The Ford and Corvette battle in GTLM is heating up. Juan Pablo Montoya has also been driving really well, but Montoya's lap times have been slower than the Mazda's even though they are catching him up. The second Mazda is being balked by the BMW. Oh boy. Connor De Philippi saw a flash of flame and thankfully, got out of the car. Sad sight to see that the BMW is harmed due to this flash fire. Montoya moves defensively to the left in the Inner Loop. Was this reactionary? That's the kind of maneuver the marshals don't like, especially if you take a defensive line out of the corner. He's treading thin ice there, but is still leading the motor race. The GTLM battle is cooking, and Nick Tandy, this bloke has been on rails, all day long.
Acura's #86 and #57 are making their final pit stops, and they'll be sitting pretty if there are no more yellows. No tires for Mario Farnbacher. Katherine Legge gets left side tires, and fuel, and somehow stalls. Poor old Townsend Bell has a penalty for not having his safety belts done up correctly. Tandy is caught, as Harry Tincknell and Oliver Jarvis lose time, but now, Nick Tandy has an advantage over the Ford's. There is a spot of bother for both of the Mazda boys. WeatherTech, Pfaff, Land, and others in GTD are in the lane. The WeatherTech Ferrari has a very quick stop! No one else has moved, until now. Lexus beats the Pfaff Porsche, and here come the leaders! Everyone is nose to nose here, equidistant. Does Tincknell have the run through the esses? He's not quite close enough! He had a head of steam there, look. It's a chess match now between the Mazda's, and Montoya's front end is washing away a shade.
Tincknell is pressing Montoya, and Montoya says, "no way, sunshine." We've got a pit stop window opening in another 15 minutes for Prototypes. Now, Tandy is in the lane for a splash and dash. Fuel only. They are cleaning the gunk off the gorgeous Brumos livery. Antonio Garcia makes his final pit stop, for fuel only. They dive again to the right hand first turn. The car is loading up onto the front end into the esses. The two Mazda's are trying to drag their way up onto the leader. Ryan Dalziel in the #8 Starworks Audi in GT Daytona, the car he shares with Parker Chase and Mike Skeen. Two Ford's lead GTLM. Earl Bamber is behind the Ford's. The Mazda's are harrying Montoya. The top three are within half a second of each other.
Was there enough room left on the outside, by Montoya? He didn't leave a car's width. The paved runoff area is a blessing and a curse at the same time. Montoya has a warning from the stewards before he gets dinged for track limits. 182 laps, 619 miles. The Mazda's don't want to be fighting amongst themselves. They need to be pressing the Acura in the lead of the motor race. The wick is being turned up as we close in on the finish. No need to panic. A big move, look, for the Mazda, and Harry Tincknell has gone to the lead! Yikes! 42 minutes to go. Yes, the other Mazda of Oliver Jarvis is trading paint with Montoya, and the Mazda boys are ahead once more. Montoya has to counter punch here. Nick Tandy is behind Earl Bamber. Porsche go 1-2 in GTLM. Maybe #912 needs to pit again. Tincknell has pulled out a two second lead.
Good on IMSA Race Direction, and they will let these blokes race. 40 minutes to go now. The Mazda splits the Lexus and Tincknell moves ahead. He can check out now. Ryan Dalziel is now driving with pink, fluffy slippers on to try and save fuel. Jarvis and Montoya's battle might end in tears. Tincknell runs a 1:30.2. He is clear of the Jarvis/Montoya scrap. Jarvis needs a can opener. If he sticks the thing on two wheels and runs it up the Armco he could go for it, but that's very unlikely. Ryan Dalziel is babying the Audi at the moment, running ahead of Mario Farnbacher in the Acura. But, Dalziel may need a Full Course Yellow.
Felipe Nasr takes the final pit stop for the #31 Whelen Cadillac, coming out right in front of Oliver Jarvis, as Helio Castroneves is all over Renger van der Zande. Helio Castroneves has to keep clawing his way towards Renger van der Zande as Harry Tincknell is all over the curbs, but he needs to bring it home and not push so hard, barging the curbs. Just bring it home. Hang loose, Harry. Hang loose. Don't do anything silly. Fuel and four tires for Harry Tincknell, to bring home the win. Acura #6 is headed for the lane, and the Mazda team takes a long fill. 35 seconds for the Mazda pit stop. The Mazda rear bodywork is in tatters it seems.
Stay out and do a faster lap, but Montoya is in the lane, and so is Mazda. Mazda will beat Acura out of the pit lane! Oliver Jarvis beats Juan Pablo Montoya! Wow! Mazda go 1-2. Tincknell, 190 laps, 646 miles. Mazda will likely be in the pound seats to win this thing now. 30 minutes to go if the race stays green. This will be a stormer of a motor race in the last half hour. Don't go anywhere. Earl Bamber leads GTLM, but, they might be low on fuel towards the end, leading his sister car by 21 seconds, with the Garcia/Magnussen Corvette next. Ryan Dalziel leads GTD over Mario Farnbacher and Bill Auberlen. Five and a half hours, 178 laps, 605 miles.
The next event in the WeatherTech Sports Car Championship is next weekend, putting the teams back into sprint mode, north of the border, at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport Park), next weekend. Harry Tincknell and company have to bring it home. This'll be the hardest half hour they've run since their Le Mans successes with Audi. Don't stress the car. They can go into cruise mode. 1:30 dead for Jarvis! Wow! There's nothing to gain from flying. They've got to survive 'til the end of this motor race. That's impressive, but it's madness.
Nick Tandy is not gaining at all on Earl Bamber right now in GTLM. Antonio Garcia's car, the #3, has the fastest lap in GTLM. Mike Conway and Filipe Albuquerque had the fastest lap for a Cadillac at 1:29.6. But it's been the Mazda drivers who have really shone well all day today. Oliver Jarvis now is within 2.5 seconds of his team mate with less than 20 minutes to go. Is there loose bodywork for the Mazda? This could be trouble. Mario Farnbacher is catching Ryan Dalziel for the GTD lead. Dalziel had the inside, and made the Acura go 'round the long way. 16 minutes to go and Mario Farnbacher leads. Bill Auberlen is coming, and fast.
There was some debris that was collected by Harry Tincknell's Mazda. The undertray is flapping around. Nick Tandy is 18.8 seconds behind Earl Bamber. Bamber may need a splash and a dash. Definite bodywork damage for Mazda. It's the door! Wait. What the heck is this damage? The #912 Porsche does it's splash and dash. There's a problem with the left hand sidepod on the Mazda. It's the engine cover on the left hand side! Oh dear! The whole of the left hand side of the engine covr is unfastened. They are the only Prototype to run a double sided engine cover. Everyone else uses a flush, single unit. The #8 Audi is in the lane for a splash and dash and it stalled.
They will drop outside the top ten in class, and gave it a valiant effort. Toni Vilander and Katherine Legge have been scrapping for a good while now. Mario Farnbacher is being harried by Bill Auberlen still as well. We have a recalcitrant Audi, a fussy, grumpy race car. Two seconds now in it between Tincknell and Jarvis. No time for the engine cover to be removed from Tincknell's Mazda. Will the marshals deem that safe? Will the team deem it safe? Will he be black flagged by the marshals? It isn't flapping around. It's just sitting there. Will the meatball be displayed? The meatball is the black flag with the orange dot that means someone is having a mechanical issue and must be called in to rectify it by the stewards.
Mike Conway in the #5 Cadillac is gaining on the two leaders, trying to get a lap back. The Starworks Audi #8 is running again, but they are now 12th overall. The whole of the back end of the Tincknell Mazda is flapping around. Nick Tandy and Patrick Pilet are leading GT Le Mans. The Mazda's are still there, running really close together. Jarvis gets between the two GTD cars. Mike Conway wants a lap back aboard the #5 AXR Cadillac, the Mustang Sampling car. Two laps left in this six hour motor race, ladies and gentlemen. It's crunch time, now. The two Mazda's should be OK and might still win this race. Porsche #912 is back in pit lane. They will retain the GTLM points lead but the points will be close.
Right front tire trouble for the Porsche. This team has run 192 laps (653 miles). White flag this time by. 3.4 miles to go, and an extraordinarily long journey, for Mazda, and Mazda have dominated, with the smallest engine car in Daytona Prototype International. Harry Tincknell and Oliver Jarvis are in flying team formation, and Mazda is going go 1-2 at get the win at Watkins Glen! All of the class winners are going to be really, really close. Montoya has closed up but it won't be enough. Now, the GTLM traffic is ahead, and the GTLM cars are getting an extra lap. Mazda breaks the curse! They've won in IMSA! Mazda Team Joest are the champions!
MSR wins GT Daytona by 6/10ths of a second! It was 3/10ths in Prototype. Tandy is struggling! He's got understeer. What is he going to do? Can he survive? I think so. He has to get other cars out of his way. Garcia is coming! He's right on the Porsche, but the Porsche is going to get it! Porsche wins GTLM! Brumos colors, victorious at Watkins Glen! Porsche wins on the anniversary of Hurley Haywood winning for them, here. GT Daytona honors go the way of Acura, and the #86 MSR Acura NSX GT3 of Mario Farnbacher, Trent Hindman, and Justin Marks.
Overall/DPi: #55 Bomarito/Tincknell/Pla Mazda RT24P
GT Le Mans: #911 Tandy/Pilet Porsche 911 RSR
GT Daytona: #86 Farnbacher/Hindman/Marks Acura NSX GT3
The next race, is north of the border, going back into sprint mode, up in Canada, at the legendary Mosport Park, (called Canadian Tire Motorsport Park these days), for a 2 hour and 40 minute encounter, next weekend. One more endurance race left, the Petit Le Mans, which is the finale of the 2019 IMSA season, coming up in October.
Sunday, June 30, 2019
6 Hours of Watkins Glen: Hour 5
Tristan Nunez cannot get past Joao Barbosa. Nunez tries going inside Joao Barbosa. No dice. Blue flags being waved to Barbosa. Barbosa slides past the Acura. This may be getting annoying and dangerous. Barbosa has to play by the rules it seems. He is defending a position, but he's a couple laps down. Michelin tires has switched to different types and compounds of tires, for this circuit and for the rest of the summer stretch for IMSA. Tristan Nunez pitted the Mazda from the lead, handing over to Oliver Jarvis. Antonio Garcia has regained the GTLM lead from Laurens Vanthoor. Higher temperatures and tracks with higher loads, will be factors on tires for Michelin.
We now have an hour and 45 minutes to go. Ford is trying to make this race work on one less stop than their competition. Mario Farnbacher leads Katherine Legge in an Acura 1-2 in GTD. Track records are being shattered this weekend here at Watkins Glen as Laurens Vanthoor brings the Porsche in as Earl Bamber takes over in the dynamic duo known as #Bamthoor. The Porsche screams out of the pit lane. The leading Mazda is in for fuel and tires, and no driver change. There's a windshield tear off coming off the car. Antonio Garcia is now in the pit lane after the team's crude pit signals with an old fashioned pit board. No dancing. Hold the board steady.
They are reassessing Antonio's helmet. Garcia has to memorize these instructions with the radio as the Corvette thunders out of pit lane. Porsche might just hold onto the lead in GTLM. Patrick Pilet comes through with Tom Blomqvist behind. Pilet and Blomqvist also both need to stop in the pit lane. Olivier Pla pitted and resumed back in the race lead. Oliver Jarvis is in the #77 Mazda, and Olivier Pla in the #55, which leads by 9.2 seconds. Dane Cameron is next in the #6 Acura, followed by Jordan Taylor. Earl Bamber is going to take the Porsche to the flag. Oliver Jarvis has made his way past Filipe Albuquerque.
Mario Farnbacher leads team mate Katherine Legge, followed by Scott Hargrove and Robby Foley, and then, Christopher Mies has taken over the Montaplast by Land Audi, and Jack Hawksworth completes the top six in class in the #14 AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus. Andrew Evans nails one of the Porsche's. That's actually contact between Tom Blomqvist and the #38 Performance Tech LMP2 car, Andrew Evans at the wheel of it. The two Oliver's have exchanged places at Mazda. No risks are necessary. Mario Farnbacher makes a clean pit stop in the #86 MSR Acura. They will have just one pit stop remaining before the race ends.
We have an hour and a half left in this race as the #38 car continues to fall behind #52. Parker Chase has a lurid moment, and has the leader of the race right behind. An hour and a half left. 1/4 of the event remaining. The Mazda's are back into their quicker lap time zone. Oliver Jarvis 1:30.5-1:31.4 is the range of lap time over the last few laps. Car #38 is stopped dead stick. Acura Team Penske, one of their cars is in the lane and the best of the Cadillac's is the #10 WTR machine. Porsche and Ford are scrapping it out in GTLM. Mario Farnbacher resumes at the top of the tree in GTD. Andrew Evans is still trundling around with issues.
Corvette is still having issues with the radio. Antonio Garcia has to pit now, and we have a Full Course Yellow. Nick Tandy will take over the #911 Porsche. Both Ford GT's in the lane, and tires are being bolted on. Dirk Mueller takes over from Joey Hand. We are under yellow. Antonio Garcia made it in before the pit lane closed. Again, we are under yellow right now. IMSA and the ACO will continue to work together. They don't always agree on everything. FIA WEC will go with Hypercar. They have a minimum threshold of what they want. The new generation DPi car is being worked on and developed. There's potential that they could coexist. The final regs for both types of sports car racing, still need to be confirmed.
IMSA's whole package has gone really from strength to strength. Stay tuned for the Michelin Pilot Challenge race, coming up soon. Both Mazda's are in the pit lane. The 2020 IMSA calendar and more news will be announced, as is tradition, by Road America. Stability and predictability is wanted. Prototype pit stops have happened. Juan Montoya, Renger van der Zande, and Helio Castroneves all come out at the same time, and Harry Tincknell leapfrogs Oliver Jarvis at Mazda. AXR is going to regain at least one of their laps, for both cars. Now, the GTLM chaps are in the lane. Porsche is going for fuel only. Fuel only for Corvette #3, and BMW #25, and then, the #24 BMW is taking on fuel and tires, both. Top off the fuel tanks, look ahead to the end of the motor race.
We have one more stop to look forward to. One Porsche, and two Ford's, both of them, stayed out. Cadillac #5 gets the wave around, and will be able to get fuel. Filipe Albuquerque will stay behind the wheel, and there's some scuffing on the rear fender. The clip is sprung on the bodywork. The rear deck is OK. They will need tape, probably, but it seems to be in order. Juan Pablo Montoya has control of the field. This race has been a cakewalk for Mazda up until now. Juan Pablo Montoya is indeed on the scene here, look. 1:31.3 is best lap for the Acura #6, and the Mazda's are still two seconds faster at 1:29. Renger van der Zande and Helio Castroneves are still contenders. Porsche leads Ford in GT Le Mans.
It is Acura, Acura, Audi, Lexus, BMW in GTD. Montoya gently builds speed on the restart. Montoya does not have to defend, as they heat the tires. Juncos Cadillac defends on the inside. Felipe Nasr wants by Will Owen. Harry Tincknell and Oliver Jarvis are bearing down on Montoya! Harry Tincknell has a great run through the esses, but he's on the wrong side of the road for the Inner Loop, trying to pass Montoya. No dice. Montoya shuts the door in the Brit's face. Filipe Albuquerque gets a drive through penalty for passing under yellow. Townsend Bell, too, no safety belts on after the driver change.
BMW in the lane, and Connor De Philippi can't see. The bonnet is off. Oh dear! There's a fire in the lane at BMW! The fuel ignited, and it's game over for BMW Team RLL! Dear me! Thank goodness for efficient marshaling by the emergency crews.
We now have an hour and 45 minutes to go. Ford is trying to make this race work on one less stop than their competition. Mario Farnbacher leads Katherine Legge in an Acura 1-2 in GTD. Track records are being shattered this weekend here at Watkins Glen as Laurens Vanthoor brings the Porsche in as Earl Bamber takes over in the dynamic duo known as #Bamthoor. The Porsche screams out of the pit lane. The leading Mazda is in for fuel and tires, and no driver change. There's a windshield tear off coming off the car. Antonio Garcia is now in the pit lane after the team's crude pit signals with an old fashioned pit board. No dancing. Hold the board steady.
They are reassessing Antonio's helmet. Garcia has to memorize these instructions with the radio as the Corvette thunders out of pit lane. Porsche might just hold onto the lead in GTLM. Patrick Pilet comes through with Tom Blomqvist behind. Pilet and Blomqvist also both need to stop in the pit lane. Olivier Pla pitted and resumed back in the race lead. Oliver Jarvis is in the #77 Mazda, and Olivier Pla in the #55, which leads by 9.2 seconds. Dane Cameron is next in the #6 Acura, followed by Jordan Taylor. Earl Bamber is going to take the Porsche to the flag. Oliver Jarvis has made his way past Filipe Albuquerque.
Mario Farnbacher leads team mate Katherine Legge, followed by Scott Hargrove and Robby Foley, and then, Christopher Mies has taken over the Montaplast by Land Audi, and Jack Hawksworth completes the top six in class in the #14 AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus. Andrew Evans nails one of the Porsche's. That's actually contact between Tom Blomqvist and the #38 Performance Tech LMP2 car, Andrew Evans at the wheel of it. The two Oliver's have exchanged places at Mazda. No risks are necessary. Mario Farnbacher makes a clean pit stop in the #86 MSR Acura. They will have just one pit stop remaining before the race ends.
We have an hour and a half left in this race as the #38 car continues to fall behind #52. Parker Chase has a lurid moment, and has the leader of the race right behind. An hour and a half left. 1/4 of the event remaining. The Mazda's are back into their quicker lap time zone. Oliver Jarvis 1:30.5-1:31.4 is the range of lap time over the last few laps. Car #38 is stopped dead stick. Acura Team Penske, one of their cars is in the lane and the best of the Cadillac's is the #10 WTR machine. Porsche and Ford are scrapping it out in GTLM. Mario Farnbacher resumes at the top of the tree in GTD. Andrew Evans is still trundling around with issues.
Corvette is still having issues with the radio. Antonio Garcia has to pit now, and we have a Full Course Yellow. Nick Tandy will take over the #911 Porsche. Both Ford GT's in the lane, and tires are being bolted on. Dirk Mueller takes over from Joey Hand. We are under yellow. Antonio Garcia made it in before the pit lane closed. Again, we are under yellow right now. IMSA and the ACO will continue to work together. They don't always agree on everything. FIA WEC will go with Hypercar. They have a minimum threshold of what they want. The new generation DPi car is being worked on and developed. There's potential that they could coexist. The final regs for both types of sports car racing, still need to be confirmed.
IMSA's whole package has gone really from strength to strength. Stay tuned for the Michelin Pilot Challenge race, coming up soon. Both Mazda's are in the pit lane. The 2020 IMSA calendar and more news will be announced, as is tradition, by Road America. Stability and predictability is wanted. Prototype pit stops have happened. Juan Montoya, Renger van der Zande, and Helio Castroneves all come out at the same time, and Harry Tincknell leapfrogs Oliver Jarvis at Mazda. AXR is going to regain at least one of their laps, for both cars. Now, the GTLM chaps are in the lane. Porsche is going for fuel only. Fuel only for Corvette #3, and BMW #25, and then, the #24 BMW is taking on fuel and tires, both. Top off the fuel tanks, look ahead to the end of the motor race.
We have one more stop to look forward to. One Porsche, and two Ford's, both of them, stayed out. Cadillac #5 gets the wave around, and will be able to get fuel. Filipe Albuquerque will stay behind the wheel, and there's some scuffing on the rear fender. The clip is sprung on the bodywork. The rear deck is OK. They will need tape, probably, but it seems to be in order. Juan Pablo Montoya has control of the field. This race has been a cakewalk for Mazda up until now. Juan Pablo Montoya is indeed on the scene here, look. 1:31.3 is best lap for the Acura #6, and the Mazda's are still two seconds faster at 1:29. Renger van der Zande and Helio Castroneves are still contenders. Porsche leads Ford in GT Le Mans.
It is Acura, Acura, Audi, Lexus, BMW in GTD. Montoya gently builds speed on the restart. Montoya does not have to defend, as they heat the tires. Juncos Cadillac defends on the inside. Felipe Nasr wants by Will Owen. Harry Tincknell and Oliver Jarvis are bearing down on Montoya! Harry Tincknell has a great run through the esses, but he's on the wrong side of the road for the Inner Loop, trying to pass Montoya. No dice. Montoya shuts the door in the Brit's face. Filipe Albuquerque gets a drive through penalty for passing under yellow. Townsend Bell, too, no safety belts on after the driver change.
BMW in the lane, and Connor De Philippi can't see. The bonnet is off. Oh dear! There's a fire in the lane at BMW! The fuel ignited, and it's game over for BMW Team RLL! Dear me! Thank goodness for efficient marshaling by the emergency crews.
6 Hours of Watkins Glen: Hour 4
We are into the second half of this motor race. Trouble for the #73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 RSR. Nick Boulle says the car has been losing power since the start of the race. Patrick Lindsey is driving at the moment. The #7 Acura is in the lane. A full service stop, and no driver change. 21 laps on this most recent stint for Helio Castroneves. There's still half of this race remaining. Both of the Porsche 911 RSR's have come to life here. Game over it seems for Park Place Motorsports. They lost a right hand side mirror off the car, and now their issues are going from bad to worse. Toni Vilander has brought the #63 Ferrari 488 to the pit lane. Ricky Feller goes back to the lead, followed by Townsend Bell and Bea Figueredo.
In from the lead, comes Jonathan Bomarito in the #55 Mazda. Olivier Pla has taken over the Mazda, and there's lots of pit stops happening. Cadillac's #10 and #84 are in, and so is the #6 Acura. Chris Miller goes into the #84 "Banana Boat". Cooper MacNeil is at the wheel of the #63 WeatherTech Ferrari 488 GT3. Jordan Taylor takes the race lead briefly in the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac. No weather worries here at Watkins Glen. The weather is perfect. Jan Magnussen is keeping an eye out for the two Porsche's ahead. The screaming flat six Porsche's, the rumbling Corvette's, and the whispering BMW's are definitely racing each other. That battle, is surely on the boil at the moment. Only one Corvette still running, just the #3. The #4 Corvette has come a cropper twice in two weeks. Don't forget Marcel Fassler's massive wreck at Le Mans, smashing into a concrete barrier after skidding into the gravel trap in the Porsche Curves.
Magnussen has closed up on Vanthoor. Both Porsche's are being warned by the stewards about track limits. The GT Daytona scrap is still hot and heavy, too. Townsend Bell and now, Jack Hawksworth, both of them are flying. We have just over the standard distance of an IMSA sprint race left to go in this event. Mazda's continue to dominate at the sharp end. Tristan Nunez and Olivier Pla are the current drivers, slicing and dicing through GTLM traffic. Oh dear. Trouble for the #54 CORE Autosport Nissan. He's stopped between turn eight and nine, after the Carousel. It looks as though the Nissan is busted. It's toast. It's game over for CORE Autosport. They'll have to try again at Mosport next weekend. The Nissan has no ballast, and it has that big twin turbo V6, a GT3 spec engine from the Nissan GT-R.
Pit stop time here, look, for Porsche, Corvette, and BMW. Laurens Vanthoor takes fuel and tires. Antonio Garcia gets into the #3 Corvette. Fuel and tires for BMW and it seems Jesse Krohn stayed in the car. The Nissan is out of the way, off the racing surface, and it is no place near the short chute, the NASCAR short chute. Loss of drive. No mas. Game over for the Nissan chaps. No real need for Full Course Yellow it seems. Mazda #77 is back in. It's a scheduled stop after a 24 lap stint. The #7 Acura is still somewhat in contention. Dane Cameron will take over for Juan Pablo Montoya. Time for lunch and ice cream for JPM.
The #31 Cadillac is in for service. Felipe Nasr is into the car. They've completed their driver rotation. Ricardo Feller makes a scheduled pit stop for fuel and for tires. Olivier Pla and Tristan Nunez continue leading this race. Olivier Pla has a decent cushion over the sister Mazda at the moment. Olivier Pla has been running in the 1:32-1:33 range as of late. No mistakes. Six hours is a long race around this track. Team Penske elected to run their usual two driver lineups. The #10 Cadillac and the #50 Cadillac have both also elected to run with just two drivers as opposed to three. Meanwhile, in LMP2, things seem to be working well for Eric Lux. Eric Lux describes driving the new LMP2 cars like "playing a video game that is painful." He is happy to have his team mates, Gabriel Aubry and Matt McMurry.
Gabriel Aubry will be next into the car, replacing Matt McMurry. Now, we have some drama. An incident here, look, into turn one. Helio Castroneves has been delayed by some type of shemozzle in turn one. It was Matt McMurry, and he still has the class lead in LMP2, in which just two cars are entered. Helio Castroneves should be into the pit lane, very soon. The marshals will be looking at his move on McMurry. No action from the stewards. Ricky Taylor is taking over Acura #7 as they are in the pit lane for scheduled full service, and they're back underway. Lexus in GTD are also in the lane. Slow left rear tire stop on the Lexus for AIM Vasser Sullivan, look. Montecalvo squeals the tires back onto the speedway.
Olivier Pla is picking up the pace. He has completed 126 laps, 428 miles, and has blistered the track with another fast lap at 1:29.657. Olivier Pla, the same bloke we speak of, he's broken his own lap record here at WGIR. Nick Tandy leads GTLM only by 7/10ths of a second. Olivier Pla stays at the wheel. A new, chilled drink bottle, four new tires, and a full fuel load for Pla. He is on full tanks, but the new tires will work out pretty well. PR1/Mathiasen also in the lane. Trent Hindman is chasing Bea Figueredo right now. Lars Kern is third, 30 second in-arrears. Cooper MacNeil and Ricky Feller are next up. Pla just ran a 22 lap stint. That's been the regular stint length for the blokes at Mazda. Katherine Legge takes over the #57 MSR Caterpillar Acura, from Bea Figueredo. Team principal Jackie Heinricher, who also runs it with Mike Shank, is not here this weekend.
Ooh. Some argy bargy, as Joao Barbosa gets chopped by Tom Blomqvist in the #25 BMW M8 GT. Barbosa actually swept into the braking area where Blomqvist had the right of way. Blomqvist is in the lane. Connor De Philippi changes the water bottle in the car, and Blomqvist is back in. Chris Miller takes the #84 "Banana Boat" back on track, and the #10 Cadillac also pits. The #44 Lamborghini has had damage, and carbon fiber is torn away. The #540 Black Swan Porsche pitted as well. Andy Lally is at the wheel of the Magnus Lamborghini. Joao Barbosa slides sideways. The Mazda's nimbleness seems to be working on this track compared to the larger bulk of the Cadillac DPi-V.R.
Corvette Racing and CORE Autosport, as well as the Keating Motorsports Mercedes, and the Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini, it is game over for all these teams as the attrition rate is taking it's toll with just over two hours remaining in this motor race. Tristan Nunez is in conservation mode while his team mate is storming around at the moment. Nunez is being circumspect, not forcing the issue with the #5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac. There has been an aerodynamic imbalance and a teeth shattering shudder for the #540 Black Swan Racing Porsche 911 GT3R of Marc Miller, Marco Seefried, and Dirk Werner.
Porsche #911 is in the lane. Both Mazda's are being held up by Joao Barbosa. The gap between the two Mazda's is closing. Joao Barbosa is trying his best to keep from going two laps down to the leading Mazda duo. Tristan Nunez realizes discretion is the better part of valor. Aerodynamics are more important than horsepower at Watkins Glen. The Cadillac is a very aerodynamically efficient car. 138 laps, 469 miles now in the books. 1:33.7 the lap time for the top cars. We're headed for the last 1/3rd of this motor race. Cooper MacNeil is leading GT Daytona over Ricky Feller and Mario Farnbacher, followed by Katherine Legge.
Dirk Mueller leads Ryan Briscoe at Ford in GTLM, with Laurens Vanthoor in third spot. In LMP2, Gabriel Aubry is leading in the #52 PR1/Mathiasen car. Tristan Nunez and Olivier Pla are half a second apart, followed by Acura and the #10 Cadillac. Both GTLM Ford's are in the lane together. The two Taylor brothers, who used to be team mates, are a full minute now behind Dane Cameron. Tristan Nunez is still being held up by the #5 Cadillac. We've seen some driver changes on these pit stops as the race continues.
In from the lead, comes Jonathan Bomarito in the #55 Mazda. Olivier Pla has taken over the Mazda, and there's lots of pit stops happening. Cadillac's #10 and #84 are in, and so is the #6 Acura. Chris Miller goes into the #84 "Banana Boat". Cooper MacNeil is at the wheel of the #63 WeatherTech Ferrari 488 GT3. Jordan Taylor takes the race lead briefly in the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac. No weather worries here at Watkins Glen. The weather is perfect. Jan Magnussen is keeping an eye out for the two Porsche's ahead. The screaming flat six Porsche's, the rumbling Corvette's, and the whispering BMW's are definitely racing each other. That battle, is surely on the boil at the moment. Only one Corvette still running, just the #3. The #4 Corvette has come a cropper twice in two weeks. Don't forget Marcel Fassler's massive wreck at Le Mans, smashing into a concrete barrier after skidding into the gravel trap in the Porsche Curves.
Magnussen has closed up on Vanthoor. Both Porsche's are being warned by the stewards about track limits. The GT Daytona scrap is still hot and heavy, too. Townsend Bell and now, Jack Hawksworth, both of them are flying. We have just over the standard distance of an IMSA sprint race left to go in this event. Mazda's continue to dominate at the sharp end. Tristan Nunez and Olivier Pla are the current drivers, slicing and dicing through GTLM traffic. Oh dear. Trouble for the #54 CORE Autosport Nissan. He's stopped between turn eight and nine, after the Carousel. It looks as though the Nissan is busted. It's toast. It's game over for CORE Autosport. They'll have to try again at Mosport next weekend. The Nissan has no ballast, and it has that big twin turbo V6, a GT3 spec engine from the Nissan GT-R.
Pit stop time here, look, for Porsche, Corvette, and BMW. Laurens Vanthoor takes fuel and tires. Antonio Garcia gets into the #3 Corvette. Fuel and tires for BMW and it seems Jesse Krohn stayed in the car. The Nissan is out of the way, off the racing surface, and it is no place near the short chute, the NASCAR short chute. Loss of drive. No mas. Game over for the Nissan chaps. No real need for Full Course Yellow it seems. Mazda #77 is back in. It's a scheduled stop after a 24 lap stint. The #7 Acura is still somewhat in contention. Dane Cameron will take over for Juan Pablo Montoya. Time for lunch and ice cream for JPM.
The #31 Cadillac is in for service. Felipe Nasr is into the car. They've completed their driver rotation. Ricardo Feller makes a scheduled pit stop for fuel and for tires. Olivier Pla and Tristan Nunez continue leading this race. Olivier Pla has a decent cushion over the sister Mazda at the moment. Olivier Pla has been running in the 1:32-1:33 range as of late. No mistakes. Six hours is a long race around this track. Team Penske elected to run their usual two driver lineups. The #10 Cadillac and the #50 Cadillac have both also elected to run with just two drivers as opposed to three. Meanwhile, in LMP2, things seem to be working well for Eric Lux. Eric Lux describes driving the new LMP2 cars like "playing a video game that is painful." He is happy to have his team mates, Gabriel Aubry and Matt McMurry.
Gabriel Aubry will be next into the car, replacing Matt McMurry. Now, we have some drama. An incident here, look, into turn one. Helio Castroneves has been delayed by some type of shemozzle in turn one. It was Matt McMurry, and he still has the class lead in LMP2, in which just two cars are entered. Helio Castroneves should be into the pit lane, very soon. The marshals will be looking at his move on McMurry. No action from the stewards. Ricky Taylor is taking over Acura #7 as they are in the pit lane for scheduled full service, and they're back underway. Lexus in GTD are also in the lane. Slow left rear tire stop on the Lexus for AIM Vasser Sullivan, look. Montecalvo squeals the tires back onto the speedway.
Olivier Pla is picking up the pace. He has completed 126 laps, 428 miles, and has blistered the track with another fast lap at 1:29.657. Olivier Pla, the same bloke we speak of, he's broken his own lap record here at WGIR. Nick Tandy leads GTLM only by 7/10ths of a second. Olivier Pla stays at the wheel. A new, chilled drink bottle, four new tires, and a full fuel load for Pla. He is on full tanks, but the new tires will work out pretty well. PR1/Mathiasen also in the lane. Trent Hindman is chasing Bea Figueredo right now. Lars Kern is third, 30 second in-arrears. Cooper MacNeil and Ricky Feller are next up. Pla just ran a 22 lap stint. That's been the regular stint length for the blokes at Mazda. Katherine Legge takes over the #57 MSR Caterpillar Acura, from Bea Figueredo. Team principal Jackie Heinricher, who also runs it with Mike Shank, is not here this weekend.
Ooh. Some argy bargy, as Joao Barbosa gets chopped by Tom Blomqvist in the #25 BMW M8 GT. Barbosa actually swept into the braking area where Blomqvist had the right of way. Blomqvist is in the lane. Connor De Philippi changes the water bottle in the car, and Blomqvist is back in. Chris Miller takes the #84 "Banana Boat" back on track, and the #10 Cadillac also pits. The #44 Lamborghini has had damage, and carbon fiber is torn away. The #540 Black Swan Porsche pitted as well. Andy Lally is at the wheel of the Magnus Lamborghini. Joao Barbosa slides sideways. The Mazda's nimbleness seems to be working on this track compared to the larger bulk of the Cadillac DPi-V.R.
Corvette Racing and CORE Autosport, as well as the Keating Motorsports Mercedes, and the Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini, it is game over for all these teams as the attrition rate is taking it's toll with just over two hours remaining in this motor race. Tristan Nunez is in conservation mode while his team mate is storming around at the moment. Nunez is being circumspect, not forcing the issue with the #5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac. There has been an aerodynamic imbalance and a teeth shattering shudder for the #540 Black Swan Racing Porsche 911 GT3R of Marc Miller, Marco Seefried, and Dirk Werner.
Porsche #911 is in the lane. Both Mazda's are being held up by Joao Barbosa. The gap between the two Mazda's is closing. Joao Barbosa is trying his best to keep from going two laps down to the leading Mazda duo. Tristan Nunez realizes discretion is the better part of valor. Aerodynamics are more important than horsepower at Watkins Glen. The Cadillac is a very aerodynamically efficient car. 138 laps, 469 miles now in the books. 1:33.7 the lap time for the top cars. We're headed for the last 1/3rd of this motor race. Cooper MacNeil is leading GT Daytona over Ricky Feller and Mario Farnbacher, followed by Katherine Legge.
Dirk Mueller leads Ryan Briscoe at Ford in GTLM, with Laurens Vanthoor in third spot. In LMP2, Gabriel Aubry is leading in the #52 PR1/Mathiasen car. Tristan Nunez and Olivier Pla are half a second apart, followed by Acura and the #10 Cadillac. Both GTLM Ford's are in the lane together. The two Taylor brothers, who used to be team mates, are a full minute now behind Dane Cameron. Tristan Nunez is still being held up by the #5 Cadillac. We've seen some driver changes on these pit stops as the race continues.
6 Hours of Watkins Glen: Hour 3
We are starting the third hour of this race. At the end of this one, we'll be halfway home. Trent Hindman says he and MSR have been guessing on setups, but the Acura NSX GT3 is running well at the moment. Mario Farnbacher is going to be next into the car, possibly. Our leader at Mazda has run 70 laps, 238 miles. Pipo Derani and Mike Conway are ahead of the Mazda's, but, not for position. The AXR cars may be holding up the Mazda. There's still almost four hours remaining in the race. The Acura's are third and fourth, Castroneves in #7, Montoya in #6. Timo Bernhard now hits the pit lane. He will stay in the car, for a second stint or so it appears. New tires ready for Mazda. He is getting a fresh drink bottle and there is a new data card going into the car.
A quick, efficient pit stop for Mazda Team Joest. Mike Conway is back on the lead lap, and the #31 car is still a lap down to the leaders. Dumas, Owen, and Derani are all a lap down, but Conway is on the lead lap for the moment. Justin Marks and Aaron Telitz are scrapping for third in GT Daytona, and Toni Vilander is in the pound seats as well. Corey Lewis is laps down in the Army tank Lamborghini. Justin Marks may get dusted by Lewis here. Lewis wants the place. The leading Mazda comes through this pack. That's the second place Mazda, Timo Bernhard still driving. Helio Castroneves and Juan Pablo Montoya are catching the Mazda's steadily.
Bea Figueredo is next up in GTD and Lars Kern is coming fast as well. Cory Lewis wants a lap back and has to pass all of these aforementioned cars and drivers. Lewis is being harried by Vilander who goes around Aaron Telitz. Wow. The Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini has a lot of pace! Last of the late brakers, and nearly contact between Telitz and Lewis! Lars Kern drops a wheel in avoidance. Kern is a brave driver, who holds the road car record around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Figueredo may have gotten by, but no, this is the wrong Acura. That's Justin Marks who passed Aaron Telitz, but has since dropped down the order a bit in GTD. The #31 Cadillac has been passed by Jonathan Bomarito, and Mike Conway is next. He just turned his car's fastest lap of the race.
The Ford's have pace in GTLM. It's mega close for all the cars. All eight cars are separated by 11 seconds on track, but nothing in terms of their competitiveness. Corey Lewis has a problem. Side by side stuff for Penske Acura! Castroneves just hangs on over Montoya! Jonathan Bomarito has not been able to make the same kind of a gap over the rest of the field. #77 pitted out of sequence half a dozen laps ago. The Paul Miller Lamborghini is in the lane, the car has been fueled, and they are looking at the telemetry and the engine. Engine trouble could be imminent for this automobile. There's another race, next weekend, next Sunday. In comes the #31 Cadillac, and he runs over something heading into the lane.
Lamborghini #48 is heading back to the garage, with just over three and a half hours left in this motor race. Everyone except Corvette #4 is in contention in GT Le Mans at this point. Richard Westbrook had an issue with a loose steering column a little earlier. Bomarito leads the motor race over Helio Castroneves and Juan Montoya. Mike Conway in the lane for service. New tires for the #5 Cadillac. The #55 Mazda isn't as quick as it was earlier. Don't overextend the pace. We're half a hour short of the halfway mark in this motor race. The Acura's are carving their way through the GTLM scrum, and both Penske Acura's hit the pit lane. They almost ran into each other! Yikes! The #6 car has a far quicker stop than does #7. The Land Motorsport Audi is in the lane. Daniel Morad, out, and Ricardo "Ricky" Feller, is in the car. New tires, fuel, and a clean windscreen. Ricardo Feller gets his first taste of competition at Watkins Glen.
Jonathan Bomarito has pitted and so has Jordan Taylor, allowing Timo Bernhard to cycle back to the lead of the motor race. Mazda has made a very quick, efficient stop. Watkins Glen is a very smooth, very high grip circuit. There's a big scrap now in DPi at the head of the field as Jonathan Bomarito is just barely ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya. Helio Castroneves is keeping a watching brief at the moment. There's smoke on the downshifts into the Inner Loop from the Mazda, and Jan Magnussen leads GTLM over both BMW's, now with Earl Bamber in the Porsche 911 RSR in fourth in class. BMW leads GT Daytona by three seconds over Ferrari and Lexus. Acura is next again. Cameron Cassels still leads LMP2.
But of course, there are just two LMP2 cars in the motor race, and the Corvette goes outside of the #25 BMW M8 GT. Jan Magnussen pulls off a good pass into the Inner Loop. Magnussen leads in class in GT Le Mans. Blomqvist and Jesse Krohn are 3/10ths apart. Colin Braun has the CORE Autosport Nissan seventh overall. Acura #6 is trying to get past the #5 Cadillac, who is between that car and the Mazda. Mike Conway is down a lap another time, and the #31 car is now three laps down. We've had just one safety car, nearly halfway through this race. We'll be half done here in another 20 minutes. BMW pits from third in class in GTLM, for Jesse Krohn. New tires going on the car. Jesse Krohn will stay in the car.
The #12 Lexus pits. Aaron Telitz out, and Townsend Bell into the car. Connor De Philippi did the drinks bottle on the BMW, but did not get into the car. Tom Blomqvist is still in the car. This is the 37th running of the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen. Bruno Giacomelli in the Alfa Romeo Formula 1 car was running 1:32-1:33 in the final Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in 1981. The Scheckter chicane is not here anymore, and the Bus Stop chicane was only introduced in 1992. IndyCar raced here in 2016 and 2017, and the lap times exceeded Formula 1 by ten seconds, and the DPi cars are even faster, and the sports cars of course are a lot heavier and have a lot more downforce.
The original character of this track, after it was first rebuilt in 1971, hasn't diminished. There is no room at Watkins Glen for modern paved runoff areas. There's Armco barriers and sod. IndyCar, IMSA, and other championships have been here. Circuit of the Americas is the same distance as WGIR, 3.4 miles. Bill Auberlen has had some argy bargy, and a left rear tire puncture. The tire popped, but there's no damage to the suspension. Tristan Nunez is now driving the #77 Mazda. Toni Vilander and Justin Marks pitted. Mario Farnbacher took over the #86 Acura, and more pit work for Corvette #3 and Porsche #912.
Reinhold Joest, Jo Siffert, and Brian Redman, won here in a Porsche 908, 50 years ago. Could Joest hang on to win a race here again, half a century later? There was sure contact between Bill Auberlen and the JDC-Miller "Banana Boat" Cadillac, one of them. Could there be a doubleheader with IndyCar and IMSA here at Watkins Glen? We'll find out. Juan Pablo Montoya has pitted the #6 Acura. He stayed on the road for 14 laps between his pit stops, while Mazda ran a 25 lap stint. Fuel and tires, and no driver change, for both Ford GT's. Ryan Briscoe moves first. Nick Tandy is going to take the lead in GTLM. Tandy leads Vanthoor in GTLM over Magnussen, Blomqvist, and Krohn, followed by the Ford boys.
100 laps, 340 miles run in this motor race so far by the two Mazda's leading. Corvette #4 is being worked on, with the backup car, fixing the car to go up to Canada next weekend. In a couple weeks, we will find out the announcement of the new C-8-R- race car for Corvette. It will be unveiled in Bowling Green, Kentucky, at the museum, next to the factory. Cadillac #5 is in the pit lane. Mike Conway gets out, and the car will be taken over by Joao Barbosa.
A quick, efficient pit stop for Mazda Team Joest. Mike Conway is back on the lead lap, and the #31 car is still a lap down to the leaders. Dumas, Owen, and Derani are all a lap down, but Conway is on the lead lap for the moment. Justin Marks and Aaron Telitz are scrapping for third in GT Daytona, and Toni Vilander is in the pound seats as well. Corey Lewis is laps down in the Army tank Lamborghini. Justin Marks may get dusted by Lewis here. Lewis wants the place. The leading Mazda comes through this pack. That's the second place Mazda, Timo Bernhard still driving. Helio Castroneves and Juan Pablo Montoya are catching the Mazda's steadily.
Bea Figueredo is next up in GTD and Lars Kern is coming fast as well. Cory Lewis wants a lap back and has to pass all of these aforementioned cars and drivers. Lewis is being harried by Vilander who goes around Aaron Telitz. Wow. The Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini has a lot of pace! Last of the late brakers, and nearly contact between Telitz and Lewis! Lars Kern drops a wheel in avoidance. Kern is a brave driver, who holds the road car record around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Figueredo may have gotten by, but no, this is the wrong Acura. That's Justin Marks who passed Aaron Telitz, but has since dropped down the order a bit in GTD. The #31 Cadillac has been passed by Jonathan Bomarito, and Mike Conway is next. He just turned his car's fastest lap of the race.
The Ford's have pace in GTLM. It's mega close for all the cars. All eight cars are separated by 11 seconds on track, but nothing in terms of their competitiveness. Corey Lewis has a problem. Side by side stuff for Penske Acura! Castroneves just hangs on over Montoya! Jonathan Bomarito has not been able to make the same kind of a gap over the rest of the field. #77 pitted out of sequence half a dozen laps ago. The Paul Miller Lamborghini is in the lane, the car has been fueled, and they are looking at the telemetry and the engine. Engine trouble could be imminent for this automobile. There's another race, next weekend, next Sunday. In comes the #31 Cadillac, and he runs over something heading into the lane.
Lamborghini #48 is heading back to the garage, with just over three and a half hours left in this motor race. Everyone except Corvette #4 is in contention in GT Le Mans at this point. Richard Westbrook had an issue with a loose steering column a little earlier. Bomarito leads the motor race over Helio Castroneves and Juan Montoya. Mike Conway in the lane for service. New tires for the #5 Cadillac. The #55 Mazda isn't as quick as it was earlier. Don't overextend the pace. We're half a hour short of the halfway mark in this motor race. The Acura's are carving their way through the GTLM scrum, and both Penske Acura's hit the pit lane. They almost ran into each other! Yikes! The #6 car has a far quicker stop than does #7. The Land Motorsport Audi is in the lane. Daniel Morad, out, and Ricardo "Ricky" Feller, is in the car. New tires, fuel, and a clean windscreen. Ricardo Feller gets his first taste of competition at Watkins Glen.
Jonathan Bomarito has pitted and so has Jordan Taylor, allowing Timo Bernhard to cycle back to the lead of the motor race. Mazda has made a very quick, efficient stop. Watkins Glen is a very smooth, very high grip circuit. There's a big scrap now in DPi at the head of the field as Jonathan Bomarito is just barely ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya. Helio Castroneves is keeping a watching brief at the moment. There's smoke on the downshifts into the Inner Loop from the Mazda, and Jan Magnussen leads GTLM over both BMW's, now with Earl Bamber in the Porsche 911 RSR in fourth in class. BMW leads GT Daytona by three seconds over Ferrari and Lexus. Acura is next again. Cameron Cassels still leads LMP2.
But of course, there are just two LMP2 cars in the motor race, and the Corvette goes outside of the #25 BMW M8 GT. Jan Magnussen pulls off a good pass into the Inner Loop. Magnussen leads in class in GT Le Mans. Blomqvist and Jesse Krohn are 3/10ths apart. Colin Braun has the CORE Autosport Nissan seventh overall. Acura #6 is trying to get past the #5 Cadillac, who is between that car and the Mazda. Mike Conway is down a lap another time, and the #31 car is now three laps down. We've had just one safety car, nearly halfway through this race. We'll be half done here in another 20 minutes. BMW pits from third in class in GTLM, for Jesse Krohn. New tires going on the car. Jesse Krohn will stay in the car.
The #12 Lexus pits. Aaron Telitz out, and Townsend Bell into the car. Connor De Philippi did the drinks bottle on the BMW, but did not get into the car. Tom Blomqvist is still in the car. This is the 37th running of the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen. Bruno Giacomelli in the Alfa Romeo Formula 1 car was running 1:32-1:33 in the final Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in 1981. The Scheckter chicane is not here anymore, and the Bus Stop chicane was only introduced in 1992. IndyCar raced here in 2016 and 2017, and the lap times exceeded Formula 1 by ten seconds, and the DPi cars are even faster, and the sports cars of course are a lot heavier and have a lot more downforce.
The original character of this track, after it was first rebuilt in 1971, hasn't diminished. There is no room at Watkins Glen for modern paved runoff areas. There's Armco barriers and sod. IndyCar, IMSA, and other championships have been here. Circuit of the Americas is the same distance as WGIR, 3.4 miles. Bill Auberlen has had some argy bargy, and a left rear tire puncture. The tire popped, but there's no damage to the suspension. Tristan Nunez is now driving the #77 Mazda. Toni Vilander and Justin Marks pitted. Mario Farnbacher took over the #86 Acura, and more pit work for Corvette #3 and Porsche #912.
Reinhold Joest, Jo Siffert, and Brian Redman, won here in a Porsche 908, 50 years ago. Could Joest hang on to win a race here again, half a century later? There was sure contact between Bill Auberlen and the JDC-Miller "Banana Boat" Cadillac, one of them. Could there be a doubleheader with IndyCar and IMSA here at Watkins Glen? We'll find out. Juan Pablo Montoya has pitted the #6 Acura. He stayed on the road for 14 laps between his pit stops, while Mazda ran a 25 lap stint. Fuel and tires, and no driver change, for both Ford GT's. Ryan Briscoe moves first. Nick Tandy is going to take the lead in GTLM. Tandy leads Vanthoor in GTLM over Magnussen, Blomqvist, and Krohn, followed by the Ford boys.
100 laps, 340 miles run in this motor race so far by the two Mazda's leading. Corvette #4 is being worked on, with the backup car, fixing the car to go up to Canada next weekend. In a couple weeks, we will find out the announcement of the new C-8-R- race car for Corvette. It will be unveiled in Bowling Green, Kentucky, at the museum, next to the factory. Cadillac #5 is in the pit lane. Mike Conway gets out, and the car will be taken over by Joao Barbosa.
6 Hours of Watkins Glen: Hour 2
Ford #67 has an issue. Richard Westbrook's car is sputtering a little bit, and he's now back on the button, but that was close. The Tincknell/Jarvis tag team continues to lead the motor race as we begin the second hour. Antonio Garcia has taken over the GTLM lead as Trent Hindman leads GT Daytona for Acura and MSR. Eric Curran is fighting through traffic as we wait for GTLM pit stops. Mazda continues to whistle off into the distance at this point. Ricky Taylor is still third overall. One of the BMW's is in the lane as well. Felipe Nasr noticed he had a puncture, and he nearly hit the sister car of Filipe Albuquerque. Team boss Gary Nelson and team owner Bob Johnson, and the whole bunch, they will not give up. Christina Nielsen, meanwhile, in the lane for fuel and tires and Nielsen will get a new drinks bottle, and do a double stint. The Acura has a shark bite taken out of it, clearly. John Edwards remains at the wheel of BMW M8 GT #24. Cooper MacNeil has taken over the #63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari.
The #85 "Banana Boat" Cadillac has spun. Misha Goikhberg at the wheel of it, and dear me, he's tossed that racer into the tire wall, look. Is there a hole in the Banana Boat? Philipp Frommenweiler takes over the #14 Lexus on their pit stop. The Swiss driver is the third driver in the car this weekend along with Richard Heistnd and Jack Hawksworth. Antonio Garcia leads GT Le Mans for Corvette, leading Porsche and Ford. Trent Hindman pits from the GT Daytona lead. He will be getting out of the #86 car, handing over to avid adventurer and mountain climber/mountaineer, Justin Marks. Antonio Garcia is handing the #3 Corvette to Jan Magnussen, and Laurens Vanthoor nearly does a face plant after getting Earl Bamber into the car, and the Ford goes ahead of the Porsche.
Dillon Machavern has gone by Jan Magnussen. Just 8/10ths of a second between the two Mazda's still leading this race. The GT Le Mans battle is hot and heavy, as the Mazda's lead the race and their gap has ballooned now to 40 some odd seconds. Former World Manufacturer's Champion, Bob Garretson is here, honoring his friend Bobby Rahal. Garretson never won this race, but he did take part as a team manager of one of the winning teams. Garretson's racing days were before pits to car radio, back in the early 1980s with the Porsche 935s. Bob Garretson may go to see Le Mans next year. Garretson is now 86 years old.
Mazda still leads this race, having run a 1:30.6 for the race leader last time around. Dane Cameron in the #6 Acura ran a 1:31, and then, the last car on the lead lap, has actually fallen off. That's the #84 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac. The second "Banana Boat". Romain Dumas has taken over from Jon Bennett in the CORE Autosport Nissan, which is two laps behind. New fastest lap of the race is 1:29.721. Oliver Jarvis was the chap to set that time, as the #12 Lexus is back into the pit lane from third in class in GT Daytona. Frankie Montecalvo is getting out of the car, but we don't know who will get in. #55 is hounding #6. We are an hour and 18 minutes into this motor race. Christina Nielsen is pulling a double stint in the #57 MSR Acura as Daniel Morad leads in class for Montaplast by Land Motorsports.
Storm clouds are rapidly approaching. The #5 Cadillac has sideswiped one of the factory Porsche's! Yikes! The GTD leader is in the lane, with a new left wing end plate, putting it on with fab tape. That's the Land Motorsports Audi. Down and away for #29, as Justin Marks goes back to the lead in class. He is followed by Dillon Machavern in the Turner Motorsports BMW. Daniel Morad has sunk to seventh place in class, after staying in the car. Mazda will be in the lane, momentarily. Cooper MacNeil is right on Phillip Frommenweiler's tail, as Harry Tincknell and Oliver Jarvis both pit. Timo Bernhard will take over the #77 car and Jonathan Bomarito is now going to drive the #55 car. Simon Trummer is also in the lane. He will hand over to one of his co-drivers. Ricky Taylor in Acura #7. Helio Castroneves takes over the #7 car. Renger van der Zande will continue in the #10 Cadillac.
Yet another pit stop cycle has come and passed. Cadillac #5 will be pitting again soon. Actually, it was trying to take the lead, but couldn't. It is third place on the road, behind the Mazda's. Acura leads BMW by 17 seconds in GTD. Justin Marks is driving the class leading car, as Romain Dumas makes a pass on Rene Binder. It's a Mazda free for all at the moment. Jan Magnussen leads GTLM by 1.8 seconds over the two BMW's and Patrick Pilet in the Porsche and Joey Hand in the #66 Ford. Richard Westbrook in the sister Ford has fallen down the order in GT Le Mans a little bit. Cameron Cassels has brough the #38 Performance Tech Motorsports car to the lead in LMP2. Two years ago, Mazda couldn't finish a race, and they couldn't at the beginning of this year. Can they deliver today?
Renger van der Zande passes Helio Castroneves for third place, look. We are looking 'round the circuit to find other scraps on track. Cooper MacNeil seems to be closing in on one of the Lexus cars. Christina Nielsen and Daniel Morad are chasing each other at this point as well. The scrap is hot and heavy in GTD. We've thankfully had some long green flag runs. The cool weather is helping out the Mazda boys at this point. Juan Pablo Montoya has gotten back on the lead lap, however, Mazda, these chaps are in another zip code at the moment. Romain Dumas is up to eighth in the overall, two laps down to the field. Rene Binder brings the #50 Cadillac to the lane for service. Will Owen takes over the car. The Binder/Owen squad is just a two driver team, as Eric Curran is digging his way back to the front of the order after the puncture for his team mate. Juan Montoya is still running well, also.
Montoya is happy and content, and super competitive this year. He is not under any pressure. AIM Vasser Sullivan has been struggling with tires. The two Mazda's have put another lap on Romain Dumas in the CORE Autosport Nissan. Pit stop time for the #31 Cadillac. Four tires, fuel, a windscreen tear off, and a new drinks bottle for Eric Curran. Actually, it appears Pipo Derani has come into the car. Nick Boulle at the controls of the #73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R. Patrick Lindsey of course, has won Le Mans this year. They have lost the mirror on that car. Romain Dumas is now in the pit lane with new tires. It's beginning to cloud over, and there's some rain it seems.
There is some rain out there. Four hours and 20 minutes now remain. Jonathan Bomarito and Timo Bernhard lead the race and are five seconds apart, over Renger van der Zande. Helio Castroneves and Mike Conway are up next. We wonder why Acura is not showing the pace they had in qualifying. A spin for Stephen Simpson through the Parabolica, and one of the Lamborghini's is in this scrum, too, the Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini. Check that. It's the #44 Magnus Racing Lamborghini, John Potter at the wheel of it. Stephen Simpson has beached it. Pit stop time as we are going to go yellow. Now, Corvette #3 leads in GTLM, and Earl Bamber makes a late decision to pit. Jesse Krohn and Tom Blomqvist will take over the BMW's, and now, Ryan Briscoe is going into the #67 Ford GT. Justin Marks brings the MSR Acura in.
The marshals may penalize Porsche #912 for a driver change infraction. Potter was getting up to speed, and then the #85 and the #31 Cadillac, both of them spooked Potter. Now, Potter came into contact with the #85 and there was no damage for the #31. Trouble in Ford land? Hmmm. Ryan Briscoe is in the car, but there is an ill wind blowing in the Ford camp it seems. The leaders have run 59 laps, 200 miles. Broken suspension for Stephen Simpson. The #84 Cadillac will need to be repaired and the crew is fixing it now, in the lane, meaning only a certain number of crew members can work on it.
The pits are open for the Prototype cars now. We are under a Full Course Yellow for the tire barrier being damaged, on driver's left of the Carousel. The clouds seem to be blowing over Watkins Glen. Acura and the WTR Cadillac are expected in the lane, and Jonathan Bomarito has pitted as well. Mazda have split their strategy it appears. Timo Bernhard has stayed out on track. Trouble for the #73 Park Place Porsche 911 GT3R as well. The Mazda is staying out, to keep themselves on the lead lap and make it harder for their competition to catch up. The Mazda's will fall to the back of the lead lap pack, but only in fifth overall. The Prototype cars can run a maximum of 22-23 laps. The GT Daytona cars are in the lane now.
The AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus leads, car #12. Ford #66 was leading GTLM, but now, Tom Blomqvist leads with Jan Magnussen in second place in class. Ryan Briscoe and the #67 Ford is in the lane for a reset. Strangely, both Ford's have hit the pit lane again. We are nearly at 1/3rd distance. Have Mazda succeeded? Have they made a mistake? We've seen some shuffling in GT Daytona and in the Prototype ranks here. Four or five cars stack up behind Robby Foley and Daniel Morad has Spencer Pumpelly to deal with at the moment.
The #85 "Banana Boat" Cadillac has spun. Misha Goikhberg at the wheel of it, and dear me, he's tossed that racer into the tire wall, look. Is there a hole in the Banana Boat? Philipp Frommenweiler takes over the #14 Lexus on their pit stop. The Swiss driver is the third driver in the car this weekend along with Richard Heistnd and Jack Hawksworth. Antonio Garcia leads GT Le Mans for Corvette, leading Porsche and Ford. Trent Hindman pits from the GT Daytona lead. He will be getting out of the #86 car, handing over to avid adventurer and mountain climber/mountaineer, Justin Marks. Antonio Garcia is handing the #3 Corvette to Jan Magnussen, and Laurens Vanthoor nearly does a face plant after getting Earl Bamber into the car, and the Ford goes ahead of the Porsche.
Dillon Machavern has gone by Jan Magnussen. Just 8/10ths of a second between the two Mazda's still leading this race. The GT Le Mans battle is hot and heavy, as the Mazda's lead the race and their gap has ballooned now to 40 some odd seconds. Former World Manufacturer's Champion, Bob Garretson is here, honoring his friend Bobby Rahal. Garretson never won this race, but he did take part as a team manager of one of the winning teams. Garretson's racing days were before pits to car radio, back in the early 1980s with the Porsche 935s. Bob Garretson may go to see Le Mans next year. Garretson is now 86 years old.
Mazda still leads this race, having run a 1:30.6 for the race leader last time around. Dane Cameron in the #6 Acura ran a 1:31, and then, the last car on the lead lap, has actually fallen off. That's the #84 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac. The second "Banana Boat". Romain Dumas has taken over from Jon Bennett in the CORE Autosport Nissan, which is two laps behind. New fastest lap of the race is 1:29.721. Oliver Jarvis was the chap to set that time, as the #12 Lexus is back into the pit lane from third in class in GT Daytona. Frankie Montecalvo is getting out of the car, but we don't know who will get in. #55 is hounding #6. We are an hour and 18 minutes into this motor race. Christina Nielsen is pulling a double stint in the #57 MSR Acura as Daniel Morad leads in class for Montaplast by Land Motorsports.
Storm clouds are rapidly approaching. The #5 Cadillac has sideswiped one of the factory Porsche's! Yikes! The GTD leader is in the lane, with a new left wing end plate, putting it on with fab tape. That's the Land Motorsports Audi. Down and away for #29, as Justin Marks goes back to the lead in class. He is followed by Dillon Machavern in the Turner Motorsports BMW. Daniel Morad has sunk to seventh place in class, after staying in the car. Mazda will be in the lane, momentarily. Cooper MacNeil is right on Phillip Frommenweiler's tail, as Harry Tincknell and Oliver Jarvis both pit. Timo Bernhard will take over the #77 car and Jonathan Bomarito is now going to drive the #55 car. Simon Trummer is also in the lane. He will hand over to one of his co-drivers. Ricky Taylor in Acura #7. Helio Castroneves takes over the #7 car. Renger van der Zande will continue in the #10 Cadillac.
Yet another pit stop cycle has come and passed. Cadillac #5 will be pitting again soon. Actually, it was trying to take the lead, but couldn't. It is third place on the road, behind the Mazda's. Acura leads BMW by 17 seconds in GTD. Justin Marks is driving the class leading car, as Romain Dumas makes a pass on Rene Binder. It's a Mazda free for all at the moment. Jan Magnussen leads GTLM by 1.8 seconds over the two BMW's and Patrick Pilet in the Porsche and Joey Hand in the #66 Ford. Richard Westbrook in the sister Ford has fallen down the order in GT Le Mans a little bit. Cameron Cassels has brough the #38 Performance Tech Motorsports car to the lead in LMP2. Two years ago, Mazda couldn't finish a race, and they couldn't at the beginning of this year. Can they deliver today?
Renger van der Zande passes Helio Castroneves for third place, look. We are looking 'round the circuit to find other scraps on track. Cooper MacNeil seems to be closing in on one of the Lexus cars. Christina Nielsen and Daniel Morad are chasing each other at this point as well. The scrap is hot and heavy in GTD. We've thankfully had some long green flag runs. The cool weather is helping out the Mazda boys at this point. Juan Pablo Montoya has gotten back on the lead lap, however, Mazda, these chaps are in another zip code at the moment. Romain Dumas is up to eighth in the overall, two laps down to the field. Rene Binder brings the #50 Cadillac to the lane for service. Will Owen takes over the car. The Binder/Owen squad is just a two driver team, as Eric Curran is digging his way back to the front of the order after the puncture for his team mate. Juan Montoya is still running well, also.
Montoya is happy and content, and super competitive this year. He is not under any pressure. AIM Vasser Sullivan has been struggling with tires. The two Mazda's have put another lap on Romain Dumas in the CORE Autosport Nissan. Pit stop time for the #31 Cadillac. Four tires, fuel, a windscreen tear off, and a new drinks bottle for Eric Curran. Actually, it appears Pipo Derani has come into the car. Nick Boulle at the controls of the #73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R. Patrick Lindsey of course, has won Le Mans this year. They have lost the mirror on that car. Romain Dumas is now in the pit lane with new tires. It's beginning to cloud over, and there's some rain it seems.
There is some rain out there. Four hours and 20 minutes now remain. Jonathan Bomarito and Timo Bernhard lead the race and are five seconds apart, over Renger van der Zande. Helio Castroneves and Mike Conway are up next. We wonder why Acura is not showing the pace they had in qualifying. A spin for Stephen Simpson through the Parabolica, and one of the Lamborghini's is in this scrum, too, the Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini. Check that. It's the #44 Magnus Racing Lamborghini, John Potter at the wheel of it. Stephen Simpson has beached it. Pit stop time as we are going to go yellow. Now, Corvette #3 leads in GTLM, and Earl Bamber makes a late decision to pit. Jesse Krohn and Tom Blomqvist will take over the BMW's, and now, Ryan Briscoe is going into the #67 Ford GT. Justin Marks brings the MSR Acura in.
The marshals may penalize Porsche #912 for a driver change infraction. Potter was getting up to speed, and then the #85 and the #31 Cadillac, both of them spooked Potter. Now, Potter came into contact with the #85 and there was no damage for the #31. Trouble in Ford land? Hmmm. Ryan Briscoe is in the car, but there is an ill wind blowing in the Ford camp it seems. The leaders have run 59 laps, 200 miles. Broken suspension for Stephen Simpson. The #84 Cadillac will need to be repaired and the crew is fixing it now, in the lane, meaning only a certain number of crew members can work on it.
The pits are open for the Prototype cars now. We are under a Full Course Yellow for the tire barrier being damaged, on driver's left of the Carousel. The clouds seem to be blowing over Watkins Glen. Acura and the WTR Cadillac are expected in the lane, and Jonathan Bomarito has pitted as well. Mazda have split their strategy it appears. Timo Bernhard has stayed out on track. Trouble for the #73 Park Place Porsche 911 GT3R as well. The Mazda is staying out, to keep themselves on the lead lap and make it harder for their competition to catch up. The Mazda's will fall to the back of the lead lap pack, but only in fifth overall. The Prototype cars can run a maximum of 22-23 laps. The GT Daytona cars are in the lane now.
The AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus leads, car #12. Ford #66 was leading GTLM, but now, Tom Blomqvist leads with Jan Magnussen in second place in class. Ryan Briscoe and the #67 Ford is in the lane for a reset. Strangely, both Ford's have hit the pit lane again. We are nearly at 1/3rd distance. Have Mazda succeeded? Have they made a mistake? We've seen some shuffling in GT Daytona and in the Prototype ranks here. Four or five cars stack up behind Robby Foley and Daniel Morad has Spencer Pumpelly to deal with at the moment.
6 Hours of Watkins Glen: Hour 1
The picturesque Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, is the setting, the backdrop for today's third of four rounds in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. It is the fabled 6 Hours of The Glen, on a track that came to be in 1957, and since then has been a palace of speed for sports car racing fans. Watkins Glen is one of those classic raceways that can be mentioned as a great one, along with such venues as Daytona, Sebring, Le Mans, and Spa Francorchamps, to name just a few. Who will conquer the 3.4 mile loop today? We're about to find out, with six hours of racing ahead. We are preparing for the start of this motor race.
Don't forget, this is the first of two back-to-back races on the IMSA schedule. Watkins Glen, today, and Mosport Park (Canadian Tire Motorsport Park) in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, next weekend. This is round six of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, and the third race of the Michelin Endurance Cup. 36 cars will start. We were supposed to have 37, but one car won't start, the #19 MooreSpeed Audi R8 that crashed in practice and driver Will Hardemann had a concussion, but he is OK now. Oliver Jarvis, for Mazda Team Joest, he has the overall pole, sharing with Tristan Nunez and Timo Bernhard.
The weather is lovely. The #911 Porsche and one of the Lexus cars from AIM Vasser Sullivan, will be starting from the rear of the field as the #84 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac also had an electrical issue, but that is fixed now. The weather is good. There will be one car starting from pit lane, one of the Lexus cars. You have to start from the pit box. The #6 Acura is being rolled from the starting grid, to the pit lane. Dane Cameron is the starting driver. He has won the two most recent rounds of the championship. The #6 car may need to start from the lane, look. They've changed the left front tire on the car. Was there a tire pressure sensor issue? The sister car moves up to the outside of the front row and this puts the sister Mazda RT24P up a place, behind the team car. That's Jonathan Bomarito, sharing with Harry Tincknell, and Olivier Pla.
You have to get to the end of this six hour race. It is very different, too from the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. It isn't short, but it isn't a majorly long race. Run a sustained pace. The engines have fired up, and we're set to race. Pit stop strategy, is something we'll find out about. The pit lane slopes downhill. We are looking at a short stint length as far as the fuel. This is a high speed course, and will burn off fuel for the DPi and LMP2 cars every 35-40 minutes. Ttaffic will be an issue. There are areas like the esses, where the walls are close, even with just 36 cars out on the track and the Armco barrier is right there.
Porsche #911 is back on track. The pit crew will stand by to see if the car is working. The Lexus and the Acura are still starting from the lane. Jan Magnussen is racing his 150th event with Corvette, after 15 years now with Corvette. He is watching his son Kevin compete in the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, in Formula 1. The Acura will be the first car on track, after the entire field has taken the green flag, or perhaps, the Stars & Stripes flag with Independence Day coming up. Acura and MSR have locked out the front row of GT Daytona. There are points from the Michelin Endurance Cup at 3 hours into this race, and I think, at the end, at the six hour mark.
The DPi cars won't be under pressure from the LMP2 machines like we saw here last year. It's time now, to race. Here we go. The green flag is waving and we're underway! The two Mazda's lead the race but Tincknell can't get through and he's being harried by Renger van der Zande. Ford and Richard Westbrook go into the lead, and there's a big accident between the #33 Keating Motorsports Mercedes AMG GT3 and then, the #4 factory Corvette! The #4 car is knackered once again, after having argy bargy with Laurens Vanthoor in the #912 Porsche! Recall that the #4 Corvette was also destroyed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, two weeks ago. Connor De Philippi avoids this shemozzle. The #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini clipped one of the cars that spun, Ryan Hardwick at the wheel of it, in that Army green livery for Independence Day this week.
Poor old Ben Keating has had a lot of woe this week after losing his Am class win at Le Mans, and says he has moved on from that, but, he will still have some worries with getting this Mercedes fixed. The rear wheel was ripped off the car, completely. The #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche also had a left front tire puncture on the car shared by Scott Hargrove, Zachary Robichon, and Lars Kern. The two Canadian drivers, and the German Porsche test driver. Zachary Robichon is back on track now. Emergency service dictates damage repair, and also, a splash of fuel for five seconds if it is absolutely needed. This will pay major dividends for the #6 Acura as the DPi cars are going to be pointed back to the front.
There will be some disagreement between Tommy Milner and Laurens Vanthoor. They will have to resolve their differences after their driving stints. A very lucky break, for the #6 Acura. The Porsche was alongside the Corvette coming through the esses. Jeroen Bleekemolen won the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race, last weekend. Look for the full highlights of that event, later on this week. There will be concern for the #4 Corvette. Oliver Jarvis is still leading this race. Everyone has to do it again, as we form up for the restart. Richard Westbrook, he has the lead in GTLM at the moment. Oliver Jarvis leads the race as the green flag is up and waving again. Felipe Nasr tries making a pass, but can't quite make it work.
Both of the Lexus cars are out on track now. Frankie Montecalvo is moving up in the #12 AIM Vasser Sullivan car he shares with Townsend Bell and Aaron Telitz. Now, another car has gone off and Felipe Nasr is in the gravel! Did they make contact with the sister car? Filipe Albuquerque kept the #5 Cadillac out of the gravel. This is bad news for AXR. Pipo Derani is the championship leader over Dane Cameron and Juan Pablo Montoya! Derani will drive for Bentley at the 24 Hours of Spa, coming up at the end of the month for the Blancpain GT Endurance Cup and Intercontinental GT Challenge. Acura #6 and Lexus #12 still need to serve their penalties but they can't yet. The pit lane is open, and the #6 Acura is in, and so is the #5 AXR Cadillac, the #50 Juncos Racing Cadillac, and the #54 CORE Autosport Nissan.
AXR wants to be faster on pit stops, as Jon Bennett is released, and deary me, there's a stack up at the end of the pit lane. Filipe Albuquerque will be right on Dane Cameron's gearbox when we go back to green. The wing is crunched on the Whelen car, and they will have to do an engine cover change. We need a new engine cover! They can take a little time to get some work done under yellow, and they might lose one more. Damage limitation mode. Eric Curran is signaling where the tail and the engine bonnet don't fit together. They've lost a lap, and may lose two, but they can make up a lap later on. They've got time.
Aerodynamic efficiency is quite important here at Watkins Glen, because it is so fast. They are going to lose another lap behind the safety car crocodile. Pits now open for the GTLM and GTD cars as the engine cover does fit the #31 Cadillac. Now, the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche, the #29 Land Motorsport Audi, the #44 Magnus Racing Lamborghini, the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini, and a couple more have pitted. Cadillac #31 is two laps down, as a new nose goes onto the #9 Porsche, Zachary Robichon still at the wheel of it. The #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M6 GT3 was also in this scrum earlier. That's Bill Auberlen, sharing with Robby Foley and Dillon Machavern.
The green flag is back in the air. Now, we see Harry Tincknell pushing hard with the Mazda. An English built chassis, with a Japanese manufacturer, with a German team, being run in America. Paul Miller Racing, the Army colored Lamborghini, may have taken emergency service as well. The Pfaff Porsche served it's drive through penalty handed down by the marshals as Felipe Nasr is two laps down, 34th in the overall. He is caboose on the DPi field at the moment. Oliver Jarvis is gapping Ricky Taylor as Harry Tincknell is pressing hard. In GTLM, Richard Westbrook with the Ford GT is leading John Edwards, Antonio Garcia, and Connor De Philippi. 1:32.624 for Oliver Jarvis is a new lap record. The race lap record was a 1:33.3 set by an LMP2 car of Olivier Pla. Still five and a half hours to go yet.
#54 and #50 have been dinged for running the stoplight at the end of pit lane, by the marshals. Jon Bennett and Rene Binder, both get something like a two minute penalty. Ouch! Jon Bennett is going to hand to Romain Dumas next up, and Dumas will share with Colin Braun until the end of the motor race. This could be a gift for Felipe Nasr. He could move up. 1:31.1 for Oliver Jarvis. The best lap in GTLM is Connor De Philippi in the BMW M8 GT at 1:42.8. Trent Hindman has run a 1:48.9 as best lap in GT Daytona. Five and a half hours exactly, left to go. 1:32.7 for Felipe Nasr, going through traffic. He is clawing his way back to the sharp end. 1:30.697 for Ricky Taylor, fastest lap of the race so far. Harry Tincknell slides the Mazda through turn nine. Ford, BMW, Corvette, the top three in GTLM as they come to the toe of The Boot, and back up onto the main section of the circuit.
Kyle Masson now leads LMP2 over Gabriel Aubry, both running ahead of the Acura with Dane Cameron at the wheel. Parker Chase in the Starworks Audi R8 goes a lap down to Oliver Jarvis in the overall lead of the motor race, and so does Ryan Hardwick in the #48 car. The Cadillac's are not in the same motor race as the Acura's and Mazda's at the moment. Renger van der Zande is slower than the two Japanese cars as are the rest of the Cadillac's. There's a big headwind into turn one and dark clouds are looming. We'll be headed for rain here in the not too distant future. Be patient. Get things right, and execute on green flag pit stops. Ford, BMW, Corvette, BMW, Porsche, the top five in GT Le Mans at the moment. Joey Hand is back at the track in IMSA after overcoming a virus. He returned, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and ran well there.
The GTLM boys are running nose to tail at this point. Ford, BMW, Chevrolet, BMW, Porsche, once again, as Oliver Jarvis is threading the needle through the GTLM cars as Oliver Jarvis has opened as lead of 4.2 seconds on the Ricky Taylor driven Acura. Jarvis resets fast lap at 1:30.652. Tincknell goes inside of Taylor and makes his move. Ricky Taylor was a sitting duck there, look. The Mazda has the smallest motor, a 2.0 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder compared to the V6's and V8's they compete against. Ricky Taylor has moved his way to third overall as Dane Cameron is on the tail end of the lead lap by the skin of his teeth.
Jarvis and Tincknell lead this motor race. The same margin of 4.6 seconds is between Harry Tincknell and Ricky Taylor, as Oliver Jarvis leads. The Mazda blokes have pulled the pin so far. Richard Westbrook has enough space where he does not have to defend from the BMW or the Corvette. Antonio Garcia wants by John Edwards as one of the JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac's, the #84, Simon Trummer at the wheel of it, is being harried by Filipe Albuquerque. Felipe Nasr has gone past Antonio Garcia and has his sights set on Richard Westbrook. Ricky Taylor and Renger van der Zande are having to play catch up.
Trent Hindman in the #86 MSR Acura NSX GT3 leads GT Dayton as Harry Tincknell cuts a 1:30.310 and Oliver Jarvis, a 1:30.350. Filipe Albuquerque is working on both JDC-Miller "Banana Boat" Cadillac's. He's gone by Misha Goikhberg, but not by Simon Trummer yet, as the Porsche #912, Laurens Vanthoor wants by the #47 PPM Lamborghini with Don Yount at the wheel of it, sharing the Precision Performance Motorsports car with Brandon Gdovic and Jacob Eidsen. Nick Tandy hands the #911 Porsche to Patrick Pilet. That was a super fast stop for the Porsche boys! We await to hear what happened to Felipe Nasr. Was it indeed a puncture?
The #4 Corvette and the #33 Mercedes, are both out of the race, dropping like stones through the order. The #73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R hits the pit lane and so does the Mazda, from the lead. Full service, new Michelin tires. Harry Tincknell still leads, and he is actually in the pit lane. 23 laps, 78 miles into the race. Ricky Taylor pits and so does Cadillac #10. Very close, look, between the Mazda and the LMP2 #52 PR1/Mathiasen Oreca. The #38 car is in the lane and so is Misha Goikhberg in the #85 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac. The PR1 car is shared by Matt McMurry, Gabriel Aubry, and Eric Lux. Drive through penalty for speeding in the lane for Simon Trummer. Cadillac #5 did make a pit stop under the first yellow, and they are staying out, to lead on lap 25. Harry Tincknell will retake the lead in another lap or two when Filipe Albuquerque hits the lane for service.
Harry Tincknell ran a 1:30.390, 1:42.4 for Connor De Philippi, and 1:48 and change for Acura and Trent Hindman in GTD. Antonio Garcia has gone through on the BMW of John Edwards and Garcia is beginning to harry the Ford. Filipe Albuquerque will hit the pit lane next time around, running in the 1:32 range as the Mazda's are a second quicker than the Cadillac's at 1:31 and change on new tires. Ricky Taylor is losing ground to the sister Acura and the two Mazda's as well as the #10 Cadillac for Wayne Taylor Racing, Renger van der Zande at the controls presently. Filipe Albuquerque has made a pit stop for AXR. Fuel and tires, as well as a new drinks bottle. Joao Barbosa is his team mate, and the third driver, is Mike Conway, Toyota FIA WEC driver. Albuquerque screams out of the pit lane and back on track.
Dane Cameron will continue for another stint in the #6 Acura. Harry Tincknell now leads Oliver Jarvis. No one is really running quicker than 1:33. One of the AIM Vasser Sullivan cars is used as a pick. That's Frankie Montecalvo at the wheel of the #12 Lexus RC F GT3 for AIM Vasser Sullivan. Felipe Nasr, finally pits the #31 Cadillac, and will hand the car over to Eric Curran. No new engine cover needed. Driver change, fuel, and tires. Pit stop done for #31.
Don't forget, this is the first of two back-to-back races on the IMSA schedule. Watkins Glen, today, and Mosport Park (Canadian Tire Motorsport Park) in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, next weekend. This is round six of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, and the third race of the Michelin Endurance Cup. 36 cars will start. We were supposed to have 37, but one car won't start, the #19 MooreSpeed Audi R8 that crashed in practice and driver Will Hardemann had a concussion, but he is OK now. Oliver Jarvis, for Mazda Team Joest, he has the overall pole, sharing with Tristan Nunez and Timo Bernhard.
The weather is lovely. The #911 Porsche and one of the Lexus cars from AIM Vasser Sullivan, will be starting from the rear of the field as the #84 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac also had an electrical issue, but that is fixed now. The weather is good. There will be one car starting from pit lane, one of the Lexus cars. You have to start from the pit box. The #6 Acura is being rolled from the starting grid, to the pit lane. Dane Cameron is the starting driver. He has won the two most recent rounds of the championship. The #6 car may need to start from the lane, look. They've changed the left front tire on the car. Was there a tire pressure sensor issue? The sister car moves up to the outside of the front row and this puts the sister Mazda RT24P up a place, behind the team car. That's Jonathan Bomarito, sharing with Harry Tincknell, and Olivier Pla.
You have to get to the end of this six hour race. It is very different, too from the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. It isn't short, but it isn't a majorly long race. Run a sustained pace. The engines have fired up, and we're set to race. Pit stop strategy, is something we'll find out about. The pit lane slopes downhill. We are looking at a short stint length as far as the fuel. This is a high speed course, and will burn off fuel for the DPi and LMP2 cars every 35-40 minutes. Ttaffic will be an issue. There are areas like the esses, where the walls are close, even with just 36 cars out on the track and the Armco barrier is right there.
Porsche #911 is back on track. The pit crew will stand by to see if the car is working. The Lexus and the Acura are still starting from the lane. Jan Magnussen is racing his 150th event with Corvette, after 15 years now with Corvette. He is watching his son Kevin compete in the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, in Formula 1. The Acura will be the first car on track, after the entire field has taken the green flag, or perhaps, the Stars & Stripes flag with Independence Day coming up. Acura and MSR have locked out the front row of GT Daytona. There are points from the Michelin Endurance Cup at 3 hours into this race, and I think, at the end, at the six hour mark.
The DPi cars won't be under pressure from the LMP2 machines like we saw here last year. It's time now, to race. Here we go. The green flag is waving and we're underway! The two Mazda's lead the race but Tincknell can't get through and he's being harried by Renger van der Zande. Ford and Richard Westbrook go into the lead, and there's a big accident between the #33 Keating Motorsports Mercedes AMG GT3 and then, the #4 factory Corvette! The #4 car is knackered once again, after having argy bargy with Laurens Vanthoor in the #912 Porsche! Recall that the #4 Corvette was also destroyed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, two weeks ago. Connor De Philippi avoids this shemozzle. The #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini clipped one of the cars that spun, Ryan Hardwick at the wheel of it, in that Army green livery for Independence Day this week.
Poor old Ben Keating has had a lot of woe this week after losing his Am class win at Le Mans, and says he has moved on from that, but, he will still have some worries with getting this Mercedes fixed. The rear wheel was ripped off the car, completely. The #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche also had a left front tire puncture on the car shared by Scott Hargrove, Zachary Robichon, and Lars Kern. The two Canadian drivers, and the German Porsche test driver. Zachary Robichon is back on track now. Emergency service dictates damage repair, and also, a splash of fuel for five seconds if it is absolutely needed. This will pay major dividends for the #6 Acura as the DPi cars are going to be pointed back to the front.
There will be some disagreement between Tommy Milner and Laurens Vanthoor. They will have to resolve their differences after their driving stints. A very lucky break, for the #6 Acura. The Porsche was alongside the Corvette coming through the esses. Jeroen Bleekemolen won the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race, last weekend. Look for the full highlights of that event, later on this week. There will be concern for the #4 Corvette. Oliver Jarvis is still leading this race. Everyone has to do it again, as we form up for the restart. Richard Westbrook, he has the lead in GTLM at the moment. Oliver Jarvis leads the race as the green flag is up and waving again. Felipe Nasr tries making a pass, but can't quite make it work.
Both of the Lexus cars are out on track now. Frankie Montecalvo is moving up in the #12 AIM Vasser Sullivan car he shares with Townsend Bell and Aaron Telitz. Now, another car has gone off and Felipe Nasr is in the gravel! Did they make contact with the sister car? Filipe Albuquerque kept the #5 Cadillac out of the gravel. This is bad news for AXR. Pipo Derani is the championship leader over Dane Cameron and Juan Pablo Montoya! Derani will drive for Bentley at the 24 Hours of Spa, coming up at the end of the month for the Blancpain GT Endurance Cup and Intercontinental GT Challenge. Acura #6 and Lexus #12 still need to serve their penalties but they can't yet. The pit lane is open, and the #6 Acura is in, and so is the #5 AXR Cadillac, the #50 Juncos Racing Cadillac, and the #54 CORE Autosport Nissan.
AXR wants to be faster on pit stops, as Jon Bennett is released, and deary me, there's a stack up at the end of the pit lane. Filipe Albuquerque will be right on Dane Cameron's gearbox when we go back to green. The wing is crunched on the Whelen car, and they will have to do an engine cover change. We need a new engine cover! They can take a little time to get some work done under yellow, and they might lose one more. Damage limitation mode. Eric Curran is signaling where the tail and the engine bonnet don't fit together. They've lost a lap, and may lose two, but they can make up a lap later on. They've got time.
Aerodynamic efficiency is quite important here at Watkins Glen, because it is so fast. They are going to lose another lap behind the safety car crocodile. Pits now open for the GTLM and GTD cars as the engine cover does fit the #31 Cadillac. Now, the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche, the #29 Land Motorsport Audi, the #44 Magnus Racing Lamborghini, the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini, and a couple more have pitted. Cadillac #31 is two laps down, as a new nose goes onto the #9 Porsche, Zachary Robichon still at the wheel of it. The #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M6 GT3 was also in this scrum earlier. That's Bill Auberlen, sharing with Robby Foley and Dillon Machavern.
The green flag is back in the air. Now, we see Harry Tincknell pushing hard with the Mazda. An English built chassis, with a Japanese manufacturer, with a German team, being run in America. Paul Miller Racing, the Army colored Lamborghini, may have taken emergency service as well. The Pfaff Porsche served it's drive through penalty handed down by the marshals as Felipe Nasr is two laps down, 34th in the overall. He is caboose on the DPi field at the moment. Oliver Jarvis is gapping Ricky Taylor as Harry Tincknell is pressing hard. In GTLM, Richard Westbrook with the Ford GT is leading John Edwards, Antonio Garcia, and Connor De Philippi. 1:32.624 for Oliver Jarvis is a new lap record. The race lap record was a 1:33.3 set by an LMP2 car of Olivier Pla. Still five and a half hours to go yet.
#54 and #50 have been dinged for running the stoplight at the end of pit lane, by the marshals. Jon Bennett and Rene Binder, both get something like a two minute penalty. Ouch! Jon Bennett is going to hand to Romain Dumas next up, and Dumas will share with Colin Braun until the end of the motor race. This could be a gift for Felipe Nasr. He could move up. 1:31.1 for Oliver Jarvis. The best lap in GTLM is Connor De Philippi in the BMW M8 GT at 1:42.8. Trent Hindman has run a 1:48.9 as best lap in GT Daytona. Five and a half hours exactly, left to go. 1:32.7 for Felipe Nasr, going through traffic. He is clawing his way back to the sharp end. 1:30.697 for Ricky Taylor, fastest lap of the race so far. Harry Tincknell slides the Mazda through turn nine. Ford, BMW, Corvette, the top three in GTLM as they come to the toe of The Boot, and back up onto the main section of the circuit.
Kyle Masson now leads LMP2 over Gabriel Aubry, both running ahead of the Acura with Dane Cameron at the wheel. Parker Chase in the Starworks Audi R8 goes a lap down to Oliver Jarvis in the overall lead of the motor race, and so does Ryan Hardwick in the #48 car. The Cadillac's are not in the same motor race as the Acura's and Mazda's at the moment. Renger van der Zande is slower than the two Japanese cars as are the rest of the Cadillac's. There's a big headwind into turn one and dark clouds are looming. We'll be headed for rain here in the not too distant future. Be patient. Get things right, and execute on green flag pit stops. Ford, BMW, Corvette, BMW, Porsche, the top five in GT Le Mans at the moment. Joey Hand is back at the track in IMSA after overcoming a virus. He returned, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and ran well there.
The GTLM boys are running nose to tail at this point. Ford, BMW, Chevrolet, BMW, Porsche, once again, as Oliver Jarvis is threading the needle through the GTLM cars as Oliver Jarvis has opened as lead of 4.2 seconds on the Ricky Taylor driven Acura. Jarvis resets fast lap at 1:30.652. Tincknell goes inside of Taylor and makes his move. Ricky Taylor was a sitting duck there, look. The Mazda has the smallest motor, a 2.0 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder compared to the V6's and V8's they compete against. Ricky Taylor has moved his way to third overall as Dane Cameron is on the tail end of the lead lap by the skin of his teeth.
Jarvis and Tincknell lead this motor race. The same margin of 4.6 seconds is between Harry Tincknell and Ricky Taylor, as Oliver Jarvis leads. The Mazda blokes have pulled the pin so far. Richard Westbrook has enough space where he does not have to defend from the BMW or the Corvette. Antonio Garcia wants by John Edwards as one of the JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac's, the #84, Simon Trummer at the wheel of it, is being harried by Filipe Albuquerque. Felipe Nasr has gone past Antonio Garcia and has his sights set on Richard Westbrook. Ricky Taylor and Renger van der Zande are having to play catch up.
Trent Hindman in the #86 MSR Acura NSX GT3 leads GT Dayton as Harry Tincknell cuts a 1:30.310 and Oliver Jarvis, a 1:30.350. Filipe Albuquerque is working on both JDC-Miller "Banana Boat" Cadillac's. He's gone by Misha Goikhberg, but not by Simon Trummer yet, as the Porsche #912, Laurens Vanthoor wants by the #47 PPM Lamborghini with Don Yount at the wheel of it, sharing the Precision Performance Motorsports car with Brandon Gdovic and Jacob Eidsen. Nick Tandy hands the #911 Porsche to Patrick Pilet. That was a super fast stop for the Porsche boys! We await to hear what happened to Felipe Nasr. Was it indeed a puncture?
The #4 Corvette and the #33 Mercedes, are both out of the race, dropping like stones through the order. The #73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R hits the pit lane and so does the Mazda, from the lead. Full service, new Michelin tires. Harry Tincknell still leads, and he is actually in the pit lane. 23 laps, 78 miles into the race. Ricky Taylor pits and so does Cadillac #10. Very close, look, between the Mazda and the LMP2 #52 PR1/Mathiasen Oreca. The #38 car is in the lane and so is Misha Goikhberg in the #85 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac. The PR1 car is shared by Matt McMurry, Gabriel Aubry, and Eric Lux. Drive through penalty for speeding in the lane for Simon Trummer. Cadillac #5 did make a pit stop under the first yellow, and they are staying out, to lead on lap 25. Harry Tincknell will retake the lead in another lap or two when Filipe Albuquerque hits the lane for service.
Harry Tincknell ran a 1:30.390, 1:42.4 for Connor De Philippi, and 1:48 and change for Acura and Trent Hindman in GTD. Antonio Garcia has gone through on the BMW of John Edwards and Garcia is beginning to harry the Ford. Filipe Albuquerque will hit the pit lane next time around, running in the 1:32 range as the Mazda's are a second quicker than the Cadillac's at 1:31 and change on new tires. Ricky Taylor is losing ground to the sister Acura and the two Mazda's as well as the #10 Cadillac for Wayne Taylor Racing, Renger van der Zande at the controls presently. Filipe Albuquerque has made a pit stop for AXR. Fuel and tires, as well as a new drinks bottle. Joao Barbosa is his team mate, and the third driver, is Mike Conway, Toyota FIA WEC driver. Albuquerque screams out of the pit lane and back on track.
Dane Cameron will continue for another stint in the #6 Acura. Harry Tincknell now leads Oliver Jarvis. No one is really running quicker than 1:33. One of the AIM Vasser Sullivan cars is used as a pick. That's Frankie Montecalvo at the wheel of the #12 Lexus RC F GT3 for AIM Vasser Sullivan. Felipe Nasr, finally pits the #31 Cadillac, and will hand the car over to Eric Curran. No new engine cover needed. Driver change, fuel, and tires. Pit stop done for #31.
Saturday, June 29, 2019
Saturday IMSA news from Watkins Glen
All of the pre-race headlines before the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, race three of four in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, taking place tomorrow at Watkins Glen International Raceway.
Mazda shows a turn of speed in Practice 3.
Jarvis Quickest in Mixed-Condition FP3
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/jarvis-quickest-in-mixed-condition-practice-3/
GTD Balance of Performance could be changed for the next race in Canada, next weekend.
BoP Changes Possible For CTMP Amid GTD Probation Phase-Out
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/bop-changes-possible-for-ctmp-amid-recent-gtd-probation-phase-out/
Garcia Takes GTLM Pole at The Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/garcia-takes-gtlm-pole-at-the-glen/
Mazda’s speed is no fluke, as they win pole for an endurance race for the second time this season.
Jarvis Scores Third Pole of Season in Record-Breaking Lap
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/jarvis-scores-third-pole-of-season-in-record-breaking-lap/
Watkins Glen Saturday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/watkins-glen-saturday-notebook-6/
Go for a lap around Watkins Glen, with MSR’s Trent Hindman as your chauffeur.
A Lap of Watkins Glen With Trent Hindman
Y’all hang loose. We’ll see you tomorrow morning for the race, at 8:30 A.M. Central Time, for full coverage of the 6 Hours of the Glen, right here on Endurance... The Sports Car Racing Blog.
Mazda shows a turn of speed in Practice 3.
Jarvis Quickest in Mixed-Condition FP3
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/jarvis-quickest-in-mixed-condition-practice-3/
GTD Balance of Performance could be changed for the next race in Canada, next weekend.
BoP Changes Possible For CTMP Amid GTD Probation Phase-Out
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/bop-changes-possible-for-ctmp-amid-recent-gtd-probation-phase-out/
Garcia Takes GTLM Pole at The Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/garcia-takes-gtlm-pole-at-the-glen/
Mazda’s speed is no fluke, as they win pole for an endurance race for the second time this season.
Jarvis Scores Third Pole of Season in Record-Breaking Lap
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/jarvis-scores-third-pole-of-season-in-record-breaking-lap/
Watkins Glen Saturday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/watkins-glen-saturday-notebook-6/
Go for a lap around Watkins Glen, with MSR’s Trent Hindman as your chauffeur.
A Lap of Watkins Glen With Trent Hindman
Y’all hang loose. We’ll see you tomorrow morning for the race, at 8:30 A.M. Central Time, for full coverage of the 6 Hours of the Glen, right here on Endurance... The Sports Car Racing Blog.
Friday, June 28, 2019
more Watkins Glen news
More news from Watkins Glen, headed into Sunday's 6 Hours of the Glen.
Corvette Reverts to Spare Car after Le Mans Crash
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/corvette-reverts-to-spare-car-after-le-mans-crash/
Watkins Glen Thursday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/watkins-glen-thursday-notebook-7/
Tincknell Quickest in Opening Practice at The Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/tincknell-quickest-in-opening-practice-at-the-glen/
Keating Undecided on 2020 Plans
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/keating-undecided-on-2020-plans/
Moorespeed Audi Withdrawn After Heavy FP1 Crash
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/moorespeed-audi-withdrawn-after-heavy-fp1-crash/
Cameron, Acura Team Penske Quickest on Friday at the Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/cameron-acura-team-penske-quickest-on-friday-at-the-glen/
Watkins Glen Friday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/watkins-glen-friday-notebook-7/
Corvette Reverts to Spare Car after Le Mans Crash
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/corvette-reverts-to-spare-car-after-le-mans-crash/
Watkins Glen Thursday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/watkins-glen-thursday-notebook-7/
Tincknell Quickest in Opening Practice at The Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/tincknell-quickest-in-opening-practice-at-the-glen/
Keating Undecided on 2020 Plans
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/keating-undecided-on-2020-plans/
Moorespeed Audi Withdrawn After Heavy FP1 Crash
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/moorespeed-audi-withdrawn-after-heavy-fp1-crash/
Cameron, Acura Team Penske Quickest on Friday at the Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/cameron-acura-team-penske-quickest-on-friday-at-the-glen/
Watkins Glen Friday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/watkins-glen-friday-notebook-7/
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Grand PrixView Runs The Boot
From North American Racecar on Facebook.
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is back in action with round 3 of the Michelin Endurance Cup taking place at Watkins Glen International, a 3.4 mile, 11-turn circuit in New York.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/north-american-racecar/grand-prixview-runs-the-boot/2239988716120734/
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is back in action with round 3 of the Michelin Endurance Cup taking place at Watkins Glen International, a 3.4 mile, 11-turn circuit in New York.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/north-american-racecar/grand-prixview-runs-the-boot/2239988716120734/
Long History, Fantastic Racetrack Make Six Hours of The Glen A Crown Jewel of Endurance Racing
The history of the Watkins Glen 6 Hours dates back to the 1960s, giving it the credentials to be one of the top endurance sports car races on the planet, at the picturesque and historic Watkins Glen International Raceway in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York.
https://www.imsa.com/news/062019/long-history-fantastic-racetrack-makes-six-hours-glen-crown-jewel-endurance-racing
https://www.imsa.com/news/062019/long-history-fantastic-racetrack-makes-six-hours-glen-crown-jewel-endurance-racing
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Mercedes-AMG Rules Out GT2 for 2020; Still "Open-Minded"
Mercedes-AMG still interested in GT2 but rules out car for 2020...
https://sportscar365.com/industry/mercedes-amg-rules-out-gt2-for-2020-still-open-minded/
https://sportscar365.com/industry/mercedes-amg-rules-out-gt2-for-2020-still-open-minded/
Michelin Pilot Challenge headlines headed for Watkins Glen
News from IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, as they head for their next event, at Watkins Glen International Raceway in Watkins Glen, New York, supporting their brethren in the WeatherTech Sports Car Championship for the 6 Hours of The Glen.
Moran: eEuroparts in a "Good Place" With Expanded Program
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/impc/moran-eeuroparts-in-a-good-place-with-expanded-program/
James Clay will be a busy man this weekend, taking part in Michelin Pilot Challenge at Watkins Glen, and also, in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, in Colorado.
Clay Set for Pikes Peak, Watkins Glen Double in BMW M4 GT4s
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/impc/clay-set-for-pikes-peak-watkins-glen-double-in-bimmerworld-bmw-gt4s/
Mazda Poised to Launch TCR Car for 2020
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/impc/mazda-poised-to-enter-tcr-in-2020/
Hyundai Veloster N TCR Gets Weight Break
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/impc/hyundai-veloster-n-tcr-gets-weight-break/
Take a tour of the cockpit of the 2019 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 with Automatic Racing and one of their driver's, Brandon Kidd.
Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Cockpit Walkthrough
https://sportscar365.com/features/videos/aston-martin-vantage-gt4-cockpit-walkthrough/
Moran: eEuroparts in a "Good Place" With Expanded Program
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/impc/moran-eeuroparts-in-a-good-place-with-expanded-program/
James Clay will be a busy man this weekend, taking part in Michelin Pilot Challenge at Watkins Glen, and also, in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, in Colorado.
Clay Set for Pikes Peak, Watkins Glen Double in BMW M4 GT4s
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/impc/clay-set-for-pikes-peak-watkins-glen-double-in-bimmerworld-bmw-gt4s/
Mazda Poised to Launch TCR Car for 2020
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/impc/mazda-poised-to-enter-tcr-in-2020/
Hyundai Veloster N TCR Gets Weight Break
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/impc/hyundai-veloster-n-tcr-gets-weight-break/
Take a tour of the cockpit of the 2019 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 with Automatic Racing and one of their driver's, Brandon Kidd.
Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Cockpit Walkthrough
https://sportscar365.com/features/videos/aston-martin-vantage-gt4-cockpit-walkthrough/
IMSA news heading for Watkins Glen
Lots and lots of IMSA news headed for Watkins Glen. This is the first, of two posts, from a couple different sources.
Atherton: IMSA "Mindful" of Maintaining Privateers in DPi 2.0
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/atherton-imsa-mindful-of-maintaining-privateers-in-dpi-2-0/
A story shared some weeks ago before Le Mans. Ford is ruling out the FIA WEC Hypercar regs in favor of DPi 2.0 in IMSA.
Ford Rules Out Hypercar; DPi 2.0 Regs Going in "Right Direction"
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/ford-rules-out-hypercar-program-dpi-2-0-regs-going-in-right-direction/
Risi Competizione will return at the final round of the Michelin Endurance Cup, and the IMSA finale for 2019, the Petit Le Mans.
Risi Set for Petit Le Mans Return
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/risi-confirms-petit-le-mans-return/
Atherton Calling for GT Convergence Talks
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/atherton-calling-for-gt-convergence-talks-amid-uncertain-gte-future/
Black Swan Returns; 37 Entries for The Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/black-swan-returns-37-entries-for-the-glen/
Acura DPi's Hit With Weight Increase for Watkins Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/acura-dpis-hit-with-weight-increase-for-watkins-glen/
IMSA Yet to Decide on Hybrid Voltage for DPi 2.0
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/imsa-yet-to-decide-on-hybrid-voltage-for-dpi-2-0/
Paul Miller Lamborghini to Run Military Livery at The Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/paul-miller-lamborghini-to-run-military-livery-at-the-glen/
Skeen Completes Starworks Lineup For The Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/skeen-completes-starworks-lineup-for-the-glen/
Atherton: IMSA "Mindful" of Maintaining Privateers in DPi 2.0
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/atherton-imsa-mindful-of-maintaining-privateers-in-dpi-2-0/
A story shared some weeks ago before Le Mans. Ford is ruling out the FIA WEC Hypercar regs in favor of DPi 2.0 in IMSA.
Ford Rules Out Hypercar; DPi 2.0 Regs Going in "Right Direction"
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/ford-rules-out-hypercar-program-dpi-2-0-regs-going-in-right-direction/
Risi Competizione will return at the final round of the Michelin Endurance Cup, and the IMSA finale for 2019, the Petit Le Mans.
Risi Set for Petit Le Mans Return
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/risi-confirms-petit-le-mans-return/
Atherton Calling for GT Convergence Talks
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/atherton-calling-for-gt-convergence-talks-amid-uncertain-gte-future/
Black Swan Returns; 37 Entries for The Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/black-swan-returns-37-entries-for-the-glen/
Acura DPi's Hit With Weight Increase for Watkins Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/acura-dpis-hit-with-weight-increase-for-watkins-glen/
IMSA Yet to Decide on Hybrid Voltage for DPi 2.0
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/imsa-yet-to-decide-on-hybrid-voltage-for-dpi-2-0/
Paul Miller Lamborghini to Run Military Livery at The Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/paul-miller-lamborghini-to-run-military-livery-at-the-glen/
Skeen Completes Starworks Lineup For The Glen
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/skeen-completes-starworks-lineup-for-the-glen/
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Double Stint: Nurburgring 24 Recap; Dries Vanthoor Interview (6-25-19)
The latest Double Stint Podcast, recapping the Nurburgring 24 Hours and featuring an interview with Dries Vanthoor, who was part of the winning Phoenix Audi team alongside Frank Stippler, Fred Vervisch, and Pierre Kaffer.
https://sportscar365.com/podcasts/double-stint/double-stint-nurburgring-24-recap-dries-vanthoor-interview/
https://sportscar365.com/podcasts/double-stint/double-stint-nurburgring-24-recap-dries-vanthoor-interview/
Monday, June 24, 2019
Nurburgring Post-Race News
More post-race coverage after the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring.
“Political Situations” Pressured ROWE Drivers in N24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/political-situations-pressured-rowe-drivers-in-n24/
Top Photo Picks From Nurburgring 24
https://sportscar365.com/features/photography/top-photo-picks-from-nurburgring-24/
Nurburgring Post-Race Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/nurburgring-post-race-notebook-4/
“Political Situations” Pressured ROWE Drivers in N24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/political-situations-pressured-rowe-drivers-in-n24/
Top Photo Picks From Nurburgring 24
https://sportscar365.com/features/photography/top-photo-picks-from-nurburgring-24/
Nurburgring Post-Race Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/nurburgring-post-race-notebook-4/
Sunday, June 23, 2019
Highlights of the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring
All the highlights of the Nurburgring 24 Hour race.
Makowiecki Takes Lead of N24 After First Stops
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/makowiecki-takes-lead-of-n24-after-first-stops/
Octane 126 Ferrari on Fire in Hour 3; Black Falcon in Lead
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/octane-126-ferrari-on-fire-in-hour-3-engel-back-in-lead/
Three Pro-Class BMWs Hit Trouble in Opening Four Hours
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/three-pro-class-bmws-hit-trouble-in-opening-four-hours/
Dramatic Estre Move Puts Manthey Ahead After 6 Hours
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/dramatic-estre-move-puts-manthey-ahead-after-6-hours/
No. 2 Black Falcon in Pits From Lead a After Supra Crash
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/no-2-black-falcon-in-pits-from-lead-after-supra-crash/
Podium-Contending Glickenhaus Hits Trouble In The Night
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/podium-contending-glickenhaus-hits-trouble-porsche-leads/
Manthey Porsche Holds Two Minute-Plus Lead at Halfway
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/manthey-porsche-holds-two-minute-plus-lead-at-halfway/
Jaminet, Honenadel Battle For Second As Day Breaks
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/jaminet-hohenadel-battle-for-second-as-day-breaks/
Manthey Porsche Still Leads With 6 Hours to Go
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/manthey-porsche-still-leads-with-6-hours-to-go/
Third-Placed Mercedes Hits Barrier in Hour 19
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/third-placed-mercedes-hits-barrier-in-hour-19/
Rast Takes to Grass in Battle Fourth; Manthey Still Ahead
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/rast-takes-to-grass-in-battle-for-fourth-manthey-still-leads/
Could this be the turning point in the motor race?
Race-Leading Porsche Hit With Five-Minute Penalty
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/race-leading-porsche-hit-with-five-minute-penalty/
The assertion is correct. It has all come apart for Manthey. Phoenix Racing, and Audi, win the Nurburgring 24 Hours for the fifth time in the last eight years, with Fred Vervisch, Dries Vanthoor, Frank Stippler, and Pierre Kaffer.
Phoenix Audi Wins Nurburgring 24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/phoenix-audi-wins-nurburgring-24/
Manthey Drivers Heartbroken as Penalty Ruins “Perfect” Race
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/manthey-drivers-heartbroken-as-penalty-ruins-perfect-race/
Winning Phoenix Audi Crew ‘Had to Push 250 Percent’
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/winning-phoenix-audi-crew-had-to-push-250-percent/
Makowiecki Takes Lead of N24 After First Stops
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/makowiecki-takes-lead-of-n24-after-first-stops/
Octane 126 Ferrari on Fire in Hour 3; Black Falcon in Lead
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/octane-126-ferrari-on-fire-in-hour-3-engel-back-in-lead/
Three Pro-Class BMWs Hit Trouble in Opening Four Hours
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/three-pro-class-bmws-hit-trouble-in-opening-four-hours/
Dramatic Estre Move Puts Manthey Ahead After 6 Hours
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/dramatic-estre-move-puts-manthey-ahead-after-6-hours/
No. 2 Black Falcon in Pits From Lead a After Supra Crash
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/no-2-black-falcon-in-pits-from-lead-after-supra-crash/
Podium-Contending Glickenhaus Hits Trouble In The Night
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/podium-contending-glickenhaus-hits-trouble-porsche-leads/
Manthey Porsche Holds Two Minute-Plus Lead at Halfway
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/manthey-porsche-holds-two-minute-plus-lead-at-halfway/
Jaminet, Honenadel Battle For Second As Day Breaks
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/jaminet-hohenadel-battle-for-second-as-day-breaks/
Manthey Porsche Still Leads With 6 Hours to Go
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/manthey-porsche-still-leads-with-6-hours-to-go/
Third-Placed Mercedes Hits Barrier in Hour 19
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/third-placed-mercedes-hits-barrier-in-hour-19/
Rast Takes to Grass in Battle Fourth; Manthey Still Ahead
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/rast-takes-to-grass-in-battle-for-fourth-manthey-still-leads/
Could this be the turning point in the motor race?
Race-Leading Porsche Hit With Five-Minute Penalty
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/race-leading-porsche-hit-with-five-minute-penalty/
The assertion is correct. It has all come apart for Manthey. Phoenix Racing, and Audi, win the Nurburgring 24 Hours for the fifth time in the last eight years, with Fred Vervisch, Dries Vanthoor, Frank Stippler, and Pierre Kaffer.
Phoenix Audi Wins Nurburgring 24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/phoenix-audi-wins-nurburgring-24/
Manthey Drivers Heartbroken as Penalty Ruins “Perfect” Race
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/manthey-drivers-heartbroken-as-penalty-ruins-perfect-race/
Winning Phoenix Audi Crew ‘Had to Push 250 Percent’
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/winning-phoenix-audi-crew-had-to-push-250-percent/
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Nurburgring 24 Live Video
Follow the Nurburgring 24 Hours HERE, with commentary from Radio Show Limited.
https://sportscar365.com/features/videos/live-video-nurburgring-24-race/
Stay tuned, for a highlights package after the race, and also, an abbreviated race report that will come in the not too distant future.
https://sportscar365.com/features/videos/live-video-nurburgring-24-race/
Stay tuned, for a highlights package after the race, and also, an abbreviated race report that will come in the not too distant future.
pre-race news from the Nurburgring
Some last minute pre-race coverage from the Nurburgring before the 24 Hours.
Nurburgring Top Qualifying Replay
https://sportscar365.com/features/videos/nurburgring-top-qualifying-replay/
Porsche, Mercedes-AMG Hit in Sweeping Pre-Race BoP Changes
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/porsche-mercedes-amg-hit-in-sweeping-pre-race-bop-changes/
Nurburgring Pre-Race Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/nurburgring-pre-race-notebook-6/
Nurburgring Top Qualifying Replay
https://sportscar365.com/features/videos/nurburgring-top-qualifying-replay/
Porsche, Mercedes-AMG Hit in Sweeping Pre-Race BoP Changes
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/porsche-mercedes-amg-hit-in-sweeping-pre-race-bop-changes/
Nurburgring Pre-Race Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/nurburgring-pre-race-notebook-6/
Friday, June 21, 2019
Friday Nurburgring news
All the news on Friday before the Nurburgring 24 Hours gets underway, tomorrow.
Mercedes-AMG Unveils Updated GT3 Challenger
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/mercedes-amg-unveils-updated-gt3-challenger/
N24 Teams Getting to Grips With “Confusing” New Quali Format
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/n24-teams-getting-to-grips-with-confusing-new-quali-format/
Wendl: Mercedes-AMG Chose to Delay GT3 Evo Launch
https://sportscar365.com/industry/wendl-mercedes-amg-chose-to-delay-gt3-evo-launch/
Vanthoor Puts Manthey Porsche on Top in Qualifying 2
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/vanthoor-puts-manthey-porsche-on-top-in-qualifying-2/
Top-Qualifying Entries Revealed; Lead Car Collection Audi Out
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/top-qualifying-entries-revealed-lead-car-collection-audi-out/
Nurburgring Friday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/nurburgring-friday-notebook-8/
Maro Engel will have pole along with his co-drivers for the N24 tomorrow.
Engel Grabs Nurburgring 24 Pole as Mercedes Scores 1-2
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/engel-grabs-nurburgring-24-pole-as-mercedes-scores-1-2/
Mercedes-AMG Unveils Updated GT3 Challenger
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/mercedes-amg-unveils-updated-gt3-challenger/
N24 Teams Getting to Grips With “Confusing” New Quali Format
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/n24-teams-getting-to-grips-with-confusing-new-quali-format/
Wendl: Mercedes-AMG Chose to Delay GT3 Evo Launch
https://sportscar365.com/industry/wendl-mercedes-amg-chose-to-delay-gt3-evo-launch/
Vanthoor Puts Manthey Porsche on Top in Qualifying 2
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/vanthoor-puts-manthey-porsche-on-top-in-qualifying-2/
Top-Qualifying Entries Revealed; Lead Car Collection Audi Out
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/top-qualifying-entries-revealed-lead-car-collection-audi-out/
Nurburgring Friday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/nurburgring-friday-notebook-8/
Maro Engel will have pole along with his co-drivers for the N24 tomorrow.
Engel Grabs Nurburgring 24 Pole as Mercedes Scores 1-2
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/engel-grabs-nurburgring-24-pole-as-mercedes-scores-1-2/
Thursday, June 20, 2019
IMSA GTP (Grand Touring Prototype) Championship Lime Rock Park - 1990
The Toyota Trucks Lime Rock Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park was the eighth race of the 1990 IMSA GT Championship season. Following a season-opening win by the No. 61 Jaguar XJR-10 team at Daytona in Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), the No. 83 Nissan Performance team rattled off four consecutive wins before the No. 99 All American Racers Toyota Eagle broke through at Heartland. Who would go on to win at Lime Rock? Watch the race to find out.
Ken Squier, and David Hobbs call the action from the booth, and in the pit lane, Bob Varsha and Rick Debruhl cover the action.
The No. 7 Toyota Lost Le Mans Because The Team Changed The Wrong Tyre
When a puncture was detected on the leading No. 7 Toyota, a problem with the tyre pressure sensor led the team to change the wrong tyre.
https://wtf1.com/post/the-no7-toyota-lost-le-mans-because-the-team-changed-the-wrong-tyre/?fbclid=IwAR3wxw4TeNo8Hoy73UoWh6vI3uUXmRx3eMT2WwJ3Eks7WN-z6euxOG1TXC0
https://wtf1.com/post/the-no7-toyota-lost-le-mans-because-the-team-changed-the-wrong-tyre/?fbclid=IwAR3wxw4TeNo8Hoy73UoWh6vI3uUXmRx3eMT2WwJ3Eks7WN-z6euxOG1TXC0
more pre-race news from the Nurburgring
Continuing to delve into all the pre-race news before the Nurburgring 24 Hours at the Nordschleife this weekend, and there is a lot of it.
Perrodo, Collard, Vaxiviere in WRT Audi for Nurburgring 24/VLN
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/perrodo-vaxiviere-collard-in-wrt-audi-for-vln/
Glickenhaus to Retire 003C, New Car Set fir 2020 Nurburgring 24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/glickenhaus-to-retire-003c-new-car-set-for-2020-nurburgring-24/
Giti's Audi R8 Duo Set For Nurburgring 24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/gitis-audi-r8-duo-set-for-nurburgring-24/
On track activitiy has commenced, at the Nurburgring
ROWE BMW Fastest in Shortened Free Practice
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/rowe-bmw-fastest-in-shortened-free-practice/
KCMG Facing “Big Learning Curve” on N24 Debut
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/kcmg-facing-big-learning-curve-on-n24-debut/
Nurburgring Thursday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/nurburgring-thursday-notebook-5/
Arnold Quickest for Mercedes in N24 Qualifying 1
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/arnold-quickest-for-mercedes-in-n24-qualifying-1/
Perrodo, Collard, Vaxiviere in WRT Audi for Nurburgring 24/VLN
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/perrodo-vaxiviere-collard-in-wrt-audi-for-vln/
Glickenhaus to Retire 003C, New Car Set fir 2020 Nurburgring 24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/glickenhaus-to-retire-003c-new-car-set-for-2020-nurburgring-24/
Giti's Audi R8 Duo Set For Nurburgring 24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/gitis-audi-r8-duo-set-for-nurburgring-24/
On track activitiy has commenced, at the Nurburgring
ROWE BMW Fastest in Shortened Free Practice
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/rowe-bmw-fastest-in-shortened-free-practice/
KCMG Facing “Big Learning Curve” on N24 Debut
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/kcmg-facing-big-learning-curve-on-n24-debut/
Nurburgring Thursday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/nurburgring-thursday-notebook-5/
Arnold Quickest for Mercedes in N24 Qualifying 1
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/arnold-quickest-for-mercedes-in-n24-qualifying-1/
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Nurburgring 24 Hours pre-race news
Pre-race news going back over the past couple of months, setting us up for this weekend's Nurburgring 24 Hours.
Maro Engel's column from May 2, 2019.
ENGEL: Celebrations, Blancpain GT Opener & N24 Prep
https://sportscar365.com/features/commentary/engel-celebrations-start-of-blancpain-gt-season-and-n24-prep/
Four Factory Mercedes-AMG Entries Confirmed for N24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/four-factory-mercedes-amg-entries-confirmed-for-n24/
Aston Martin Eyeing Nurburgring GT3 Works Return in 2020
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/aston-martin-eyeing-nurburgring-24-works-return-in-2020/
Here's how the qualifying race went down, a month ago.
Walkenhorst Leads BMW Podium Sweep in N24 Qualifying Race
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/walkenhorst-leads-bmw-1-2-in-n24-qualifying-race/
Dominik Baumann was hospitalized after a crash during practice for the N24 qualifying race.
Baumann Suffers Broken Collarbone at Nurburgring
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/baumann-suffers-broken-collar-bone-at-nurburgring/
Audi to Support Three Teams for Nurburgring 24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/audi-sets-nurburgring-24h-driver-lineups/
160-Car Field Set for Nurburgring 24H
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/160-car-field-set-for-nurburgring-24h/
Bleekemolen Replaces Green in Phoenix Audi
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/bleekemolen-replaces-green-in-phoenix-audi/
Stay tuned for more news from the Nurburgring. No race report as yours truly already stayed up the whole time for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But, on Sunday, after the race is over, stay tuned, for highlights, and, maybe an abbreviated race recap in writing, at some point.
Maro Engel's column from May 2, 2019.
ENGEL: Celebrations, Blancpain GT Opener & N24 Prep
https://sportscar365.com/features/commentary/engel-celebrations-start-of-blancpain-gt-season-and-n24-prep/
Four Factory Mercedes-AMG Entries Confirmed for N24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/four-factory-mercedes-amg-entries-confirmed-for-n24/
Aston Martin Eyeing Nurburgring GT3 Works Return in 2020
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/aston-martin-eyeing-nurburgring-24-works-return-in-2020/
Here's how the qualifying race went down, a month ago.
Walkenhorst Leads BMW Podium Sweep in N24 Qualifying Race
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/walkenhorst-leads-bmw-1-2-in-n24-qualifying-race/
Dominik Baumann was hospitalized after a crash during practice for the N24 qualifying race.
Baumann Suffers Broken Collarbone at Nurburgring
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/baumann-suffers-broken-collar-bone-at-nurburgring/
Audi to Support Three Teams for Nurburgring 24
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/audi-sets-nurburgring-24h-driver-lineups/
160-Car Field Set for Nurburgring 24H
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/160-car-field-set-for-nurburgring-24h/
Bleekemolen Replaces Green in Phoenix Audi
https://sportscar365.com/other-series/n24/bleekemolen-replaces-green-in-phoenix-audi/
Stay tuned for more news from the Nurburgring. No race report as yours truly already stayed up the whole time for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But, on Sunday, after the race is over, stay tuned, for highlights, and, maybe an abbreviated race recap in writing, at some point.
Go Home ACO, You're Drunk
From North American Racecar, a rant about the ACO's incredibly naive post-race decisions, not only this year, but in previous years as well.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/north-american-racecar/go-home-aco-youre-drunk/2224440347675571/
https://www.facebook.com/notes/north-american-racecar/go-home-aco-youre-drunk/2224440347675571/
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Le Mans Content Recap
Catch up on Sportscar365’s extensive content from the 24 Hours of Le Mans…
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/le-mans-content-recap-6/
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/le-mans-content-recap-6/
Double Stint: Le Mans Recap; News Update (6-18-19)
The latest Double Stint Podcast, recapping the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and, as always, updating the latest news from the world of sports car racing.
Double Stint: Le Mans Recap; News Update
https://sportscar365.com/podcasts/double-stint/double-stint-le-mans-recap-news-update/
Double Stint: Le Mans Recap; News Update
https://sportscar365.com/podcasts/double-stint/double-stint-le-mans-recap-news-update/
Monday, June 17, 2019
more post-race Le Mans news (including disqualifications)
An urgent post. More post-race updates from Le Mans, and, some disqualifications. A few teams have been disqualified from the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Keating Motorsports' and their #85 Ford GT for Ben Keating, Felipe Fraga, and Jeroen Bleekemolen, as well as the factory Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT, car #68, of Sebastien Bourdais, Joey Hand, and Dirk Mueller.
"Difficult to Take" Early End in Race to Forget for Corvette
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/fassler-difficult-to-take-early-end-in-le-mans-to-forget-for-corvette/
Le Mans Post-Race Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/le-mans-post-race-notebook-5/
No. 68 Ford Disqualified for Fuel Capacity Infringement
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/no-68-ford-disqualified-for-fuel-infringement/
Keating Ford Stripped of Le Mans GTE-Am Win
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/keating-ford-stripped-of-le-mans-gte-am-win/
Keating Responds to Le Mans Disqualification
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/keating-responds-to-le-mans-disqualification/
Safety Car Impact ‘Took Away The Spectacle’ of GTE-Pro Fight
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/safety-car-impact-took-away-the-spectacle-of-gte-pro-fight/
Rebellion Could Scale Back to Single-Car Entry for 2019-2020
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/rebellion-could-scale-back-to-single-car-entry/
Todt: Hypercar Regulations Could Be A "Game-Changer"
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/todt-hypercar-regulations-could-be-a-game-changer/
Bill Ford Issues Statement on Keating Disqualification
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bill-ford-issues-statement-on-keating-disqualification/
"Difficult to Take" Early End in Race to Forget for Corvette
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/fassler-difficult-to-take-early-end-in-le-mans-to-forget-for-corvette/
Le Mans Post-Race Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/le-mans-post-race-notebook-5/
No. 68 Ford Disqualified for Fuel Capacity Infringement
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/no-68-ford-disqualified-for-fuel-infringement/
Keating Ford Stripped of Le Mans GTE-Am Win
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/keating-ford-stripped-of-le-mans-gte-am-win/
Keating Responds to Le Mans Disqualification
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/keating-responds-to-le-mans-disqualification/
Safety Car Impact ‘Took Away The Spectacle’ of GTE-Pro Fight
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/safety-car-impact-took-away-the-spectacle-of-gte-pro-fight/
Rebellion Could Scale Back to Single-Car Entry for 2019-2020
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/rebellion-could-scale-back-to-single-car-entry/
Todt: Hypercar Regulations Could Be A "Game-Changer"
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/todt-hypercar-regulations-could-be-a-game-changer/
Bill Ford Issues Statement on Keating Disqualification
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bill-ford-issues-statement-on-keating-disqualification/
Recapping the 24 Hours of Le Mans
You have surely read all about the 24 Hours of Le Mans from the thorough hourly race reports, posted here. Now, it is time to delve in further, and recap the race. ICYMI, here is everything that happened. Stay tuned for a follow-up wrapping up the race, via an edition of the Double Stint Podcast.
Toyota Leads Opening Hour at Le Mans
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-leads-opening-hour-at-le-mans/
Le Mans Race Start
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/le-mans-race-start/
Toyota Still 1-2 After Four Hours; Corvette Leads GTE-Pro
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-still-1-2-after-four-hours-corvette-leads-gte-pro/
Fassler Corvette Crashes Out in Hour 6
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/fassler-crashes-out-in-hour-6/
Attrition Hits LMP1 Non-Hybrids
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/attrition-hits-lmp1-non-hybrids/
No. 8 Toyota Out Front After 8 Hours As Night Falls
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/no-8-toyota-moves-into-le-mans-lead-as-night-falls/
Third-Placed SMP Car Crashes; Safety Car Dictates GTE-Pro
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/smp-car-crashes-from-third-safety-car-dictates-gte-pro/
Quick Stop Puts Kobayashi Ahead As Le Mans Hits Halfway
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/quicker-stop-puts-kobayashi-ahead-at-halfway/
GTE-Pro Leading Porsche Hit With Exhaust Issue
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/gte-pro-leading-porsche-hit-with-exhaust-issue/
Porsche Assumes GTE-Pro Class Lead With Eight Hours to Go
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-reassumes-gte-pro-class-lead-with-eight-hours-to-go/
Corvette, Ferrari Out Front in GTE-Pro With Six Hours to Go
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/corvette-ferrari-out-front-in-gte-pro-with-six-hours-to-go/
G-Drive in Garage, Loses Long-Held LMP2 Lead
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/g-drive-in-garage-loses-long-held-lmp2-lead/
Kobayashi Two Minutes Ahead of Alonso with Three Hours Left
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/kobayashi-two-minutes-ahead-of-alonso-with-three-hours-left/
Lopez Picks Up Puncture From Lead, Nakajima Overtakes
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lopez-picks-up-punctures-from-lead-nakajima-overtakes/
Keating Ford Takes GTE-Am Victory
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/keating-ford-takes-gte-am-victory/
AF Corse Wins Non-Stop GTE-Pro Contest
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/af-corse-ferrari-crew-wins-non-stop-gte-pro-contest/
Signatech Alpine Clinches LMP2 Title With Class Victory
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/signatech-alpine-clinches-title-with-lmp2-victory/
Toyota Wins 24H Le Mans; Alonso Crowned World Champion
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-wins-24h-le-mans-alonso-crowned-world-champion/
Le Mans Race Finish
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-wins-24h-le-mans/
Calado: Careful Approach Gave Ferrari GTE-Pro Win
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/calado-careful-approach-gave-ferrari-gte-pro-win/
Lapierre: Comeback Drive Pays Off for LMP2 Win, Title
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lapierre-comeback-drive-pays-off-for-lmp2-win-title/
Alonso: Winning Toyota "Didn't Deserve" To Beat No. 7
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/alonso-winning-toyota-didnt-deserve-to-beat-no-7/
Toyota Acknowledges Race-Deciding Tire Sensor Issue
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-acknowledges-race-deciding-wrong-tire-sensor-issue/
Helping Hand Propels Keating Customer Ford to GTE-Am Win
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/helping-hand-propels-keating-customer-ford-to-gte-am-victory/
Le Mans Race Highlights
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/le-mans-race-highlights/
Exhaust Issue Dashes Hopes of Victory For GTE Champ Estre
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/exhaust-issue-dashes-hopes-of-victory-for-gte-champs-estre-christensen/
Lindsey: Le Mans Run "Solidified Our Right" as GTE-Am Champs
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lindsey-le-mans-result-solidified-our-right-as-gte-am-champions/
Recapping Le Mans on the Double Stint at Le Mans podcast.
Double Stint at Le Mans: Post-Race Analysis
https://sportscar365.com/podcasts/double-stint/double-stint-at-le-mans-post-race-analysis/
Toyota Leads Opening Hour at Le Mans
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-leads-opening-hour-at-le-mans/
Le Mans Race Start
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/le-mans-race-start/
Toyota Still 1-2 After Four Hours; Corvette Leads GTE-Pro
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-still-1-2-after-four-hours-corvette-leads-gte-pro/
Fassler Corvette Crashes Out in Hour 6
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/fassler-crashes-out-in-hour-6/
Attrition Hits LMP1 Non-Hybrids
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/attrition-hits-lmp1-non-hybrids/
No. 8 Toyota Out Front After 8 Hours As Night Falls
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/no-8-toyota-moves-into-le-mans-lead-as-night-falls/
Third-Placed SMP Car Crashes; Safety Car Dictates GTE-Pro
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/smp-car-crashes-from-third-safety-car-dictates-gte-pro/
Quick Stop Puts Kobayashi Ahead As Le Mans Hits Halfway
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/quicker-stop-puts-kobayashi-ahead-at-halfway/
GTE-Pro Leading Porsche Hit With Exhaust Issue
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/gte-pro-leading-porsche-hit-with-exhaust-issue/
Porsche Assumes GTE-Pro Class Lead With Eight Hours to Go
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-reassumes-gte-pro-class-lead-with-eight-hours-to-go/
Corvette, Ferrari Out Front in GTE-Pro With Six Hours to Go
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/corvette-ferrari-out-front-in-gte-pro-with-six-hours-to-go/
G-Drive in Garage, Loses Long-Held LMP2 Lead
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/g-drive-in-garage-loses-long-held-lmp2-lead/
Kobayashi Two Minutes Ahead of Alonso with Three Hours Left
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/kobayashi-two-minutes-ahead-of-alonso-with-three-hours-left/
Lopez Picks Up Puncture From Lead, Nakajima Overtakes
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lopez-picks-up-punctures-from-lead-nakajima-overtakes/
Keating Ford Takes GTE-Am Victory
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/keating-ford-takes-gte-am-victory/
AF Corse Wins Non-Stop GTE-Pro Contest
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/af-corse-ferrari-crew-wins-non-stop-gte-pro-contest/
Signatech Alpine Clinches LMP2 Title With Class Victory
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/signatech-alpine-clinches-title-with-lmp2-victory/
Toyota Wins 24H Le Mans; Alonso Crowned World Champion
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-wins-24h-le-mans-alonso-crowned-world-champion/
Le Mans Race Finish
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-wins-24h-le-mans/
Calado: Careful Approach Gave Ferrari GTE-Pro Win
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/calado-careful-approach-gave-ferrari-gte-pro-win/
Lapierre: Comeback Drive Pays Off for LMP2 Win, Title
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lapierre-comeback-drive-pays-off-for-lmp2-win-title/
Alonso: Winning Toyota "Didn't Deserve" To Beat No. 7
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/alonso-winning-toyota-didnt-deserve-to-beat-no-7/
Toyota Acknowledges Race-Deciding Tire Sensor Issue
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-acknowledges-race-deciding-wrong-tire-sensor-issue/
Helping Hand Propels Keating Customer Ford to GTE-Am Win
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/helping-hand-propels-keating-customer-ford-to-gte-am-victory/
Le Mans Race Highlights
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/le-mans-race-highlights/
Exhaust Issue Dashes Hopes of Victory For GTE Champ Estre
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/exhaust-issue-dashes-hopes-of-victory-for-gte-champs-estre-christensen/
Lindsey: Le Mans Run "Solidified Our Right" as GTE-Am Champs
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lindsey-le-mans-result-solidified-our-right-as-gte-am-champions/
Recapping Le Mans on the Double Stint at Le Mans podcast.
Double Stint at Le Mans: Post-Race Analysis
https://sportscar365.com/podcasts/double-stint/double-stint-at-le-mans-post-race-analysis/
Sunday, June 16, 2019
24 Hours of Le Mans: Hour 24 (the finish)
Into the final hour, and the #7 Toyota has to be so careful. Reboot the car. Will the #8 car pass? Yes! Wow! Can Alonso, Nakajima, and Buemi get two wins in a row? What drama! What a cruel blow for #7! Mike Conway and company have wanted to win this race, but they might not get that chance. They might be bridesmaids again! They are ten seconds behind. They've changed the tire. All it needed was a reboot, actually, and put in fuel and put new boots on the car. Oh man! #8 leads. It is all down to Jose Maria Lopez. What drama! The Alkphine with Pierre Thiriet takes the car in for it's final pit stop and Nicolas Lapierre will take the car to the finish of the motor race. Jose Maria Lopez has to push this car, Toyota #7, to the maximum.
Toyota changed the front right and the rear left tire. They also could have a sensor problem. The sensor has not been reactivated or deactivated. Oh my! Toyota have over riden the sensor. Make every corner count. This is it. Wow. We're going to be in for a wild finish here. What incredible drama! Right now, you are listening to every small noise the car might mke. Especially if you are in a leading car. It's unreal. We had that puncture for Jose Maria Lopez. Toyota #8 is leading with Kazuki Nakajima. 50 minutes to go. Could Fernando Alonso get a second consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans win? We have 45 minutes to see what will happen. Both cars have to stop. #7 has an advantage, but it is very slight.
Nico Lapierre will perhaps hang on for LMP2. In LM GTE Pro, it seems Alessandro Pier Guidi and Ferrari might hold on. Ford will be picking up the leftovers on the podium it seems. BMW has not had their day and neither has Corvette nor Aston Martin. Could Ferrari celebrate on the 70th anniversary of their first Le Mans win with Luigi Chinetti and Lord Selsdon? That was in 1949 with the Ferrari 166MM. Who will win LM GTE Am? This is going to be a grandstand finish. Signatech Alpine could win two Le Mans races in a row.
No sign of G-Drive at all until they had the starter trouble. The championship is also up for grabs. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is what you want, but the championship is also big. Take both. Less than 45 minutes to go now. Will Toyota #8 stop? Jeroen Bleekemolen has taken over the #85 Ford GT. Bleekemolen is being chased by Jorg Bergmeister. The whole complexion of this race is changing within 45 minutes of the end! Holy cow! The #7 Toyota has a sensor issue. Alessandro Pier Guidi has pitted from the lead in LM GTE Pro. Porsche might close up on Ferrari. Earl Bamber, though is three whole pit stops behind the Ferrari.
Ferrari could have a chance to win LM GTE Pro. Nicolas Jamin has a suspension problem on the LMP2 car for the #30 Duqueine Engineering Oreca! He is listing, driving slowly down the Mulsanne straight. Philipp Eng is also in trouble recovering the BMW M8 GTE. Phil Hanson is taking the United Autosport #22 to the finish. Phil Hanson is going to bring the #23 car into the pit lane. A driver change will eat into the advantage. What will the damage be? Couldn't tell what Hanson said.
Toyota #7 has been the faster of the two cars, and now, will they have the win taken from them by their teammate? Toyota are damned if they do, damned if they don't. #30 with the broken suspension is into the garage. We have drama too, in LM GTE Am. Matteo Cressoni is pressuring Giancarlo Fisichella for eighth in class. Jeroen Bleekemolen is increasing the gap over Jorg Bergmeister. Kazuki Nakajima has a 50+ second cushion over Jose Maria Lopez. We cannot tell if the sesnors were faulty, or if there was indeed a deflating Michelin tire.
Toyota will still score a 1-2 finish. The gap is now down to 49 seconds. The #8 car leads over #7 and Jose Maria Lopez is driving through anger. In GTE Am, it is the same deal. Jeroen Bleekemolen and Jorg Bergmeister are eight seconds apart. Gianmaria Bruni is chasing Alessandro Pier Guidi, too. Ferrari might have an advantage over Porsche who still need a pit stop. In GTE Pro, five cars are on the same lap, and we have three cars on the same lap in LM GTE Am. AF Corse won GTE Pro in 2012. Gustavo Menezes has gone off the road in the #3 Rebellion again. Their finish is not going to be respective of their pace this year.
Kazuki Nakajima is pulling away in the #8 Toyota. Kazuki Nakajima dives for the pit lane. Will this be a splash and dash? The #7 car is on track. This is going to be mega. Now, they are not changing tires. They are just adding fuel to the car. Here comes #7! #7 takes the lead! This is unreal! #7 still has a chance! Nakajima has to push really hard now. Jose Maria Lopez could be in the catbird seat. Lopez leads. Jose Maria Lopez could still have to make a pit stop as well. It's still Jeroen Bleekemolen vs. Jorg Bergmeister for the win in LMGTE Am. A few other cars have indeed made their final pit stops.
Would Toyota complete one more lap fully on electric power? Maybe. LMP2 cars are making their final splash and dash pit stops. Ho-Pin Tung, from China, but living in Holland, he could be in for a win in LMP2. Twenty minutes to go. Jose Maria Lopez pits what is the quicker Toyota. Can Lopez claw back the gap to the sister car? He's leaving nothing on the table. Signatech Alpine makes their final pit stop. It's win or bust for Lopez, Mike Conway, and Kamui Kobayashi. Nakajima leads by 24 seconds. Lopez is told to just bring the car home.
Loic Duval pits the #28 TDS car. Nico Lapierre still leads LMP2. Alessandro Pier Guidi is going to finish for Ferrari. Jeroen Bleekemolen has managed to eke out a 15 second lead over Jorg Bergmeister. Gianmaria Bruni and Richard Lietz could be in for the GTE Pro championship. Tristan Gommendy is chasing Will Stevens in LMP2./ The cars are getting loose. Gommendy can'tclpse up on Stevens. Don't leave anything on the table for the final 11 minuts here at Le Mans. Kazuki Nakajima continues to lead Jose Maria Lopez. Toni Vilander is fourth in GTE Am for the WeatherTech Ferrari team. No one is going to ease off at the end of this race.
Gianmaria Bruni and Earl Bamber are both cutting really fast laps. Alessandro Pier Guidi will be able to respond. Keating Motorsports might just win LM GTE Am. He wants to win Le Mans, to stand atop the podium. James Calado will be one of the winners. 2012 was the last time AF Corse and Ferrari won LM GTE Pro. Ferrari won with Scuderia Corse in 2016. Nakajima leads Lopez by 17.4 seconds, and we'll have about 2 and 1/2 to 3 laps left. Will Stevens does a splash and a dash. Tristan Gommendy also came in. Jose Maria Lopez did have a four minute lap. Nakajima is told "don't go faster".
The four minute lap from Lopez was his outlap from the pits. Signatech Alpine from France, they are going to win their home race at Le Mans. One of the Hublot Kessel Racing Ferrari's goes off the road and we are on the final lap of Le Mans 2019, the final lap of the "Super Season". Kazuki Nakajima, Sebastien Buemi, and Fernando Alonso, will win a second 24 Hours of Le Mans, and also, an FIA WEC World Championship. But, pause for thought, becuase Toyota had victory snatched from them in 2016. Nakajima navigates through Mulsanne corner. Don't back off too far. Stay focused.
Toyota wins their second successive 24 Hours of Le Mans! Toyota has won the World Championship! Kazuki Nakajima, Sebastien Buemi,and Fernando Alonso! Second place for Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Jose Maria Lopez, who will be gutted, because they so wanted a win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Maybe in the Hypercar era. Nicolas Lapierre, Andre Negro, and Pierre Thiriet win LMP2! Ferrari has won GTE Pro, with Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Daniel Serra. In LM GTE Am, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Ben Keating, and Felipe Fraga get the win for Ford in LM GTE Am!
Overall/LMP1: #8 Alonso/Buemi/Nakajima Toyota TS050 Hybrid
LMP2: #36 Lapierre/Negrao/Thiriet Alpine A470 Gibson
LM GTE Pro: #51 Pier Guidi/Calado/Serra Ferrari 488 GTE
LM GTE Am: #85 Keating/Bleekemolen/Fraga Ford GT
Alonso scores his second Le Mans victory. Just incredible. Here are the champions.
LMP1: #8 Alonso/Buemi/Nakajima Toyota TS050
LMP2: #36 Lapierre/Negrao/Thiriet Alpine A470 Gibson
LM GTE Pro: #92 Estre/Christensen Porsche 911 RSR
LM GTE Am: #56 Bergmeister/Lindsey/Perfetti Porsche 911 RSR
These are your winners, and your champions. This is the last time we see BMW. So long to them, and good luck to them in the future in Formula E. The next FIA WEC season, gets underway, very shortly, in September, at Silverstone, in England, for the 2019-2020 season. We'll talk more about that as it comes closer. But, what a great day for Nakajima, Buemi, and Alonso., taking the world championship, and winning two editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in one season.
The drivers can celebrate now, on the podium. Ford, Ferrari, Alpine, and Toyota are your Le Mans manufacturers champions. Fernando Alonso, Kazuki Nakajima, and Sebastien Buemi are World Champions, and Nakajima is the first ever World Champion from Japan. We will talk so much more about Le Mans later this week as we recap and analyze everything that happened. It's been another incredible 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2019.
Thank you for being with us for all the coverage of the pre-race, and the race itself. We've enjoyed your company thoroughly. For now, au revoir from Le Mans, and we'll see you, for the next season in 2019-2020 coming up, starting in September. We've got tons more racing to look at for sports car racing in the not too distant future. Au revoir, and a fond farewell, from Le Mans, France.
Toyota changed the front right and the rear left tire. They also could have a sensor problem. The sensor has not been reactivated or deactivated. Oh my! Toyota have over riden the sensor. Make every corner count. This is it. Wow. We're going to be in for a wild finish here. What incredible drama! Right now, you are listening to every small noise the car might mke. Especially if you are in a leading car. It's unreal. We had that puncture for Jose Maria Lopez. Toyota #8 is leading with Kazuki Nakajima. 50 minutes to go. Could Fernando Alonso get a second consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans win? We have 45 minutes to see what will happen. Both cars have to stop. #7 has an advantage, but it is very slight.
Nico Lapierre will perhaps hang on for LMP2. In LM GTE Pro, it seems Alessandro Pier Guidi and Ferrari might hold on. Ford will be picking up the leftovers on the podium it seems. BMW has not had their day and neither has Corvette nor Aston Martin. Could Ferrari celebrate on the 70th anniversary of their first Le Mans win with Luigi Chinetti and Lord Selsdon? That was in 1949 with the Ferrari 166MM. Who will win LM GTE Am? This is going to be a grandstand finish. Signatech Alpine could win two Le Mans races in a row.
No sign of G-Drive at all until they had the starter trouble. The championship is also up for grabs. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is what you want, but the championship is also big. Take both. Less than 45 minutes to go now. Will Toyota #8 stop? Jeroen Bleekemolen has taken over the #85 Ford GT. Bleekemolen is being chased by Jorg Bergmeister. The whole complexion of this race is changing within 45 minutes of the end! Holy cow! The #7 Toyota has a sensor issue. Alessandro Pier Guidi has pitted from the lead in LM GTE Pro. Porsche might close up on Ferrari. Earl Bamber, though is three whole pit stops behind the Ferrari.
Ferrari could have a chance to win LM GTE Pro. Nicolas Jamin has a suspension problem on the LMP2 car for the #30 Duqueine Engineering Oreca! He is listing, driving slowly down the Mulsanne straight. Philipp Eng is also in trouble recovering the BMW M8 GTE. Phil Hanson is taking the United Autosport #22 to the finish. Phil Hanson is going to bring the #23 car into the pit lane. A driver change will eat into the advantage. What will the damage be? Couldn't tell what Hanson said.
Toyota #7 has been the faster of the two cars, and now, will they have the win taken from them by their teammate? Toyota are damned if they do, damned if they don't. #30 with the broken suspension is into the garage. We have drama too, in LM GTE Am. Matteo Cressoni is pressuring Giancarlo Fisichella for eighth in class. Jeroen Bleekemolen is increasing the gap over Jorg Bergmeister. Kazuki Nakajima has a 50+ second cushion over Jose Maria Lopez. We cannot tell if the sesnors were faulty, or if there was indeed a deflating Michelin tire.
Toyota will still score a 1-2 finish. The gap is now down to 49 seconds. The #8 car leads over #7 and Jose Maria Lopez is driving through anger. In GTE Am, it is the same deal. Jeroen Bleekemolen and Jorg Bergmeister are eight seconds apart. Gianmaria Bruni is chasing Alessandro Pier Guidi, too. Ferrari might have an advantage over Porsche who still need a pit stop. In GTE Pro, five cars are on the same lap, and we have three cars on the same lap in LM GTE Am. AF Corse won GTE Pro in 2012. Gustavo Menezes has gone off the road in the #3 Rebellion again. Their finish is not going to be respective of their pace this year.
Kazuki Nakajima is pulling away in the #8 Toyota. Kazuki Nakajima dives for the pit lane. Will this be a splash and dash? The #7 car is on track. This is going to be mega. Now, they are not changing tires. They are just adding fuel to the car. Here comes #7! #7 takes the lead! This is unreal! #7 still has a chance! Nakajima has to push really hard now. Jose Maria Lopez could be in the catbird seat. Lopez leads. Jose Maria Lopez could still have to make a pit stop as well. It's still Jeroen Bleekemolen vs. Jorg Bergmeister for the win in LMGTE Am. A few other cars have indeed made their final pit stops.
Would Toyota complete one more lap fully on electric power? Maybe. LMP2 cars are making their final splash and dash pit stops. Ho-Pin Tung, from China, but living in Holland, he could be in for a win in LMP2. Twenty minutes to go. Jose Maria Lopez pits what is the quicker Toyota. Can Lopez claw back the gap to the sister car? He's leaving nothing on the table. Signatech Alpine makes their final pit stop. It's win or bust for Lopez, Mike Conway, and Kamui Kobayashi. Nakajima leads by 24 seconds. Lopez is told to just bring the car home.
Loic Duval pits the #28 TDS car. Nico Lapierre still leads LMP2. Alessandro Pier Guidi is going to finish for Ferrari. Jeroen Bleekemolen has managed to eke out a 15 second lead over Jorg Bergmeister. Gianmaria Bruni and Richard Lietz could be in for the GTE Pro championship. Tristan Gommendy is chasing Will Stevens in LMP2./ The cars are getting loose. Gommendy can'tclpse up on Stevens. Don't leave anything on the table for the final 11 minuts here at Le Mans. Kazuki Nakajima continues to lead Jose Maria Lopez. Toni Vilander is fourth in GTE Am for the WeatherTech Ferrari team. No one is going to ease off at the end of this race.
Gianmaria Bruni and Earl Bamber are both cutting really fast laps. Alessandro Pier Guidi will be able to respond. Keating Motorsports might just win LM GTE Am. He wants to win Le Mans, to stand atop the podium. James Calado will be one of the winners. 2012 was the last time AF Corse and Ferrari won LM GTE Pro. Ferrari won with Scuderia Corse in 2016. Nakajima leads Lopez by 17.4 seconds, and we'll have about 2 and 1/2 to 3 laps left. Will Stevens does a splash and a dash. Tristan Gommendy also came in. Jose Maria Lopez did have a four minute lap. Nakajima is told "don't go faster".
The four minute lap from Lopez was his outlap from the pits. Signatech Alpine from France, they are going to win their home race at Le Mans. One of the Hublot Kessel Racing Ferrari's goes off the road and we are on the final lap of Le Mans 2019, the final lap of the "Super Season". Kazuki Nakajima, Sebastien Buemi, and Fernando Alonso, will win a second 24 Hours of Le Mans, and also, an FIA WEC World Championship. But, pause for thought, becuase Toyota had victory snatched from them in 2016. Nakajima navigates through Mulsanne corner. Don't back off too far. Stay focused.
Toyota wins their second successive 24 Hours of Le Mans! Toyota has won the World Championship! Kazuki Nakajima, Sebastien Buemi,and Fernando Alonso! Second place for Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Jose Maria Lopez, who will be gutted, because they so wanted a win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Maybe in the Hypercar era. Nicolas Lapierre, Andre Negro, and Pierre Thiriet win LMP2! Ferrari has won GTE Pro, with Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Daniel Serra. In LM GTE Am, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Ben Keating, and Felipe Fraga get the win for Ford in LM GTE Am!
Overall/LMP1: #8 Alonso/Buemi/Nakajima Toyota TS050 Hybrid
LMP2: #36 Lapierre/Negrao/Thiriet Alpine A470 Gibson
LM GTE Pro: #51 Pier Guidi/Calado/Serra Ferrari 488 GTE
LM GTE Am: #85 Keating/Bleekemolen/Fraga Ford GT
Alonso scores his second Le Mans victory. Just incredible. Here are the champions.
LMP1: #8 Alonso/Buemi/Nakajima Toyota TS050
LMP2: #36 Lapierre/Negrao/Thiriet Alpine A470 Gibson
LM GTE Pro: #92 Estre/Christensen Porsche 911 RSR
LM GTE Am: #56 Bergmeister/Lindsey/Perfetti Porsche 911 RSR
These are your winners, and your champions. This is the last time we see BMW. So long to them, and good luck to them in the future in Formula E. The next FIA WEC season, gets underway, very shortly, in September, at Silverstone, in England, for the 2019-2020 season. We'll talk more about that as it comes closer. But, what a great day for Nakajima, Buemi, and Alonso., taking the world championship, and winning two editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in one season.
The drivers can celebrate now, on the podium. Ford, Ferrari, Alpine, and Toyota are your Le Mans manufacturers champions. Fernando Alonso, Kazuki Nakajima, and Sebastien Buemi are World Champions, and Nakajima is the first ever World Champion from Japan. We will talk so much more about Le Mans later this week as we recap and analyze everything that happened. It's been another incredible 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2019.
Thank you for being with us for all the coverage of the pre-race, and the race itself. We've enjoyed your company thoroughly. For now, au revoir from Le Mans, and we'll see you, for the next season in 2019-2020 coming up, starting in September. We've got tons more racing to look at for sports car racing in the not too distant future. Au revoir, and a fond farewell, from Le Mans, France.
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