Racing today at Lime Rock, are the Prototype Challenge, and GT Daytona cars. We are ready for the Northeast Grand Prix, powered by BMW. No grandstands at Lime Rock. The grandstand, is the hillside next to the track. Track owner, Skip Barber (a great racing driver, but no relation to yours truly, whatsoever), and his staff, are working on completing a $6 million upgrade, to the facilities at Lime Rock Park. However, they have not changed the track, and it shouldn't be. It's fast, and it's wild. A roller coaster ride, for sure.
We've got a great range of driving talent in this race, from Indycar and sports car veteran, Bruno Junquiera, to a rookie in sports cars and Indycars, Connor Daly. In GT Daytona, the cars are also the stars. Lots of brands, and close competition. Turner Motorsports had a wreck in practice in the #97 BMW Z4 GT, was very quick and over a second ahead of the rest of the field. Four makes represented in the top five qualifying places in GT Daytona. There are four teams, separated by four points, at the top of the standings table.
Paul Miller Racing's Audi leads WeatherTech Racing's Porsche, the Ferrari 458 Italia for Scuderia Corse, and the TRG/AMR Aston Martin V12 Vantage. So far this season, Alex Job Racing's Porsche and the Riley Motorsports SRT Viper, have combined, to win four races in 2015. The Prototype Challenge machines are the fastest prototypes on the circuit. All are identical, with their Oreca chassis' and Chevrolet V8 motors, with no traction control. These guys are going to be dueling for the overall win today.
Jon Bennett and Colin Braun lead the championship, over Mike Guasch and Tom Kimber-Smith, after winning the most race TUSC round at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. We also need to look out for the #85 JDC/Miller Motorsports car shared by Stephen Simpson and Mikhail Goikhberg. Don't count out the #11 JDX machine of Chris Cumming and Bruno Junquiera, either. Renger van der Zande for Starworks is not far behind either, and he is also, a two-time race winner this year.
The only real passing place on this course is into turn one, Big Bend. That leads you to another left hander, and predominantly right hand corners, before the uphill, into and over the top of West Bend, down the downhill, and onto the Sam Posey straight, the front straight, named for legendary race driver and race broadcaster, Sam Posey. In the old days, cars would have four wheels off the road in the corners. When was the last time we saw two polesitters in a race, both from the country of South Africa? We have them here, with Stephen Simpson in Prototype Challenge, and Dion von Moltke in GT Daytona.
We have lovely weather, and gorgeous New England vistas in every direction. Enjoy the scenery, but watch the race, too. As always, the start between the two classes, is split. Here we go. The Prototype Challenge cars, start first. They are followed closely in formation, by the GTD machines. It's go time at Lime Rock! Stephen Simpson jumps into the lead over James French, and John Bennett gets hip checked by Chris Cumming.
Track position is a big deal at Lime Rock because of how small the track is. We watch the GT Daytona cars, start. Dion von Moltke leads from the class pole in the Audi R8 LMS. Ben Keating tries battling back on the outside in the SRT Viper GTS-R-. Two Porsche's are third and fourth (driven by Patrick Lindsey and Ian James, respectively), and Christina Nielsen in the Aston Martin, she is fifth in class. This track is narrow, and has lots of direction changes.
They run through the chicane, going up the hill, one of the iconic places here at Lime Rock. Lindsey wants by Keating. Will the Porsche have the grunt to pass the big Viper? No dice. You cannot afford to stick your nose down the inside, through these high speed corners. A dangerous maneuver, this early on in the race. They plunge 52 feet down the downhill, and onto the Sam Posey straightaway, to complete lap one. Posey has imprinted this track with his talents as a driver, and as an artist.
Dion von Moltke tries holding the lead. It is not the best all around car. It has it's strengths and weaknesses around the Lime Rock track. Their problem will be starts and restarts, because the car has lower torque than they'd like. They'll be better on long, green flag runs. Ben Keating is intimidated by Lime Rock, having not driven here before. But, the car (the SRT Viper) is running nicely. Patrick Lindsey is trying his best to make a move on Keating. He can't make it work a half a lap later.
Lindsey takes an interesting line, going wider into the corner, hitting the apex later. Lindsey is really quick through the exit of the chicane on the uphill. Keating has to be careful not to over drive the car into the corner, because it costs him track position and time. Meanwhile, Christina Nielsen is going for it. She wants to make a move on Ian James, in a battle between Aston Martin and Porsche. It's really true here at Lime Rock, and is said all the time. Catching is one thing. Passing, is a totally different kettle of fish.
Remember, last year's GTLM champion, Kuno Wittmer, is Christina Nielsen's full-time team mate in the TRG Aston Martin. James Davison will not drive for TRG AMR for the rest of the season. James French is going for it, but he's considerably slower than our race leader, Stephen Simpson, at this moment. We see these blokes running wide, but with no tire damage. That's good and bad. Good in the sense that the tires are holding up. But, bad, because the debris could cause problems later on.
Oh, wow! We have a pass in PC! Mike Guasch makes an awesome move down the inside of Jon Bennett! Guasch caught him by surprise. Colin Braun told his team mate Jon Bennett, "sure, mate, you are a very clean driver. But, in order for use to win this championship, I need you to take more risks with your driving." We continue watching Dion von Moltke and Ben Keating, race each other. Now, these boys, were separated by a mere nine thousandths of a second, during qualifying! Yikes! How close do you like it? Right now, von Moltke leads the GT Daytona championship points, with team mate, Christopher Haase, who is also experienced, behind the wheel of these Audi R8's.
Don't run wide! Someone put a wheel off. The Armco barrier is very close to the track, here at Lime Rock, with little runoff room, except for a small patch of grass. Just beyond that, is Salmon Creek, or as it is known in Dutch, as Salmon Kill. A kill, (in Dutch), is a creek, water channel or riverbed. Meanwhile, Patrick Lindsey is not in the thick of it with the Audi and the Viper for the GT Daytona lead. Keep up with good, consistent performance, through the tire stint. Also, these guys are getting good fuel mileage, this early in the race.
Drivers have to race for a full hour to obtain points in this race. The Aston Martin is run with a compliant suspension system setup, to achieve good mechanical grip. Whoops! The #97 Turner Motorsports BMW Z4 GT has spun! Michael Marsal is at the wheel, and he's looped the car. Marsal took his turn on the whirlygig a number of times in qualifying, and crashed the car, leading the team to work overnight to repair it for the race. Marsal has to keep the car on the lead lap, when he hands it over later, to Dane Cameron. Here at Lime Rock, because the laps are so short, that's hard to do.
Marsal was bumped by the Prototype Challenge car of Jon Bennett. What will the IMSA stewards have to say about that little dust up? Marsal also got bonked by Chris Cumming going through a turn. One car overshoots the chicane. As long as they pull up to the top of the hill, gaining no advantage, they're fine. No harm, no foul. Again, the scenery around Lime Rock is very pretty, and there are many covered bridges, surrounding the area of Lakeville, Connecticut. After the big wreck in practice, two crew members from Turner Motorsports, went to Auto Works body repair, and the staff at that shop, helped to fix the race car.
The car was hit in a bad place. Is there a good place to hit in a race car? In this fracas, the right rear corner, was the critical section. The rear wing, has to be mounted, square, to the back of the car. With a bent frame, this would have been impossible. Get the car on a frame straightener, and make sure everything lines up, correctly. Otherwise, there's no chance of the car being able to drive properly or safely.
The temperature is getting hotter, in northwestern Connecticut. Meanwhile, Stephen Simpson, leading overall and in Prototype Challenge, is booking it. His last lap average speed was at 105 miles an hour. We have our first pit stop. Full service for the #76 Compass 360 Racing Audi R8 LMS. Pierre Kleinubing is getting in the car. These guys will run four sprint races for the rest of the season. They might race at Petit Le Mans. But no word on that, yet.
Here's the breakdown of the drive time regulations in these Pro/Am classes.
- Each car must have a minimum of one Silver or Bronze rated driver.
- Silver/Bronze drivers are non professional.
- One Silver/Bronze driver must drive at least 60 minutes.
The team ran well last time out at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. But, the engine went sour after a refueling stop. Why? Well, strange as it may seem, a drum of fuel they were using for the race, was contaminated. Even though this is a sprint race, be careful. Don't take unnecessary risks, making kamikaze moves down the inside or outside of your competitors. If there is a yellow, and the field has to be reset, there's no benefit to try to gain a position you'll ultimately lose.
The driver rankings are not based on experience, necessarily. You have young drivers who could be gold or silver rated, and older drivers, who cannot go above a silver rating, because of their age. Case in point, the great Swedish sports car and former Indycar and Formula One star, Stefan Johansson. Mikhail Goikhberg is preparing to take over the leading car, from Stephen Simpson, soon. Simpson is doing a wonderful job, so far. Goikhberg, is used to winning. He won in the L1 category of the IMSA Prototype Lights division, last year, with nine wins, and six poles.
CORE Autosport is doing well. But they are not used to being in this spot. They swept nearly everything last year, including the North American Endurance Cup. They also won in the Prototype Challenge division in the old American Le Mans Series, before the merger to form the Tudor Championship. These drivers are lapping this speedway in 51 seconds. Cloud cover is diminishing the effect of hot temperatures on this summer Sunday in Connecticut.
In the GT Daytona class, Dion von Moltke continues to lead. It seems that von Moltke has increased his lead, as it's up to four seconds. Ben Keating and Christina Nielsen are 1-2 in GT Daytona. You can gain time, in the second half of your stint, if you drive smart in the first half, in one of these big, powerful, front engined GT racers. Christina Nielsen has not passed Ben Keating. But, she's running at least a half a second quicker than he is, right now.
We are fast approaching the one hour mark in this race, and expecting pit stops for all the usual service, including fuel, tire changes, and driver changes. Stephen Simpson is doing double duty, racing in Tudor Championship and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge competition, at Lime Rock Park. He is one of two, making that decision. The other is, Spencer Pumpelly. You will see the broadcast not only of this race, but also, the CTSCC race, in a link from the IMSA webpage on this blog, when it becomes available. So, stay tuned.
Spencer Pumpelly, is sharing the #73 Park Place Porsche 911 GT America, with Patrick Lindsey. Everyone is getting into a rhythm, and also running clean laps. The Children's Tumor Foundation, is a charity that many of the racers support in Tudor Championship competition. Many of the kids who have received help from that foundation, are here, at the race, this weekend. Mike Guasch and Tom Kimber-Smith, run fourth. Guasch, is in the car, as Kimber-Smith, will take over, on the next pit stop, in a few laps.
Racing legend, commentator, and Fox Sports broadcast team colleague, Sam Posey, lives not far from Lime Rock Park, with his wife, Ellen. Lime Rock has been a part of Sam's racing career, and his career as a visual artist. He is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, and has designed buildings for this track, and approves of the changes recently made to the track for sight lines and vantage points.
The race leader is in pit lane, car #85. This team can do a driver change, if they choose as Mikhail Goikhberg, and Stephen Simpson, are both, silver rated. Stephen Simpson will stay in the car, for a double stint. Everyone else is in a fuel save mode. They have to hit 60 minutes, three minutes from now. So far, the race has gone smoothly. But, of course, I should watch out, for the dreaded, commentators curse upon saying that.
The beauty of LRP is that incidents are smaller. Handling seems to be going away on some of the PC cars. Mike Guasch wanted to get out of the car, and so did Mirco Shultis. But, they have to make an hour, because the Gold driver, who takes over, will have to have more pace. James French has taken over the race lead. But, moments ago, Ben Keating in the Viper dropped wheels off into the dirt on the front straight, and, zing! Christina Nielsen goes right by.
Drivers have to get used to different cars, and if you adjust it too far, the car won't handle to your liking. Patrick Lindsey wants to race Dion von Moltke. von Moltke has caught some of the other GT Daytona drivers who do not want to lose a lap. Cooper MacNeil is also in the thick of this scrap in GT Daytona. We've just passed the hour mark of this race. If you pit, and then there's a yellow flag, you might be in good shape. Prototype Challenge cars have already hit pit lane.
Pit lane is busy as we see the #38 and #11 cars in, from first and second in the overall. Conor Daly takes over car #38 and Bruno Junquiera does likewise in #11. These are the most important pit stops for a Prototype Challenge team, all season, because, again, the lap at Lime Rock is so short. Everything must be perfect. Fuel and tires for car #38. Great pit work by the team. Car #11 also has a decent stop, getting away a few seconds later. The #54 car completed an extra lap, and is now pitting.
But Mirco Shultis in car #8 was slowing on the race course. This was because he had to make sure he had driven the car, for a full hour before entering the lane. Same for car #52. More trouble for the #8. Renger van der Zande got in the car. But, left, with the fuel rig hooked to the car, separating the probe and the hose, causing a fuel spill. Meanwhile, GT Daytona contenders now pit. Andy Lally takes over driving the #44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT America, from John Potter. These guys have been more competitive at Lime Rock than they thought they would be, going into the weekend.
The #63 Ferrari 458 Italia also pitted, and Bill Sweedler handed the driving chores, to Townsend Bell. The rules say you have to qualify with your starting driver. Therefore, if you elect to start your silver rated driver, they qualify the car. Now, the pro drivers get their shot behind the wheel. This will be a great scrap between Townsend Bell and Andy Lally. With the fuel spill, the #8 car will have to serve a drive through penalty. More action in pit lane as the #007 Aston Martin comes in for routine service.
Christina Nielsen pits from the class lead. There's a driver change and Kuno Wittmer, takes over. The #23 Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT America is also pitting. Busy, busy times on pit road here at Lime Rock Park. New tires and fuel, as Ian James steps out of the car. Mario Farnbacher will begin his driving stint, now. We have problems for car #85 who has been leading this race! Running slow on the track, is Stephen Simpson! If anyone has not pitted, they need to now. This could produce a full course yellow flag.
If the yellow flies, pit lane, is closed. What a shame! Simpson and Goikhberg were going for it and cruising, for the first third or so of this race! Fox Sports' Bob Varsha asks, "how do you go from that kind of pace, to nothing?" Good question. The #97 Turner Motorsports BMW Z4 pits now. Michael Marsal made it to pit lane and handed over to Dane Cameron. We are officially under a full course caution, now. The yellow has concluded. Conor Daly will lead this field back to green. We have our storyline for this race. Youth and enthusiasm vs. age and experience. It's Conor Daly vs. Bruno Junquiera.
It's close as the two cars sweep into Big Bend. These evenly matched, identically prepared Prototype Challenge cars, make it all about driver skill. Bruno Junquiera is the third car in line behind another lapped Prototype Challenge racer. On the restart, a hairy moment in GTD. Townsend Bell is slow to get away, and moves over on Andy Lally in the #44 Porsche. Ker-runch! Contact was made between the two. Thus, the door comes off the car! It's gone. Major damage, to both of these automobiles as Lally limps into pit lane.
There's fender rub on the left front, and the door, is laying out in the grass next to the track. They both went left at the same time, and of course, two into one corner, doesn't work. This is the net result. The stop for Lally was quicker than anticipated, to maybe just pull bodywork away from a tire. The only damage to #44 was the right front tire. Bruno Junquiera is second overall and third in line behind the lapped car of Renger van der Zande, who is trying to get his lap back. Townsend Bell asks his pit crew to check the car, and is very cool about it. He's OK driving the car, sans the door. But what will the IMSA stewards have to say about that?
We've got a fair fight at the front. Conor Daly, Renger van der Zande, and Bruno Junquiera. van der Zande is pushing, and wants to get back on the lead lap. Conor also has to defend, because we're coming up on silly season, and drivers want to keep their spots on their teams, for the 2016 season. The #16 Prototype Challenge car is parked in pit lane, with Sean Rayhall at the controls. Rayhall brought the car to the pits for a stop and hold penalty, for an improper wave by under the full course yellow.
If you are trapped, between your class leader, and the safety car, you can get a wave by. But, the team took one when they weren't permitted to. Therefore, Rayhall must visit, the sin bin. A minute and forty second hold, may not seem like much. But, at a small track like Lime Rock, it's big. He'll lose loads of time. Spencer Pumpelly in the #73 Porsche 911 GT America, chases Kuno Wittmer in the #007 Aston Martin V12 Vantage. Townsend Bell brings the #63 Ferrari back to pit lane, after losing the driver's side door.
IMSA marshals said, "guys, you need to replace the door." But, are the hinges or the latch damaged? Will the door, stay on the car? The lower mounting hinge, is bent down, and away. This could give the team trouble, trying to safely reattach that driver's door. Time for the shipyard screwdriver to come out. Remember what that is, from the Spa 24 highlights? Simple. It's a hammer. Starworks team boss, Peter Baron, is unhappy with Connor Daly blocking Renger van der Zande, so, he says to van der Zande on the radio, "hit him, if you have to."
More issues for the #63. The IMSA rules state a side view mirror needs to be bolted to the door. If the car has lost the mirror, it could set them back farther down the order, having to fix it on the next regular pit stop. It brings tears to the eyes of car fanatics like yours truly, to see a beautiful Ferrari, abused that way. Don't forget that in GT Daytona, we are dealing with some of the best GT drivers in the world. Real wheel men, and women, who know how to drive racing cars. Audi factory driver Christopher Haase, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Kuno Wittmer, Spencer Pumpelly, Mario Farnbacher, Andy Lally, Dane Cameron, Leh Keen, Pierre Kleinubing, Townsend Bell. There are some greats, in that group.
Even though there was also the 24 Hours of Spa, many drivers who could have gone to Europe to race, elected to stay at Lime Rock, and stay committed to the Tudor United Sports Car Championship. It is nice to see the natural order of the GT Daytona machines, racing with the Prototype Challenge cars. Dane Cameron has set the fastest lap of this race in GT Daytona, as Connor Daly, leads overall, at the halfway point in this event. One hour, twenty minutes, into a two hour and forty minute race.
Dane Cameron is a lap down. Everyone got a wave by. Ben Keating stayed on course, and then pitted. The new leader was Christopher Haase, and everyone in front of Haase, was trapped by the safety car other than car #97. Dane Cameron, had to wait and has gone a lap down. Meanwhile, the thrash continues to fix the door on car #63. This is major surgery on the Ferrari, as bits of glass from having to take the window out, have to be pried away.
Now, we are under our second full course caution of this race, at the Northeast Grand Prix. Both of our class leaders have been taken out of this race! How about that? Christopher Haase gets clipped by Conor Daly, who was still chasing down Renger van der Zande. Daly bobbles, and Hasse runs into him, and off they go into the grass on the exit of the Downhill. Renger van der Zande wanted to get back on the lead lap, saw an opening, went down the inside of Haase, and not enough room, before, ker-runch! Daly noses it into the tire barriers.
Hasse and Daly are right together, can't separate before hitting the wall, and Haase has an equally solid impact with the tires, in the Audi R8 LMS. From what Haase saw, you would not think two Prototype Challenge cars, would make the same move, so late into the apex of the corner. Actually, beyond the apex, to the exit. Connor Daly was 7/8ths of the way by when he was clipped by the Audi. The good news is, both drivers are OK, after this incident. Daly lifted, and then, hit the gas again, so there was not a good flow, going into the corner.
Let go of the steering wheel, when you crash, otherwise, you risk losing your hands, and forearms. We look at some news and notes from IMSA. First, the 2016 schedule, should be announced, by the next race, at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Also, the $6 million upgrade to Lime Rock Park, where this race is of course, taking place, should be completed, by 2017. Track owner Skip Barber (no relation to yours truly), explains what they will do.
The paddock for the race cars, has been fixed. They have been paved, and enlarged. The drainage issues have been solved. The paddock used to flood in the rain. The sight lines are improved. No grandstands were built. Hills, were modified. New trees were planted. Old ones, blocking the sight lines, were cut down. In 2017, Lime Rock Park will celebrate it's 60th anniversary. The track is the same, despite moving all the dirt to improve the hillsides for the spectators. We're back to green, now, with less than an hour remaining in the race!
Bruno Junquiera leads Tom Kimber-Smith, and Colin Braun. GT Daytona is led by the #33 SRT Viper of Jeroen Bleekemolen. Colin Braun is third in the queue, but is a lap down. He has to push, to get back on the lead lap, to have a chance at the win. He makes a beautiful diving move inside of Tom Kimber-Smith. But, Stephen Simpson in car #85, has other ideas, and wants to overtake Braun. Simpson is several laps down, when a circuit breaker, stopped the Chevrolet V8 engine in the back of that car.
Bruno Junquiera is five laps up on Stephen Simpson. You have to rely on race pace and as a driver you can't keep a driver behind forever, who is quick. Kuno Wittmer pits the #007 Aston Martin V12 Vantage for tires and fuel. The #73 Park Place Porsche 911 GT America also pitted, only for left side tires. Same story, for the #44 Porsche from Magnus Racing. Drivers have been told on many race weekends by the stewards, the faster cars cannot abuse the slower cars and just muscle their way through to make a pass.
The #23 Alex Job Racing Porsche pits. Dane Cameron in the #97 Turner Motorsports BMW Z4 GT is second on the road to the #33 SRT Viper of Jeroen Bleekemolen. Most GT Daytona teams are inside their fuel window, even though the Viper, with it's V10 motor, is thirstier, than the BMW's Porsche's or Audi's. All that will be needed for Bleekemolen, is a splash and dash. Does Bleekemolen have clear race track? Can he run fast, consistent laps? Park Place has made their last pit stop. They have to fight for it.
Tom Kimber-Smith is hounding Bruno Junquiera for position. The Prototype Challenge battle is not down to strategy. It's down to pure racing. The #33 car is in the lane. Only left side tires are going on the car. The fuel is in, and Jeroen Bleekemolen stays in the car, taking it to the finish. Two of the new tires, are still hot. Bleekemolen left slowly, but had to rev the motor, otherwise, if he didn't the car would stall. Two great battles for the overall are happening. Bruno Junquiera and Tom Kimber-Smith, and, the duo of Renger van der Zande, and Colin Braun.
van der Zande is on the lead lap again, and is in a podium position right now. Braun will have to do one more stop, to refine the balance, by adjusting air pressure on the tires. Conor Daly says he was trying to keep the overall lead, and was blocked by the Audi into the corner before West Bend. Renger van der Zande got a run, and that was fine. Daly cleared the Audi of Haase, and turned the corner, before Haase ran into the left rear. 80% of the car had gone by.
Turner Motorsports team boss, Will Turner, says that they cannot make it on fuel, will be three to four laps short of the end, and that they are hoping for one more yellow flag. That call is debatable, because there's time for Dane Cameron to come in, get serviced, and come out of pit lane in enough time, for him to take the fight to Jeroen Bleekemolen in the class leading Viper. If you do a splash and dash, you will lose the advantage, that was built up.
Recall that both Bleekemolen, and Mario Farnbacher in the #23 Alex Job Racing Porsche, have already pitted. Mikhail Goikhberg has taken over the #85 car from Stephen Simpson, running sixth overall. Simpson says he'll stay with the team, but he might not be back in the driver's seat of car #85 for the rest of this season. Dane Cameron does not have enough fuel, and he might be overtaken by the Viper and/or the two Porsche's that are chasing him down. If you keep your driver on track, and a yellow comes, and you don't need that splash of gas, then, the other blokes around you have fresher tires. That will put the cat among the pigeons, and you'll still have to fight for it before the end.
The gap has stayed consistent between Cameron, Bleekemolen, and Farnbacher. The true scrap, the true battle for position, is between Mario Farnbacher, and Spencer Pumpelly. The two Porsche's behave the same on handling, and on tire wear. Dane Cameron has gone by the #22 WeatherTech Porsche. Pierre Kleinubing is still giving it a good ride, for the #76 Compass360 Racing Audi R8 LMS. Team Technical Director, Ray Lee, is optimistic. The #8 car for Starworks, pits. Car #52 is also planning out a stop, a final one, for fuel and tires, when the pace begins to drop off on that car.
Match the fueling to the tire change. A full fuel load, is unnecessary at this point in the race. We see Tom Kimber-Smith take the lead away from Bruno Junquiera. Colin Braun moves into third in the overall. Turner Motorsports, according to their team manager, can go 67 minutes, on fuel. Correction. Colin Braun is fourth in the overall. These laps go by so quickly! It's been 50 ot 60 laps since the last pit stops. So the engineer's brains are probably exploding, and smoke is coming from their ears as they try to calculate the fuel mileage! Gah!
Fuel mileage affects every aspect of this event, whether it's pit lane delta, or anything else. Bruno Junquiera will pit, this time by. #11 is in the lane, getting a fresh drink bottle. He will get three tires. The rears and the left front. Trouble on the left rear. We have just over a half hour left in the Northeast Grand Prix, Powered By BMW. Bruno Junquiera has done a good outlap to take advantage of Tom Kimber-Smith having two cold tires. He's had three Le Mans class wins. The #73 pitted, but the team was not ready.
They did not need fuel. They had a cut tire. Bruno Junquiera goes in deep in the uphill turn, climbing the hill, on the grass. Renger van der Zande is still third, despite being a lap down. A wheel locked up on the #11, and Junquiera had the presence of mind to just glide across the grass and minimize the possible damage. Spencer Pumpelly had given his team notice he was pitting, literally five seconds before his stop occurred.
Ben Keating mentioned that ViperExchange.com Racing has their sister #93 car at the track. But, they are only racing car #33, and not both. You can set the car up at Lime Rock, almost like an oval, because there's just one left hand turn, and you'll give it up for the other 90% of the race track. Stand the tires up on one side of the car and maximize the grip available in right hand turns, to improve lap times. The #23 AJR Porsche continues to run well. They are sponsored by the Seattle Children's Hospital, and Don and Donna Kitch, raising money for cardiac awareness for young kids. That effort has been successful, for many, many years, in sports car racing now.
We are getting close to the finish. Just about 22 minutes remain. Dane Cameron continues to lead GT Daytona. However, the question mark hanging over the team, is fuel. The tires are also going to be long in the tooth, and absolutely knackered. Dane Cameron has a 16 second advantage over Jeroen Bleekemolen who remains second in class. Turnet Motorsports called Dane Cameron on the radio, having him switch to the reserve fuel pump in the car, just to test it.
Without another yellow flag, it's going to be close for the blokes at Turner Motorsports, on their fuel. Kuno Wittmer is solidly third in GT Daytona with the #007 TRG AMR Aston Martin. This car, has an awesome engine note. Kuno Wittmer is a great fit for the team, and when this race ends, Christina Nielsen will very likely leapfrog Leh Keen and Cooper MacNeil, moving to second in the GT Daytona driver's standings. There would be only a five point gap between her, and the leading duo of Dion von Moltke and Christopher Haase, who are out of this event, after the earlier wreck.
More possible fuel issues for car #97. The team may be shy by four or five gallons of gas. Jeroen Bleekemolen could be a tenth faster than Dane Cameron. But, if the tires drop off a second a lap, that could change things in a more dramatic fashion. Bruno Junquiera in the #11 PC car, makes contact with the GTD Alex Job Porsche #22. That was a stout shot. A fair thud. Car #11 emerges unscathed. As for the #22 Porsche, there are no issues from the incident. But, the handling and brakes, have been a major issue around Lime Rock Park.
Dane Cameron is leaned out on fuel to try and save what petrol is left, which also costs lap time. Unfortunately, it's a catch 22. That's because you cannot drive great lap times, and try to save fuel, simultaneously. It won't work. Can Cameron run these last 20 laps? That's about how many laps can be accomplished around Lime Rock, in the time remaining. 20 laps, 30 and a half miles. Andy Lally, meanwhile, is giving Mario Farnbacher, all he can handle, and turning up the pressure. Everyone is running very close to their fastest lap of the race.
The tire performance (with all cars in all classes using Continental Tires), is remarkable, because of all the lap times being so consistent, and so close. Dion von Moltke ran a pole winning qualifying lap of 54 seconds flat. 54.004, in the Audi. Dane Cameron is running faster in the BMW, with a 53 second lap. He could be lifting slightly. Cameron lets one of the Prototype Challenge machines by.
In the end, Tom Kimber-Smith has won the Northeast Grand Prix in the overall and the Prototype Challenge class! Kimber-Smith, and Mike Guasch, are victorious! In GT Daytona, Dane Cameron and Michael Marsal, hold on for the class victory!
Overall/Prototype Challenge: #52 Kimber-Smith/Guasch Oreca FLM Chevrolet
GT Daytona: #97 Cameron/Marsal BMW Z4 GT
With his victory, Dane Cameron ties Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia for the most wins in Tudor Championship competition, with six. We have a mere four races left to go in the 2015 Tudor United Sports Car Championship season. The next one, is in less than two weeks, at the great, four mile Road America circuit, another legendary, historic track, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. It's the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase, featuring all four classes in Tudor Championship competition. That race is slated to be run in just over a week's time.
So long for now, from Lime Rock, Connecticut.
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