Two hours to go as Ozz Negri was the one to get crossed up in the #51 Ferrari he shares for Spirit of Race with Francesco Piovanetti of Italy, and Daniel Serra from Brazil, son of former F1 driver, Chico Serra. The #51 and #99 Chris Miller driven car is being investigated by the stewards. There's a gaping chunk of bodywork out of the Negri Jr./Serra/Piovanetti car, like a shark bite. Now, Frankie Montecalvo has a cut down tire and he has to nurse the #64 Ferrari back to the lane as Jonathan Bomarito in the Mazda, going for it. Now, David Heinemeier Hanson is in the pit lane in the Lexus. Jack Hawksworth takes over the car. Four new tires. Back on track. Go get 'em, Jack. Now, Montecalvo has made it back to the pit lane in the Ferrari he shares with Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell.
Oliver Jarvis has taken over the #77 Mazda. There's a major slide for the Ferrari! Yikes! Montecalvo, he's done a cracking job to keep that vehicle under control. Corvette runs 1-2 in GTLM as Antonio Garcia ekes out a gap over Ryan Briscoe in the Ford. Double whammy for car #51. A drive through penalty for too many crewmen over the wall. That's actually a penalty for the #15 Lexus with Hawksworth at the wheel of it. Why was the #15 machine in the lane? This question needs an answer. The oenalty is for #51, and not #15. Bruno Senna has put in a 1:33.9, the best lap for the #32 car in this whole race so far.
Filipe Albuquerque has turned his best lap of this race. #5, is under pressure from the #7 Acura which has had a fraught race today. Jack Hawksworth radioed in, and said he was coming in. He drove through the lane. The #48 Lamborghini pits and Bryan Sellers may get in for the final stop later on before the race is over. Gabby Chaves is now into the #5 Cadillac, the same team that won the Rolex 24 back in January. Make sure to get the points on offer for you, or do better. If you are out of the points, it's going to affect you. You, as the team, don't have to win, but stay consistent. The #58 Wright Motorsports Porsche is going for it, and Robert Renauer has been giving it a good race.
Dane Cameron has completed 142 laps, and Bruno Senna and Colin Braun are closing fast. 142 laps, 483 miles complete. Ford, Porsche, Porsche, Ford in GTLM. Cameron in the pit lane, and now, Bruno Senna, he has to go for it. Fuel, tires, and a new electrolyte drink for Dane Cameron. Cameron is back at it. No nose change for Acura. Antonio Garcia has taken the lead from Oliver Gavin. There's four seconds between the Corvette's, the Porsche's, and the Ford's. Renger van der Zande in the lane for fuel and tires, and Ricky Taylor gets back into Acura #7.
89 degrees Fahrenheit ambient, 126 Fahrenheit on track. Oliver Gavin pits the Corvette. Bruno Senna and Colin Braun are still in a fair old dust up for the lead here. Senna inside in turn nine. Braun hits pit lane from second. The advantage lies with United Autosports. Fuel, tires, and a new drink bottle for Colin Braun. Ooh. A contretemps between Ford and Porsche. Earl Bamber out, and Laurens Vanthoor in. Tandy and Briscoe had some argy bargy at the first turn. Bruno Senna dives for the pits.
Paul Di Resta will finish the race for United Autosport in the #32. Nick Tandy defended from Joey Hand. Porsche is the meat in a Ford sandwich, or the hot dog in the bun as it were. No mustard. Alvaro Parente in the lane, from the GTD lead. Parente out, and Katherine Legge in. So, Katherine Legge is into the race once again, going for the GTD championship. Track temperature is up to 140 degrees. We have a length of a World Cup soccer game yet to run. Colin Braun and Paul di Resta are back at it. We are now at lap 149. 507 miles in. This is going to be a fuel mileage race.
Taylor is still behind after gearbox trouble as we've said time and time again today. Can or will Roger Penske play a winning strategy? So much wonderful racing history and heritage this track has. The atmosphere of Watkins Glen has stayed the same as it always has been. Track President Michael Printup has done very well with it. Pit stop time for Porsche, and we the battle continuing with United Autosport and CORE Autosport. Joey Hand has caught Ryan Briscoe. The Ford's have scycled to the front. #67 will pit, before the #66, back timing the race to the end.
One of the Porsche's has a loose mirror. Colin Braun is probing Paul di Resta. This is going to be a wild one. Di Resta slams the door in Braun's face. Don't takes risks with an hour 20 minutes to go, but know you still have a chance. #54 is going for it in traffic! Colin Brtaun has a run out of the esses! Yikes! Play defense. Di Resta is dropping wheels into the dust, there's a touch! Something is damaged on the #32 Ligier. The fender is rubbing on the tire. Get tot the pit lane now. Oh deary me. Di Resta will have to run 3.4 miles and if the tire comes apart, it's game over.
Only an hour and 17 minutes now remaining. The smoke has dissipated. The smoke is still there. He will damage the tire. The tire will overheat and burn up. The marshals are investigating the incident. Give back the place if you have to. Pit stop time after 20 minutes. Now, the #6 Acura will be able to catch up. The diffuser is bent just a bit. No action on the #54, #32 incident. The aerodynamic balance will be in flux before this motor race is complete. There's damage to the inside of the tire. This race is not over by any means.
Paul di Resta has dropped to tenth in the overall after the incident with the rubbing tire. Katherine Legge is going for it with Sheldon van der Linde. The Land Motorsport Audi is in it for the NAEC. Katherine Legge needs to win, holding the position, for job security. She does not want to throw it away. The car is skating around. How much do you risk to stay in front? If the Audi has more pace, let him go. Now, if this goes further, it could end in tears. Now, Colin Braun passes around the GTD battle. All that scrapping has allowed some of these other cars to close up. No race car driver wants to give up a position for any reason.
Think big picture, for the series championship, not necesdsarily for the endurance racing cup. Katherine Legge needs good performances and she's running well. Her tires are knackered. Every position is a double edged sword. Acura #6 pits. There might be a splash and dash necessary for Acura before the end of the race. Juan Pablo Montoya takes over,. and now, these two blokes are looking for their first win of the 2018 season. Juan Pablo Montoya is the gunslinger you want to get to the end of this motor race. The #31 Cadillac is in pit lane for service. Dirk Mueller is charging and so is Jan Magnussen. Katherine Legge and Jeroen Bleekemolen are in front of the field. The speed differential is not much between GTLM and GTD.
Porsche runs fourth and sixth. Through the laces of The Boot. Dirk Mueller gets backed up. Pit stop time for the #10 Cadillac.
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