Weekly Racing Roundup (4-30-18)

Race reports from British GT and Pirelli World Challenge TCR action...

http://sportscar365.com/features/roundup/weekly-racing-roundup-4-30-18/

IMSA & FIA World Endurance Championship stories

Stories from both IMSA, and the FIA World Endurance Championship.  The FIA WEC's "super season" begins on Saturday, at the 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps, and the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, continues their season, returning to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, this Sunday.

IMSA:

DPis Slowed for Fourth Consecutive Race
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/dpis-slowed-for-fourth-consecutive-race/

Engel Rejoins SunEnergy1 For Mid Ohio
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/engel-rejoins-sunenergy1-for-mid-ohio/

Pigot To Sub for Tincknell at Mid-Ohio
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/pigot-to-sub-for-tincknell-at-mazda/

IMSA Moves to NBC Sports in New Six-Year TV Deal
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/imsa-moves-to-nbc-sports-in-new-six-year-tv-deal/

Bennett: IMSA NBC TV Deal a "Paradigm Shift"
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/bennett-imsa-nbc-tv-deal-a-paradigm-shift/

FIA WEC:

Button to Make LMP1 Debut with SMP
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/button-to-make-lmp1-debut-with-smp-racing/

ByKolles "Ready to Fight" in Revitalized LMP1 Class
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bykolles-ready-to-fight-in-revitalized-lmp1-class/

WEC TV Commentary Team Confirmed
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/wec-tv-commentary-team-confirmed/

Bruni on WEC Return "It's What I Was Working And Hoping For"
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bruni-on-wec-return-its-what-i-was-working-and-hoping-for/

Sunday Pirelli World Challenge from Virginia International Raceway

All the action on Sunday (and there was plenty), for Pirelli World Challenge at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

VIR GTS Race 1 Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/vir-gts-race-1-highlights/

Skeen, Heckert Victorious in VIR Race 2
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/skeen-heckert-victorious-in-vir-race-2/

Welch, Sofronas Win GTS Race 2 Under FCY
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/welch-sofronas-win-gts-race-2-under-fcy/

VIR GT Race 2 Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/vir-gt-race-2-highlights/

VIR GTS Race 2 Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/vir-gts-race-2-highlights/

Next up, for Pirelli World Challenge (and coincedentally, only the GT class cars), they head north of the border, to Canada, and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, better known as Mosport Park, in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, for a weekend of racing.  The action takes place, in three weeks.

Saturday Pirelli World Challenge stories from Virginia International Raceway

Highlights of Saturday from Virginia International Raceway for Pirelli World Challenge.

Morad, CRP Take VIR Race 1 Pole
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/morad-crp-racing-take-vir-race-1-pole/

Lewis on GTS Race 1 Pole
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/lewis-takes-gts-race-1-pole-at-vir/

VIR Weekend Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/vir-weekend-notebook/

Baptista, Soulet Claim Race 1 Win at VIR
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/baptista-soulet-claim-race-1-win-at-vir/

VOLT Mustang Wins GTS Race 1
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/volt-mustang-wins-gts-race-1/

VIR GT Race 1 Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/vir-gt-race-1-highlights/

Stay tuned for coverage of race two, tomorrow.

Friday & Saturday morning Pirelli World Challenge news from Virginia International Raceway

Headlines, going into this weekend's Pirelli World Challenge round at Virginia International Raceway in Danville, Virginia.

Starting this weekend at VIR.

SiriusXM to Broadcast PWC Races
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/siriusxm-to-broadcast-pwc-races/

Now, more news.  

K-PAX Confident Despite Testing Crash at VIR
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/k-pax-confident-despite-testing-crash-at-vir/

Lewis Fastest in Damp Opening Practice GTS Practice at VIR
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/lewis-fastest-in-damp-gts-practice-1/

Baptista, K-PAX Quickest at VIR in GT Practice
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/baptista-k-pax-quickest-at-vir-in-gt-practice-1/

Souled, K-PAX Quickest In Practice 1
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/baptista-k-pax-quickest-at-vir-in-gt-practice-1/

Wittmer Paces GTS Practice 2 at VIR
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/wittmer-paces-gts-practice-2-at-vir/

R Ferri Leads Ferrari 1-2 in Practice 2 at VIR
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/r-ferri-leads-ferrari-1-2-in-practice-2-at-vir/

Lu Off to Impressive Start in Rookie PWC Campaign
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/lu-off-to-impressive-start-in-rookie-pwc-campaign/

Stay tuned, for a second Saturday update from VIR with qualifying and race one highlights.  That will come, later on this afternoon.

Acura Sports Car Challenge At Mid Ohio - Entry List Notebook

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will make its first visit to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, marking IMSA’s first appearance at the circuit since a GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series event in 2013, for the two-hour and 40-minute Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio on Sunday, May 6.

https://www.imsa.com/news/042018/acura-sports-car-challenge-mid-ohio-entry-list-notebook

Grand PrixView - PWC at VIR

Over 100 entries in all classes of Pirelli World Challenge (GT and touring cars), will be racing this weekend at Virginia International Raceway in Danville, Virginia.

http://nasportscar.com/grand-prixview-pwc-at-vir/

Throwback Thursday: 2012 ALMS at Mid Ohio

The 2012 American Le Mans Series race at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course, televised on ESPN.  Brian Till, Johnny O’Connell, and Justin Bell call the action from the booth.  Covering pit lane are Jamie Howe and Kelli Stavast.

New Porsche GT3, GT4 Cars Spied

Porsche's new GT3, GT4 cars spotted at Monza ahead of 2019 launches...

http://sportscar365.com/industry/new-porsche-gt3-gt4-cars-spied/

More FIA WEC news

More news and information from the FIA WEC, including some upsetting news, if you are in the United States and subscribed to the FIA WEC app on your mobile device.

Keating WeatherTech Livery Revealed
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/keating-ferrari-weathertech-livery-revealed/

Ullrich on the Future of the WEC
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/ullrich-on-the-future-of-the-wec/

Neveu: Sebring Format Change the Best “Compromise”
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/neveu-sebring-format-change-the-best-compromise/

Canal Replaces Rees at Larbre for Spa
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/canal-replaces-rees-at-larbre-for-spa/

This is the iffy news about the WEC app being referred to.  It will be geo-blocked in the U.S. and Canada.

WEC App to be Geo-Blocked for U.S., Canada Viewers
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/wec-app-to-be-geo-blocked-for-u-s-canada-viewers/

I am not one to editorialize on this blog.   But, a note to the WEC, by restricting access to a core fan base, and group of viewers, this isn’t a good way to try and retain your fan base, if you restrict access across an entire continent to those who want to follow your racing series.  You are making a huge mistake.

LMP1 Non-Hybrids Slowed in EoT Change
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lmp1-non-hybrids-slowed-in-eot-adjustments/

Marquardt: Hydrogen Power “Feasible” for Le Mans
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/marquardt-fuel-cell-technology-feasible-for-le-mans/

Fisichella Enjoying New GTE-Am ‘Team Leader’ Role
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/fisichella-enjoying-new-gte-am-team-leader-role/

Blancpain Endurance Series Monza race broadcast

Broadcasts of qualifying, and the race, from Monza, Italy, round one of the 2018 Blancpain GT Endurance Cup, with commentary from David Addison, and John Watson. 

Preliminary N24 Entry List Released

A total of 150 cars are entered for the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring, which is taking place in three weeks, on May 12th and 13th.

http://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/preliminary-n24-entry-list-released/

Acura DPi Program Battling Tough Competition in WeatherTech Championship

The first three races of the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship have reinforced one thing about racing in the Prototype class: competition is really tough.

https://www.imsa.com/news/042018/acura-dpi-program-battling-tough-competition-weathertech-championship

IMSA headlines update

Some notable headlines from IMSA, over the last few days.

WeatherTech Night of Champions Moves to Sunday

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/weathertech-night-of-champions-moves-to-sunday-following-petit-le-mans/

MSR Confirms Second Acura for Mid-Ohio
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/msr-confirms-second-acura-for-mid-ohio/

Long Beach Sights & Sounds
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/long-beach-sights-sounds/

Acura Long Beach Recap
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/acura-long-beach-recap/

Wright Motorsports will run a second car for upcoming sprint races in IMSA.

Wright Confirms Second Porsche for Henzler, Schein
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/wright-confirms-second-porsche-for-henzler-schein/

The latest Double Stint podcast.  It includes highlights of the Blancpain GT opener at Monza, as well as an interview with Oliver Gavin.  So, Blancpain, IMSA, and more will be discussed.

Double Stint: Blancpain GT Monza Recap; Oliver Gavin Interview (4-24-18)

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/double-stint-blancpain-gt-monza-recap-oliver-gavin-interview-4-24-18/

Weekly Racing Roundup (4-23-18)

Reports from the 12 Hours of Navarra, Blancpain GT Sports Club and LMP3 Cup...

http://sportscar365.com/features/roundup/weekly-racing-roundup-4-23-18/

Vanthoor Beats Goetz to Monza Win Win for WRT

Dries Vanthoor, Alex Riberas, Christopher Mies win Blancpain GT Endurance Cup opener...

http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/vanthoor-beats-goetz-to-monza-win-for-wrt/

Blancpain Endurance Series Round 1: Monza

It is time, to start the 2018 Blancpain GT Endurance Cup, at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Monza, Italy.

Trying to pick a winner is going to be tough.  There are so many good combinations in this 54-car field.  A new qualifying format uses average speeds of every driver who makes a qualifying run.  This will be a great race.  Alex Fontana starts the pole-sitting Emil Frey Racing Jaguar G3 XK.  Eleven different makes are represented.  Davide Rigon, for Ferrari, has pole, sharing with

Here we go!  Green light!  It's a drag race, and three wide!  Can they all go through turn one at the Lesmo's safely?  Yikes!  Cars run wide, everywhere.  Leading is Davide Rigon in the SMP Ferrari and we have the #44 Strakka Mercedes off the road with France's Adrien Tambay at the wheel.  This is the third of the three Strakka Mercedes AMG GT3's, and Tambay (son of former Formula 1 and sports car driver, Patrick Tambay, who is also a former racer in the DTM), is sharing with DTM veteran Christian Vietoris of Germany, and Italian David Fumanelli. 

Into the Lesmo's for the first time and into the Variante Ascari.  Ferrari, Jaguar, Mercedes, Lamborghini, the top four.  Miguel Molina is leading this motor race.  Halfway around the lap, he pulls a second on the rest of the field. Molina is lead driver in the SMP Racing Ferrari 488 GT3, and the Spaniard shares with Russia's Mikhail Aleshin (a veteran of IndyCar and sports cars), and Italian Blancpain GT and FIA World Endurance Championship veteran, Davide Rigon.  Into the Parabolica, completing one lap at Monza and the #11 Ferrari is damaged.  Michel Bronizewski's car is crunched.  Raffaele Marciello passes Vincent Abril.

So, we have a battle on our hands here, between Mercedes and Bentley.   Molina leads over Alex Fontana in the Jaguar.  Despite it's great performance in qualifying, this is likely to be the final year we see the Emil Frey GT3 Jaguar in competition.  The Swiss team has three cars entered for Blancpain Endurance, including two new Lexus RC F GT3's, which we have also seen frequently in the U.S. in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship GT Daytona division of course.  Alex Fontana from Switzerland is sharing the Jaguar with Canadian Michel Grenier, and Adrian Zaugg of South Africa.   

The #35 car of Michael Meadows is off the road.  Meadows is in one of the half dozen AKKA ASP Mercedes AMG GT3's entered across the Pro, Pro Am, and Am classes.  The Brit shares the wheel of the #35 AMG GT3 with Russian driver's Dennis Bulatov, and former Formula 1 driver, Vitaly Petrov.  Here comes Renat Salikhov on Michel Bronizewsski.  This is a battle of the Ferrari's.  Salikhov is in the first of the two Rinaldi Racing Ferrari 488 GT3's.  The Russian driver is sharing with German veterans Alexander Matschull, and Dominik Schwager.  The #488 sister car for Rinaldi has at the wheel, Germany's Pierre Ehret, Rory Penttinen of Finland, and Rick Yoon from South Korea.  
 
Guy Smith in the Bentley #7, has a drive through penalty for contact.  History repeats itself, as he had this same issue at Monza, a year ago.  Bentley has kept most of it's driving team intact in both cars, except for recruiting Jules Gounon to share the #7 with Smith and Steven Kane.  The driver lineup in the #8 machine, the sister car, remains unchanged, with Spaniard Andy Soucek, Vincent Abril of Monaco, and Maxime Soulet of Belgium sharing the driving chores.  One of the Lamborghini's gets spun off the road in the chicanes, and the Bentley has carbon fiber damage on the right front corner.  The headlight is wobbling around.m

This damage isn't good for Guy Smith at the wheel of it.  Meanwhile, Mirko Bortolotti passes Stuart Leonard.  Lamborghini vs. Audi.  Similar cars.  Leonard, once again, is sharing the #17 Pro class sister car for Belgian Audi Club WRT.  The two WRT entries this year, feature, in #1, Dries Vanthoor of Belgium (younger brother of Porsche factory driver Laurens, who cut his teeth in Blancpain GT with Audi), Christopher Mies of Germany, and former IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship driver, Spain's Alex Riberas.  Riberas joins WRT, in 2018.   

There's a long way to go as we have only crossed the 20 minute mark in a three hour race.  Trouble for Michele Beretta in the #78 Barwell Racing Lamborghini.  Garage time.  Hopefully not game over.  He shares the Barwell Lamborghini Huracan GT3 with Sandy Mitchell from England, and Martin Kodric from Croatia.  Alex Buncombe is moving up through the field after starting rom pit lane.  He is working on passing Rolf Ineichen in the Lamborghini for Grasser Racing Team.  Buncombe flies out of the Lesmo's and passes Ineichen.  Raffaele Marciello and Maro Engel are racing with the sister Nissan GT-R #22.

GT Sport Motul Team RJN, has two different cars in the Blancpain GT Endurance Cup this year.  Both Nissan GT-R's.  But, the aforementioned #22 is the 2017 car, while the #23 is the 2018 spec version.  In the '17 car (#22), the driving trio is Struan Moore and Jordan Witt of England, joined by Ricardo Sanchez of Mexico, a driver who did compete for a while, with a Nissan in Pirelli World Challenge in the U.S.  Sanchez is a Nissan backed driver.  Problems for Romain Dumas in the neon colored Porsche for Manthey Racing, and smoke out of the green Lamborghini of Ineichen.  It's a punctured tire.  Porsche and Lamborghini both in the pit lane for service.

You can't do anything until the cars are up on the jacks.  Fuel the car first.  Then, make the repairs.
The Manthey car, #911, with it's distinctive day glow chartreuse livery, is shared by Porsche GT factory pilots Romain Dumas, Frederic Makowiecki, and Dirk Werner.  Ineichen is in the #82 GRT Grasser Lamborghini.  The third, of their three entries in this motor race and in the Blancpain Endurance season.  The Swiss driver shares with Christian Engelhart, and Andrea Caldarelli, two familiar names.
  
Trouble for the Walkenhorst BMW M6 GT3 at the Parabolica, tapped by Michel Broniszewski in the damaged Ferrari.  It's a racing incident.  Broniszewski has had some argy bargy with other competitors today.  Not sure who was at the wheel of the #36.  Team owner Henry Walkenhorst of Germany is one of the drivers, sharing with countryman Immanuel Vinke, and Anders Buchardt of Norway.   

Meanwhile, Patric Niederhauser from Switzerland, in the Lamborghini Gallardo, is running very well, in an older car.  He's not losing time and he's giving it a good race today.  Niederhauser is one of the rising stars of GT racing in the young driver development team for car owner, Hans Reiter, who has been a part of Blancpain GT since it began, seven seasons ago.  He shares with Lennart Marioneck of Germany, and another Norwegian driver, Mads Siljehaug.  We have seen a lot of battles between the Gallardo, and the newer Lamborghini Huracan.  There are differences between the two cars.  '

Ooh.  Some argy bargy and a spin for Guy Smith and he's facing the wrong way!  This is not how Smith and Bentley wanted their Monza race to work out on the debut of the new generation Continental GT3 racer.  There is a mix of the new cars for the factory team, and the older generation Continental GT3's being campaigned by their customers.  Meanwhile, poor old Broiszewski is definitely crunched.  He's got some real damage issues.  Alexander West in the #188 sharing with Chris Harris and Chris Goodwin, is trying his best to move up.  That's the McLaren 650S GT3.  It is one of the Garage 59 entries.  The Swede is putting in a good drive.

Another McLaren is also moving up. That's the Garage 59 entry, car #58, which is the sister car to the Goodwin, West, Harris driven machine.  #58 has Come Ledogar of France at the wheel, sharing with Brits Andrew Watson and Ben Barnicoat.  Barnicoat is another man we've seen in Pirelli World Challenge who is now taking a shot at racing in Blancpain competition.  Meanwhile, we return to poor old Guy Smith.  Smith wishes he could wave a wand like David Copperfield and make the Ferrari disappear.

That being said, racing is not like magic.  This isn't like the movies ("Herbie The Love Bug", "Speed Racer", etc.).  Lots of bits and pieces of carbon fiber all over the road.  When a car hits that, it's game over.  Cut down tire.  There will need to be a full course yellow.  The marshals are prepping for a full course yellow indeed.  Neutralize the race so the marshals can get this track cleaned up.  Procedure for a short task to run out and clean the track.  Race Director Alain Adam says this yellow will be short, and it is.

Who is awake?  Who is dozing?  Green flag!  Go!  Oh my!  Alex Fontana was caught napping and one of the Mercedes AMG GT3's sweeps around him!  Now, Fontana seems to have gotten back on the road, and Maro Engel didn't need to be asked to pass.  Engel is at the wheel of the first of the three Black Falcon entered Mercedes AMG GT3's in this race.  Black Falcon just won the qualifying race, last weekend, for the Nurburgring 24 Hours, a race that also features GT3 cars.  Engel shares with Luca Stolz, (two German drivers), and Yelmer Buurman, of the Netherlands.  Again, these chaps won the Nurburgring 24 qualifier last weekend, just to emphasize.

Their team cars have not been anywhere near the sharp end today.  #5 has Rui Aguas of Portugal (a veteran GT racer), Saud Al Faisal of Saudi Arabia, and Kriton Lendoudis of Greece, sharing the driving chores, while car #6 has Al Faisal's brother or cousin, Abdulaziz Al Faisal, also of Saudi Arabia, sharing with Hubert Haupt of Germany (another GT endurance racing veteran), and Italy's Gabriele Piana, another man we saw race competitively in Pirelli World Challenge recently.   

 Into the pits, the second place Mercedes AMG GT3.  The Mercedes does not have the fuel mileage the Ferrari does.  You can't be under 72 seconds on a pit stop.  Mercedes #4 is in the lane.  Wide line for the Ferrari as he dives for the lane.  32 laps done on a tank of fuel.  If there's a change of place, there's a good pit stop or a bad one.  Don't go under the pit stop time, as Luca Stolz heads for the Parabolica.  Stolz gets nabbed by the Ferrari and we see one of the Strakka Mercedes AMG GT3's in this scrum as well!  Side by side through the Curva Grande!

Some trouble for the aforementioned Reiter Lamborghini Gallardo #24.  They are pitting the car, but have air jack trouble, and have to fuel the machine before they can change tires.  Now, for the race lead, Luca Stolz is pressing the #72 Ferrari! Again, he is in the first of the Black Falcon cars, along with Engel and Buurman.  Oh, deary me!  A spin in the Lesmo's, and it's an Audi R8.  It's the #26, one of the two Sainteloc Audi R8's.  That's the machine of Markus Winkelhock of Germany, Marc Rostan of France, and it's current driver, a new name to Blancpain, from France, Nyls Stievenart. 
Car #7, the Bentley, and a bunch of others will be penalized for not respecting speed during the full course yellow.  Remember the cars being pinged for speed violations?  Guy Smith in the Bentley is one.  Adhere to regulations that are strictly enforced.  If you transgress, you will get a major penalty.  The Sainteloc Audi was the one spinning off.
Alex Riberas gets passed by Maximilian Buhk.  Riberas wants the place back and Buhk slams the door in his face!  We've got less than an hour to go in the race.  Luca Stolz serves his penalty.  Adrian Zaugg and Maximilian Buhk move ahead.  So, at the front, it's Jaguar vs. Mercedes.  Tristan Vautier passes Alex Riberas.  Oh!  Someone spins in one of the Lesmo's.  That's one of the Lamborghini of Leo Machitski, spinning.  Matchitski drives the first of the two Barwell Motorsports Lamborghini Huracan GT3's.  The Russian driver shares with Adrian Amstutz of Switzerland, and Francisco Guedes of Portugal.   

Game over for Team RJN.  Both of Bob Neville's Nissan's are out, #22 and #23.  The Reiter Lamborghini is back in the lane, because one of the fuel bowsers wasn't working.  Maximilian Buhk is chasing down Alex Fontana in the Jaguar.  He is lapping quicker than Mikhail Aleshin's Ferrari.
Excuse me, that's Davide Rigon.  Adrian Zaugg has to wait to roll into the throttle.  He's stymied by a lapped car, and a yellow flag.  There's a Full Course Yellow in the Parabolica.  There is a cone someplace on the road.  3-2-1.  Green flag.  Oh dear!  Adrian Zaugg,k stalled the Mercedes!  That's really strange.  Jaguar, excuse me.  That's Zaugg, who has taken over the Jaguar.  Alex Riberas wants by.

Three wide into Lesmo 1!  Yikes!  Adrian Zaugg is defending from one of the Audi's.  Mikhail Aleshin is being hounded by Maximilian Buhk into the Parabolica and he passes for the lead!   What a move!  What a move!  Carry the speed, not lose control of the car, and take the lead away!  Strakka Racing leads Blancpain Endurance at Monza!  Into the pit lane, is the #1 Audi, and the #72 Ferrari.  One hour or so to go now.  Maximilian Buhk is also into the lane for a scheduled stop.

Maximilian Goetz will take over.  A fuel fire for the Ferrari of Duncan Cameron.  The fire extinguished quickly.  Now, the #63 Lamborghini, the defending champions of this race, have not had a very good one today.  Christian Engelhart has been pretty quiet, but he is now ahead of Dries Vanthoor and the Maxi Gotz Mercedes.  Same with the Ferrari for SMP.  Dries Vanthoor has a 2.4 second gap over second place, as he is making a move on the Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3.  Max Gotz is not slow, but Dries Vanthoor is going for it, with team managers Vincent Vosse and Thierry Tassin, looking on.

Car #1 overtook outside track limits, and Vanthoor has to give up the lead.  He gives the spot back.  We're into the last half hour of this race now.  Ooh!  Off the road goes Dries Vanthoor!  Vincent Vosse, can't believe it!  In fairness, the Mercedes had two wheels off the road.  Vanthoor was off the road.  Now, #43 has to give up a place.  The Mercedes had just two wheels off.  This is controversial, because  it was just good, hard racing.  It was not a malicious move, but Race Director Alain Adam has laid down the law.

Dries Vanthoor passes Maximilian Gotz.  Yelmer Buurman is trying to pass the Grasser Lamborghini.  Davide Fumanelli tries to pass, and Robin Frijns in the Audi was actually the one trying to pass, but he gets swamped by two cars including the Aston Martin with Maxime Martin at the wheel of it.  Christian Engelhart is holding off Yelmer Buurman.  Buurman has the image of the Lamborghini seared into his memory.  Dries Vanthoor is getting away as we close in on 20 minutes to go, through the Variante Ascari.

Alexander Matschull leads Pro Am going through the Lesmos.  We have a drag race between the Lamborghini, and the Mercedes!  Yelmer Buurman has passed Christian Engelhart!  Just five minutes to go in the race now.  We have a drag race between the Lamborghini and the Mercedes!  Yelmer Buurman has passed Christian Engelhart!  But, at WRT, it's time to celebrate.  They win the opening race of the Blancpain Endurance Series for 2018!  Congratulations, Dries Vanthoor, Alex Riberas, and Christopher Mies!

We have four class winners, as there is a Silver rated driver's trophy as well as the Pro, Pro Am, and Am trophies.  In the Silver division, the winner is car #54, the Emil Frey Jaguar who we saw earlier on in this contest.  Alex Fontana, Mikael Grenier, and Adrian Zaugg, hold on to win!  Switzerland, Canada, and South Africa, celebrate your winning drivers in Silver!  Rinaldi Racing and the #333 Ferrari win Pro Am with Alexander Matschull, Rinat Salikhov, and Dominik Schwager.  The Am victory goes to the #89 AKKA ASP Mercedes AMG GT3 of Fabien Barthez and Eric Debard of France, and their Swiss co-driver, Philippe Giauque.

Lots of hardware to be handed out on the podiums by the Blancpain watch representatives, who of course, sponsor this great series.  So, your winners in Blancpain Endurance round one, the season opener, at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, are:

Overall/Pro: #1 Vanthoor/Mies/Riberas     Audi R8

             Silver: #54 Fontana/Grenier/Zaugg   Emil Frey GT3 Jaguar

             Pro Am: #333 Matschull/Schwager/Salikhov     Ferrari 488 GT3

             Am: #89 Barthez/Debard/Giauque                      Mercedes AMG GT3

What a wild race!  Fireworks aplenty in the season opener for Blancpain GT Endurance 2018.  The Sprint championship has another race coming up in England at Brands Hatch, in May.  Details when that race happens.  As for Endurance, the next stop on their acceleration show, will be in Jolly Old England at the legendary Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, for another three hour sprint, in less than a month's time.

Sunday pre-race news from Monza

Pre-race news, from Monza, on Sunday, before the Blancpain GT Endurance Cup, starts their season. Stay tuned, for a full race report.

SMP Ferrari, takes pole position.

New Qualifying Format Gives SMP Ferrari Pole
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/new-qualifying-format-gives-smp-ferrari-pole/

Monza Weekend Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/monza-weekend-notebook/

Again, watch the stream of the race, live on GTWorld’s YouTube channel, follow it on the Blancpain GT app (which might not work out as well. But is an option, or, catch the race highlights twice, tonight, on CBS Sports Network from 7-8PM Central Time (9-10PM Eastern), or, from 10PM-11PM Central Time (11PM-Midnight Eastern).

Saturday Blancpain Endurance Cup headlines from Monza

Saturdsy pre-race news from Monday, before the Blancpain GT Endurance season opener tomorrow.

Pier Guidi Fastest In Monday Free Practice
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/pier-guidi-fastest-in-monza-free-practice/

Rigon, SMP Top Pre-Qualifying at Monza
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/rigon-smp-top-pre-qualifying-at-monza/

More news to come before the race tomorrow, and the race itself is set to air on the Blancpain GT app, and on YouTube, on the GTWorld channel.  The race should run, tomorrow, roughly between 8:30 A.M. and 12:20 P.M. Eastern Time, 7:30 A.M. and 11:20 A.M. Central Time.

WeatherTech Night Of Champions Moves To Sunday Following Motul Petit Le Mans

Champions of the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will be honored less than 24 hours after the season concludes with the Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, as International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) officials today announced that WeatherTech Night of Champions will be held on Sunday evening Oct. 14.

https://www.imsa.com/news/042018/weathertech-night-champions-moves-sunday-following-motul-petit-le-mans 

Blancpain Endurance Series news, headed to Monza this weekend

Bonus post for your Friday.  The opening race of the Blancpain GT Endurance Cup at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, in Monza, Italy, is this weekend, and here are some pre-race stories.  More news to come, as it develops, and maybe, a race report.  Stay tuned.

54 Cars for Endurance Cup Opener at Monza
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/54-cars-for-endurance-cup-opener-at-monza/

Mirko Bortolotti hopes to defend his Blancpain GT Endurance championship title in 2018.

Bortolotti Aiming to "Keep Up the Good Work" as Defending Champion

http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/bortolotti-aiming-to-keep-up-the-good-work-as-defending-champion/

Bentley Reveals Livery for New Continental GT3
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/bentley-reveals-livery-for-new-continental-gt3/

Again, stay tuned for more news from Monza as the weekend unfolds, and also, after the race happens.  Perhaps, look for a race report, too.

FIA World Endurance Championship headlines

More stories from the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Toyota Ready for “Wide Range” of Unexpected Situations
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-ready-for-wide-range-of-unexpected-situations/

LMP1 Non-Hybrids in Aero Kit Flux
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lmp1-non-hybrids-in-aero-kit-flux/

2019-20 WEC Schedule Taking Shape
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/2019-20-wec-schedule-taking-shape/

LINDSEY: Racing is All About Time
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lindsey-racing-is-all-about-time/

Vasselon: "General Interest" from WEC, IMSA for Common Platform
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/vasselon-general-interest-from-wec-imsa-for-common-platform/

Davidson Still "Integral Part" of Toyota operation
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/davidson-still-integral-part-of-toyota-operation/

Beche: Rebellion Facing "Steep Learning Curve" with R13
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/beche-rebellion-facing-steep-learning-curve-with-r13/

Turvey Completes Manor Lineup
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/turvey-completes-manor-lineup/

Corvette Confirms Fassler, Rockenfeller for 24H Le Mans
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/corvette-confirms-fassler-rockenfeller-for-24h-le-mans/

Velocity, Motor Trend Named New North American TV Partner
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/velocity-motor-trend-named-new-wec-north-america-tv-partner/

Porsche Hints at More Record Runs for 919 Hybrid Evo
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-hints-at-more-record-breaking-runs-for-919-hybrid-evo/

Dillman Lands ByKolles Drive
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/dillmann-lands-bykolles-drive/

WeatherTech Teams Up with JMW for 24H Le Mans
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/weathertech-teams-up-with-jmw-for-24h-le-mans/

Rees, Larbre Part Ways
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/rees-and-larbre-competition-part-ways/

more IMSA headlines after Long Beach

The latest news from IMSA after the Long Beach street fight, via Sportscar365.

BMW: Auberlen Available to Customer Teams
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/auberlen-available-to-customer-bmw-teams/

Honda America Racing Team is likely to skip it's home race at Mid-Ohio.  They currently don't have the funds to add an additional race to their schedule, outside of the two remaining rounds of the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup, the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, and Petit Le Mans.

HART Unlikely for Mid-Ohio
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/hart-unlikely-for-mid-ohio/

The latest Double Stint Podcast.

Double Stint: Weekend Recap; Filipe Albuquerque Interview (4-17-18)
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/double-stint-weekend-recap-filipe-albuquerque-interview-4-17-18/

TAYLOR: The One That Got Away
http://sportscar365.com/features/commentary/taylor-the-one-that-got-away/

Michelin Long Beach GTLM Recap
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/michelin-long-beach-gtlm-recap/

BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach Race Broadcast

The race broadcast of the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach.

https://imsatv.imsa.com/video/042018/2018-bubba-burger-sports-car-grand-prix-long-beach-race-broadcast

2018 WeatherTech Data Analysis: Long Beach

Data analysis from the first sprint race of the year for the IMSA WeatherTech Championship, at Long Beach, last Saturday.

http://nasportscar.com/2018-weathertech-data-analysis-long-beach/

Long Beach IMSA race wrap up

Wrapping up action from Long Beach, before the race broadcast is published.  Here's some analysis on the race, via motorsport.com, from practice, qualifying, and the race.

Practice Report:

Long Beach IMSA: Nasr leads AXR 1-2 in first practice
https://www.motorsport.com/imsa/news/long-beach-first-practice-report-1025747/?s=1

Qualifying Report:

Long Beach IMSA: Montoya Puts Acura Team Penske on Pole

https://www.motorsport.com/imsa/news/long-beach-imsa-montoya-puts-acura-team-penske-on-pole-1025872/?s=1

Race Report:

Long Beach IMSA: AXR Cadillac wins, Corvette conquers GTLM

https://www.motorsport.com/imsa/news/long-beach-imsa-axr-cadillac-wins-corvette-conquers-gtlm-1026369/?s=1

BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix At Long Beach Rearview Mirror: Five Takeaways

Five notable stories that came out of last Saturday's first sprint race of 2018 for the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, the BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach.

https://www.imsa.com/news/042018/bubba-burger-sports-car-grand-prix-long-beach-rearview-mirror-five-takeaways

Weekly Racing Roundup (4-16-18)

Race reports from Blancpain GT Asia, Le Mans Cup, Australian GT, and GT Open.

http://sportscar365.com/features/roundup/weekly-racing-roundup-4-16-18/

The Rapid Rise and Fall of Callaway Competition's PWC Program

After the 2017 season and Cadillac’s program withdrew/was helped to the door, it looked like everything was going to be okay as America’s favorite GT3 sportscar was finally allowed to run in North America with Callaway Competition and their Corvette C7 GT3-R in Pirelli World Challenge.  A few months later, the whole thing has been flipped on it’s head.

http://nasportscar.com/the-rapid-rise-and-fall-of-callaway-competitions-pwc-program/

Long Beach Race Highlights

Watch highlights of Sunday’s Pirelli World Challenge race at Long Beach

http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/long-beach-race-highlights/

VLN + Nurburgring 24 Hour News & Qualifying Race Results

News from the VLN, and also, what happened in the qualifying race for the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring, next month.

ROWE BMW Claims VLN 2 Win
http://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/rowe-bmw-claims-vln-2-victory/

BMW Sets N24 Lineups
http://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/bmw-sets-nurburgring-24-lineups/

WEC Factory Drivers in Two-Car Aston Martin Effort for N24
http://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/amr-to-run-two-car-factory-entry-at-n24/

Black Falcon Mercedes Takes N24 Qualifying Race Win
http://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/black-falcon-mercedes-wins-n24-qualifying-race/

post-race IMSA news after Long Beach

Post-race IMSA headlines after the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach.

Albuquerque, Barbosa Claim Long Beach Win
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/albuquerque-barbosa-claim-long-beach-win/

Last Lap of Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/last-lap-of-long-beach/

Gavin: “Pretty Special” to Earn 50th Win with Corvette Racing
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/gavin-pretty-special-to-earn-50th-win-with-corvette-racing/

Continental Tire Long Beach Post-Race Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/continental-tire-long-beach-post-race-notebook-2/

Mancinelli Takes Win in Wild Long Beach Street Fight

Pirelli World Challenge did indeed race on the streets of Long Beach.  The race was chock full of mayhem and incidents.  Daniel Mancinelli and TR3 Racing, with their Ferrari 488 GT3, prevailed, and won.

Yuki Harata also claimed his first win in the GTA class for Pro/Am drivers.

http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/mancinelli-takes-long-beach-win/

Next up on the schedule for Pirelli World Challenge, is Virginia International Raceway in two weeks.  It will be a full on weekend of racing, featuring the GT and GTS SprintX races, and also, the touring car classes (TCR, TC, and TCA).  Stay tuned for all the news leading up to, and also, from Virginia International Raceway, as the race weekend approaches.

Saturday Pirelli World Challenge coverage from Long Beach

All the Saturday news, before Pirelli World Challenge GT Sprint races at Long Beach, tomorrow, after the IndyCar race is completed.

TruSpeed Planning Second Audi for Remainder of SprintX
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/truspeed-planning-second-audi-for-remainder-of-sprintx/

Udell on "Race-By-Race" Basis for Sprint Season
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/udell-on-race-by-race-basis-for-sprint-season/

Christensen Quickest in Final Practice
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/christensen-quickest-in-final-practice/

Vilander Storms to Long Beach Pole
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/vilander-storms-to-long-beach-pole/

PWC Long Beach Weekend Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/pwc-long-beach-weekend-notebook/

Tomorrow is race day.  Stay tuned, for news of the outcome of round three of the championship, which will be presented in highlight form, here on Endurance... The Sports Car Racing Blog.

Winner & highlights of the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach

It's a street fight, in the first sprint race of the season for the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship.  Penske and Acura have pole.  Juan Pablo Montoya was the driver to set quick time.  The laid back atmosphere of southern California, is about to be shattered.  Drivers, start your engines!  Let's go sports car racing!  Exotic sports car cruise southern California all the time.  But, today, we have racing sports cars on these streets.  It's the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix. This is the first sprint race of the season.  It's only an hour and 40 minutes.

Acura and Mazda has been quick, but they need to turn it around, and see if they can go for the win.  Juan Pablo Montoya set a new track record in his pole run.  You can't make any mistakes because of the short distance of this motor race.  It's like "Survivor", that crazy game show.  Don't get voted off the island.  Everything in the lane, must be perfect.  The safety car ducks to pit lane, and now, we are racing!  Green flag!  Good start for everyone as Helio Castroneves wants by the Cadillac of Felipe Nasr.  There's a car in the wall already!  Deary me.  It's the #38 Performance Tech Racing Prototype with Kyle Masson at the wheel of it.  The #99 Gainsco car also went off the road.

Cadillac vs. Acura, but we have a full course yellow instantly.  Gustavo Yacaman, who spun is in the #52 PR1 Motorsports car.  We've got gorgeous weather at the beach.  Acura leads Cadillac, Mazda, and Nissan, in the Prototype division so far.  Laurens Vanthoor in the Porsche, has gone around the Ford GT in GT Le Mans, in the hands of Joey Hand who is the starting driver.  The Taylor brothers both want to win, but they are racing now for two different teams.  Wayne Taylor Racing vs. Team Penske.

You can't win at the first corner, but you surel can lose.  Execute pit stops.  Put verything on the line.  These chaps have already started doing so.  Watch for the front tires because they are not up to temperature yet.  Joey Hand has damage to the diffuser of the Ford GT as he plays catch up back to Laurens Vanthoor in the Porsche 911 RSR.  Porsche #911 slammed the back of Joey Hand.  Patrick Pilet had a head of steam, and... smash!  How heartbreaking.  The diffuser should be OK.  But, it's the panel above the diffuser that's a concern.  Meantime, Felipe Nasrt gets a jump, and Montoya gets around him.

Nasr  is feisty.  He wants to go for it, tucked up right under Montoya's deck lid.  Both of these blokes are former Formula 1 drivers, and Harry Tincknell is learning his way around this track.  Tincknell is doing really well having used the Mazda simulator and in doing so, also changed the differential setup on the car.  Joey Hand has lost that loose bodywork.  Laurens Vanthoor is pressing hard, but Hand is really close as is the Corvette.  That mesh screen from the Ford is offline.  So, nobody will hit it before the marshals get a chance to retrieve it.

No action on the contact, except for the #38 prototype.  Be fast, but don't burn fuel.  That's hard to do in a short race, on a street circuit.  Lean on the brake pedal during a yellow flag, to keep heat in the tires.  The wheel and brake heats the tires to keep them warm.  Porsche, Ford, and Corvette are 1-2-3 in GTLM.  You could throw a blanket over them.  Long Beach has the same mystique here in the U.S. that a place like Monaco would.  These city streets are full of bumps.  Every intersection has a crown in the road.  There's a margin for error at a track like Sebring where we just ran the 12 Hours.  But no so here at Long Beach on the streets, with a crown in the road.

The second Porsche 911 RSR is certainly crunched in front.  Felipe Nasr continues to hound Juan Pablo Montoya.  Acura vs. Cadillac.  It used to be that technology went from racing to road cars.  But now, it is a two way street, where road going cars and that tech can transfer to race cars.  Tristan Nunez is seventh in the overall in the #77 Mazda RT24P.  Harry Tincknell in the sister #55 Mazda is fourth in class and in the overall.  Oh!  #10 runs wide and the Mazda makes the pass.  Cadillac, Ford anhd others are doing the tech transfer also between having two cars between IMSA and the FIA World Endurance Championship.  Two cars in North America, and two cars in Europe.

Ford Chip Ganassi Racing will test the cars at Monza in Italy in preparation for the FIA World Endurance Championship "super season" coming up in a few weeks.  BMW in the pit lane.  There may be a problem there.  Ah.  It's a regular pit stop for #25, with Connor De Philipi, handing over to Alexander Sims.  BMW must be rolling the dice on strategy.  Problems for Robert Alon in "the Banana Boat".  The #85 JDC-Miller car is stopped on the road.  Felipe Nasr is inside Juan Pablo Montoya and takes the spot away!

Full course yellow as Robert Alon has a gearbox issue on "The Banana Boat".  GTLM cars will make one pit stop and here are the Prototype cars in the lane.  Acura #7 pits and Ricky Taylor will replace Helio Castroneves.  Pandemonium in the lane.  Joao Barbosa is now driving the #5 Action Express Cadillac.  Dirk Mueller replaces Joey Hand in the #66 Ford GT.  Loads of excitement in the lane.  Unbelievable!  We have an hour of racing remaining.  BMW #25 may be in the lead of GTLM because they didn't stop.  All the GT Le Mans cars race on Michelin tires.

Pick your criteria for a tire.  Michelin can make tires for any condition.  Nissan ran very well here last year.  They are down on speed, though.  The bar has been raised in IMSA competition.  OK.  We are back to green flag racing.  #6 and #31 still insist on doing one green flag pit stop-.  Save fuel.  Every two laps under yellow equals one lap under green.  But, this race is surely by time.  This is sprint racing in sports cars.  Dirk Mueller is fourth in class in GT Le Mans after the damage to the car.  Jonathan Bomarito is racing the #55 Mazda RT24P right now.  The Mazda program is definitely improving, with Joest managing the car.

Reinhold Joest, Ralf Juttner and the crew, they are really improving on the car.  Mazda ran very well with this car, last year.  Mazda should not perform at this track, but indeed, they are starting to perform.  Felipe Nast continues to lead.  30 laps in the bag in this timed race. Top lap times are in the 1:14-1:15 range, for the Prototypes.  1:17, for GT Le Mans.  Felipe Nasr, has obliterated the best lap time!  He's down to 1:13.688!  Yikes!  BMW is running very well in GT Le Mans.  They touch!  Here comes the Corvette!  Alexander Sims vs. Earl Bamber!  This is dodge 'em cars stuff!  Will Sims retaliate on Bamber?  No.  Sims will charge after him, and here comes the Corvette with Oliver Gavin at the wheel of it.

Problems for Nissan.  Game over.  Pippo Derani, out.,  The winners of the 12 Hours of Sebring will not be California dreaming today.  Scott Sharp in the sister #2 Nissan DPi is still out there.  Back time the races to calculate your fuel mileage.  Alexander Sims and Earl Bamber continue their dice.  Maybe it is clean racing.  It is.  Hard, but fair, let's say.  Side by side stuff for the Mazda's.  The two red carsd are flying.  Now, Nasr is in the lane.  Pit stop time for the Whelen Cadillac.  He will get out of the car and hand it to Eric Curran.  Alexander Sims has crashed into the fence!  Things have gone pear shaped for BMW.  Too many cars, and... crunch!  Straight into the fence.

Prototypes are making their final pit stops and now have to make their way back through GT Le Mans traffic.  Acura #7 is fueled for eleven seconds and the same for Cadillac #5.  1/3rd of a tank of petrol.  Mandatory fuel fill of 30 seconds, per IMSA rules.  Again we watch Alexander Sims go off the rtoad, slamming into the wall.  He was off in the marbles, like driving on ice... and again, crunch!  Straight into the wall. Acura #6 in the lane.  Dane Cameron will finish out this motor race.  Cameron is a very quick driver who crashed here last year when he raced for Cadillac.

Eric Curran ran wide and almost got sandwiched by GTLM machines!  Wow.  Outside of the racing line, there's zero grip.  You are in no man's land out there.  Porsche runs wide!  The streets of Long Beach are a skating rink.  Porsche has great history in sports car racing, and it's their 70th anniversary.  The Peterson Automotive Museum in L.A. has an exhibit of their motorsport history.  Porsche is doing a world tour with the 919 and they opened the car up and Neel Jani set a lap record at Spa.  They are headed to Formula E next year.

Sebring of course, will have FIA WEC and the 12 Hours, and WeatherTech is the new sponsor of Laguna Seca Raceway.  Drivers must be quick and efficient, speak in terms of engineering, are able to do PR and business, and perform on the track.  Porsche #911 has an unscheduled pit stop for debris.  There's a big chunk of debris on the road that could have come from the Porsche.  Oh my!  That's not good.  GT Le Mans cars race at 160 miles an hour, and we watch a replay of the contact with the #31 Cadillac.  We have a short full course yellow, and less than 30 minutes to go before this race is done and dusted.

49 laps have been completed.  This is our third full course yellow.  We have a smaller field this year, with no GT Daytona cars at Long Beach.  Green flag!  Ryan Dalziel has gone past the Acuras.  Nissan goes for it, and Jordan Taylor is loose.  Yikes!  The two red Mazda's are running Harry Flatters as well.  Tire rub on the $912 Porsche 911 RSR!  Big trouble for Earl Bamber!  Tommy Milner in the #4 Corvette C-7-R- takes the GTLM lead.  There's suspension damage for the #912 Porsche.  Porsche in the pit lane, taking a look at the damage.  This won't be a quick stop for Porsche.

Tommy Milner leads Ryan Briscoe and Dirk Mueller.  Corvette, Ford, Ford.  Game over for Earl Bamber and the #912 Porsche.  Front and rear suspension, both broken.  Filipe Albuquerque leads.  We're getting close to the end of this one.  Filipe Albuquerque in the Cadillac leads overall, and we have some very scrappy Ford GT's here in GT Le Mans.  Corvette and BMW are getting an occasional look in, but it's the blue oval boys who are going for it.  Ryan Briscoe puts down the power, and on the inside, he makes the move as Dirk Mueller has to give in, at least temporarily.

Tommy Milner is pulling away from his rival from Porsche.  Corvette is aiming for their first 2018 win in their 20th anniversary season.  More ding dong battles for Mazda.  The two red cars are really pushing.  Track position, means order.  Gamble, to get farther up the road.  Get ahead in the order.  Rob Peter to pay Paul in order to do it.  It's sibling rivalry now, between the Taylor brothers.  It's Penske vs. Wayne Taylor Racing.  Acura vs. Cadillac.  When the two were team mates, there was no distance between them.  Now, they are opposing teams.

Filipe Albuquerque is your leader and now, Ryan Dalziel lost time and the Taylor brothers are scrapping.  Less than ten minutes to go.  Oliver Jarvis dives on the brakes and the Mazda is a car that has very good brakes.  Are Ricky Taylor's tires fading?  Here comes his brother.  Ricky Taylor runs wide, and slides right in front of Oliver Jarvis in the Mazda.  Taylor is wide again and he touches the wall.  Problems for Acura, again.  The two Mazda's are there, and here comes the sister Penske Acura with Dane Cameron at the controls.

Zero grip.  Keep off the walls.  The rubber from the exhibition races for the drift cars, is really affecting the tires for the sports cars.  Ricky Taylor is in trouble and has to let Dane Cameron go.  Taylor's tires are knackered.  Mazda and Acura have stepped up.  But, Cadillac is right there, just as they were at the Rolex 24 while Nissan won at Sebring.  Other than on pit stops, don't touch the clutch on these sports cars.  Ford had good and bad fortune at Sebring.  #67 won the Rolex 24.  Back in the old days, drivers used actual manual transmissions with an H pattern, sequential gearbox.  Everything is electronic today.

Corvette has caught both Ford GT's, now with just two minutes to go.  Briscoe compromises his exit on the next to last corner!  Yikes!  He very well could have lost grip there.  Egad!  Briscoe is losing grip on his rear tires and Dirk Mueller, he's coming, and fast!  White flag lap, this time by.  Filipe Albuquerque is clear.  But, he can't throw away his race trying to pass these blokes in GTLM.  One more lap even though the clock is expiring.  Mueller runs wide.  He's hit something somewhere.

Antonio Garcia gets passed by a Prototype.  Cadillac and Corvette are your winners!  Filipe Albuquerque and Joao Barbosa have won the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach.  So, your winners are:

Overall/Prototype: #5 Barbosa/Albuquerque     Cadillac DPi-V.R

             GT Le Mans: #4 Gavin/Milner              Chevrolet Corvette C-7-R-

This race, is done and dusted.  Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin give Corvette the win in GT Le Mans.  The next race is in three weeks, in a return to the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.  It is the Mid Ohio Sports Car Showdown.  We'll see you, for that race, three weeks from today, on May 5th.  So long, for now.

A Lap of Long Beach with Joey Hand

Before today's race at Long Beach, scheduled for 4PM Eastern Time, 3PM Central Time, take a quick lap of the legendary street course aboard the Ford GT with Joey Hand.

http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/a-lap-of-long-beach-with-joey-hand/

Friday IMSA news from Long Beach

Friday headlines from IMSA, before tomorrow’s Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach.

Bomarito on Mazda DPi Strides “We’ve Raised Our Level”
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/bomarito-on-mazda-dpi-strides-weve-raised-our-level/

Nasr Tops Opening Practice at Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/nasr-tops-opening-practice-at-long-beach/

Montoya Quickest In Incident-Filled FP2
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/montoya-quickest-in-incident-filled-fp2/

Long Beach Friday Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/long-beach-friday-notebook-3/

Montoya Takes Penske Acura DPi to Long Beach Pole
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/montoya-takes-penske-acura-dpi-to-long-beach-pole/

Long Beach Qualifying Replay
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/long-beach-qualifying-replay/

Pirelli World Challenge pre-race news from Long Beach

Some of the stories being followed before the Pirelli World Challenge support race that is also on the docket for Long Beach this weekend along with IMSA, and IndyCar.

Calvert-Jones Completes Three-Car Black Swan Lineup for LB

http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/calvert-jones-completes-three-car-black-swan-porsche-lineup-for-long-beach/

Moran Jr. Added in Second TruSpeed Audi for Long Beach

http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/moran-jr-added-in-second-truspeed-audi-gt3-for-long-beach/

Ward: Instagram Message Led to Black Swan PWC Debut
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/ward-instagram-message-led-to-black-swan-pwc-debut/

Mancielli Quickest In Friday Practice at Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/mancinelli-quickest-in-practice-1-at-long-beach/

IMSA Long Beach Thursday Notebook

Thursday news and notes from Long Beach, preparing for Saturday's first sprint race of the 2018 IMSA season.

https://www.imsa.com/news/042018/imsa-long-beach-thursday-notebook

Corvette Racing Looks For Seventh Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix Victory Despite 'Wild Card' Nature of Sprint Race

With 106 victories since the program’s inception 20 years ago, there aren’t a lot of races on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship schedule where Corvette Racing hasn’t enjoyed considerable success.

https://www.imsa.com/news/042018/corvette-racing-looks-seventh-bubba-burger-sports-car-grand-prix-victory-despite-wild

more Blancpain GT news

A double post today, as there is more post-race news from Blancpain GT now that the sprint series has begun and the endurance championship season is not too far away.

Van der Linde: Attempto "Very Motivated" After First Win
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/attempto-positive-and-motivated-after-breakthrough-win/

Putting the drivers, in the commentary box.  Check out this commentary on the Blancpain GT season opener by the Schothorst brothers, Pieter and Steijn.

Driver's Commentary Booth: Schothorst Brothers
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/drivers-commentary-booth-schothorst-brothers/

Current Mercedes DTM reserve driver, and former DTM full-time competitor for the Silver Arrow, Christian Vietoris has been signed up to drive for Strakka Racing in the Blancpain GT Endurance Cup.

Strakka Signs Vietoris for Endurance Cup
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/strakka-signs-vietoris-for-blancpain-gt-endurance-cup/

more pre-race news from Long Beach

More pre-race news before the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix on the streets of Long Beach, California, coming up on Saturday afternoon.

In case you missed it, a reprint of a story previewing Saturday's race.

IMSA Heads West for Long Beach Shootout
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/imsa-heads-west-for-long-beach-shootout/

Porsche's Push to Regain GTLM Crown
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/porsches-push-to-regain-imsa-crown/

Continental Tire Keys To The Race: Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/continental-tire-keys-to-the-race-long-beach-4/

Milner: Long Beach a "Wild Card" in GTLM Season
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/milner-long-beach-a-wild-card-in-gtlm-season/

Live FOX Network Broadcast for Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/fox-network-live-broadcast-for-long-beach/

Long Beach Thursday Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/long-beach-thursday-notebook-3/

Grand PrixView - Long Beach

Previewing both the IMSA and Pirelli World Challenge races coming up as part of the Long Beach Grand Prix this weekend.

Grand PrixView - IMSA at Long Beach
http://nasportscar.com/grand-prixview-imsa-at-long-beach-2/

Grand PrixView - PWC at Long Beach
http://nasportscar.com/grand-prixview-pwc-at-long-beach/

IMSA will race on Saturday, and Pirelli World Challenge, on Sunday.

IMSA headlines headed for Long Beach

IMSA Heads West for a Wild Long Beach Shootout

If history’s shown us anything, it’s that there’s no telling what’s going to happen in this weekend’s BUBBA burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach. From the first lap to the last, drama is always around the corner of this 100-minute shootout featuring the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype and GT Le Mans classes. 

The latest IMSA news as we look ahead to this Saturday's street fight in Long Beach, California at the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix, round three (and the first sprint race of 2018), for the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship.

Laurens Vanthoor's latest column.

VANTHOOR: Enjoying the Good Days
http://sportscar365.com/features/commentary/vanthoor-enjoying-the-good-days/

DPi's Slowed Again for Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/dpis-slowed-again-for-long-beach/

SiriusXM CEO Becomes MSR Co-Owner
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/siriusxm-ceo-becomes-co-owner-of-msr/

Sebring Diaries: How Porsche Conquered GTLM
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/sebring-diaries-how-porsche-conquered-gtlm/

ESM Reflects on Sebring Success
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/esm-reflects-on-sebring-success/

The latest Michelin IMSA Insider.

Michelin IMSA Insider: Keys to Success at Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/michelin-imsa-insider-keys-to-success-at-long-beach/

The latest Double Stint Podcast, recapping the FIA World Endurance Championship Prologue, as well as the opening race of the Blancpain GT Sprint Series, and previewing this Saturday's street fight for IMSA at Long Beach.

Double Stint: Weekend Recap; Colin Braun Interview (4-10-18)
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/double-stint-weekend-recap-colin-braun-interview-4-10-18/

Taylor Brothers Face Off In Bid for Fourth Long Beach Win
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/taylor-brothers-face-off-in-bid-for-fourth-long-beach-win/

Acura Named Title Sponsor for Mid-Ohio Race
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/acura-named-title-sponsor-for-mid-ohio-race/

IMSA Prototype Challenge: Sebring

Coverage of round two of IMSA Prototype Challenge in their support race for the 12 Hours of Sebring .

Pirelli World Challenge headlines headed to Long Beach

Pirelli World Challenge will also race at Long Beach this weekend, as will IMSA.  Here are the most recent headlines, including some disappointing news as far as the Callaway Corvette program.

Callaway Set for Hiatus from PWC
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/callaway-set-for-hiatus-from-pwc/

19 Entries for Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/19-entries-for-long-beach/

Hargrove's Unexpected Shift to PWC Leads to Long Beach Debut

http://sportscar365.com/world-challenge/hargroves-unexpected-turn-to-pwc-leads-to-long-beach-debut/

More PWC news to come, headed into the race weekend at Long Beach.  Stay tuned for that.

After Three Straight BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach Wins, Only One Taylor Can Repeat

Since 2015, if your last name wasn’t Taylor, you weren’t an overall winner at the BUBBA burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach.

https://www.imsa.com/news/042018/after-three-straight-bubba-burger-sports-car-grand-prix-long-beach-wins-only-one-taylor

Weekly Racing Roundup (4-9-18)

GT4 European Series season kicks off, British GT produces result for shortened race last week...

http://sportscar365.com/features/roundup/weekly-racing-roundup-4-9-18/

Meyer Shank Racing Announces New Ownership Structure

Meyer Shank Racing is pleased to announce that Jim Meyer has joined the organization as co-owner with Mike Shank.  The recently completed transaction will see the team build towards a strong future for it's IMSA and IndyCar programs.

https://www.imsa.com/news/042018/meyer-shank-racing-announces-new-ownership-structure

FIA WEC Prologue Video Series

A montage of videos from the FIA World Endurance Championship Prologue, via the series' official YouTube channel.

more FIA World Endurance Championship stories after the Prologue

With the Prologue in the rearview mirror, focus shifts now, to final preparation for the FIA World Endurance Championship "super season", set to begin in less than a month at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium.  Here's the latest, including a "world tour" for the Porsche 919 Hybrid.

Porsche Announces "World Tour" With 919 Hybrid
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-announces-world-tour-with-919-hybrid/

Marquardt: "Good Plan" in Place for Three-Way Clash Weekends
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bmw-has-good-plan-in-place-for-three-way-clash-weekends/

Top Photo Picks from Prologue
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/top-photo-picks-from-prologue/

Single, Low-Power Hybrid in Frame for Next-Gen Regs
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/single-hybrid-system-in-frame-for-new-gen-lmp1-rules/

Jani Breaks Spa Track Record in Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/jani-breaks-spa-track-record-in-porsche-919-hybrid-evo/

Blancpain GT Sprint: Zolder

Round one of Blancpain GT in the Sprint series is now done and dusted.  Here is a full recap of everything that happened.

Pre-race and practice news.

WRT Reveals Final Zolder Lineup; AKKA ASP Adds Extra Car
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/wrt-reveals-final-sprint-cup-lineup-akka-asp-adds-extra-car/

Mies fastest in Zolder FP1 as Leonard Crashes
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/mies-fastest-in-zolder-fp1-as-leonard-crashes/

Marciello Goes Quickest for AKKA ASP in FP2
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/marciello-goes-quickest-for-akka-asp-in-fp2/

Qualifying

WRT Takes Double Pole at Zolder
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/wrt-takes-double-pole-at-zolder/

Zolder Qualifying Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/zolder-qualifying-highlights/

Bortolotti Inherits Race 2 Pole as Frijns Penalized
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/bortolotti-inherits-race-2-pole-as-frijns-penalized/

Race highlights and action.

Bortolotti, Engelhart Win First Blancpain GT Race of Season
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/bortolotti-engelhart-win-first-blancpain-gt-race-of-season/

Zolder Weekend Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/zolder-weekend-notebook/

Zolder Race 1 Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/zolder-race-1-highlights/

Ratel: Sprint Grid Still Strong Despite “Pendulum Movement”
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/ratel-sprint-grid-still-strong-despite-pendulum-movement/

Van der Linde, Schothorst Give Attempto First Blancpain GT win
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/van-der-linde-schothorst-win-as-leaders-penalized/

Zolder Race 2 Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/zolder-race-2-highlights/

Two weeks from now, the Endurance Cup begins, and round two for Blancpain GT Sprint will be at Brands Hatch in Kent, England, in a month.  Bye bye for now.

Marcelli Visits Columbus Blue Jackets, Rides On Ice In Lexus LC 500

3GT Racing driver Kyle Marcelli visited Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday to promote the return of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship racing to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course next month.

https://www.imsa.com/news/042018/marcelli-visits-columbus-blue-jackets-rides-ice-lexus-lc-500

BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach - Entry List Notebook

The 100-minute BUBBA burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach reverts to a two-class race in 2018, featuring the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype and GT Le Mans (GTLM) classes. The same two classes also were featured at Long Beach in 2014 and 2015. The Prototype Challenge class participated in 2016, while the GT Daytona (GTD) class raced in Long Beach last year.

https://www.imsa.com/news/042018/bubba-burger-sports-car-grand-prix-long-beach-entry-list-notebook

Saturday (the final day of the FIA WEC Prologue test at Paul Ricard)

Recapping the final day of testing at Paul Ricard in the FIA World Endurance Championship.  The start of the "super season" is now less than a month away.

Prologue Night Testing Action
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/prologue-night-testing-action/

SMP Closes the Gap to Toyota Overnight
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/smp-closes-the-gap-to-toyota-overnight/

ByKolles will have a second car on the FIA WEC grid after Le Mans.

ByKolles Planning Second LMP1 Car for Post-Le Mans Debut
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bykolles-planning-second-lmp1-car-for-post-le-mans-debut/

Prologue In-Car: SMP BR1
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/prologue-in-car-smp-br1/

Toyota Ends Prologue with 1-2
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-ends-prologue-with-1-2/

Vasselon: Toyotas Ran Outside of EoT Rules at Prologue
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/vasselon-toyotas-ran-outside-of-eot-rules-at-prologue/

Friday action from the FIA World Endurance Championship Prologue at Paul Ricard

Finally, the cars hit the track in the Prologue test for the FIA World Endurance Championship "super season" at Paul Ricard/Le Castellet in Le Castellet, in southern France, today.  Here's how the Friday session turned out.

Wurz Faced “Massive Mental Overload” on Toyota Return
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/wurz-faced-massive-mental-overload-on-toyota-return/

Porsche Announced As New Safety Car Supplier
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-announced-as-safety-car-supplier/

Marquardt Refuses to Comment on Starting BoP
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/marquardt-refuses-to-comment-on-starting-bop/

TVR Targeting GTE Effort for 2020
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/tvr-targeting-gte-pro-effort-for-2020/

Toyota Leads Prologue After Eight Hours
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-leads-prologue-after-eight-hours/

Paul Ricard Friday Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/paul-ricard-friday-notebook-7/

Prologue Friday Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/prologue-friday-highlights/

More action from Paul Ricard tomorrow.  Stay tuned for that.

FIA WEC prologue news (continued)

Still more news from the FIA World Endurance Championship as the Prologue gets underway.

TVR Joins Rebellion as Partner
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/tvr-joins-rebellion-as-partner/

Vasselon: Limited Updates to 2018 Spec Toyota
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/vasselon-limited-updates-to-2018-spec-toyota/

Brundle Putting "Expectations Aside" in Manor LMP1 Debut
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/brundle-putting-expectations-aside-in-manor-lmp1-debut/

Ferrier: WEC Debut the "Natural Progression" for TF Sport
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/ferrier-wec-the-natural-progression-for-tf-sport/

Toyota to Start Season in Low Downforce Aero
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-to-start-season-in-low-downforce-aero/

Stoneman, Roussel Added to Manor Lineup
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/stoneman-roussel-added-to-manor-lineup/

Maldonado Hoping to "Relaunch Career" in WEC
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/maldonado-hoping-to-relaunch-career-in-wec/

Paul Ricard Thursday Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/paul-ricard-thursday-notebook-6/

Two updates today (Wednesday and Thursday), as on track action at Paul Ricard for the Prologue gets underway, tomorrow.

Graham Goodwin's Pitlane Walk 2018 FIA WEC Prologue - Paul Ricard

A walk-through of pitlane and paddock ahead of the 2018 FIA WEC Prologue at Circuit Paul Ricard - Features all of the new LMP1 cars and GTE cars plus the LMP2 and GTE AM entries.

Tequila Patron ESM Reflects on Sebring Success

Two out of the last three IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races at Sebring International Raceway have gone to the Tequila Patrón ESM Prototype team. Listen to team members Pipo Derani and Scott Sharp reflect on their 2016 victory and Sebring success.

Throwback Thursday: ALMS at Long Beach 2008

Ahead of the 2018 BUBBA burger Sports Car Grand Prix on April 14, revisit the “Roar by the Shore” for the American Le Mans Series 10 years ago.  ABC Sports covers the action with Gregg Creamer and Bill Adam call the action in the booth, with Kelli Stavast and Jon Beekhuis in pit lane.

more news from the FIA World Endurance Championship

Plenty of news about the FIA World Endurance Championship, including a format change to the race that will take place at Sebring International Raceway in 2019.

Richelmi Completes Jackie Chan DCR Lineup
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/richelmi-completes-jackie-chan-dc-racing-lineup/

Four FIA WEC teams will also race in the Paul Ricard opener for the European Le Mans Series.

Four WEC Teams to Contest ELMS Opener at Paul Ricard
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/four-wec-teams-to-contest-elms-opener-at-paul-ricard/

Ferrari Confirms Giovinazzi, Derani for 24H Le Mans
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/ferrari-confirms-giovinazzi-derani-for-24h-le-mans/

Brundle Lands Manor LMP1 Drive
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/brundle-gets-manor-lmp1-drive-for-2018-19/

First Photos from WEC Prologue
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/first-photos-from-wec-prologue/

Sebring WEC Race Moves to Friday in Revised 1000 Mile Format
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/sebring-wec-race-moves-to-friday-in-revised-1000-mile-format/

WEC Gears Up For Sebring Return
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/wec-gears-up-for-sebring-return/

The FIA WEC Prologue test is underway at Paul Ricard in France.  Here's the Wednesday notebook.

Paul Ricard Wednesday Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/paul-ricard-wednesday-notebook-5/

Changes To Sebring 2019 Schedule To Benefit All Fans of Endurance Racing

Following an extremely productive and positive meeting held on March 18 between IMSA, the FIA World Endurance Championship and Sebring International Raceway organizations, some key changes have been jointly agreed for the 2019 race weekend.

https://www.imsa.com/news/042018/changes-sebring-2019-schedule-benefit-all-fans-endurance-racing

More IMSA news

More news from the world of IMSA.

Television Star Tom Ellis Named Grand Marshal for Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/television-star-tom-ellis-named-grand-marshal-for-long-beach/

The latest Double Stint Podcast, not only focusing on IMSA, but also on Blancpain GT as their season starts this weekend, and also on FIA WEC.  WEC has the prologue test before the super season starts at Spa Francorchamps, next month.

Double Stint: News Recap; Tristan Nunez Interview (4-3-18)
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/double-stint-news-recap-tristan-nunez-interview-4-3-18/

22 Entries for Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/22-entries-for-long-beach/

VLN & Nurburgring 24 Hours news

The Nurburgring 24 Hours is coming up, next month.  Well, here is some news on not only the Nurburgring 24, but also the separate VLN races.

Audi to Support Teams in N24
http://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/audi-to-support-four-teams-in-n24/

BWT Muecke to Make N24 Debut with All-Star Lineup
http://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/bwt-muecke-to-make-n24-debut-with-all-star-lineup/

Manthey Porsche wins VLN 1
http://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/manthey-porsche-wins-vln-1/

Mercedes has announced their factory driver lineups for their AMG GT3 racers that are entered in the Nurburgring 24 Hours.

Mercedes Locks in Factory Lineups for N24
http://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/mercedes-locks-in-factory-lineups-for-nurburgring-24/