Welcome, everybody, to the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, and the legendary Watkins Glen International Raceway, as the Michelin Pilot Challenge returns to this venue for the Tioga Downs Resort & Casino 120. This race, last year, was a four-hour endurance event. This year, it is a conventional two-hour event, while the second four-hour marathon aside from the season opener at Daytona, will be taking place at Road America in August. On the pole for the race today is the very competitive team of Stevan McAleer and Eric Filgueiras. We have a large field of 44 cars on the starting grid for today's event at The Glen, this most historic track.
It used to be that there were true road races here, through the streets of Watkins Glen, New York, in the town itself, before The Glen, as we know it today, was built, circa 1957. Lots of different racing has taken place here through the years and this was the original home of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix for nearly two decades. We roll into summer and have Michelin Pilot Challenge to look forward to. This is the Tioga Downs Casino & Resort 120. Two hours of motor racing coming up, and we will be at the midway point of the season after this race today.
Lots of points on the table yet but Volt Racing and Aston Martin, with Wright Motorsports, they are on top of the shop. They won at Laguna Seca Raceway in late April. RS1, the Porsche Cayman #28, Stevan McAleer won this race last year with Patrick Gallagher in an Aston Msrtin. But he and Eric Filgueiras in the Porsche Cayman, they are going to be a major player in all of this. At Turner Motorsports, it seems they are on a diet, because they are still looking for a win and they cannot have their favorite meal, tacos, unless they win.
In TCR, it is close at the top of the shop, with Bryan Herta Autosport eking out a lead on the others but in the top five in the rest of the field, they are only split by 110 points. BHA had trouble with ABS and the speed sensor. They have had to go back to the drawing board. Here at Watkins Glen, we will use the whole layout, 275 miles north of New York City. 3,4 miles and 11 corners. Downhill in turn one, do not drop tires into the dirt. Through the Inner Loop, into The Boot, that is a key place on this track for passing. So, watch when the cars stream into The Boot.
Two hours, instead of four in today's race. Grand Sport will run 55 minutes on fuel and an hour for TCR, so they should have one stop. Here comes the field. Split start. GS first, then TCR. Green flag! Punch it! Kenny Murillo and Luca Mars barge through the field as they stream uphukk through the esses for the first time and here comes Dillon Machavern and Patrick Gallagher as well. Hyundai vs. Audi in TCR. Mason Filippi leads the field. Side by side action as Parker Chase passes team mate Robert Wickens. Clean and green in TCR. Gavin Ernstone also got a flyer!
The #61 Road Shagger Racing Audi RS3 LMS TCR he shares with Jon Morley. Downhill to turn eight and Alfredo Najri has dropped down the order a wee bit. They are worried about their reliability. They need more straightaway speed and the Achilles heel of the Toyota is how fragile that motorcar is. Watch out for the steering arms and the control arms. We see Alan Brynjolfsson monstering Hugh Plumb, our championship leader, the #7 Volt Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Good battle in TCR as the #99 VGRT Honda Civic ovf Victor Gonzalez chases A.J. Muss in the #2 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra as Parker Chase passes Robert Wickens and is monstering Mikey Taylor in the #17 JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi. Wickens to the inside of Parker Chase and he is very quicjk.
Chase tries to defend. Wickens having none of it. Keep it clean. Gently, boys. Rory van der Steur is next up in the #19 van der Steur Racing Hyundai Veloster N TCR, the older model hatchback Hyundai as opposed to the Elantra, the factory cars, being a sedan. Gavin Ernstone in the Audi running ahead of one of the BHA entries. That is the A.J. Muss and Ryan Norman driven entry I believe. Muss, the snowboarder turned racing driver. van der Steur keeping a watching brief. Now, in Grand Sport, we see a scrap between the #877 PF Racing Ford Mustang and the #11 FCP Euro Mercedes AMG GT4.
Sheena Monk and Kyle Marcelli sharing the Mustang with Gary Ferrera and Kris Wilson sharing the Benz. Back at the pointy end, good scrap here, look, as Alan Brynjolfsson is doing all he knows to hold off the challenge of the #46 TGM Racing Potsche Cayman in the hands of Hugh Plumb. Your leader remains the RS1 Porsche, the #28 entry. So, Eric Filgueiras I believe is still at the controls as we join Kevin Lee and Calvin Fish in the booth and pit lane reporters Brian Till and Hannah Newhouse. Filgueiras and McAleer have dominated in the SRO GT4 series winning five of six races so far as you have read about.
They have had quite the season. McAleer, from England, living in New York currently. Filguerias, a Floridian. He has been pounding around looking for racing opportunities and now he has it. McAleer is a likable chap. There is great chemistry between McAleer and Filgueiras. They have known each other for a long time, sponsored by Community Beer and they have been racing at a motor club as well. Tomorrow, McAleer is on pole in GT Daytona for the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen tomorrow for the WeatherTech Championship. You have such tough competition in both GT3 and GT4. Tire wear is the deal.
Some cars are already having their tires all knackered with ten minutes only, on the board. Track temp is a screaming 123 degrees Fahrenheit! Keep the clean air to the front end of the Porsche. Traffic stymies the clean air but watch the temperature gauge so you do not overheat and get robbed of horsepower. Luca Mars in the #60 Kohr Motorsports Ford Mustang is running really well under team boss Dean Martin. Mars is part of the HPD Driver Academy for Honda Performance Development. Luca Mars is only 16 years old and Nate Stacy, his co-driver is just 22 years old. Manage the Michelin Pilot tires.
Luca Mars has been making people in the paddock notice. Brett Mars, Luca's father, drove with Dean Martin in the Grand Am days. Frank DePew off and on in the Rebel Rock #71 Chevreolet Camaro GT4.R. Hard to see what happened as the screen went blank. Liddell has a cut down tire so he will have to trundle to the lane. Flat left front after hitting someone in turn one. They will be able to continue but will lose track position hand over fist. Only 17 minutes on the board, but time as they say, is of the essence. He got clobbered by the #877 PF Racing Ford Mustang there, and that cut the tire dpwn as he skates across the grass in the Inner Loop.
Pit ceww fixing the damage, pulling the sheetmetal away from the tire and he is serviced and sent. TCR in the meantime, it is the two factory Hyundai's going at it and now, we have a slow car. That is the #43 Stephen Cameron Racing BMW M4 GT4 with a shredded left front tire! Sean Quinlan and Greg Liefooghe are in a spot of bother as well, look. I don't like that. That is a wobbly tire, the carcass separated fromt the wheel on the left side. To the pit lane immediately. TCR scrap, hot and heavy. Audi, Hyundai, Hyundai, Hyundai, and we have a crash into the Armco for the #21 Toyota Supra GT4. Full Course Yellow. Full Course Yellow, now.
Debris in the catch fence, as the Armco has scooped up bodywork off that Supra after he clattered the barrier. Deary me. Oh. In replay, he just spun, and hits the corner on the... boom. Ow! That Supra is going nowhere, fast. Well, well, well. Yellow number one here at The Glen, ladies and gentlemen. Too early to hit the lane for scheduled service. That is Anton Dias Perera and Riley Motorsports, in the toe of The Boot. Got on the power, lost the rear end, and tore up the Supra. Game over for Dias Perera, a vascular surgeon from Memphis, Tennessee. The marshals will recover the car to the paddock and clean up the debris.
Co-driver Scott Andrews says the car is very nervous in order to drive fast because of the short wheelbase. The car has to be twitchy in the turns and poor old Anton Dias Perera just lost it. He is climbing out of the car under his own steam. In replay, it was Sheena Monk who clattered Frank DePew into turn one and then cut down the tire and could not make the turn. The Full Course Yellow should put the Rebel Rock Camaro back in the game. Frank DePew at first thought he had no brakes and then realized his tire was square. Not a good day for Frank DePew and co-driver Robin Liddell so far.
40 minutes is the minimum drive time and DePew will have a short stint. Sean Quinlan is now a lap down due to his cut tire we saw earlier. So, the action is hot and heavy early doors here at Watkins Glen, New York, in the Finger Lakes. The track marshals are repairing the Armco where Anton Dias Perera crashed. We will likely not see Scott Andrews in that car later. Game over. The sister #14 Riley Motorsports Toyota Supra GT4 is still on track, with Alfredo Najri of the Dominican Republic sharing with Thiago Camilo, the Brazilian. Full Course Yellow remains out as the cars trundle around behind the safety car.
No changes up front as the field is frozen for now with nearly 30 minutes elapsed. Some takers coming into the pit lane in Grand Sport it appears, and bucketloads of them. It is Grand Central Station in the lane right now. Both of the KohR Mustang's, Turner Motorsports, the #14 surviving Riley Motorsports Supra is in. Routine service for everybody and they now file back onto the track save for two cars with slower stops than they'd like. One of those looks like the Automatic Racing Aston Martin car #09. That is the Rob Ecklin, Ramin Abdolvahabi car.
So, we are still under yellow looking at the #77 Hyundai Elantra N TCR from Bryan Herta Autosport for Mason Filippi and Tyler Maxson. Then we switch to have a Captain Cook at their #98 Elantra as well for Parker Chase and Harry Gottsacker. Still under yellow. The top two cars stayed out and the TCR blokes are in the lane. Most of the Hyundai Elantra's are in the lane. Mason Filippi will stay in #77. Fuel and right side tires. The #77 ran their Veloster hatchback earlier and now have the Elantra back after a crash at Sebring. Parker Chase and Robert Wickens both want by the #17 Audi for JDC-Miller Motorsports and there is a bit of a fight on the radio between Lewis and Wickens who both want to pass.
The #61 Road Shagger Racing Audi s pciking up places and into the lane, there's a concertina effect and a tap between the Hyundai's. Wickens tags Chase so no wonder he is not happy and Jon Morley tags Chase in the overlap in the fast lane and the stewards will be having a good eyeball at that. Pardon me. That is Gavin Ernstone at the wheel of #61. 48 seconds full fuel load for GS and 52 seconds for TCR. Eric Filgueiras has to push if we see a restart soon. We have a mixed field, a candy dish. Pick your flavor. We will be headed back to green, and I guarantee you this will be an all-out scrum. This will be a rugby match more than a motor race. As the Australians would say, these blokes will be racing for sheep stations, whatever that may mean.
Top ten in GS did not pit and two in TCR stayed out. Victor Gonzalez leads Alex Rockwall and Rory van der Steur. Filgueiras gets shot from a gun on this restart and now, we can see Alan Brynjolfsson flying. Kenny Murillo in the #72 Mercedes AMG GT4 and the two Murillo entries beginning to push. Frank DePew was a lucky chap to stay on the lead lap as we have some argy bargy between the two KohR Mustang's. Sameer Ghandi tries to escape in the #93 CarBahn with Peregrine Racing Porsche Cyaman and we see a tire rub on the #19 Hyundai Veloster. Rory van der Steur, third in class, is in trouble. He has a broken suspension.
Into the uphill turn, he scrapes it over the curbs and somehow or other, that car has a wobble wheel on the right rear of it, look. The team at van der Steur Racing will be gutted. Gavin Ernstone is ahead of this angry pack of Hyundai's. He is the minnow while the sharks are ganging up on him. Good strategy call for Road Shagger that could bring them to the front as Chris Miller is also in the fight in the #17 JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi. We are past the minimum drive time of 40 minutes. A.J. Muss moves past Ernstone and Miller is still behind. They had a huge disappointment at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Oh dear! Wrestling at 100 miles an hour and he is clipped! Ryan Norman in the #2, and that is A.J. Muss. Muss not happy with Jon Morley and Chris Miller says, "thanks, boys. I will whistle off into the distance now." Mike LaMarra in the #73 LA Honda World Honda Civic slams the #5 KMW with TMR Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR. That is Roy Block and Tim Lewis. Mason Filippi, the pole man in TCR is now eighth in class and they are on the same strategy as Road Shagger who did not take tires and leapfrogged the field. So, Robert Wickens is now leading the motor race.
He knows he is fast, driving of course with hand controls, teamed up with Mark Wilkins. He has a bit of bodywork flapping off the windscreen or something. Hard to tell. Victor Gonzalez and Parker Chase both in hot pursuit. Wickens is teamed back up with Mark Wilkins who missed the most recent race at Mid-Ohio last month, six weeks ago. There was a family emergency for Mark Wilkins with his daughter Maisy. Maisy is OK. Thank goodness. Rory van der Steur is disgusted. He says it is not fair that they had to get tagged by the CarBahn GS Porsche. He believes some drivers should not even have a license for driving like a maniac.
Trouble to for the #12 Corsa Horizon with MC Squared Aston Martin and a flat tire on the right front for the Volt Racing Aston Martin! Wow! They are losing gobs of time. Alan Brynjolfsson will hand over to Trent Hindman and they might drop like a stone. Do not destroy wheel speed sensors or ABS components. The tire is beginning to come apart. Slow down. The left front is flailing around. Brynkolfsson to the lane. They are doing the driver change and have to pull the car back before changing the tire. Trent Hindman climbs aboard. Do not lose any more time. Reach into the wheel well and check no cords from the tire are wrapped around the suspension.
The car was in one piece and now Trent Hindman has to push. #7 is now a lap down. So, Eric Filgueiras leads and in points, Eric Foss with 1400 points would be 40 points up on Volt with RS1 and their Porsche third in the standings as of now. Porsche Cayman vs. Mercedes AMG as Filgueiras is now being monstered for the race lead by Kenny Murillo in the #72 Murillo Racing Mercedes, sharing with Christian Szymczak. We are nearing the halfway mark here at Watkins Glen. Since this event is now a sprint instead of an enduro it has flown by. Tomorrow's WeatherTech event will be an enduro, a mini enduro.
Murillo is within striking distance. Luca Mars was the first car to pit in the #60 Mustang is pushing. Robert Wickens has brought the #33 Hyundai to the top. Robert Wickens won at the Nurburgring in DRM with Mercedes in 2017 and that was his last race victory. No worries with Road Shagger Racing in the #61 Road Shagger Audi. A clean stop for those boys. They are in the pound seats if we see a Full Course Yellow. Hindman at 1:55.1 has uncorked fastest lap. He is a lap down. He is praying for a yellow to get cycled to the tail end, of the Grand Sport field for the GT4 cars. Down the hill into a tricky corner, balancing the car on the brakes. Hindman is trying to pass the #56 Murillo Racing Mercedes of Eric Foss.
Foss still needs to pit the #56 entry. Seven seconds he needs and a yellow and we could see one. Trouble for tires with the #14 Riley Motorsports Toyota Supra of Alfredo Najri. He took the NASCAR shortcut and that lap will not count. To the lane as well, the #28 RS1 Porsche Cayman. Eirc Filgueiras handing over to Stevan McAleer. The pit crew has tape out to try and see about some damage on that automobile. Cannot see anything needing a bandage. Is the yellow tape a signaling system? They are taping up the bonnet which is loose. Watch out for the brake cooling inlets though.
Don't get overheating on a hot day. Trouble for another of the Toyota Supra's who stalls. This is the #6 Forbush Performance Toyota Supra of Brandon Kidd and Tom Long. Tire trouble again for BMW #43 and now, pit stop time for the #72 Murillo Mercedes. Christian Szymczak taking over for Kenny Murillo. Four tires and fuel. TCR leader in the lane in #33. Wickens' trainer, Jim Leo, from Pit Fit, will assist him into the car. Wickens is carried to the wall as they change to Mark Wilins who has front tires only. TCR cars use their front tires most due to Front Wheel Drive and the steering. Wickens has had a great stint.
Wilkins now in the car. #33 has track position on the #61 Audi. That is Morley I believe. Flat tire for the #95 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT4. Bill Auberlen out and into the car, Dillon Machavern I believe. Tire trouble for the Turner boys. Little things that pick at you, have gotten them all year. Turner Motorsports needs good luck. That is for dead sure. 53 minutes left on the board. Turner should be on the money for fuel. Machavern taking the car home to the finish. More GT4's pitting in GS. From the lead, the #56 Murillo Mercedes as Kenton Koch takes over from Eric Foss. Foss was injured in a driver coach situation in a car that had brake failure.
He was in a foot brace and on crutches after that wreck. Yellow on the speedway. I wonder. #46 has not cycled to the lane, Hugh Plumb in the TGM Porsche. Plumb could be the fly in the ointment, the oil in the ointment. Now, debris on the road and the safety crews are doing a track inspection. Ah. A sailboat out on te lake. Very peaceful, here at Seneca Lake, adjacent to the racecourse at Watkins Glen. Some serenity to break up all this wild and frantic action for a wee while. There is the Seneca Spirit tour boat as well, look. A good day to be out on the water or at the track.
It is a picture perfect, Chamber of Commerce day for weather here in upstate New York. Track crews continuing the cleanup process or completing it. Again, some folks are content to be out on Seneca Lake today. Meanwhile, we could see a major day for Robert Wickens. Wickens says, "it is a long race and I could see Mason pulling away. I don't know if Parker has more rear wing than me but I was never close enough to lunge into the Bus Stop." He had a fun stint. He is driving Watkins Glen for the first time and as he says "I am taking to it like a duck to water."
Eric Foss says the #56 car is running well and they are missing Jeff Mosing, and he could not continue driving for the time being. Eric Foss is appreciating how Robert Wickens is able to drive. With his inured foot, he is doing well. It is inspirational to see drivers out there who overcome physical disabilities to drive. But ultimately, they are abel to make it work and have the desire to win just like everyone else. Pit stop time at the #46 TGM Porsche camp. Not sure there was a driver change. The sister #64 is also in and now back out along with numerous others. Hugh and Matt Plumb in #46 and #64 has Ted Giovanis and Owen Trinkler.
Just over 40 minutes of racing still to go. This one has flown by. I was right. Whoops. We have the #26 car coming to a halt. This is also in TCR. The TWOth Autosport Audi is in strife, being shared by Travis Hill and Eddie Killeen. The car is slow. We also saw the LA Honda World Honda Civic in the lane. That is Mike LaMarra and Ryan Eversley in their Civic FK7 TCR. Mercedes vs. Faord vs. Porsche vs. BMW in GS and a Hyundai show at the top of the shop in TCR. So, we can see the TWOth Autosport entry has made it to pit lane and to service. Less than 40 minutes before this motor race will be done and dusted.
As soon as we are released from behind the safety car, it will be go time. Kenton Koch leads over teammate Christian Szymczak and third, Nate Stacy in the KohR Motorsports #60 Ford Mustang GT4. Mark Wilkins leads TCR in the #33 Hyndai Elantra as Jon Morley has stolen fast lap away from Robert Wickens and he has a second in hand over everyone else who have been caught in traffic on old tires. Ryan Norman, Tyler Maxson, and Tim Lewis Jr. in the Alfa Romeo are also in the fight. All the GS cars will be pointed by the TCR cars. #60 were good on strategy and the yellow flag has pulled the rug out from under them and given chances to Liddell, Foley, Hindman, and others. This is a straight fight for the final 35 minutes.
Green flag. Green flag. Leading the motor race, Koch, over Szymczak. Stevan McAleer inside Nate Stacy. Porsche passes Mustang for third place. Mike Skeen and Bill Auberlen are about to gobble Stacy up. This is a massive battle for position. Auberlen and Machavern have had a quiet season in 2022 after doing well most of 2021. Chad McCumbee chasing Spencer Pumpelly and Robin Liddell passes both of them. Mustang vs. Camaro vs. Porsche Cayman vs. BMW M4. Bill Auberlen late on the inside on Stacy. Taking the Mustang driver by surprise. Robby Foley also pressing hard.
Chad McCumbee at the wheel of the #40 PF Racing Mustang. Trouble for Tyler Maxson and the #77 Hyundai Elantra! He is not in a safe haven and he is far from home. No power. Mark Wilkins hangs on over Jon Morley. Morley defending from Ryan Norman and here comes Norman. Morley slams the door in his face. These two blokes ran into each other at Laguna Seca a couple months back. Koch and Szymczak are pushing and we have a yellow for the stranded Hyundai Elantra. Busted driveline for #2 and Full Course Yellow. A short yellow as we just came off of one. Half an hour remaining before we settle this one. It is going to be a real dogfight.
#2 has no steam. The engine is fine but the driveline locked up. Transmission or driveshaft, gone. Kenton Koch and Christian Szymczak for Murillo Racing are pushing in the lead. Ted Giovanis, he is at his 100th race start and got a painting or something to celebrate signed by the team. Well done, Ted. Congratulations. He wrote a book about Medicare reimbursement. Back to green, McAleer wants it on Szymczak. Yikes! Auberlen to the inside of Mike Skeen. Auberlen, a man on a mission and he gets a massive tow up nto the Porsche. Four car battle pack at the front. Here comes McLaeer on Szymczak. Through the Bus Stop. McAleer clears him for second spot!
Kenton Koch had to give it up. Worries at RS1 about the tape on the front. The hood is delaminating on the Porsche. The bonnet is creating drag through the turbulent air. Not good. Auberlen to the outside on Kenton Koch who is backing up into the clutches of the #11 Mercedes. I believe that is the Capstone car and here comes Robin Liddell pushing, pushing, pushing in the #71 Rebel Rock Racing Camaro. He wants it too. Wow! Liddell on Skeen to the outside and Mike Skeen gets snookered! Holy cow! Szymczak has experienced and his eking a gap out on McAleer and Auberlen. Szymczak and Murillo won an SRO title in 2021.
Is another car stopped on the road? Kenny Murillo is a data engineer for the team. That is Ryan Eversley in the #73 LA Honda World Civic, he is stopped in The Boot and is not safe. That will be a yellow for sure. They won this race but then were disqualified, last year. Will we go yellow? That is the question with just a tad over 20 minutes remaining. Do not go anywhere. If you need to run to the fridge or cupboard for snack, do it now, because you won't want to miss the end of this one. Ryan Eversley disappointed but can still wave to the crowd.
He has run with Rick Ware Racing and their Acura NSX GT3 in GT Daytona in the WeatherTech Championship. They had delayed flights from LA and drove in a minivan to the track. Mike LaMarra had a cancelled flight and could not be there until Friday afternoon. What a frustrating deal from Wednesday until now. Travel trouble for everyone everywhere in our world right now. Mark Wilkins now at the wheel of the #33 BHA Hyundai Elantra that Robert Wickens took to the lead in TCR and they could very well win the race. 18 minutes remaining now.
Oh dear. Trouble for one of the Audi TCR's as #15 comes to a stop and resumes. That is the Audi RS3 LMS TCR DSG of Alex Rockwell and Dennis Dupont for Belgard & Techniseal Racing. Join us tomorrow at 9:30 A.M. for the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen for the WeatherTech Championship. A massive day tomorrow. Taylor Hagler said that the drive time for BHA might be cut too close. Drive time is only calculated from pit out. Michael Lewis needed a 40-minute drive time. The team started down the order after electrical trouble in qualifying. Mercedes, porsche, BMW, Camaro, Mercedes, Ford, Aston Martin, Porsche. Lots of top cars going for it in GT4.
Inside 15 minutes. This will go bonkers in a minute and get really tasty! Cinch down those belts and get ready. This is going to be a barn burner to the end! Green flag! Michael Johnson and Stephen Simpson in Hyundai #54 have run well. Bill Auberlen tries grabbing second on McAleer and he does it! He has the draft from Szymczak. Watch out for Robin Liddell. Auberlen has to go on defense and stays second behind Szymczak. Liddell has the pace. He has to control his speed.
Skeen motoring around the outside on Liddell down the chute into turn six. Kenny Murillo is getting back into the picture. Auberlen has cleared McAleer and chasing Szymczak. Trent Hindman making up ground and he is making his move on Chad McCumbee who won with James Pesek at Sebring back in March. Liddel looking to the inside. No dice. No change through turn one as Hindman is pushing hard as they have reclaimed the points to be in the lead of the championship. Mark Wilkins doing all he can to bring it home in TCR over Tim Lewis Jr. and the others. Auberlen to the lead and here comes McAleer around Szymczak and Liddell wants it. Big move by Skeen who is nudged by Szymczak. Liddell outside Skeen.
Auberlen is chuckling like a stuck possum right now, getting away. A real squeeze between the Mustang's. Szymczak has no torque and no handling. No torque on the steering. Liddell wants by Szymczak. We are ready for blastoff to the finish here at Watkins Glen! McAleer makes his move to try and pass and he does. Liddell is now stymied by Szymczak. Murillo looks for a way around the #55 FCP Euro by Ricca Autosport Mercedes. That is the Mike Skeen car he has shared with Trevor Andrusko.
Bill Auberlen leads Stevan McAleer. Shades of a year ago when these two were in the fight and McAleer won with Patrick Gallagher in an Aston Martin. Auberlen, pushing through the Inner Loop on the Murillo Mercedes. Auberlen now leads by two and a half, three seconds. Stevan McAleer had contact on the restart and the toe is out. The car has massive understeer. Hang on and see how far you can go. He is doing everything he knows to sa,lvage a spot. Tim Lewis Jr. is closing on Mark Wilkins. Alfa Romeo vs. Hyundai. Robert Wickens wants to win for the first time since 2017 in the old DTM with touring cars for Mercedes.
Robert Wickens looking on, watching the race on his phone. Wickens will become a dad this summer as well as his wife Carly is expected a baby. Will today be the day for Robert Wickens and Mark Wilkins? He has GS traffic to work with. Wilkins and Wickens have known each other since racing go karts in Canada. Next week, the two of them will be at home at Mosport Park, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, next weekend. Wilkins has a fight on his hands to hold off Tim Lewis Jr. in the KMW TMR #5 Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Robert Wickens was on the brink of Formula 1. He went to IndyCar and on debut in 2018 he won the pole at St. Petersburg. He had a devastating accident at Pocono Raceway that could have ended his career.
He needs hand controls as he has lost some use in his legs. He could very well win if Mark Wilkins can hold on. Bill Auberlen leading overall before we go to the white flag next time by. The gap increases as Robin Liddell wants by Christian Szymczak. Trent Hindman has made up three places in the last wee while to gain them more championship points. 1480 for theb #7 and then 140 down is Eric Floss and then Stevan McAleer 190 behind. Murillo Racing have won championships in MPC. IN tcr, lewis right on Wilkins' six.
McAleer wants to hold onto a runner-up finish. Hindman running out of time to try and get on the podium. This is it. Auberlen takes the white flag. 3.4 miles to go. One lap. Winningest driver in IMSA, now, Mikey Taylor in the #17 JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi slowing. One more lap to go. Wilkins being closed up on by Lewis Jr. in the Alfa Romeo. Does Lewis have anything? The Alfa Romeo has the run. Wilkins must stay in position. Lewis will try to send it on the outside, no. Wilkins losing grip offline. Wilkins wants this win. Down through The Boot.
Bill Auberlen exiting The Boot, into turns eight and nine. A couple more turns to go. Auberlen leading by two seconds but has enough. He and Dillon Machavern win! It is taco time! Mark Wilkins will make Robert Wickens a winner in TCR! BHA Hyundai win Watkins Glen! That's fabulous! Wow. Trainer and friend Jim Leo and Sean Jones, helping Robert Wickens to try and get back to driving again. Now he has won! What a fabulous moment for Robert Wickens and Mark Wilkins.
Overall/Grand Sport: #95 Auberlen/Machavern Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT4
TCR: #33 Wilkins/Wickens Bryan Herta Autosport w/Curb Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR
So, that is a wrap for Michelin Pilot Challenge at Watkins Glen. What a motor race! Next up for Michelin Pilot Challenge, a return to Mosport Park, (Canadian Tire Motorsport Park) in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, north of the border, eh, for the Chevrolet Grand Prix/Canadian Tire Motorsports Park 120, next Saturday. Join us in Canada for the next race, next weekend. See you then. Bye for now. See you tomorrow for the big one, the Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen.
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