Endurance... the sports car racing blog: October 2019

Thursday, October 31, 2019

IMSA news

More off-season news from the IMSA paddock, including a popular team joining IMSA on a full-time basis.

Grasser Set for Full-Season GTD Effort; Drops SRO Program

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/grasser-set-for-full-season-in-gtd-drops-sro-program/

McMurry Joins Farnbacher in MSR Acura for 2020

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/mcmurry-joins-farnbacher-in-msr-acura-for-2020/

Laurens Vanthoor’s latest column.

VANTHOOR: A Clean Slate Turns Into a Championship

https://sportscar365.com/features/commentary/vanthoor-a-clean-slate-turns-into-a-championship/

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Double Stint: ELMS Finale, Lamborghini World Final Recap (10-29-19)

The latest Double Stint Podcast reviewing both the final race of the 2019 European Le Mans Series, and, the Lamborghini World Final.

https://sportscar365.com/podcasts/double-stint/double-stint-elms-finale-lamborghini-world-final-recap/

FIA WEC news

Brief news stories from the FIA World Endurance Championship, heading for the only other 4 hour event on the calendar for 2019-2020, in Shanghai, China, in a couple weeks' time.

Dyson Set for LNT Ginetta Debut in Bahrain
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/dyson-set-for-lnt-debut-in-bahrain/

DPi/Hypercar Convergence a "Must Have" for Lamborghini

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/sanna-dpi-hypercar-convergence-a-must-have-for-lamborghini/

LMP1 Success Handicaps Confirmed for Shanghai

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lmp1-success-handicaps-confirmed-for-shanghai/

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Weekly Racing Roundup (10-28-19)

VLN and Le Mans Cup reports plus news from the past week...

https://sportscar365.com/features/roundup/weekly-racing-roundup-10-28-19/

Monday, October 28, 2019

Intercontinental GT Challenge headlines (in brief)

Some stories from Intercontinental GT Challenge, which will ramp up, headed into the finale, the Kyalami 9 Hours in South Africa, reviving one of the world's great sports car races, coming up at the end of November.

From the beginning of October on the 3rd of the month, a rewind of the 24 Hours of Spa with Team75 Bernhard. 24H Spa Rewind with Team75 Bernhard.

24H Spa Rewind with Team75 Bernhard

Craft-Bamboo Confirms Bathurst 12H Return
https://sportscar365.com/sro/igtc/craft-bamboo-confirms-bathurst-12h-return/

Baptista Completes Reshuffled Bentley Lineup for Kyalami 9H
https://sportscar365.com/sro/igtc/baptista-completes-reshuffled-bentley-lineup-for-kyalami-9h/

More news to come about the Kyalami 9 Hours as the race approaches in the coming weeks.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

6 Hours of Fuji Race Broadcast

The full race replay of the second event of the 2019-2020 FIA World Endurance Championship, from Fuji Speedway in Fuji, Japan. Martin Haven, Graeme Goodwin, and Allan McNish call the racing action from the broadcast booth, while Louise Beckett reports from the pit lane.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe & America news

News in the off-season from Blancpain GT Europe, including the fact, that for all championships, the title sponsorship from Blancpain, the watch maker has departed the sponsorship role for the American championship, with no new sponsor announced as of yet.

Blancpain Ends Title Sponsorship with SRO

https://sportscar365.com/sro/world-challenge-europe/blancpain-ends-sponsorship-deal-with-sro/

M-Sport Could Focus on IGTC; Bentley Customers for Europe

https://sportscar365.com/sro/world-challenge-europe/m-sport-could-focus-on-igtc-bentley-customers-for-europe/

Mercedes-AMG Crowned Global World Challenge Champions

https://sportscar365.com/sro/world-challenge-europe/mercedes-amg-crowned-global-world-challenge-champions/

Friday, October 25, 2019

DERANI: From a Daydream to Reality

Pipo Derani’s final column of the year for Sportscar365 about his big win at Petit Le Mans.

https://sportscar365.com/features/commentary/derani-from-a-day-dream-to-reality/

Thursday, October 24, 2019

more news from IMSA's official website

IMSA news from the official website, some pertaining to entry application deadlines for competitors.

What a Ride: Magnussen and Corvette Racing Through The Years

https://sportscarchampionship.imsa.com/news/102019/what-ride-magnussen-and-corvette-racing-through-years

IMSA Michelin Sports Car Encore At Sebring Entry Deadline Extended To Nov. 1

https://www.imsa.com/news/102019/imsa-michelin-sportscar-encore-sebring-entry-deadline-extended-nov-1

2020 Entries Now Open for Five IMSA-Sanctioned Series

https://www.imsa.com/news/102019/2020-entries-now-open-five-imsa-sanctioned-series

King Joins Team LNT for Shanghai

Jordan King joins Team LNT for 4 Hours of Shanghai...

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/king-joins-lnt-for-shanghai/

Peugeot Customer Hypercar Possible for 2021-22

Peugeot could enter Hypercar class with customer-based project for 2021-22...

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/peugeot-evaluating-customer-hypercar-program/

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

IMSA headlines

A fresh batch of IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship headlines, now that the off-season is underway before we look ahead to 2020.

Petit Le Mans Sights & Sounds
https://sportscar365.com/features/videos/petit-le-mans-sights-sounds-2/

Corvette Confirms Magnussen Exit
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/corvette-confirms-magnussen-exit/

Simpson, JDC-Miller Looking to Rebound After Challenging Year

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/simpson-jdc-miller-looking-to-rebound-after-challenging-year/

The latest Michelin IMSA Insider.

Michelin IMSA Insider: How Risi Won Big at Petit Le Mans, Again

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/imsa-insider/michelin-imsa-insider-how-risi-won-big-at-petit-le-mans-again/

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Blancpain GT Europe Endurance: Barcelona

It is time for the final race of the 2019 Blancpain GT Europe championship. We join Martin Haven and John Watson in the broadcast booth, and Louise Beckett in the pit lane, for all the action.

SPOILER ALERT!

If you do not want to find out who the winner was, stop reading, now, and click the video link to watch the entire race, but if you want to and absolutely have to find out who wins this motor race, keep reading.

In the finale of the 2019 Blancpain GT Europe Endurance Cup, at Circuit de Catalunya Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, it was a win for Orange1 FFF Racing and their Lamborghini Huracan GT3, in the hands of Andrea Caldarelli, Marco Mapelli, and Albert Costa. AKKA ASP once again wins the Silver Cup, with their #90 Mercedes AMG GT3 in the hands of Nico Bastian, Timur Boguslavskiy, and Felipe Fraga. In Pro Am, it is Audi and Sainteloc Racing winning, with their French trio of Edouard Cauhaupe, Pierre-Alexandre Jean, and Pierre-Yves Paque. The Am division winners, are the drivers of the #29 Raton Racing by Target Lamborghini Huracan GT3 shared by Stefano Constantini of Italy, Toni Forne of Spain, and Switzerland's Christopher Lenz.

Again, your race winners.

Overall/Pro: #563 Caldarelli/Costa/Mapelli     Lamborghini Huracan GT3

             Silver Cup: #90 Bastian/Boguslavskiy/Fraga     Mercedes AMG GT3

             Pro Am: #26 Cauhaupe/Jean/Paque     Audi R8 LMS

             Am: #29 Constantini/Forne/Lenz         Lamborghini Huracan GT3

Stay tuned for more about the championship winners, coming soon.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Barcelona Pre-Qualifying & Qualifying

Pre-qualifying and qualifying sessions from Barcelona Catalunya in Spain for the finale of the Blancpain GT Europe championship for 2019. We join our commentators, Martin Haven and John Watson in the commentary box, and in the pit lane, Louise Beckett, for all the action.

Barcelona Blancpain GT Europe Free Practice

The Free Practice session for the Blancpain GT Europe finale at Barcelona. Let's join commentators, Martin Haven and John Watson in the broadcast booth, and Louise Beckett in the pit lane, for all the action.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Blancpain GT Europe pre-race news from Barcelona

All the pre-race news from Circuit de Catalunya Barcelona for the finale of the 2019 Blancpain World Challenge Europe Sprint Championship. Stay tuned for race coverage, coming up.

Barcelona Friday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/sro/world-challenge-europe/barcelona-friday-notebook/

Practice & Qualifying Reports

Riberas, WRT Narrowly Lead Free Practice at Barcelona

https://sportscar365.com/sro/world-challenge-europe/wrt-audi-narrowly-leads-free-practice-at-barcelona/

A new Pirelli tire is coming to GT3 in 2020.

Pirelli to Introduce New GT3 tire in 2020
https://sportscar365.com/sro/world-challenge-europe/pirelli-to-introduce-new-gt3-tire-in-2020/

ROWE Porsche's 1-3 in Pre-Qualifying
https://sportscar365.com/sro/world-challenge-europe/rowe-porsches-1-3-in-pre-qualifying/

Barcelona Saturday Notebook
https://sportscar365.com/sro/world-challenge-europe/barcelona-saturday-notebook-2/

That's the Saturday recap. Stay tuned for more action from Barcelona.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Recapping IMSA's season finale at the Petit Le Mans, from last weekend

Friday, October 18, 2019

New 24H Le Mans Start Time for 2020

In 2020, the 24 Hours of Le Mans will return to it's traditional start time of 4PM in the afternoon.

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/new-24h-le-mans-start-time-for-2020/

Sanya Clash: Toyota "Expects" its Drivers to Race at Sebring

Toyota aiming to have both it's drivers also racing in Formula E at Sebring, rather than Sanya...

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/formula-e-clash-toyota-expects-its-drivers-to-race-at-sebring/

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Motul Petit Le Mans Race Broadcast

The race broadcast from the 2019 IMSA season finale, the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. The IMSA Radio commentary team of John Hindhaugh, Jeremy Shaw, Shea Adam, and Diana Binks, plus special guest, Paul Tracy, from NBC Sports, call the racing action. Enjoy.

Part 1

https://imsatv.imsa.com/video/102019/2019-motul-petit-le-mans-race-broadcast-part-1

Part 2

https://imsatv.imsa.com/video/102019/2019-motul-petit-le-mans-race-broadcast-part-2

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

more IMSA news including a new series President

More IMSA headlines, including the announcement of a new President of IMSA, former Mazda Motorsports President, John Doonan.

HPD Trackside: Petit Le Mans
https://sportscar365.com/features/videos/hpd-trackside-petit-le-mans/

Doonan Named New IMSA President
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/doonan-named-new-imsa-president/

Doonan Hoping to Continue IMSA’s “Growth Pattern”

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/doonan-hoping-to-continue-imsas-growth-pattern/

The latest Double Stint Podcast, recapping Petit Le Mans, and looking at the futures of IMSA and the FIA WEC.

Double Stint: Petit Le Mans Recap; John Doonan Interview (10-15-19)

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/double-stint-motul-petit-le-mans-recap-john-doonan-interview/

Wright Confirms Two-Car Effort With Hardwick, Imperato

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/wright-confirms-two-car-program-with-hardwick-imperato/

Cadillac DPi Program Confirmed Through 2020 Season
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/cadillac-dpi-program-confirmed-through-2020/

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Corvette C8.R at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

The new Corvette C8.R made it's debut at Road Atlanta during the Petit Le Mans this past weekend. Hop aboard and take a ride. For fans of the low, distinct rumble of the V8, this is a change. It is still a V8, but it has a flat plane crankshaft, so the engine note is decidedly different and far more European sounding.

FIA WEC news

Checking in on the goings on in the FIA World Endurance Championship, but with that said, the next race on the calendar, the 4 hour race at Shanghai in China is not for three or so weeks yet.

Van Eerd to Drive Nederland Oreca in Shanghai

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/van-eerd-to-drive-nederland-oreca-in-shanghai/

Porsche Cup Driver Ten Voorde Joins Project 1 For Shanghai

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-cup-driver-ten-voorde-joins-project-1-for-shanghai/

G-Drive to Enter 8H Bahrain
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/g-drive-to-enter-8h-bahrain/

A story being highlighted a second time, so apologies if you've already read it. But, once more (after it was highlighted in the IMSA post-race news following Petit Le Mans), the ACO is still examining the possibility of running to the 2022 IMSA Daytona Prototype International, DPi 2.0 regulations.

ACO Continuing Dialogue on Potential DPi 2022 Adoption

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/aco-continuing-dialogue-on-potential-dpi-2022-adoption/

Monday, October 14, 2019

Weekly Racing Roundup (10-14-19)

Reports from the GT Open finale and VLN 8 plus French GT and China GT champions.

https://sportscar365.com/features/roundup/weekly-racing-roundup-10-14-19/

Celebrating the Petit Le Mans Winners & The Champions

Celebrating the winners of Petit Le Mans, and the 2019 champions, via the official IMSA website.

Auberlen Ties Pruett for IMSA Win Record With Last-Lap Miracle For Turner BMW In Season Finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

https://www.imsa.com/news/102019/auberlen-ties-pruett-imsa-win-record-last-lap-miracle-turner-bmw-season-finale-michelin

Risi Competizione Ferrari Steals Show With Win in WeatherTech Championship GT Le Mans Class at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

https://www.imsa.com/news/102019/risi-competizione-ferrari-steals-show-win-weathertech-championship-gt-le-mans-class

No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Wins Motul Petit Le Mans While No. 6 Acura Team Penske Hangs On For DPi Championship

https://www.imsa.com/news/102019/no-31-whelen-cadillac-wins-motul-petit-le-mans-while-no-6-acura-team-penske-hangs-dpi

IMSA Champions Relive Pressures, Joy On Morning After Motul Petit Le Mans

https://www.imsa.com/news/102019/imsa-champions-relive-pressures-joy-morning-after-motul-petit-le-mans

more IMSA news after Petit Le Mans

More IMSA news after the Petit Le Mans season finale.

Neveu Pays Tribute to Retiring Atherton
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/wec-boss-neveu-pays-tribute-to-retiring-atherton/

Tandy Turns Laps of Talladega in Porsche Prior to NASCAR Race
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/tandy-turns-laps-of-talladega-prior-to-nascar-race/

Magnussen "Unsure" on 2020 Plans Amid Corvette Exit
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/magnussen-unsure-on-2020-plans/

ACO Continuing Dialogue on Potential DPi 2022 Adoption
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/aco-continuing-dialogue-on-potential-dpi-2022-adoption/

Curran Targeting Rolex 24 Bid in Whelen Cadillac DPi
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/curran-targeting-rolex-24-bid-in-whelen-cadillac-dpi/

Sunday, October 13, 2019

IMSA's Golden Anniversary season

We saw a lot happen in 2019 in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, and in the Prototype class, saw three manufacturers, three brands, share wins between them, with Acura, Mazda, and Cadillac. We saw intense battles, too in the GT classes between the likes of Porsche, Corvette, Ford, and BMW in GT Le Mans, and Audi, Porsche, Lexus, and Ferrari in GT Daytona. It can easily be said that some manufacturers probably showed more pace and there will be many arguments and lots of bench racing as far as the dreaded, but constant, Balance of Performance (BoP) that affects the world of sports car racing. In reality, though, there was a tie, in the Prototype class, between all of the major brands. Going into the Petit Le Mans, Cadillac, Acura, and Mazda, were tied with three victories apiece, not counting the two rounds of the championship at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut and Virginia International Raceway in Virginia, that were both exclusively rounds for the GT classes.
All three of these brands, being represented by championship winning teams that would go on to find success.

For Cadillac, Wayne Taylor/Konica Minolta Racing, and Action Express Racing. For Acura, Acura Team Penske. For Mazda, Mazda Team Joest, all three teams having the top level drivers, and major CV's in the world of sports car racing, having scored wins at some of the biggest events, and Penske having success in other forms of motorsport, still looking to break through in the big North American sports car races.

It just so happened, that Action Express Racing were the ones to break this tie, with a car that will now be the sole representative of their team, for the 2020 season, the #31 Whelen car, as they also won with the car at Sebring at the 12 Hours, and with the #5 car on the streets of Long Beach, California, at the opening event of the year. All season, in GT Le Mans, the battle was really down to two teams and two cars. It was a battle royal between the Porsche factory team with their flat six powered 911 RSR and the twin turbo V6 powered Ford GT from Chip Ganassi Racing, with BMW, as well as Corvette and Ferrari only getting an occasional look in, and the Corvette team, going without a win all season.

The battles really came down to the #67 Ford GT of Richard Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe vs. the two factory Porsche 911 RSR's of Patrick Pilet and Nick Tandy, and Earl Bamber and Laurens Vanthoor. Corvette probably wished they'd had more of a look in, and now, they will have their all new car, the mid-engine C8.R, debuting for 2020 which will bring them into the modern lexicon of GT racing with a mid engine sports car just like the Ferrari, the Ford, and the Porsche. Porsche has already debuted their next generation RSR in the FIA World Endurance Championship and it will make it's IMSA debut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 58th renewal of that great event, this coming January.

GT Daytona saw a blend of winners, and an intense championship fight that ultimately went the way of the Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 which earned the title merely by starting the Petit Le Mans yesterday, even though they did not finish the event. GRT Grasser Lamborghini came in and won the opening two endurance events, before their commitments to a different sports car racing championship, loomed. GTD wins were split among more brands. Porsche scoring two wins with Pfaff Motorsports, BMW scoring two wins with Turner Motorsports.

Lamborghini would go on to score another win with Paul Miller Racing, late in the season, at Laguna Seca, as Acura had one win in the third of the four enduros at the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, and finally, Lexus and Mercedes also got on the top of the podium in GTD. Lexus, twice in succession at Mid Ohio on the natural terrain road course, and at Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan on a street course, (one of the two street circuits IMSA races on along with Long Beach, in California, where GTLM cars and DPi cars were the participants), and Mercedes, would score GT Daytona glory, at the all GT event at Virginia International Raceway.

This shows the amazing amount of mechanical diversity and close competition that highlights what is arguably some of the best sports car racing on the planet, and there's a brief wrap up, a brief look at the season that was in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in 2019. What will IMSA's 51st season, and the start of their second half century look like? Join us to find out, right here on Endurance... The Sports Car Racing Blog, when teams reconvene at Daytona International Speedway in January, first for the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at the beginning of the month, and then, at the end of the month, for the 58th renewal of the Rolex 24 itself.

If you haven't had enough IMSA racing, do not worry. There is the IMSA Michelin Sports Car Encore coming up at Sebring International Raceway, next month, which you will be able to see video highlights of, and, there should also be a December test at Daytona in preparation for season 51. For now, we bid you farewell. Looking ahead, more recaps and post-race news from Petit Le Mans, and there will be plenty more news, and race highlights from throughout the world of sports car racing right here on Endurance... The Sports Car Racing Blog.

post-race news after the Petit Le Mans

Petit Le Mans Race Highlights

The full highlight reel from an action packed Petit Le Mans to close out the 2019 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship. Still to come, post-race news, and final thoughts on IMSA 2019. Let’s join the NBC Sports commentary team, Leigh Diffey, Calvin Fish, A.J. Allmendinger, Kevin Lee, Townsend Bell (who also drove in the race for AVS Lexus in GT Daytona), and Paul Tracy, for all the racing action.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Petit Le Mans Hours 9-10 (the finish)

An hour to go. 421 laps done and dusted for the AXR Cadillac's, 1,069 miles. Pit stop time for the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M6 GT3 from the lead in GT Daytona, checking the car as the windscreen is cleaned, the tires are changed, and the car is fueled. There was a small brake fire but it goes out and is extinguished. Give the wipe screen a wind, wait... the windscreen a wipe. That was an intentional mistake for humor, chaps. Cadillac have done their best work in the darkness. They are running better than anyone else right now. The two AXR machines are still 1-2. Meantime, Pipo Derani is catching his team mate as the Mazda is fading. The #29 Audi is in the lane, with Ricardo Feller at the wheel, and Scott Hargrove will cycle back to the front of this motor race in GTD.

Fuel and tires for Pipo Derani in the next five laps. Five or six minutes away. But, they won't be able to get to the end of this race before that. They might end up losing places. Pipo is in the lane now, 426 laps done. New drinks bottle for Derani. New tires, and a clean windscreen and he's back on track with a great burnout. James Calado makes a scheduled, clean pit stop. That's the #62 Risi Ferrari. 49 minutes to go yet. Tires and fuel for the #6. #7 got scrubbed tires for the cooler weather. #5 pits from the lead. Fuel and tires and they've dropped the car off the air jack too soon, but they didn't lose time. Porsche #912 in the lane, scheduled service, and well, the #67 Ford GT and the #25 BMW both get out ahead of Bamber in the Coca Cola Porsche.

Romain Dumas out of the #54 CORE Autosport Nissan, and Jon Bennett will take the car to the finish. Nick Tandy in the lane in #911. Christmas for the Coca Cola #911 Porsche. It screams away from the lane. Oliver Jarvis will be in the lane in about six laps or so. He is slower than Filipe Albuquerque. Everyone needs one more stop. Jordan Taylor will likely be the next car into the lane. The #96 Turner Motorsport Liqui Moly BMW M6 GT3 lost the GT Daytona lead going uphill on the grass. Christopher Mies and Scott Hargrove are closing, and fast. Toni Vilander has spun, and we are going Full Course Yellow, blokes. Pipo didn't get to the lane before the yellow came out.

This'll be a pit stop race. Katherine Legge has spun, and there is an investigation by the IMSA stewards into this. Vilander spun as well as Legge. He was stationary. Now, Vilander may be dinged by the stewards. Acura may have a lifeline in GTD. Pits open for Prototypes. Let's see what happens. Stand by, everyone. We will go back to green in seven or eight minutes or so it seems. Pipo Derani needs less fuel. Tires or no tires for the #31, or for any of the others. Here they come. Final DPi pit stops of 2019. Oliver Jarvis will be the first car in the lane. Hard to tell what the service is. For the #5, fuel only. For the #31, fuel and tires. For the #6 Acura, the car stays out. The #5 is back on track. Pipo Derani is out of the lane, and here come the Mazda and the #10 WTR Cadillac. Four tires as well and a nose cleaning for the #7 Acura.

Did the #5 Cadillac take two or for tires? No tires. Fuel only. Corvette #3 pits, and there was one tire for the #31, the right front tire. AXR now back to 1-2. We will go green at the end of this particular lap. Juan Montoya and Dane Cameron drop down to the lowest possible place where they could still be champs. Now, Montoya is back on track, and Stephen Simpson will also leave the lane. We are ready to go back to green. We will have a 25 minute dash to the end of the race and the season. Albuquerque, Derani, Jarvis, they go for it, but Jarvis snoozes and Jordan Taylor passes. Ricky Taylor is right on Jarvis' tail. Juan Montoya and Stephen Simpson are the blokes we have to watch.

18 seconds between Montoya and Simpson. Jon Bennett in the Nissan is way, way back. Montoya may still win the championship here. Ricky Taylor is now fourth. Problems for Oliver Jarvis. He's lost time. Could the Mazda be coughing and sputtering? Jordan Taylor is back into the motor race. Porsche is gaining on BMW in GTLM with Ferrari still leading. Felipe Fraga is being monstered by Bill Auberlen and Christopher Mies. Katherine Legge is being pressed by Toni Vilander. No action after review of the pass between Vilander, Legge, and the Lamborghini of Bryan Sellers. Somehow Nick Tandy is off the lead lap of the race.

Oliver Jarvis is limping home on the road. The Mazda is sick, clearly. An off course excursion at the top of the hill for Ricky Taylor in Acura #7. It's game over for Oliver Jarvis. He's in the wrong gear in the transmission. He's stuck in high gear, as the car was not revving at all whatsoever. Filipe Albuquerque has dropped out. Broken wheel. So, only one bullet left for AXR. Pipo Derani leads Jordan Taylor. Jordan Taylor has caught Pipo Derani. Derani is just two seconds ahead. 15 minutes to go in the season. Battles and fastest laps everywhere. James Calado and Ryan Briscoe flying in GTLM.

Ford vs. Ferrari, just like the new movie. BMW, Porsche, and Chevrolet are next in GTLM. This race is extraordinary. Jordan Taylor continues to apply the blowtorch to Pipo Derani. Katherine Legge is now behind Toni Vilander and Bryan Sellers. Advantage Lamborghini in GTD. New brake discs going on the #5. He is seventh behind Stephen Simpson. He will finish. The Acura could still win the title. They just need to find whether AXR wins or not. Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr, and Eric Curran are continuing to lead, but they may only be able to go for the win. James Calado's lead in GTLM balloons to 2.1 seconds. Earl Bamber and Antonio Garcia close on Earl Bamber in GTLM. Oh my goodness! This is nuts!

Bill Auberlen is right wigth the leader in GTD. Auberlen trying hard to catch Felipe Fraga and Chris Mies is pressing hard in the #29 Land Audi. 2.5 seconds separate Derani and Taylor. We've beaten the distance record, on 457 laps, 1,161 miles. The Mazda has clearly had a motor or transmission issue. Pipo Derani is leading this motor race by nearly 4 seconds. James Calado is 3.1 seconds ahead in GTLM. Tom Blomqvist is pulling out time over Earl Bamber. He's got a second. Bill Auberlen half a second behind Felipe Fraga. It's all happening at Road Atlanta. The manufacturer's cup in GTD might go to Lamborghini. Pipo Derani is showing how well he's done all weekend.

Vilander leads Sellers and Legge. Katherine Legge won't have Bryan Sellers on her Christmas card list. Bill Auberlen is right with Felipe Fraga in GTD. He wants that 60th win, to equal Scott Pruett. Chris Mies is right in it in GTD as well. Jordan Taylor is 2.4 seconds behind Pipo Derani. Ben Keating has gone to race in the FIA WEC. So, the Wynn's Mercedes is on it's last ride in IMSA. Three minutes to go. Auberlen too far back on the downhill in turn ten and he gets back to the deck of the Mercedes. Pipo Derani might make it one more lap, maybe two. No white flag this time. Next time around.

This is IMSA at it's best. 45 seconds to go. Derani gets the white flag as Earl Bamber goes off the road. Was that the #10 Cadillac? One lap to go. 1.8 seconds between the two leaders. Pipo Derani on the final lap. Risi Competizione will win GTLM. Pipo Derani is under review for contact with the Porsche. Will he make it? #33 is off the road. Bill Auberlen will win GTD. Scott Atherton waves the checkered flag. Who wins? Under investigation, Bill Auberlen ties Scott Pruett, and Turner Motorsports takes GTD. Derani, Taylor and Taylor 1-2-3. #33 has not finished the motor race. Was he on fumes?

Felipe Nasr has won with Eric Curran and Pipo Derani!

So, Action Express won’t take the overall championship. But, they do take the Michelin Endurance Cup.

Overall/DPi: #31 Derani/Nasr/Curran Cadillac DPi-V.R

GT Le Mans: #62 Calado/Pier Guidi/Serra. Ferrari 488 GTE

GT Daytona: #96 Auberlen/Foley/Machavern. BMW M6 GT3

What a race! Tomorrow, a final word on the 2019 IMSA season. Stay tuned for post-race, post-season thoughts in a special report.

Petit Le Mans: Hour 8

We are well into the eighth hour of this motor race. Eight hours and 20 minutes. Cadillac is back in the hunt, and Joao Barbosa leads with the #5 AXR car. Felipe Nasr is third. Timo Bernhard in the #77 Mazda runs second. This race has been very clean. The Mazda ended up with an advantage on fuel after their pit stop, seven hours and 35 minutes into the motor race. The Ford and the Corvette are right in there. Corvette has not won yet this year. The net lead in GTLM remains separated by half a car length only. Wow. The GT Daytona battle has been heating up in an intense manner. #5 passes the #77. The #77 Mazda went very long on the most recent fuel stint, and more from the Action Express camp as well.

The #5 AXR car in the lead with Joao Barbosa at the wheel of it, is esssentially on the same strategy as the #31 AXR sister car. Felipe Nasr is in the Whelen car at the moment. Ah. What else has happened? The GTD battle has been heating up like crazy. The #33 Mercedes leads a group of cars that includes the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW and the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche. The biggest fuel economy/fuel mileage advantage goes to the #29 Montaplast Land Motorsports Audi R8.
#31 now has made its way to second place in the overall. Felipe Nasr is behind Joao Barbosa. The Acura gets a lap back from the #31 car. Just over an hour and a half to go in this motor race. One of the Mazda's is getting time back, or trying to get time back, closing up on the Acura, and fast.

The #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari has made it to the lead in GTLM. We are over the 1,000 mile mark. The #33 Mercedes is a wee ways behind the class leader. Alessandro Pier Guidi had to wait for traffic and made a move on the #67 Ford GT. The floor is not broken on the #31. Pipo Derani is back in. Timo Bernhard is trying to get by Joao Barbosa, but Barbosa is checking out, running Harry Flatters at the moment. Again, when you say Harry Flatters, that means, flat out. Pipo Derani looks as though he's been passed now by Jordan Taylor. It is fully dark at Petit Le Mans and we've still got an hour and 22 minutes to go.

403 laps are in the bag so far, 1,023 miles. Joao Barbosa now does pit from the lead. An hour and 20 minutes to go. Filipe Albuquerque will take over the #5 car. Fuel, tires, windshield tearoff etc. Dane Cameron is out of the #6 Acura, and Juan Pablo Montoya is back in. Rene Binder has also stepped out of the #50 Juncos Racing Cadillac. Rene Binder says they have had a problem with the car from earlier on in the motor race. The darkness is very challening for Binder, in his first race at Road Atlanta. He wants to come back and race Petit Le Mans.

Timo Bernhard has now retaken the lead of the motor race and could be, is, a lap upon the rest of the top five. That's a strange deal. Side by side stuff between the two JDC-Miller Cadillac's, the #84 and #85 cars. Filipe Albuquerque may be being reeled in by Jordan Taylor, ever so slightly. Timo Bernhard continues on in the lead of this motor race for Mazda. Mazda and Timo Bernhard need to pit. #77 will do so in a few laps' time. Jordan Taylor is now in the pit lane. Meantime, Joao Barbosa is feeling that there might be a chance at the win in this motor race, and it's so tough because the #5 car may or may not be back next year. More than likely, it will not be.

This is an emotionally heavy moment, for Joao. It'll be real weird to see Joao in a different place next year. It's not always easy, Joao says. It's an end with one team, but the memories last a lifetime. A great statement, from Joao Barbosa, one of the greats of sports car racing in the modern era. He raced for the British Rollcentre Racing team in Europe, with team owner Martin Short, in years gone by. AXR is really going for it trying to find partnerships to run a second car for the 2020 season, however, it may be that they will stick with the #31 next year and only the #31.

We have our last hourly update of 2019. Ricardo Feller vs. Bill Auberlen vs. Scott Hargrove vs. Jeff Westphal in GTD. Audi, BMW, Porsche, Ferrari. Felipe Fraga will need a splash and a dash before the end of the race. James Calado and Ferrari could win Petit Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the same year. Ryan Briscoe for Ford second, followed by Tom Blomqvist for BMW. Porsche for Earl Bamber, and then Antonio Garcia in the Corvette next, and Nick Tandy in the #911 Porsche. Albuquerque, Derani, Oliver Jarvis, and Jordan Taylor next. Helio Castroneves and Juan Montoya come next. Juan Montoya can win the title event if AXR wins the race. We've passed the 1,000 mile mark.

We've completed 418 laps. The distance record in laps is 443. The final hour is coming up.

Petit Le Mans: Hour 7

Filipe Albuquerque has been struggling with his tires in the #5 Cadillac, the first of the AXR cars. Tristan Nunez and Renger van der Zande are 1-2, and now, van der Zande has taken the lead. The #33 Mercedes, Jeroen Bleekemolen is in the lane with a cross-threaded wheel nut. A recalcitrant wheel nut had to be hammered off with the mallet, the old Birmingham screwdriver. Renger van der Zande is still in the fight. van der Zande pits on lap 328. 328 laps, 833 miles. Once again, we thank Mr. Scott Atherton for bringing sports car racing to the forefront of motorsport. Darkness has fallen over the circuit at Road Atlanta. Tristan Nunez is now three seconds clear of Mike Conway.

The drama is starting to come about, or it will. Trust me, this race is far from over. The position marker lighting systems have been working very well for the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship. Tristan Nunez has just 6/10ths of a second in the lead, ahead of Mike Conway. Conway, committed, ducks inside two GT class cars. Nunez has to go to the right side of the #63 Ferrari. The sealer in the turns is helping with traction here at Road Atlanta. Felipe Nasr is now some distance behind his team mate, but they are on the same lap. Nasr is 17.7 seconds behind Conway, while Tristan Nunez in the #77 Mazda RT24P leads the motor race overall.

Ricardo Feller is closing on Bill Auberlen to a half a second margin in GT Daytona, look. Ford, Ferrari, BMW, Porsche, Porsche is the order in GT Le Mans. The Porsche's have just not been able to pull the pin and gallop away. We need some more pace from the Coca Cola retro paint scheme RSR's. We have been clean and green for a good while. Bill Auberlen pits from the lead in GT Daytona. Mike Conway has hunted down Tristan Nunez and has gone by for the lead of this motor race.

Laurens Vanthoor has pitted and Fred Makowiecki in the sister Porsche will be taking a position over, as the #31 Whelen Cadillac has also made a pit stop. Ford GT #67 is also in the lane, look, as we see more shuffling around in the GTLM class. Mike Conway now pits, relinquishing the lead, handing it back to Tristan Nunez. A 26 lap stint for Conway. 32 minutes to go before the next slice of points for the Michelin Endurance Cup, the next slice of that pie. Marco Seefried pits the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini. The #5 Cadillac had fluid added. Corey Lewis is now at the wheel of the #48 machine. The #911 Porsche just pitted, again, the cars for the Porsche factory team are in the Coca Cola throwback livery.

We had some suspension adjustments going on on the #912 Porsche as Juan Montoya brings the #6 Acura, and Dane Cameron gets back into the car for another stint. So much yet to play for as Matthieu Vaxiviere will soon step back into the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac. Vaxiviere will take the wheel of the car over from Renger van der Zande who has run a fairly long stint. Ricky Taylor in the #7 Acura is about to pit. Tristan Nunez has jumped out of the #77 Mazda. We do not know who has gotten into the car. They were still refueling, and just took the hose out of the fuel filler before the car took off down the pit lane. Timo Bernhard is back into the car. Bernhard has won this race five times before.

Mazda have won three races so far. There is a tiebreaker here, so, who will win? Cadillac, Acura, and Mazda, all have three wins apiece. Tomorrow, one of the Coca Cola Porsche's will make an exhibition lap or two at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama before the beginning of the NASCAR race.

Petit Le Mans: Hour 6

Drivers are fighting glare as the sun will begin to set soon, as we watch this battle between Eric Curran and Graham Rahal. The #52 PR1/Mathiasen LMP2 car, the Oreca, with a flat tire. Dalton Kellett is at the wheel of it. Eric Curran is trying his best to work through the GTD traffic, and now, Curran has the Acura all over him. The Cadillac's are at least five miles an hour faster than are the Acura's. Katherine Legge races inside Cooper MacNeil. It's Acura vs. Ferrari. We watrch this action from the #29 Land Motorsports Audi, with Canadian Daniel Morad at the wheel of it. Richard Heistand in the sole remaining #14 AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus is running well as we watch Oliver Gavin strap inside the #4 Chevrolet Corvette C-7-R-.

Robby Foley, Ben Keating, Scott Hargrove, and Katherine Legge, are the tiop four, with Cooper MacNeil fifth. It might be game over for the #12 AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus. They are still working on the car. They might miss the minimum drive time, but want to get back out on track. Tom Blomqvist is being chased down by Matthieu Jaminet. Daniel Morad tries passing Cooper MacNeil, can't quite do it, as the GTLM Porsche moves past. Some hot and heavy action in the GT classes. Timo Bernhard wants by Joao Barbosa for the lead of this motor race. Timo Bernhard will get a double draft and Timo Bernhard just takes the lead away from Joao Barbosa. Jon Bennett boxes Joao Barbosa as well.

But, Barbosa is going tof ight back at Timo Bernhard. Barbosa rammed intpo the side of the #911 Porsche, the Laurens Vanthoor, Nick Tandy, Patrick Pilet car. The #66 Ford GT is back on track, but now, Timo Bernhard in the #77 Mazda RT24P is in the lead of this motor race. Cooper MacNeil is being chased down by Daniel Morad. It's the #63 WeatherTech Ferrari vs. the #29 Land Motorsports Audi. The #31 Whelen Cadillac is in the pit lane. It is a 29 second pit stop, and here comes the #5 car. The Mazda's also pit. Oliver Jarvis is now into the #77 Mazda. 30 seconds even for the stop for the #5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R. Jordan Taylor in the #10 WTR Cadillac and Simon Trummer in the #84 JDC-Miller Cadillac go 1-2 for the time being.

Joao Barbosa is now chasing Oliver Jarvis for third overall. Simon Pagenaud has taken the lead in the #6 Acura ARX-05b. A close shave between Joao Barbosa, and the #24 BMW. Oliver Jarvis has passed Joao Barbosa. So now, Action Express runs third and fourth. We have just one car out of this race. 33 cars remain. We wait for the news on the #12 AVS Lexus RC F GT3 and work is also going on on the #86 MSR Acura. Joao Barbosa is going for it. We do not know if he will be back with Action Express Racing or anyone else for that matter. We have an hour and a half until sunset. Oliver Jarvis has also hit traffic, and so, Joao Barbosa might be able to catch him up. Just hope the ebb and flow of the stint works out until it's one hour to go in the motor race, then, it's go time.

Simon Pagenaud continues to lead Oliver Jarvis. Harry Tincknell in the #55 Mazda goes off the road and comes into the pits for repairs. Harry Tincknell got lucky, right ahead of the #4 Corvette, Oliver Gavin at the controls. Mazda #55 looks to be headed for the garage. We've got a problem for the #14 AVS Lexus. The #912 Porsche is in the lane, as Matthieu "Jam Jam" Jaminet, continues. The #25 BMW has made it to pit lane for a stop. Two wheels off the road for the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche. Corvette is now headed for their new mid-engine/rear-engine car for 2020. The car sounds completely different. It screams like a Ferrari, but it's an atmospheric motor with no turbo.

Now, we see another pit stop for the #31 Cadillac. Four hours and 20 minutes to go. Fuel, tires, and a driver change, back to Pipo Derani. They want the extra points at the eight hour mark. This track is all corners except for one straightaway. Now, the #66 Ford GT is in the lane, and Sebastien Bourdais is now at the wheel of it. The #31 has now dropped a lap down. They need to catch up nd come back to terms. There was a deflating tire on the #4 Corvette as well. The track is very physical here at Road Atlanta. The #86 MSR Acura NSX GT3 has officially retired from the race after the smoke we saw, and there was debris that holed the radiator on that car.

Blue, clear skies are coming for the evening as the #6 Acura is in the pit lane for a scheduled stop. Simon Pagenaud stays in the car. Joao Barbosa is in the lane for the #5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac. Not sure who it is in the car now. Checking timing and scoring it is Filipe Albuquerque. Oliver Jarvis has pitted from the race lead. When the darkness comes, drivers will take more risks, the depth perception changes, and there's more issues with accidents. Albuquerque makes contact with the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

Jordan Taylor dives for the pit lane and now, Oliver Jarvis is set to take over the lead. Filipe Albuquerque is the best AXR car, ahead of Simon Pagenaud. Pipo Derani's speed and consistency along with Felipe Nasr, might gain a spot, and they have been very consistent. Renger van der Zande is now at the wheel of the #10 Cadillac. Scott Dixon leads Colton Herta in GTLM followed by Daniel Serra. Matthieu Jaminet is next in the #912 Coca Cola Porsche followed by the sister car, and then, Jan Magnussen in the #3 Corvette. Jeroen Bleekemolen leads Dillon Machavern and Jeff Westphal. It's BMW vs. Ferrari behind the Mercedes, and then, the #9 Porsche 911 GT3R of Lars Kern. Then comes Daniel Morad, three seconds behind, and Christina Nielsen has the sole remaining MSR Acura, the #57 car.

Drama, look, for Jeff Westphal, as the 200 mile per hour tape is not holding. The headlight is also busted. We are just at the end of the six hour mark. Pipo Derani has had some trouble, and pushing to the limit. He locked the rear brakes, and went off in turn two, and the car got airborne. Oh dear. A tire change for the #54 CORE Autosport Nissan DPi. Oliver Jarvis is being chased now by Filipe Albuquerque. Simon Pagenaud is third, and Pipo Derani remains fourth after his off course excursion. If we have another Full Course Yellow before the end, things will really heat up and the plot will thicken hugely. Our leaders have completed 278 laps, 706 miles. The Cadillac's for AXR set fastest laps earlier in the day, but they've dropped three seconds, and the Mazda's as well, have done the same thing.

The pace of some of the other cars, has matched the Cadillac's now as the weather cools for the evening. They started out, running like the house was on fire. But now, they may be mellowing out. Pipo Derani wants to move on Simon Pagenaud. We now have 280 laps in the bag. Scott Dixon is extending his lead in GTLM. Colton Herta, though, is fending off the challenge of the Ferrari in the hands of Daniel Serra, the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari. Oliver Jarvis leads the motor race, inching away from Filipe Albuquerque. We are seeing a couple of pit stops at the moment. A long pit stop for the #33 Riley Motorsports Mercedes AMG GT3. This is the class leading Keating Motorsports Mercedes AMG GT3.

Dillon Machavern has taken the GT Daytona class lead in the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW followed by Lars Kern, Jeff Westphal, and Christina Nielsen as Renger van der Zande has spun in turn six! He'll have to wait and turns on the grass to keep on trucking. How did he spin? That's what we want to know. He was pinched by Misha Goikhberg in the #85 JDC-Miller Cadillac, the yellow and purple car. The #31 Whelen Cadillac is in the pit lane from fifth overall. Will there be a penalty for Misha Goikhberg? We do not know as of yet. Oliver Jarvis and Mazda lead by 12 seconds. Scott Dixon leads GTLM and Dillon Machavern leads in GT Daytona. For second in GTLM, we have Daniel Serra, Colton Herta, and Matthieu Jaminet battling each other. Ferrari vs. BMW vs. Porsche. The #911 Porsche has lost a bit of time, and the #62 has gone around the #25 BMW. The Ford GT, car #66, leads by 14 seconds or so.

The west end of the track here at Road Atlanta is still bathed in sunlight, and we will have darkness falling soon, as Filipe Albuquerque pits the #5 Cadillac in the lane. They pit from third overall. They are topping the car up with oil, in a pressurized jug. Albuquerque came in and so did Simon Pagenaud in the #6 Acura as the sister car is in the lane, the #7. Juan Pablo Montoya was ready and waiting for the #6 to go in for another stint. Are early pit stops the key for the #5? Are they not picking up fuel in that car? Questions remain. 25 laps is the shortest run they've had been pit stops during this motor race so far.

Tristan Nunez has just made a pit stop. He pitted from the overall lead, and now, Dillon Machavern has brought the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M6 GT3. Bill Auberlen is back into the car for another stint. Renger van der Zande is the race leader right now in the #10 Cadillac. Now, in GTD, Acura could win the manufacturer's championship. This is an extended pit stop period. IMSA's 50th anniversary has been an amazing season. Juan Pablo Montoya and Pipo Derani are indeed duking it out for the battle for the championship as we are nearly seven hours into the race.

We will miss you, Scott Atherton, retiring President and CEO of IMSA. Pit stop time now, for Corvette. Not sure which one it is. That's the #3 car it appears. The #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari is running really well, with alessandro Pier guidi at the wheel, chasing Richard Westbrook in the #67 Ford GT. The sun is setting, the track is cooling down. Tristan Nunez now leads Filipe AlbuqThe uerque while the #31 is in the lane. Scheduled service, and they still must win the race to win the championship. Pipo Derani out, and Felipe Nasr in. The #44 Lamborghini, the Magnus Racing car has gone off the road.

We have just over three hours remaining in this motor race. Another hourly update before we move on to the next hour. Mazda and Tristan Nunez leads Helio Castroneves and Renger van der Zande, followed by Mike Conway and Felipe Nasr. Richard Westbrook leads Alessandro Pier Guidi, Connor De Philippi, and also, the two BMW's.

Petit Le Mans: Hour 5

We have watched the GTD battle between Ferrari #63 and Mercedes #33. Parker Chase just took the #14 AVS Lexus RC F GT3 way off the road and filled the radiator with grass. Now, we have that car in the pit lane. The sister #12 Lexus will likely get back out, but they are hard at work fixing the steering rack and the left rear suspension. We've got a GTLM drag race between Porsche and BMW in GT Le Mans. One of the Corvette's has slid off the road, and he got turned on by Juan Piedrahita in the #85 JDC-Miller Cadillac, "the banana boat". Marcel Fassler in the #4 got the move put on him. Give me room. Phillip Eng leaned on the Porsche. Juan Piedrahita will get a drive through penalty. The #85 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac is headed for the pit lane, actually, out of the pit lane and back into the motor race.

The whole rear wing assembly will be changed on the Cadillac #85, putting a new part on the car. Joao Barbosa continues to lead Timo Bernhard and Felipe Nasr. The two Penske Acura's are next, Graham Rahal and Dane Cameron. Felipe Nasr is continuing to chase down Timo Bernhard. Joao Barbosa continues to work his way through the traffic. Joao Barbosa may retire as the #5 Action Express Racing team car is going away and the #31 will be the only one next year. They have seven seconds in hand over Timo Bernhard in the Mazda.

The #44 Magnus Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 is in the pit lane. Andy Lally, Spencer Pumpelly, and Marco Seefried are in that car. This will be a short off-season, a couple of months, before the Michelin Sports Car Encore at Sebring, and then, the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in early January. The GTLM battle is still hot and heavy, between Dirk Mueller and Scott Dixon. Alessandro Pier Guidi is in the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari at the moment. This race has been clean and green for a good while now as we are coming closer and closer to the halfway mark in the race.

Tire compounds have been a topic of discussion especially in GTD for the AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus boys. Matt McMurry is at the wheel of the PR1/Mathiasen car, sharing with Dalton Kellett, the only one left in LMP2. Now, the #3 Corvette C-7-R- is in the pit lane for service. Scheduled service and four tires, changing to the tire compound for the cooler conditions as well as a damper change on the sway bar, a shock change on the back of the car and a load of fuel. The new Corvette will sound completely different with a mid mounted flat crank V8 in it much like a European car, like the BMW or the Ferrari. The new car will be an interesting prospect. The old C-7-R- has been old reliable for many, many years.

Justin Marks and Katherine Legge, battle Scott Hargrove and Don Yount, so, we see both MSR Acura's, the Pfaff Motorsports Porsche, and the PPM Lamborghini. The overall leading #5 Cadillac gets four tires and fuel. In a lap or two, the #31 will hit the pit lane, trying to get on the same pit sequence. Acura Team Penske brings the #6 car to the lane. AXR with the #31 does not really need fuel or tires, but they need the strategy. No worries for the #6 Acura. Timo Bernhard is going into the #77. Now, some trouble for Chip Ganassi. The #67 Ford GT has pitted, but poor old DIrk Mueller has stuffed it into the fence. Now, the #31 car is back out, with Eric Curran now at the wheel of it. We have gone Full Course Yellow.

Pit stop time for the #911 Porsche 911 RSR. The #66 Ford GT, lost the rear end, locked up, slid through the kitty litter, and kissed the wall. Did he have a rear tire going down? Nothing has changed in the running order behind the safety car. Pit stop time for GTLM and GTD cars. The #66 Ford GT is in the lane, and Joey Hand takes over in the car. Trouble once again for the #24 BMW M8 GT. After Eric Curran, the GTLM cars are in order. We are close to halfway as the track is being cleaned up of all the tire clag. Get rid of the dirt, the debris, and so forth. It is a big gamble to pit early. They pitted early, off sequence, and then, the #31 ended up moving up due to their pit strategy. The battle in DPi will be hot and heavy.

We are nearing the midway point of this motor race. Joao Barbosa drops the hammer right out of the chicane. Graham Rahl is being monstered by his team mate Dane Cameron. Cadillac, Mazda, Cadillac, Acura, Acura, Cadillac, is the top six. The field has been reset. Eric Curran is maintaining position. He hasn't really challenged. But, he cannot afford to make a mistake. He's got to go for it, bringing the race back to AXR. Don't lose a lap. Again, AXR leads, but it isn't the car that is the championship contender. That's the #5 with Joao Barbosa at the wheel of it. But, they are not, I stress, not in championship contention. Robby Foley leads GTD and we see Cooper MacNeil hounding Ben Keating, the car owner of the #33 Mercedes AMG GT3.

Risi Competizione is back for the first time since Daytona. Leader, Joao Barbosa has run 219 laps, 556 miles. Mazda #55 is catching the #5 Action Express Cadillac DPi-V.R. Dane Cameron is all over Eric Curran like a rash. Can Curran use a lapped car as a pick? No. Dane Cameron gets around the #31. Eric Curran is keeping the car in range of the championship. Tire or engine trouble for the #86 MSR Acura NSX GT3 in the hands of Justin Marks, running fourth in GT Daytona right now. This smoke is on the left hand cylinder bank. Smoke billows from the #86 Acura. Something is wrong internally in the motor. There's smoke coming from the tailpipe of the car.

Joao Barbosa stillleads this motor race, and we wonder what he will do in the future. Will he be a reserve driver? Will he go to another team, or another series? Timo Bernhard remains second in the overall, as we rrach the halfway mark in the race. There's been a ton of action and this race is not done yet.

Petit Le Mans: Hour 4

The battle remains hot and heavy here in GT Daytona. Bea Figeuredo is one of the drivers involved in it. But, Bill Auberlen, Marco Seefried, Lars Kern, Felipe Fraga, and Trent Hindman, that's the top five in GTD. The race has gone perfectly for Whelen Engineering Racing, but they passed the pit road entry. They are going for the overall and are off sequence. Can we make to four hours? They will have to give up the lead if they pit under green. Pipo Derani may lose some time and now, Mike Conway is leading. Poor old Lars Kern, has gone off the road, look, between turns two and three, and he's loaded the radiator full of grass. GTLM has a battle between Ford and Ferrari, in the final race of the factory Ganassi Ford program. Balance of Performance is a key issue. It's a true chess match for how fast the drivers and teams go, without getting penalized. It is something that the teams and drivers don't like, but it has to be there. You want to be fast, but not too fast. The Ford blokes likely won't be back here next year.

Pit stop time for the #63 WeatherTech Ferrari for fuel and a fix on the right front corner. They have put Bear Bond on the right front fender of the car. Don't lose time by changing the entire nose. There's a long, long way to go yet, mate. Playing this different strategy, the Whelen car has to claw their way back to the front of the motor race. His pace is falling just a shade. But, he is running quicker than team mate Mike Conway in the #5 car. Toni Vilander has gone off the road, and did he get an assist from the #33 Mercedes, Felipe Fraga at the wheel of it. No real damage on the Mercedes. There was some argy bargy, a hip check.

Chief Steward, Beaux Barfield is OK with door to door contact, but not nose to tail. Mechanical trouble for the #55 Mazda, that's Olivier Pla, driving. The battle for second in GTLM sees Dirk Mueller ahead of everyone else, including James Calado in the #62 Ferrari. Now, Pipo Derani wants by Matthieu Vaxiviere. He wants it. Get a good exit, set up the pass. Derani clears the WTR Cadillac. The #50 Juncos Racing Cadillac, Will Owen at the controls, pulls off the road at turn ten. Mike Conway is in the pit lane for fuel and tires. The #31 goes by the sister car. Tristan Nunez off sequence now leads in the #77 Joest Mazda.

The #911 Coca Cola factory Porsche has made a stop, now with Nick Tandy aboard. Acura #6, Simon Pagenaud is into the pit lane now. Pagenaud is back on track again, with an under 30 second pit stop. The #33 Mercedes has been dinged with a drive through penalty. Tristan Nunez will stay in the car as the #77 Mazda is in the lane. Fuel and tires, and back into the motor race for Tristan Nunez. Pipo Derani is now back in the lead of the motor race. Derani needs more time in his gap over team mate Mike Conway. Derani has to back out of the gas, and causes the #10 Cadillac to get ahead even though the #10 of Matthieu Vaxiviere is seventh in DPi. Derani gets balked by the Ford GT, the #66, and now, Mike Conway in the sister car is closing in.

The #50 Juncos Racing Cadillac heads for the garage. They had that massive accident at Mosport in Canada earlier in the year. Now, Pipo Derani is in the pits again, and is off sequence. A driver change is going on, and now, the new driver will be Felipe Nasr. Eric Curran has not gotten into the car just yet. Go easy on cold tires. The Michelin tires need a lap and a half or two laps to get up to working temperature. Marco Seefried and Trent Hindman battle for position in GTD. In this sixth hour, we have seen a mega batgtle in GTD between Toni Vilander in the Ferrari and Felipe Fraga in the Mercedes. Fraga has fresher tires. Meanwhile, We saw Mike Conway lead in the #5 Cadillac, and now, he has gotten out and Joao Barbosa is back in the car.

It is an Action Express 1-2 once more, as the #7 Acura has made their pit stop. Action Express is 1-2 again after the #31 car was down the order and off sequence. Now, they are back on sequence and back into the lead. It looks as though the #31 has taken over the points lead in the Michelin Endurance Cup. Porsche #911 is in the lane as well. This is an ultra quick driver change and this would be the #011 entry, having the brake pads studied. They might be able to change the front brakes on the Porsche which would give these blokes a performance advantage.

Some fender to fender battles in GTD still.

Petit Le Mans: Hour 3

Folks, this race has been brilliant thus far and we've only just started. The GTD battle is still hot. The Penske Acura splits this battle. The pace of the GTD field is smashing. Big damage on the left front of the #52 PR1/Mathiasen car. A flat tire for the #52 PR1/Mathiasen LMP2 car. The GTD battle continues, and in GTLM it is still Ferrari, Ford, and Corvette. Pipo Derani has 5.5 seconds in hand. Filipe Albuquerque has passed Juan Pablo Montoya. Derani is really flying, and he is faster than Albuquerque. Save the car for the finish. Penske in the pit lane for service. Juan Pablo Montoya is serviced and sent. Mazda #77 is in and Pipo Derani will stay in the #31 Cadillac. Filipe Albuquerque is in the #31, while the #5 car is being taken over by Mike Conway, the Brit, who races for Toyota in the FIA WEC.

The #50 Juncos Racing Cadillac is in the lane. Will Owen takes over from Rene Binder. Audi #29 for Land Motorsports pits. The #10 Cadillac, the WTR machine, serves a drive through penalty for speeding, with Matthieu Vaxiviere of France at the wheel of it. GTLM vs. GTD, Porsche vs. Audi. Audi #29 is in strife. There's trouble for Christopher Mies. Maybe it is cold tires. Vaxiviere is serving his drive through penalty. Renger van der Zande was the most recent driver in the car. WTR can win the Michelin Endurance Cup. Mike Conway is relishing the opportunity to be at Petit Le Mans. He is a plug and play kind of driver even though he races for Toyota in the World Endurance Championship. Filipe Albuquerque did a quadruple stint.

Again, Cadillac and Acura are on a level playing field in the weight department. Pipo Derani is ahead, still. These last few hours, have been pretty straightforward, but there can always be drama at every turn. The two factory Porsche's of Patrick Pilet and Matthieu Jaminet battle in the retro Coca Cola liveried cars. Tommy Milner tries to pass, but gets stymied by one of the Porsche's. Corvette and BMW in the lane. Again, this is the farewell race for the C-7-R-. The #7 Acura is eighth overall. Ford in the pit lane for regular service. They want to go out on a high note. Brandon Gdovic in the #47 PPM Lamborghini Huracan GT3, serves a penalty.

A driver change for the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini, as Marco Seefried gets into the car, the German shoe. A shoe, is a good driver. Acura NSX GT3 #86 is also in and out of the lane quickly. They won the GT Daytona title by taking the green flag. Trent Hindman and Mario Farnbacher are the champions. The #12 AVS Lexus has crashed on cold tires. Aaron Telitz at the wheel of it. He got caught out on his outlap, and the harder tire just does not have as much grip on the first flying lap out of the lane. Aaron Telitz did not see Matthieu Vaxiviere in the #10 Cadillac.

So, this team will have to dig and claw their way back if they want to be in contention for the GT Daytona class lead. Ferrari is in the pit lane and so are the other GTLM and GTD cars. This scrap forthe GT cars continues as we see both Action Express Racing cars still in the lead, with Pipo Derani and Mike Conway. Mazda and Acura, follow. This pack of GTD traffic, is standard operating procedure as theclouds are rolling in, cooling this track off. We may end up with some rain, and the track will be very slippery. Watch out for the red Georgia clay, too. That #24 BMW is back on track, the car of

It's horsepower wars between Corvette and Porsche, look. Big lockup from the Porsche. Contact and damage between the Land Audi and the WeatherTech Ferrari. It's argy bargy, the chrome horn, between Christopher Mies and Toni Vilander. The #86 Acura is off the road as well and back on. There's still a long way to go as the #33 Mercedes goes off the road. That's Felipe Fraga. The #29 Audi has been dinged with a drive through penalty. Drivers are getting more aggressive as this race continues.

Petit Le Mans: Hour 2

We have entered the second hour. The view of this track is amazing. So many tracks we go to in IMSA are legendary, and Road Atlanta is one, having opened in 1970, so, it will celebrate it's golden anniversary, next year. The #31 car continues ti lead, Nasr ran 39 career Formula 1 races. He wants to win Petit Le Mans and put it on his CV. Renger van der Zande went off the road in turn two and three there. We see the #25 BMW in the pit lane for a driver change and a scheduled stop, but they have been thrown off unless we get a Full Course Yellow. Corvette in the pit lane. An oil line was cracked on the #24 BMW which is out of the motor race and 20 laps down. We've got a huge crash as Cameron Cassels has slammed the wall. He's moving around, in the car. Helio Castroneves must have made contact with the #38. Acura #6 tags Cameron Cassels, forcing him wide, and... crunch! Cassels hits the wall after getting on the marbles, the rolled up rubber, the clag, on the outside of the circuit.

This race, used to be ten hours or 1,000 miles. We now run it as a ten hour race since it was initiated in that way, in 2014. Road Atlanta has a new surface that is higher grip. We start the race an hour later than we used to. We shall have one extra hour of night time racing, as we are still under yellow. Pipo Derani decides to pit the Whelen Cadillac, and the same is true for Renger van der Zande at WTR. Penske is repairing the damage on the #7 car. They will be fine for the rest of the race if they don't have issues. DPi and P2 cars have hit the lane, and now come the GTLM and GTD cars. Risi Ferrari is pitting. Daniel Serra will take over, the Brazilian.

Richard Westbrook and Joey Hand in the two Ford GT's have also pitted. Both Porsche's have elected to change drivers and get fuel and four tires. We are still under yellow, and we watch the #12 AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus. We've seen a lot of yellow flag this hour. So you haven't gotten as much action. The cleanup continues. We are getting set, finally, chaps, to go back to green! Montoya is trying to attack Albuquerque, following his team mate, Pipo Derani. Juan Pablo Montoya is chasing Pipo Derani. Drive through penalty for #7 Acura. 60 kilometers an hour in the pit lane. We've seen another crash! It's the #44 John Potter driven Magnus Lamborghini, and Parker Chase in the #14 AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus.

There's been a shuffling in GTD except for Cooper MacNeil in the WeatherTech Ferrari. Lamborghini vs. Mercedes. Bryan Sellers and Felipe Fraga, chasing Cooper MacNeil. This GT Daytona scrap has been smashing, mate! MacNeil vs. Sellers vs. Fraga. He wants the position. Sellers sends it, and Fraga slams the door in his face. The GTD scrap heats up more! Can it get any closer? Fraga is pushing, pushing, pushing. Fraga wants it. Cooper MacNeil is feeling the heat here, look. Fraga moves alongside, and it's door to door stuff. Bryan sellers is pressing, pushing. Eight hours left on the board, ladies and gentlemen.

Petit Le Mans: Hour 1

Welcome, to the finale of the 2019 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship. Championships are on the line today, at the 21st renewal of the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, in Braselton, Georgia. 34 cars in total, take the start. Who will be on the Wall of Champions today, at Road Atlanta. Team Penske is one of the contenders for the championship. They must finish eighth or better in the #6 Acura, with Dane Cameron, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Simon Pagenaud. Porsche has won six races this year in GT Le Mans. They have two cars in contention. If the #912 finishes seventh or better in class, they win the title, or, their team mate in the #911 car that can also win. Mario Farnbacher and Trent Hindman have won just one GT Daytona race this year, but they will be champions as soon as the green flag falls. Justin Marks is the team's third driver.

This is also Scott Atherton's final race. He retires after this race, and has given the command to start engines. So, we are ready to bring the action. There are four legendary endurance events, and today at Petit Le Mans is the final one of those, in addition to being the final race of 2019 itself. This race was the brainchild of the late, great, Dr. Don Panoz. This is actually the 22nd running of this great event. Road Atlanta, it's a tough, intense and narrow track. It's hot in the race cars, and this is the narrowest circa in IMSA. You are walking a tightrope with an enemy throwing swords at you.
On pole, Felipe Nasr, in the #31 Whelen Cadillac. Kyle Masson, James Calado, and Corey Lewis are on the class poles.

Whelen Engineering has come alive, and can possibly win the race, and maybe the championship today. That's Felipe Nasr, Pipo Derani, and Eric Curran. PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports is in the driver's seat for the LMP2 championship. The final races are today, for the factory Ford GT's and for the two front engine Chevrolet Corvette C-7-R's before the new, futuristic Corvette C-8-R comes to the fore, with a mid engine next year. This race is ten hours. No more. No less. It's time to go racing. Manage traffic, make wise decisions, and watch out for darkness in the last three hours.

Go! Argy bargy between the acura and the Cadillac. the Mazda's are going to push dane Cameron as well. Felipe Nasr leads. They still can win the title. Nasr has been dominant in practice and qualifying and his gap is growing already. Meanwhile, Mazda and Acura seem to be flying, and off is jON bennett in the #54 CORE Autosport Nissan, Jon Bennett at the wheel of it. He slides not a spin over the top of the hill, look. Grabbed the short shift too early, spun up the rear tires, and lost traction. A lucky escape for Jon Bennett, sharing with Colin Braun and Romain Dumas. Ferrari vs. BMW vs. Ford vs. Porsche in GT Le Mans. All nine cars within 6/10ths of a second.

You see a Coca Cola Porsche just like the Bob Akin car that ran in the 1980s as a 935 and a 962. This is Porsche's lead car. The Ford GT drivers need work for next year since the factory cars won't be back. Corey Lewis is leading Jeff Westphal in GT Daytona. The #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini leads the #63 WeatherTech Ferrari and the #33 Wynn's Mercedes. Mario Farnbacher and Trent Hindman are GTD driver's champions! But, they want the race win, too. The action is fast and frantic in the opening stages here at Petit Le Mans.

It is all about time, but Felipe Nasr has caught the GTLM and GTD cars. Be decisive. That's what you need to do as Ricky Taylor is being hounded by Filipe Albuquerque. We are 50 miles or so north of the ATL, Hot 'Lanta, Georgia's capitol. Set up the line through the esses after going through the downhill. Right hand corner, turn seven, slowest turn on the circuit. Speed down the back straight but watch out for turn 10 down the hill, and watch out for the beach, the big gravel trap on the side of the road. The esses are amazing. Watch out for the Snake Pit and the Beach. Dane Cameron is fourth, as Filipe Albuquerque is third, and Ricky Taylor is second. Save fuel in the first stint. The Michelin Endurance Cup is also at stake with points at four, eight, and ten hours at the end of the motor race.

Felipe Nasr is growing his margin and must be having a great time as we see argy bargy in GTD with Richard Heistand and Justin Marks. The #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M6 GT3 with Robby Foley at the wheel of it, is flying as well. Coming up, fast, is also the #29 Land Motorsports Audi R8. It was the quickest GTD car in qualifying, as the time was scrubbed for a penalty. Ricardo Feller is currently in the lead. Nasr is cooking, with a none second lead in this motor race already. This is already a knockdown fight between AXR and Team Penske. Ricky Taylor has been put down a spot and now, Dane Cameron is monstering Filipe Albuquerque. For Dane Cameron, he is working traffic well, but the pressure is turned up all the way.

Nasr and AXR want to win, they want to have the championship. The Cadillac and the Acura are equal in weight. A number of drivers are saving fuel right now, not even half an hour into the race. Road Atlanta is packed with fans. We are still celebrating 50 years of IMSA. The new Michelin Tower has been built and is a centerpiece of the circuit. AXR has not led since April at Long Beach. Some argy bargy, look, between Justin Marks and Richard Heistand. That's MSR Acura vs. AVS Lexus. Corvette in the lane in GTLM for a pit stop. There's a tire pressure problem with the #4 car, a blistered Michelin tire for Tommy Milner, Oliver Gavin, and Marcel Fassler. Pit stop time, too, for the #25 BMW M8 GT. Connor De Philippi, Tom Blomqvist, and Colton Herta.

Blistering tires will happen if you go aggressive on a softer compound, it'll affect the balance of the car. Some pavement sections have been sealed here at Road Atlanta, for more grip. The traffic is heavy. Renger van der Zande at the wheel of the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac, chasing the #24 BMW M8 GT. James Calado in the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE, is running very well. Everyone on a team has to be reading from the same sheet of music, just like in a band. Pit stop time, or so it appears, for one of the Acura's. Same for the #10 machine, the WTR Cadillac in the hands of Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor, and Matthieu Vaxiviere. The leader is in the lane, too. The #31 went a lap longer than the Acura.

The sister car, Filipe Albuquerque is also in the lane as Penske also stops. Trouble for Mazda it seems, as they overshoot their pit spot. That's the #77 Timo Bernhard driven RT24P. Per the rules, you can't use reverse in the lane. AXR runs 1-2 at this moment. Corey Lewis leads GTD. James Calado is leading GTLM for Ferrari, over Porsche. Poor old Robby Foley had two brake calipers explode on his outlap in qualifying, fourth in class in GTD at the moment. No damage on the #96 BMW. He is sharing that car with Bill Auberlen who has to be the most experienced driver in the field. The cast iron brakes, put a hole in the oil pan of the BMW. Its Bill Auberlen's birthday, and he could tie Scott Pruett for the most career IMSA wins if he wins in class today.

Corey Lewis is being hounded by Jeff Westphal for the GTD lead. They won last year here at PLM with Cooper MacNeil, Jeff Westphal, and Daniel Serra. MacNeil and Vilander have had back-to-back podiums. BMW #24 is pitting for what appears to be a scheduled stop. The #912 Coca Cola historic livery Porsche is in the pit lane. Laurens Vanthoor is in the lane. BMW #24 is in trouble. It's dropped a couple cylinders. The motor has gone bang, with the Phillip Eng at the controls. The #911 Coca Cola Porsche is in the lane. Ferrari #62 in the lane as well, as we have seen a split strategy for the Porsche's. A driver change in the #62 Ferrari that has had a tire vibration. Alessandro Pier Guidi is now at the wheel of the Ferrari. It is good to see Risi Competizione back.

Many IndyCar drivers are in the field, as we see the Corvette #3 in the lane, Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen, and Mike Rockenfeller, sharing the driving chores. There will be a new driver lineup as the C-8-R is being introduced with it's new mid-engine layout with a flat plane crank V8 engine in the car. GTD pit stop time, as Bryan Sellers takes the wheel of it for the next stint in the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini. The #66 Ford GT is in, Joey Hand at the wheel of it, with a car that has been understeering. He has been told, "take care of the rear tires, mate." GTD pit stop time for the #63 Ferrari as well. Cooper MacNeil is in the car, and he will race tomorrow in the SCCA Runoffs at Virginia International Raceway, tomorrow.

Bryan Sellers wants to dive past Cooper MacNeil for the GTD lead. Simon Trummer in the #85 Cadillac Dpi-V.R for JDC-Miller Motorsports, not happy about being balked there. In LMP2, there are just two cars. Matt McMurry is champ, and has move past Kyle Masson. Laurens Vanthoor and Earl Bamber can be champions in GT Le Mans, finishing seventh or better. Poor old Marco Seefried was drafted into the Magnus Racing Lamborghini team, and they've had some trouble today so far. Don't bounce over the curbing. #6 is in the lane. #31 is in the lane as well. Pipo Derani is in, and Filipe Albuquerque is also in the pit.

Timo Bernhard is in the lane in the #77 Mazda.

Friday, October 11, 2019

A Lap Around Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

Take a lap around Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with Oliver Jarvis in the No. 77 Mazda Team Joest Mazda DPi.

Friday Petit Le Mans headlines

Friday headlines from Road Atlanta, headed for race day tomorrow to decide the champions in the 2019 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship at the Petit Le Mans.

How Porsche Powered to Victory in GTLM