Well, well, well. The sky is brightening up. We could get the rest of this race in as the clock ticks down. We will have a 40 minute or maybe 35-minute sprint to the end. Birds singing in the background. That's always pleasant. The birds have enjoyed the motor racing today. We have seen Acura at the top. We may not see the rain tires. The pavement is convincingly drying out. The clouds and the rain came and cooled the track. The clock is contnuing to run. What will the fuel deal be? Father Time and Mother Nature are going to determine at least partially, how this motor race is going to come out. In GTD Pro and GTD, the #25 BMW M4 GT3 pitted and the true leader as we wait is the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3.
In GTD the #57 Winward Mercedes has minded their own business and could get into the picture with Phil Ellis, Marvin Dienst, and Russell Ward. Felipe Fraga was told by his team at Riley Motorsports was going unbearably slow before the rains came. But they have a lap advantage in LMP3. Will cars pit? The #10 is the question compared to the #60. What will we see from Ganassi and from Action Express? We do have a drying race course and we could indeed have to switch back over to dry weather tires. Stand by. This is going to be a sprint to the end. A real shootout at the OK Corral.
The fans are enjoying themselves as we are getting closer to going back to racing and we should not see any more rain I don't think. Cars back on track behind the safety car. We are ready for a restart. It's time to bring the action once more. Pits will open next time by. #31 in the lane. Pipo Derani set to take it to the checkers. Damp race track, high chances of a probable yellow. John Edwards and Ross Gunn may have the fuel in GTD Pro. BMW vs. Aston Martin. Wayne Taylor says it is odd that the clock was stopped at 35 minutes. Allowing more time means the 10 may be behind the eight ball.
#32 in the pit lane, GT Daytona championship leader, nine laps behind. The Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes. Magnus Racing calls an audible for the #44 Aston Martin and Andy Lally takes over but Spencer Pumpelly overshot the pit box and had some trouble. John Potter has yet to win at Watkins Glen and he made his professional debut here. So they will need to dig their way back throughl Green flag this time by. In turn seven, the toe of The Boot. One more pace lap. That's it. Then we'll be back at it.
It's about to be squeaky, squeaky time, like when you wipe a clean window. How clean will this be? #81 DragonSpeed LMP2 Oreca in the lane. Green flag. Now, Tom Blomqvist has Filipe Albuquerque right behind along with the Cadillac's. Painted curbs if they are wet, are like ice. Albuquerque to the lead over Blomqvist. Wow! Full send. You have to do it. Do not hold back. Bourdais hanging tough. What about fuel? We know the #60 has more fuel and the #47 Ferrari has gone off the road and hit the IMSA sign.
He is going to run over the signboard and keep on trucking. Antonio Fuoco at the wheel of the #47. That's one way to control track limis and the #81 is back to the lane after Sebastian Montoya switched into the car. It is a penalty for leaving the lane with equipment. Do not see anything about pit equipment attached to the car. Before the red flag, maybe the penalty was called. That's strange. Maybe Montoya was upset about that part. The #52 PR1/Mathiasen LMP2 car is leading in class with Scott Huffaker. Ross Gunn is probing and moving in on the Magnus Aston Martin. Not sure if that is Andy Lally, John Potter, or Spencer Pumpelly.
The battle at the front is Acura vs. Acura. WTR vs. MSR. #10 vs. #60. Cadillac's follow. Ganassi, Ganassi, Action Express, Action Express. The DPi class is right together n the road it looks like. It looks like it is mano e mano between the two Acura's. Sebastien Bourdais is third in the #01 Cadillac. Will #10 make it on fuel? That is the question on everybody's mind. They are going to be in fuel save mode. Anything is possible with 12 minutes to go. Traffic ahead everywhere. Here comes Tom Blomqvist.
Blomqvist has a run on Albuquerque as they clear the traffic and now the Cadillac's have to get through it. Bourdais, Lynn, Derani. A possible splash and dash for Albuquerque. Are they fuel saving? They are hoping for a yellow in the last ten minutes. No changes in other classes. Traffic all over the shop. Blomqvist wants a run on Albuquerque. Bourdais is right on top of them. Nose to tail they run downhill through The Boot. Bourdais may be plotting a paln to get past the Acura's. Not sure if Lynn and Derani will be close enough to get into the fight.
Lynn seems to be moving into the picture. Where is Derani? He seems to be a tad behind but could still be hanging on to fifth place. The top five is all bunched together. On fuel, in GTD Pro, Risi Competizione Ferrari can't make it on gas. They need a yellow and so does the #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus and the #9 Pfaff Porsche. In GTD, Phil Ellis leads at Winward Mercedes in #57. It will be very close. This will be nip and tuck on the clock. Pipo Derani is turning up the wick. Lynn and Derani both on the charge as the Ferrari dives for the lane for gas.
Edwards in the BMW M4 GT3 up a place. Edwards and BMW are in good shape. Pfaff Porsche ready for a splash and a dash. Bourdais has a huge run on Blomqvist past an LMP3! Wow! No dice. Blomqvist stays second. Blomqvist right on the #10's six. Three to go and we see Porsche #9 and Lexus #14 short on fuel in GTD Pro as Edwards and BMW go to the lead. Splash and dash. The leaders weaving through traffic. Bourdais threading the needle too, look. Serra ahead of Jaminet. The GTD traffic is there. White flag this time it seems. #10 will roll the dice.
Blomqvist right on Albuquerque's tail. Bourdais has lost touch. Lynn and Derani behind. One to go. Lapped traffic ahoy to the end. lomqvst balked and here comes Bourdais to second spot, perhaps. Albuquerque has clear road. Blomqviust and Bourdais. Bourdais has to back out of it. Just a handful of turns left. Nerve racking! Albuquerque might be in the clear. WTR win it. Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor are your winners. LMP2 win on the line. Huffaker and Deletraz. Deletraz has a run but no! PR1/Mathiasen win it. Keating, Jensen, Huffaker.
In LMP3, Felipe Fraga and Riley Motorsports along with Kay van Berlo and Gar Robinson are going to win it. This is it. LMP3 and a dominant performance for Riley Motorsports! Well, well. In GTD Pro, the two divisions of Pro and regular. John Edwards and BMW and the Winward Mercedes of Phil Ellis get the victories!
Overall/DPi: #10 Taylor/Albuquerque Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-05
LMP2: #8 Farano/Deletraz/Andrade Tower Motorsport Oreca 07
LMP3: #74 Robinson/Ftaga/van Berlo Riley Motorsports Ligier JS P320 Nissan
GT Daytona Pro: #25 De Philippi/Edwards/Farfus BMW Team RLL BMW M4 GT3
GT Daytona: #57 Ward/Ellis/Dienst Winward Racing Mercedes AMG GT3
Next weekend, back to racing, sprint race style. A return to Mosport Park in Canada, north of the border. Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, in Bowmanville, Ontario, next Sunday for a flat out 2 hour and 40-minute shootout. See you next week for that. So long for now from Watkins Glen ladies and gentlemen. Take care.
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