We are underway at Daytona for the Michelin Pilot Challenge event at Daytona. At the start of the race, Kaz Grala has a big wreck! The #80 Bimmerworld BMW M4 GT4 he is sharing with Aurora Straus is in a mess of trouble at the moment. We have James Holton in the #75 Compass Racing McLaren, leading as Frank Depew has whacked the wall in the exit of the kink driving the #71 Chevrolet Camaro GT.4.R. This is the Rebel Rock Racing entry DePew shares with Robin Liddell and Andrew Davis.
Action is hot and heavy as Kaz Grala taps the wall. James Holtom leads, and Lee Carpentier in the Audi RS3 has the lead over the #3 Alfa Romeo Giulietta of Alex Popow, a former champion in the IMSA Prototype Challenge class. Popow is sharing the KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering entry with Alexandre Papadopulos. 17 or so minutes of this race have been completed and NASCAR drivers Ty Majeski and Chase Briscoe, a couple Ford NASCAR drivers are running really well in the early stages.
We have been seeing other drivers like Ty Majeski moving up through the field. Majeski, and Ford Racing team mate Chase Briscoe are NASCAR drivers. They are in two of the retro Motorcraft liveried Ford Mustang GT4's for Multimatic Motorsports. Majeski is sharing with fellow NASCAR driver Cole Custer, and Canadian sports car racing ace, Scott Maxwell. Briscoe is sharing with NASCAR team mate Austin Cindric and Billy Johnson, who has spent time in these Ford Mustang's in Michelin Pilot Challenge before, but has also raced the Ford GT in the FIA World Endurance Championship and will do so for the remaining events of the FIA WEC "Super Season".
We are 17 minutes in, coming to the end of the yellow after Frank Depew crashed the #71 Chevrolet Camaro. Paul Holton leads for McLaren and he times the restart to perfection. He will hand the car later, to Kuno Wittmer. The Holton/Wittmer team are driving for Compass Racing, in car #75. Ty Majeski has an advantage in the infield with his GT4 Ford Mustang. Spencer Pumpelly has The Racer's Group Porsche Cayman coming up the field. He is sharing car #66 with Dylan Machavern. Machavern is the 2017 Grand sport class champion. The Racer's Group (TRG) run by Kevin Buckler, took a GT class Porsche to victory in the Rolex 24 back in 2003, and now, they have a presence here in GT4 in Michelin Pilot Challenge.
There are two TRG Porsche Cayman's in this race. The aforementioned #66 Pumpelly/Machavern car, and the #67 Porsche 718 Cayman Clubsport GT4 of Chris Bellomo and Robert Orcutt.
Here comes the #57 Mercedes AMG GT4 with Christian Hohenadel at the wheel of it. Hohenadel runs wide and again, he is under pressure, look. Hohenadel, the German, is sharing with Bryce Ward, from Texas aboard this car, the #57 Winward Racing/HTP Motorsport Mercedes AMG GT4.
The ABS numbs the front of the car. If the car is bouncing up and down, it won't turn, as Alex Popow puts the #3 Alfa Romeo MiTo in the lead of TCR. There are fewer than a dozen Alfa Romeo's running, compared to the Audi RS3. That Hyundai i30N is a new car for the MPC. Mark Wilkins at the wheel of car #98.
Wilkins, the Canadian, sharing the Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Veloster N TCR, with American driver Michael Lewis. The fuel mileage will be key with the Hyundai. A slingshot pass between two of the Mercedes cars, as Owen Trinkler, reigning GS champion, moves inside Christian Hohenadel. Owen Trinkler has his hands full with Christian Hohenadel at the moment. Trinkler sharing the #46 Team TGM Mercedes-AMG GT4 with Hugh Plumb. Meanwhile, a serious battle, too between the Porsche Cayman's, Ford Mustang's, and Audi R8 GT4's. Paul Holton remains the race leader for McLaren, who has had clear sailing so far in this motor race.
The ABS numbs the front of the car. If the car is bouncing up and down, it won't turn, as Alex Popow puts the #3 Alfa Romeo MiTo in the lead of TCR. There are fewer than a dozen Alfa Romeo's running, compared to the Audi RS3. That Hyundai i30N is a new car for the MPC. Mark Wilkins at the wheel of car #98.
Wilkins, the Canadian, sharing the Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Veloster N TCR, with American driver Michael Lewis. The fuel mileage will be key with the Hyundai. A slingshot pass between two of the Mercedes cars, as Owen Trinkler, reigning GS champion, moves inside Christian Hohenadel. Owen Trinkler has his hands full with Christian Hohenadel at the moment. Trinkler sharing the #46 Team TGM Mercedes-AMG GT4 with Hugh Plumb. Meanwhile, a serious battle, too between the Porsche Cayman's, Ford Mustang's, and Audi R8 GT4's. Paul Holton remains the race leader for McLaren, who has had clear sailing so far in this motor race.
Hoping to do more of these races for the Michelin Pilot Challenge, as the season continues. We are now under yellow at the 48 minute mark. The #5 KMW TMR Alfa Romeo of Roy Block stopped on course, but we are back to green. Block's co-driver in that automobile is Tim Lewis Jr. Meanwhile, Jade Buford didn't pit his #40 PF Racing Ford Mustang GT4. He is on fumes in that car he shares with James Pesek and Patrick Gallagher. He is on fumes and should have come into the lane. Alan Brynjolfson and Owen Trinkler will be catching Buford, soon.
Get to the pit lane, before the yellow ends and we are back to green flag racing. Tyler McQuarrie in the #39 Carbahn Motorsports Audi is also going for it, in the car he shares with Jeff Westphal. Some argy bargy and wheel dropping. Aston Martin #09 could be slowing. This is the sister Automatic Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4 for Automatic Racing, in the hands of Dale Katechis and Mikel Miller. Or, is it their lead car, #99? Maybe yours truly made a mistake, and didn't catch the number. It could be their lead car, with Kris Wilson at the wheel of it sharing with Gary Ferrera.
Austin Cindric in the Mustang, is running well, but problems for the #99 Aston. It is the Wilson/Ferrera machine that seems to be slowing! Disregard the Katechis/Miller machine, which is not a factor in this lead scrap. three wide in the triple oval, look. Temperatures are still cool as the driver changes have been made. Jade Buford now leads, but Paul Holton says, "no way, sunshine" and makes a move for P1. McLaren got a Balance of Performance adjustment last summer. It has been a benefit. Owen Trinkler is still at the wheel of his Mercedes. He did not hand over to his co-driver. Side by side stuff, as Jade Buford is struggling on worn tires, threading the needle. Jeroen Bleekemolen at the wheel of the Wynn's liveried Mercedes, paired with co-driver
The fluorescent colored Porsche cayman is running really well, and #15 makes the pass, Ty Majeski at the wheel. Corey Fergus in the #69 McLaren is running well and in TCR, Shelby Blackstock is catching the class leader. Car #69 is the Motorsports In Action McLaren 570S GT4 that Cory Fergus is sharing with Jesse Lazare, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. We are just over an hour into the race now. This is the first of ten events in MPC. Paul Holton puts his foot down and he whistles off into the distance. Owen Trinkler is being chased by Jeroen Bleekemolen and Spencer Pumpelly. Good scrap here, into the West Horseshoe with Corey Fergus and Ty Majeski. #2 is trying to get his lap back, and there was a major crash with five cars involved in it, including a TRG #67, #8, #24, and others.
We see a major pileup here, and can't pick everyone out. But #8 is the eEuroparts.com, Rowe Racing Audi R8 for Rodrigo Sales and Gunnar Jeannette and #24 is the Ian Lacey Racing Ford Mustang GT4 in the hands of Frank Gannett II. and Drew Staveley. Meanwhile, back at the sharp end, Fergus is going for P3 passing Tyler McQuarrie. Jeroen Bleekemolen goes by, and Majeski has front nose damage as we see the #88 BMW of Henry Schmidt taking his turn on the whirligig, being tapped by the Turner Motorsports BMW. Schmidt is at the wheel of #88, a BMW M4 GT4 for Steven Cameron Racing, sharing the car with co-driver Greg Liefooghe.
The identical BMW M4 GT4, for Turner Motorsports, is car #96 being shared by Robby Foley, Bruce McKee, and Sydney McKee. It is unclear which driver was in the car at the time of this incident.
Alan Brynjolfson and Austin Cindric are chasing each other. Brynjolfson wants to slam the door in Cindric's face and oh man! Big wreck for the TCR cars! #10 and #54, Lee Carpentier and Michael Johnson have crashed! Big damage for these two Audi RS3's. Johnson defended and was turned into. He was on the dirty line.
There's zero grip, and we see that these blokes have been defending too hard, too early, making a pig's breakfast out of their races. This is the fourth full course yellow. Lee Carpentier and Michael Johnson are both out. Therefore, Shelby Blackstock in the #37 L.A. Honda World Honda Civic TCR has the class lead in the TCR division. The #10 is another car for eEuroparts.com/ROWE Racing. The Audi RS3 has Lee Carpentier sharing with Kieron O'Rourke. So, this incident has made a mess of things.
Michael Johnson, a racer who is paralyzed from the chest down, but who is racing with adaptive controls in the car, shares his #54 JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi RS3 TCR with two South Africans. Stephen Simpson, who drives with JDC-Miller in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in their Cadillac DPi, he and Michael Johnson are teamed with another South African, Mikey Taylor. So, a new order in TCR. Nick Galante is leading TCR as Shelby Blackstock is chasing. He is teamed with Tom O'Gorman who was a sensation in this series last year. Shelby Blackstock also races Indy Lights, but he is focused in 2019 in Michelin Pilot Challenge.
Nick Galante is the lead driver in the #23 Fast MD Racing Audi RS3 LMS TCR alongside Canadian James Vance and Jared Salinsky. The name of the team, Fast MD, means these drivers are also Medical Doctors. Just over two hours to go. Honda is in their first season in Michelin Pilot Challenge. They won in Pirelli World Challenge, last year. Shelby Blackstock is quicker than Nick Galante in the road course section. The Audi RS3 does have the top end speed, but there are four Honda Civic's chasing him, who are in the sweet spot of RPM's for their four cylinder engines. Cool cars and growing interest are making inroads in TCR. Austin Cindric is fighting with Spencer Pumpelly. Cindric diamonds the corner through turn six and down the back straight. Ford V8 vs. Porsche flat six. There's action everywhere as Jeroen Bleekemolen passes Guy Cosmo.
McQuarrie and team mate Jeff Westphal don't have the fuel capacity of the turbo cars. Westphal will finish the race, but Cory Fergus is coming in a hurry. McLaren, Ford, Audi, Mercedes and Porsche, five manufacturers, in the top five, shows the mechanical diversity in sports car racing and particularly in this GT4 class. Grand Sport, is the GT4 class in IMSA. We are now under yellow again, as Roy Block has more trouble for Aston martin, and Scott Hargrove has some argy bargy with Austin Cindric. Hargrove from British Columbia, Canada, is sharing with Toronto, Ontario's Orey Fidani.
Billy Johnson will finish this race. James Vance will finish this race for the #23 Audi RS3 TCR. Kuno Wittmer is now at the wheel of the Compass360 McLaren, and Dylan Merry is going for it in the Mercedes. Dylan Murry's dad, David won the 1994 IMSA Firehawk Championship, similar to these cars, street going sports cars and supercars, modified for racing. Austin Cindric is trying to save fuel, rolling out of the power on occasion. But he is trying hard to make a move on Jeff Westphal.
Three wide in TCR as Hyundai is swamped by Honda and Alfa Romeo! Alex Popow runs ahead of Michael Lewis in the Hyundai Veloster. Chad Gilsinger is at the wheel of the Honda Civic, and a touch! Chad Gilsinger wallops Michael Lewis! Gilsinger has a broken left front wheel and a crunched right front corner on the Honda, and the Hyundai is also damaged. Super late on the brakes, and, thump. He had no chance, making a banzai move into the kink. Kuno Wittmer leads Jeff Westphal, Austin Cindric, Hugh Plumb, and Kris Wilson.
Scott Maxwell, two-time champion in this division, is battling with the Mercedes AMG GT4 of Dylan Murry. Full course yellow now. The #89 HART Honda Civic is still stranded, and Chad Gilsinger needs help from the marshals. The Honda was being driven by Ryan Eversley, and poor old Kenny Wilden spins his Ford Mustang. The #75 Compass McLaren has been penalized for jumping the restart. We keep reshuffling the deck, now with an hour 15 minutes left on the board. Jesse Lazare is now at the wheel of McLaren #69.
Dylan Murry is going for it in the Mercedes. Gently, boys, through turn two. Jeff Westphal makes a pass. Now, what can Jesse Lazare do in the #69 McLaren? Also, after taking over from Paul Holton. Kuno Wittmer is going for it, but sans traction and stability control. When traction control fails, the handling on the car, changes. They need a full course yellow to get to the front as Jesse Lazare has the MIA McLaren in the lead of this motor race. Motorsports In Action is the official name of the #69 McLaren team.
Trouble for the #65 Murillo Racing Mercedes as Wittmer is serving his penalty. Will the Murillo car's issues cause a debris caution? This is the Mercedes AMG GT4 shared by Tim Probert, Brent Mosing, and Justin Piscitelli. Billy Johnson is working on making a pass of the #56 Mercedes AMG GT3, the car that we saw have trouble. Johnson has been running in the FIA World Endurance Championship, and he will finish that season at Sebring, Spa, and Le Mans, here as a driver coach for the younger Ford factory drivers. Fast forward, and now, we have less than an hour to go in the BMW Endurance Challenge.
Jessie Lazare leads and Trent Hindman has the fuel load, while the leaders cannot pass because they have less fuel in the tank. Kuno Wittmer restarts in 22nd spot after serving the penalty he got dinged with. Eric Foss sweeps inside Dylan Murry, but Murry is going for it and so is Hugh Plumb. These blokes know it is crunch time now. Foss is at the wheel of the #56 Murillo Racing Mercedes, having taken the car over from Jeff Mosing. In TCR, it is still Honda, Alfa Romeo, and Audi with Alex Popow in the Alfa MiTo. Time is on the side of Kuno Wittmer. He is carving his way through the field, passing Billy Johnson.
Be patient, but know when to go for it. These drivers he's passing are no easy meat. Now, Trent Hindman and Scott Hargrove are both getting dinged by Race Control for jumping the restart and they will each need to do a drive through penalty. Jessie Lazare is still your race leader with Jeff Westphal in hot pursuit. This great scrap in TCR continues. The Honda of Tom O'Gorman vs. Alex Popow in the Alfa Romeo. Tom O'Gorman is used to these cars. Alex Popow has more experience in Prototypes instead of these TCR cars. Matt Pombo in the sister Honda World Honda was also in the scrap a little earlier on. Pombo is in the #73 car, sharing with Mike LaMarra.
BMW #82 is in the lane, Devlin Jones driving, sharing the BimmerWorld Racing BMW M4 GT4 with James Clay. Hugh Plumb has had the splitter snap off of his Mercedes and debris got caught under the fender. TGM are the 2018 MPC champions. So, not the way they want to start the 2019 campaign. Oh no! Alex Popow has now blown a tire as well. Louis Malone and Tim Monday, team bosses, will not be happy. Those two used to work with Audi and Champion Racing in the old American Le Mans Series. Game over for Alex Popow. Tom O'Gorman and Colin Mullen will move up. Mullen is a fine young driver who we will hear more about. Mullen, is teamed with Max Faulkner in the #52 Honda World Honda Civic TCR entry.
Mercedes #57 in the lane for the final stop. Christian Hohenadel in the car for Winward/HTP. Poor old Alex Popow is in the lane for repairs. Oh dear. #84, leading TCR with Todd Lamb and Atlanta Speedworks Honda. Kris Wilson is now leading Grand Sport in the #99 Stoner Car Care Aston Martin Vantage GT4 as one of the Hyundai TCR's is off the road. Jesse Lazare and Paul Holton are closing in on Wilson in the Aston Martin, in the two McLaren's. Just 24 minutes to go in this motor race.
Paul Holton is very familiar with the McLaren compared to Kuno Wittmer. Jesse Lazare and Paul Holton, are racing the same car, the McLaren 570S. Jeff Westphal is between a rock and a hard place, saving fuel and trying to got rat lead on Kris wilson. Aston Martin vs. Audi. The gap back to the McLaren's is cut in half and Paul Holton has passed Jesse Lazare, look. Compass Racing team boss Carl Thompson is watching things very closely for sure, keeping tabs on his car and his driver. Less than 20 minutes to go now in the BMW Endurance Challenge.
The lead battle is on, now. Ooh! Big spin off the International Horseshoe! Kyle Marcelli, is spun 'round in the #60 car. That's the KohR Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4 being shared by Nate Stacy and Kyle Marcelli. Christian Hohenadel has major damage to the #57 Mercedes as Paul Holton goes on the high side around Kris Wilson! Three wide in the tri-oval and Wilson goes by Holton! Westphal wants a yellow flag to save fuel. Poor old Kris Wilson is not handling well on old tires!
The ninth full course yellow is out now. #57 had a mechanical issue, stopping and getting rammed by the other cars. The checkered flag is in sight. Paul Holton has had a great race today. at the last restart, some blokes jumped the start, but no action was taken by the marshals. Greg Lafooghe in the BMW may have had a problem, and the #4 Mercedes slides across the track off turns two and three with Eric Foss at the wheel. McLaren are 1-2 right now. Billy Johnson is loose through the Horseshoe. In TCR, Tom O'Gorman and Mat Pombo are going for it as james vance is flying, too. Poor old Harry Gottsacker and Mason Philippi have just blown the motor in the sister Hyundai Veloster for Bryan Herta Autosport, car #21.
Devin Jones in the Bimmerworld BMW had a radio problem but they are back in it. A couple other cars with late issues as Devin Jones and James Clay are going to be in the top five it looks like. Paul Holton is still driving the wheels off the McLaren. Kris Wilson nips Jesse Lazare for second spot, look. Compass Racing has won multiple MPC championships, and Paul Holton and Kuno Wittmer win, but Kris Wilson spoils McLaren's party with a second place!
Tom O'Gorman wins in TCR. Matt Pombo, his team mate, finishes second. The McLaren's have the speed as we start the season. The McLaren headquarters staff at Woking, England, they will be jumping for joy!
Overall/GS: #75 Holton/Wittmer McLaren 570S GT4
TCR: #37 O'Gorman/Blackstock Honda Civic TCR
The next event in Michelin Pilot Challenge will come at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida, as a part of a triple header they are sharing with the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, in mid-March. Stay tuned, too, for coverage of the Rolex 24.
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