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.
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