detroit earlier this summer for the No. 31 Whelen Engineering/Action Express team and drivers Eric Curran and Dane Cameron.

That hard fought Detroit win proved to be both a popular victory and a sign that the first season of the new combination would produce a serious TUDOR  title contender.

“The Detroit win was huge for Whelen and for the Action Express program,” said Eric Curran.

“Sonny Whelen has been a huge supporter of racing for many years. We have been through many racing programs together, but never one as strong as this one.

“To get our first win in Chevrolet’s backyard only five races into a new season with a new team was very special.”

The win also meant a lot to the entire Action Express team, where teammates Christian Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa are the defending series champions.

“I have seen the Whelen products around racing for as long as I can remember,” said Action Express team director Gary Nelson.

“Getting to work directly with all the Whelen folks is a privilege we don’t take lightly. The passion for the sport that Whelen Engineering has demonstrated for all of these years makes it an honor for us to help them get to the top step of the podium because they certainly have earned it.”

The acknowledged leader in innovative safety warning systems, the Connecticut and New Hampshire based Whelen is the only producer of emergency warning equipment to still manufacture its products entirely in the United States.

The company has more than 1,500 employees and is a longtime supporter of motorsport and aerosport.

With top five finishes in all seven TUDOR  rounds to date, including a runner-up finish in the most recent round in Canada, Curran, Cameron and the Whelen team are in the thick of the title fights.

While they expected success and possibly wins in 2015, the timing has been impressive.

“The surprise is how quickly we have all gelled together,” said Curran.

Now, standing third in the TUDOR Championship, Curran, Cameron and the Whelen team are in full stride as the season heads into the final three rounds for the Prototype class at Road America, Circuit of The Americas and Road Atlanta.

They trail Michael Valiante and Richard Westbrook of VisitFlorida.com Racing by 11 points and are just four points adrift of teammates Fittipaldi and Barbosa for second place.

“We need podium finishes or better in the next three races starting at Road America,” said Curran.

“Dane and I have had wins and much success there in the past, and based on how strong we’ve been all season I think our odds are pretty good with the Action Express guys.”

Cameron agrees, “We have everything you need to win. We have a strong driver pairing in Eric and me.  We have the reigning TUDOR Prototype Championship winning team, Action Express Racing, preparing us to the highest level and the support of Whelen Engineering,” said Cameron.

And the only thing bigger than that win at Detroit would be another victory here at Road America.