Canada has had many sporting events lately. Well, the Tudor Championship is visiting the most well known race track in Canada. Prototype Challenge makes their inaugural appearance at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The land of the Maple Leaf has produced many great drivers. Mosport has hosted everything from stock cars to Formula One. Canadian Michael Valiante is headlining his home race for the #90 VisitFlorida.com Chevrolet Corvette Prototype. After today's event, there will only be three races left in the Tudor Championship.
VisitFlorida.com Racing is the only team to win two races this yar. Corvette and BMW are tied at the top of the GT Le Mans class. There will be no GT Daytona cars in today's race. In Prototype Challenge, Colin Braun and Jon Bennett, lead the points, even though they have not won any races yet. CTMP is fast, and on a knife edge. The driver's love it. Fast, dangerous, and demanding. 2.54 miles around. Corner exit for the Andretti straight, is a big deal. We're ready to race.
It is a tight field in terms of lap times. The preliminaries are over. This race is ready to start! Rick Taylor and Christian Fittipaldi lead to the line, and Taylor takes the lad immediately. Scott Pruett wants by Fittipaldi. Here come the GT Le Mans cars. Porsche and BMW are at it already. Nick Tandy is in the leading Porsche. The starts are clean. But, the #11 JDX Prototype Challenge car, of Chris Cumming, who qualified second in class, is in the pit lane already. They have damage to the front of the car.
On the warumup lap, Cumming spun, trying to generate tire temperature. Cumming shares with former Indycar star, Bruno Junquiera. This track is hard toovertake on. The field is spread by six seconds over all three divisions. Ricky Taylor leads, after the wreck at the Six Hours of Watkins Glen, last time out, two weeks ago. As a driver, anyone can do that, spearing off the road, in the rain. Sometimes you have to admit your error.
Nick Tandy is the first repeat pole winner in Tudor Championship GTLM history. Tandy, of course, is also the overall winner at Le Mans. Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia, in the #3 Chevrolet Corvette C-7-R- are down the GTLM order at the moment. The whole GTLM field was separated by 7/10ths of a second. Pit stops will be critical. James French in the #38 Performance Tech Racing car, leads Prototype Challenge. He had never seen CTMP until this weekend. His team mate, Conor Daly, will help out. Mike Guasch and John Bennett are ahead in Prototype Challenge. Mirco Shultis is racing in the #8 Prototype Challenge car. Mirco is sick, with a stomach bug.
Renger van der Zande is ready to go, if need be. The battle at the front is heating up. Scott Pruett is chasing Michael Valiante. New Zealand's Bruce McLaren had a great career at Mosport, and they did well in Can Am and Formula One, with many drivers. The weather is overcast. 85 degrees ambient temperature. The pressue is mounting on Ricky Taylor. Christian Fittipaldi will be applying the blowtorch, soon. Overtaking happens in a tight corner. There's only one tight turn at Mosport.
Race Director Beaux Barfield said, "boys, you can't lean on GTLM cars, if you are driving a Prototype." Ricky Taylor has no risk. They will attack, because they can't win the championship. Christian Fittipaldi, has to be more careful, because, they are indeed going for a championship. The sun starts burning through the cloud cover now. Eric Curran makes a move on the BMW Z4 in GTLM. Pierre Kaffer in the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia, he's going for it. The #17 Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR runs behind, with Bryan Sellers at the controls.
Three cars switched tires. Oliver Gavin, Bryan Sellers, and one other. Overcast conditions will be good for Porsche so they maintain the grip in their rear tires. There are four fifth gear and sixth gear corners at Mosport. We are 20 minutes into this race, that is scheduled to run for two hours and forty minutes. Ricky Taylor is being pushed hard by Christian Fittipaldi. On Friday, teams ran and found the apex section of one of the corners, had the pavement coming up out of the road. So, a new section of asphalt, was patched in.
The #16 Prototype Challenge car, is off the road. Christian Fittipaldi is hounding Ricky Taylor at this point. Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa are firing on all cylinders and have great chemistry. Katherine Legge is driving the DeltaWing, on her birthday. But, she's not having a good race. Something is bent on the car. Is it a bent wheel? Is it the alignment? The DeltaWing does not have an anti roll bar on the suspension. They have less pace because of a new transmission and suspension.
Eric Curran pits the #31 Whelen Corvette Prototype. He hands the car over to Dane Cameron. Get in front of the GTLM cars and get temperature into the tires. Watch the yellow line at the end of pit lane, and stay off of it whether you are on the track, or, on the pit lane side. If it stays green, it's going to be a three pit stop race. BMW did not send their cars out in the morning warmup, because of the track conditions. Tire degradation is beginning to happen. Michael Valiante is in the thick of the battle for the sharp end of the field.
There has been a lead change. Christian Fittipaldi is out front. His uncle, Emerson Fittipaldi, won a Formula One race, a Canadian Grand Prix, here, at CTMP, in 1974. The #60 Ligier Honda is in the lane. Scheduled pit stop time. Oswaldo Negri Jr. into the car, and John Pew, out. Negri Jr. has speed. But he has to just race. Ooh. The #85 Prototype Challenge car has spun with Mikhail Goikhberg at the controls. Goikhberg had a bump with Jon Bennett. Jorg Bergmeister had to get out of the way.
Another Prototype Challenge car has an issue on the Andretti straight. It's James French, the class leader. Full course yellow. Last year, this race, went without a yellow. Not this year. We're still nder yellow. The #01 Ganassi Riley Ford EcoBoost tried to pit under yellow, but while the pit lane was closed. They will need to come in and serve the penalty. Pit stop time for WTR and Action Express. Jordan Taylor takes over car #10. A full service stop for the #5, and Joao Barbosa takes the wheel. You are busy, after pit stops, resetting your fuel and other systems on the car, or cinching up the safety belts.
Michael Valiante has stayed in the #90 car. In GTLM, Patrick Pilet takes over from Nick Tandy. BMW is also in the lane. Both #24 and #25 are. No driver change for #25. There is one, for #24. Wolf Henzler has taken over the #17 Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR. We expect a green flag this time around. Scott Pruett has to take his stop and hold penalty, under green. It's a stop + 60 penalty as Mirco Shultis goes off the road. He's won the last two races in class. But, as mentioned, Shultis has had gastrointestinal issues, and is not feeling well.
Ooh! The DeltaWing cuts the Mazda off. Pruett was literally 30 feet away from making the pit lane entrance before the red light came on to say, do not enter. It's down to the driver. Did I beat the light? Or, did I not beat the light? Pruett will be a lap down. Patrick Pilet battles Dirk Werner. The #01 car is now a lap down. Mike O'Gara, the team manager, takes the blame for the issue. Go through, and then, pit the next lap. Ganassi is rolling the dice more. They have not won yet this year, and the season is almost over.
Corvette Racing has repaired their car that was crashed at Le Mans, work on it, and have it ready for the next race at Road America, sending the borrowed chassis they are using, back to Larbre Competition in France, who race in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Porsche is synonymous with endurance racing. They won Le Mans, and they got first and second at the Six Hours of Watkins Glen. Can they win three in a row (two straight in class), here in Canada? We'll find out as this race rolls on.
The #16 Prototype Challenge leader, sees Sean Rayhall taking over the car from his co-driver. Mike Guasch has been having issues, and there's something broken in the power steering unit. He is feeling fluid under his feet, from the steering box. Jon Bennett, will pit the Core Autosport car and hand it over to Colin Braun. Hats off to the Pro/Am drivers who are businessmen during the week, and racers on the weekends.
Mirco Shultis has made it to pit lane, as he hands over to Renger "The Flying Dutchman", van der Zande. The mirror on the car must be broken. But, Mirco, has tgo be knackered, and needs to get some rest. In GTLM, Formula One veteran Giancarlo Fisichella battles with Wolf Henzler. It's Ferrari vs. Porsche. Risi Competizione has done really well. But, Giancarlo Fisichella has run wide. Dane Cameron in the lead of this motor race, may also hav a tgire going down. He's pitting now. Box, box, box.
We have just an hour and a half to go in this event. Punctures have been an issue at CTMP as the cars fly through Moss corner. Oswaldo Negri Jr. leads Joao Barbosa, and has set fast lap at 1:10.6. Dirk Werner has been in the #25 BMW since the start of the race, and Bill Auberlen is the second driver of course. The #52 Prototype Challenge car serves a penalty for too many men over the wall to fix the steering issue earlier on.
The #10 CorvettePrototype is fourth overall. A new crewman is helping with the driver changes for the team. The heavily loaded corners here at CTMP are starting to affect the power steering units, and the systems overload, and eventually fail. Maybe Negri Jr. can adjust the system. Negri Jr. is the halfway leader. Negri Jr. is looking for a way by the factory Corvette's. The last time MSR won was in the 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona, with a Daytona Prototype machine in the old Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series.
Joao Barbosa wants to pass Oswaldo Negri Jr. Tread carefully. Be patient. Barbosa goes off the road slightly. That's wild! Barbosa has to think championship. Don't throw it away, going for P1. Oswaldo Negri Jr. says the power steering problem is getting worse. Barbosa and Fittpaldi have completed every racing mile of the Tudor United Sports Car Championship, since it began, last year, in 2014. The #5 car pits from second place. It is an unscheduled stop, replacing a deflating tire. They will also add fuel, for the second half of this race.
Jordan Taylor runs third in Prototype, and third overall. Oswaldo Negri Jr. is running low on fuel, and he'll have to hit pit lane ASAP. Meanwhile, he has. He is in the lane. He'll sray in the car. Four tires and fuel. The sharp edges on this course, are hurting the tires, as they also remove debris from the radiators. The #01 car is in the lane. These guys may have to make one more fuel stop. Joey Hand takes over the car, and new tires are on the car, too. Wayne Taylor Racing, pits.
Jordan Taylor will stay in the car, taking the car to the finish. They lost a wheel nut, and had an extra, thankfully. A smooth, clean stop. There's a piece on the front nose of these cars, that keeps the downforce together. It is a thin piece of plastic trim that is no thicker than an iPhone. The #90 Corvette Prototype is pitting. Richard Westbrook takes over the car from Michael Valiante. When the #10 car pitted, Jordan Taylor had to get to the speed limit, and he had to lock the brakes, and smoke the tires, in order to do it.
We are nearly to the one hour remaining mark in this race, folks. Joel Miller is giving the Mazda diesel prototype a good run. But, Mazda might just switch to their gasoline motor. They tested the car. Jonathan Bomarito and Tristan Nunez were testing the new car. John Edwards brings the #24 BMW Z4 GTE in for the last pit stop of the day. The factory Porsche #911 does, too. Nick Tandy, will finish the race.
Similar idea for the #25 BMW. Bill Auberlen is going to finish. The #31 Action Express Whelen Corvette Prototype still has tire issues. Both the #5 and #31 cars are good on fuel. This had to be an unscheduled pit stop. Go into fuel save mode. The #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia pits. Pierre Kaffer takes over to finish the race. In the #17 Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR, Bryan Sellers, will finish the race.
Tommy Milner stays behind the wheel for the #4. Continental Tires, is celebrating a dual anniversary of a sports car and Formula One World Championship with Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss. The W196 was the Formula One championship winner, and the 300 SLR, the sports car championship winner, both using Continental tires. Dane Cameron is told on the radio, to pit. He is going to need a splash and dash for fuel. Porsche North America wants their first win of 2015 in Tudor Championship competition.
Jan Magnussen says the Corvette is good, but they can't catch the BMW and the Porsche. #60 is in the lane. Ozz Negri was just in, for a fuel only stop. Negri Jr. had an issue getting the car in gear, and keep in mind, he has no power steering. So, the physical strain in the car, is difficult. Renger van der Zande pits the #8 Prototype Challenge car. The #90 VisitFlorida.com Corvette Prototype gts new tires, and fuel. Two tires only. Match the tires, to a smaller fuel load. The #60 car did not take fuel.
The #10 Corvette Prototype also pits. Are there issues in the #60 with the gearbox? Left side tires only for the #10, and fuel. Jordan Taylor is on his way. Ozz Negri has to dig deep in the last 40 minutes of this event. Colin Braun is taking four tires. They were not here with prototype Challenge, last year. Joao Barbosa pits the #5 Corvette Prototype. The #54 Core Autosport team has not won in a whole year.
Dane Cameron still leads. They need a yellow. Will they be in a clear fuel window? What about tires? We'll see. You can't conserve fuel too much here at CTMP. What is the deal with the tire issue? These blokes need to be more concerned about thei fuel strategy. The Prototypes have a tad more straightaway speed and a little more mechanical grip, and the GT Le Mans machines, are still really fast. Turn one is a stunning, heart stopping corner, here at CTMP. The big announcement (as discussed), is, IMSA, the ACO, the FIA, has announced the four constructors for Prototypes in 2017.
The tech regs have been defined and will be able to be raced in the U.S. and Europe. There will be opportunities for multiple engine manufacturers. Big changes in GT Daytona, too, with more GT3 spec cars. Jordan Taylor really threads the needle between a Prototype and a GTLM car. Antonio Garcia has laid down the fastest lap in GTLM in the race, with a 1:15.3. He is chasing John Edwards right now.
Corvette can muster third. They don't have the oomph to run for the top two, according to chief mechanic, Dan Binks. Pierre Kaffer is definitely pushing the Ferrari. The new pavement in Moss corner, unsettles the cars a little bit. Dane Cameron continues to lead by 18 seconds over Joao Barbosa, with Ozz Negri still third, in the Ligier Honda. The #8 Starworks Oreca Chevrolet, is in pit lane, and it could be, game over.
The #17 Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR is in the pit lane. There's damage to the bumper and the exhaust system. The crew is in no hurry. They are dpwnloading data, from the car. Could it be game over for the #17? This is the only Porsche to win in GTLM in 2015. The #38 Prototype Challenge car pits. Conor Daly is in the car. Dane Cameron is still questionable on fuel. They need a splash and a dash. If he does pit, Joao Barbosa, his team mate, would clear him. Where are the other competitors?
We are into the closing minutes. Once again, check out a website if you want to become a race car driver. That site is called www.safeisfast.com.
Lime Rock Park, is the next venue for the Tudor Championship. More on that race, after this one, is done, in about fifteen minutes. Jon Bennett and Colin Braun, have been pushing hard this whole race. Nick Tandy leads Bill Auberlen by eleven seconds or so. For Team Falken Tire, there is a knock in one of the cylinders. Maybe there was back pressure from a damaged exhaust. Action Express pits. They have had to replace another tire on the #5 car. Richard Westbrook has made a pass.
Dane Cameron could very well win this motor race as we get closer to the end. This one will change in the last eleven minutes of the event. Westbrook is booking it for sure. Dane Cameron is told by his team to complete one more lap, and then, he'll be on reserve fuel. That was a live radio transmission. They are rolling the dice. Cameron can't afford to lose time by running short on fuel. The gap between Cameron and Jordan Taylor is 33.5 seconds. The team needs eight seconds or so on service for their final stop.
Maybe, they've miscalculated the fuel mileage. Cameron tries to hit pit lane, locking the brakes. Dane Cameron is in the lane, picking up a second on Jordan Taylor. They will add fuel and change the tire. A delay on fuel, and they took too much fuel! Jordan Taylor is now in the lead. Is it enough fuel? They may have just lost this motor race at CTMP. Dane Cameron is quicker, but, it's going to be close. Eight minutes remain on the clock.
Two great young drivers in evenly matched cars, going for the victory. The fueler couldn't get the probe into the fuel filler on the tank. They never got the probe connected soon enough. This is a huge break for the Konica Minolta team. Six minutes and forty seconds to go. They can get four or five laps run in that time. 2.1 seconds last time by. Cameron is half a second quicker than Jordan Taylor. Yikes! This is fun!
One mishap, and there could be a change. Jordan Taylor does not easily succumb to pressure. These guys have a clear road. 1.6 seconds the gap. Jordan Taylor responds. 1:11.127 for Taylor. 1:11.068 for Cameron. Colin Braun leads Prototype Challenge. Nick Tandy leads GTLM. Sean Rayhall jumps up to second in the #16 car. Taylor locks up and runs wide! Cameron is gaining with three minutes to go. There will be three or four laps left. Traffic for Jordan Taylor with the #85 PC car. Cameron can catch him. Focus. Keep pushing.
Two more laps left. Can Cameron catch Taylor? Traffic is clear. White flag next time by. There is some traffic ahead, actually. Look ahead. Am I going to catch these guys in the worst possible place? Dane Cameron was balked, but then, came through on the inside. Keep pushing. What will he do into Moss corner? He runs wide again. He's lost grip. Keep pushing to the end. More traffic. One more corner to go. Jordan Taylor and Ricky Taylor win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park!
In Prototype Challenge, it's Colin Braun and Jon Bennet, winning for Core Autosport. Porsche wins GT Le Mans, with 24 Hours of Le Mans overall winner, Nick Tandy, and Patrick Pilet, driving.
Overall/Prototype: #10 Taylor/Taylor Chevrolet Corvette Prototype
Prototype
Challenge: #54 Braun/Bennett Oreca FLM Chevrolet
GT Le Mans: #911 Tandy/Pilet Porsche 911 RSR
The number of events in the 2015 Tudor Championship, is dwindling. The third to last race on the calendar is at another legendary speedway. Lime Rock Park, in Lakeville, Connecticut. The road racing equivalent, of a short track, being only a mile and a half long. The Northeast Grand Prix, is the race, and it's coming up, in two weeks. A note about that race. Only Prototype Challenge, and GT Daytona, will compete, in the race, at Lime Rock. No Prototype or GT Le Mans cars, will run.
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