Yours truly is preparing for the FIA WEC finale in Bahrain. But I shall watch the coverage of this race as soon as I can. If you are so inclined, check out the HSR Classic Daytona presented by IMSA. Details below.
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Aston Martin Confirmed! Third Ferrari Hypercar? & More! | Hypercar Updates Episode 9
From Formula Jonah.
On Episode 9 of Hypercar Updates from the month of October I present 8 different topics as well as 2 extra questions from YOU the viewers. These topics include: Aston Martin's LMH, Glickenhaus departure, Schumacher to Alpine? Mclaren's potential LMDh, and much more!
DOUBLE STINT: News Roundup, Listener Question & More (10-31-23)
Davey Euwema joins Tim Fullbrook to break down the week's news on Double Stint...
https://sportscar365.com/podcasts/double-stint-news-roundup-listener-question-more-2/
2023 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup
Taking a look back, in video form, at all the races from the SRO GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup in 2023. David Addison and John Watson call the racing action from the broadcast booth with Jemma Scott reporting from the pit lane.
Round 1: Brands Hatch Circuit, Kent, England
Race 1:
Race 2:
Round 2: Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, Misano, Adriatico, Italy
Race 1:
Race 2:
Round 3: Hockenheimring, Hockenheim Bader Wurtemburg, Germany
Race 1:
Race 2:
Round 4: Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Cheste, Spain
Race 1:
Race 2:
Round 5: Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort, Holland
Race 1:
Race 2:
Monday, October 30, 2023
Weekly Racing Roundup (10-30-23)
Recaps from last weekend's racing action including Italian GT and Ferrari Challenge...
https://sportscar365.com/features/roundup/weekly-racing-roundup-10-30-23/
IMSA - Corvette Z06 GT3 Progress Report
Pratt Miller Motorsport's Ben Johnson provides an in-depth update on Corvette's new Z06 GT3 that will compete in IMSA's GTD Pro and GTD classes throughout the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship calendar in 2024.
IMSA Season in Review
Recapping all classes and their seasons in IMSA 2023 including the impressive debut of the brand new hybrid powered Grand Touring Prototypes.
Season in Review: Family Bond Pushes Paul Miller Racing to GTD Title
Season in Review: Robinson/Riley Pairing Owns LMP3 Once Again
Remember, LMP3, from next year onwards, will no longer be a part of the WeatherTech Championship and even with possibly new engine and car regulations to come, we shall only see them racing in the sprint format of the IMSA VP Racing Fuels Sports Car Challenge from 2024 onwards.
Season in Review: Vasser Sullivan Lexus Reigns in GTD PRO
Season in Review: Grit in the Gravel Decides LMP2 Championship
Season in Review: GTP Class Lives up to Hype All The Way to '23 Finish
Sunday, October 29, 2023
IMSA REVEALS the 2024 Entry List!
From Off in the Esses.
IMSA has revealed the 2024 full season entry list and the grid is going to be PACKED next year!
Ranking Every GLICKENHAUS WEC Race!
Ewan Wane ranks every World Endurance Championship race Glickenhaus ever competed in, since it is clear that they will not be back in the FIA WEC.
Saturday, October 28, 2023
EDITORIAL: Wrapping up the inaugural year of the rebirth of IMSA GTP (general thoughts + Action Express and the Whelen Cadillac)
The first season of the new IMSA hybrid Grand Touring Prototype era is done and dusted. It was quite the year, as the competition massively stepped up, and we saw the cream rise to the top. Recall, each car has these specifications for their engine layouts.
Porsche 963: 4.6-liter twin turbo V8
Cadillac V Series R: 5.5-liter atmospheric V8
Acura ARX-06: 2.4-liter twin turbo V6
BMW M Hybrid V8: 4-liter twin turbo V8
Cadillac (including my friends at Action Express), Acura, Porsche, and BMW, all brought their A game from the opening qualifying session at Daytona International Speedway and the battle was on from the get-go. We saw each manufacturer and most of the teams right in contention from the very start and it seemed that in the first half of the year, everyone was out there, winning. Meyer Shank Racing (before their subsequent disqualification and tire conundrum following the Rolex 24), my buddies at Action Express at Sebring, Penske Porsche at Long Beach, Ganassi Racing at Laguna Seca, and subsequently (again after a disqualification and lost appeal from Penske Porsche), BMW at Watkins Glen.
In the first half of the year, I believe it was five different teams with four different cars that won the races, and everyone had an equal slice of the pie. Then, in the second half, we saw a handful of the teams that had won before coming to the fore, particularly MSR Acura and Penske Porsche, while, as we saw at Petit Le Mans, the championship came down to the wire between Wayne Taylor Racing Acura and Action Express Cadillac, with the latter, victorious. The only team really left in the cold was the Wayne Taylor Acura team who are moving to a two-car operation for 2024. I have to put in a plug for the boys at Action Express. I know I will sound biased. But I am glad we won the title in spite of having just the single race win at the Sebring 12 Hours all year.
The second half of the season, after our second place at Watkins Glen, we truly hung in there and persevered through thick and thin on our way to the title. Some of the races were a tilt-a-whirl, a rollercoaster, for our team. But we stayed in the saddle and persevered to the bitter end. The manufacturer parity was interesting as all of the brands tasted the victory champagne this year. The equilibrium of the spec hybrid power systems I think, contributed a lot to that, and it also came down to driver skill and which team had the gumption to go for it. The Porsche 963, Acura ARX-06, BMW M Hybrid, and the second Cadillac V Series R, proved to be worthy competition, but they alas, did not have enough to keep a red Cadillac and it's dynamic duo (and sometimes, trio) of drivers, from climbing to the summit of the mountain. Believe me, Action Express, we had gumption in every single race and thus, we prevailed in the championship.
It has been a thrilling ride in season one of the rebirth of Grand Touring Prototypes. The 2024 season is approaching. Next year, the competition will ramp up tenfold and we are ready for them. Action Express, we will continue doing what we've been doing. Bring it on.
Friday, October 27, 2023
FIA WEC headlines
More key headlines to speak of regarding the FIA World Endurance Championship before the final race of the year, the 8 Hours of Bahrain, the first weekend in November.
Toyota will be doubling up, not only running their factory two-car Hypercar team, but also supporting an effort by their Lexus brand from the United States, in the new LM GT3 category, a brand that has seen success in GT3 racing in North America, particularly in IMSA.
Toyota "Geared Up" to Support Possible Lexus LMGT3 Effort
Recapping some stories talked about on the IMSA side of things that also are pertinent to the World Endurance Championship. We touched on a number of these before the IMSA race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and in case you missed it, or forgot, here are those stories again.
Michelin to Start Testing Next-Gen Hypercar, GTP Wet Tires
Porsche is beginning to work on updating the 963 GTP/Hypercar for 2024.
Porsche Working on Updates to 963 for Next Year
Ferrari has opted to use existing teams who have been their customers in GTE-Am competition to run their LM GT3 operations in FIA WEC next year with the 296 GT3 car, meaning AF Corse is the team and a couple of the drivers should be both Simon Mann and Thomas Flohr.
AF Corse to Run Ferrari LM GT3 Entries for Flohr, Mann
As mentioned previously in the IMSA update before their race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Porsche factory ace Laurens Vanthoor sees his path forward with Porsche AG as doing the entirety of the FIA World Endurance Championship blended with the four big endurance races for the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, especially since the 963 competes as a factory effort on both sides of the Atlantic.
Vanthoor: Full-Time WEC, IMSA Enduros the "Ideal Program"
Menezes to Depart Peugeot After Bahrain
Again, Heart of Racing are looking at their GT3 effort and are not yet planning whatsoever, to look into a plausible Aston Martin prototype/Hypercar program.
Heart of Racing Focused on GTs for "Next Couple of Years"
ASP to Pause GTWC Europe Program if Given LMGT3 Entry
Rookie Test Drivers Named; Pierson to Drive Hypercar
Revisiting a story that is tied to both IMSA and WEC with Penske and Porsche and their plans for the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans. They are replicating the same plan they had this year, to run three Porsche 963 factory cars in the French endurance classic.
Porsche Penske Eyeing Three-Car Le Mans Effort in 2024
Prema to Drop LMP2 Program Next Year to Focus on LMDh
Vandoorne Steps Up to Full-Time Role With Peugeot for 2024
Industry news which will be highlighted again in a forthcoming post focused on the subject. Honda Performance Development is set to be rebranded as HRC US.
HPD to Become HRC US in Global Honda Motorsports Shift
Honda 'Seriously Evaluating' WEC Program With ARX-06
Cameron: Porsche Penske "Trending in the Right Direction"
Racing with Legends: Andre Lotterer's Porsche Journey | Mobil 1 The Grid
36 Cars Set for Bahrain Finale
Qatar Completes Major Circuit Renovations Ahead of WEC Debut
Alpine A424 Completes Two-Day Aragon Test
As already explained in an IMSA news update, recently, Porsche will not take on any more new customers for the 963 currently, focusing their efforts on the JDC-Miller Motorsports and Proton Competition cars in IMSA and two cars expected from Jota Sport in the FIA World Endurance Championship for next year.
Porsche Rules Out New 963 Customers for 2024
The Aston Martin Le Mans Hypercar project is finally coming together.
Heart of Racing to Run Valkyrie in IMSA, WEC in 2025
Stroll Explains Why Aston Martin Revived Valkyrie LMH
Heart of Racing to Lead LMH Trackside Ops, Driver Selection
McLaren will partner with United Autosport for their LMGT3 effort in FIA WEC next year. Makes perfect sense. United is of course, co-owned by McLaren CEO, Zak Brown.
McLaren Selects United for Planned LMGT3 Entries
Aston Martin Not Ruling Out Valkyrie Customer Cars
Cadillac to Continue With Single Hypercar Entry Next Year
LMDh Manufacturers in Support of Aston LMH Program
ACO Unveils New Hydrogen Concept
We shall talk more about the hydrogen race car in due course, and I shall have some kind of an Op. Ed. about it, eventually, on the blog, once I find out more information. So, stay tuned for that.
We have talked about the next three articles already, as they relate to both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship. These stories were first brought up during the Petit Le Mans weekend.
Lamborghini SC63 Completes Three-Day Test in Spain
Button Has "Options" to Drive in GTP or Hypercar Next Year
Ford Planning "Pool of Drivers" for Mustang GT3 Customers
Talbot to Fill in for Hoshino at Bahrain
With his victory in LMP2 at the IMSA season ending Petit Le Mans, George Kurtz has earned the Jim Trueman Award and an automatic entry into LMP2 for the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Kurtz Wins Jim Trueman Award, Automatic Le Mans Invite
Briscoe Joins Vanwall for Bahrain Finale
The honeymoon is over for Glickenhaus in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Jim Glickenhaus' eponymous American team which has run for three seasons will not return to the championship in 2024.
Glickenhaus Not Returning to WEC in 2024
Former Formula 1 racer and son of seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher, Mick Schumacher, tested the new Alpine A424 Hypercar.
Schumacher Turns First Laps in Alpine A424
A fascinating development in the world of the FIA World Endurance Championship has come about. That is, Hyper Pole qualifying and that thrilling format, previously only used for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is making it's way into the qualifying sessions for the entirety of the championship in 2024. Details below.
Hyperpole Qualifying Format to be Introduced for Full Season
Van Uitert Joins Vanwall at Rookie Test
ASP to Run Lexus RC F GT3 at Portimao Tire Test
More news about ASP.
ASP Confirms Two-Car Lexus LMGT3 Plans
Lexus IMSA drivers will join Toyota to test their Hypercar in the rookie test after the Bahrain finale.
Hawksworth, Barnicoat Join Toyota for Bahrain Rookie Test
Mercedes-AMG 'Fully Respects' ASP's LMGT3 Decision
McLaren are looking to come back to Le Mans for the first time since the late 1990s and of course, in 1995, they famously won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the F1 GTR which was driven that year by J.J. Lehto, Yannick Dalmas, and Masanori Sekiya.
Inception "Looking Forward" to Taking McLaren Back to Le Mans
Are We In A Golden Age of Sports Car Racing? | Mobil 1 The Grid
From even matches to diverse technologies and fierce competition, Cadillac Racing, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Ferrari, Toyota, and more are redefining the race game.
It's been an incredible year for sports car racing. Cadillac, Porsche, Ferrari. Whether competing in IMSA or World Endurance Championship, they've been going toe-to-toe all season. From innovative strategies, diverse technologies and the drivers themselves, are we witnessing a golden age of sportscar racing?
Alpine Hypercar project on track for 2024 WEC debut | 2024 FIA WEC Sneak Peek Series
Follow Alpine as they are testing their Hypercar challenger for the 2024 season during a test organised at Jerez. The French manufacturer will enter the FIA World Endurance Championship top class next year with their competition debut scheduled on March 2 with the 1812km of Qatar, opening round of the 2024 season.
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Glickenhaus Will END Their WEC Hypercar Program...
From Formula Jonah. It is OVER for Glickenhaus... The American manufacturer will depart from the WEC Hypercar Class for the foreseeable future. For this video I will go over everything on the end of Glickenhaus in the WEC. Find out why Glickenhaus are leaving, their future, and much more!
2023 IMSA HALL OF FAME - THE INAUGURAL CLASS
The inaugural class for the IMSA Hall of Fame have been selected. IMSA's Hall of Fame is unique in that it includes both people and cars. The first class includes the following inductees.
John and Peggy Bishop – Husband and wife co-founders of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA).
Bill France Sr. – Founder of NASCAR co-founded IMSA in 1969 with John and Peggy Bishop.
Peter Gregg – One of IMSA’s first stars and the most successful GT driver of the 1970s.
Hurley Haywood – Winningest overall major endurance race driver of all time. Tied with Scott Pruett for most Rolex 24 At Daytona overall victories, at five.
Al Holbert – Most overall race victories in IMSA with 49. Seven-time IMSA champion.
Scott Pruett – Nine IMSA championships. ). Tied with Hurley Haywood for most overall Rolex 24 At Daytona victories, at five.
Chevrolet Corvette C5-R – Claimed 31 victories, 50 podium finishes and 24 pole positions in 55 races from 1999 through 2004.
Ferrari 333 SP – Claimed 56 victories and 69 pole positions in 144 races worldwide from 1994 through 2003.
Mazda RX-7 GTU – Won GTU class (for engines with a displacement under 2.5 liters) in debut race at Daytona in 1979 with two-rotor rotary engine.
Porsche 962 – Debuted at the Daytona 24 Hours in 1984 with Mario and Michael Andretti as co-drivers and won the pole position.
https://www.imsahalloffame.com/
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
DOUBLE STINT: ELMS, DTM Finale Recaps; News Roundup (10-24-23)
Tim Fullbrook, Davey Euwema on this week's Double Stint Podcast...
https://sportscar365.com/podcasts/double-stint-elms-dtm-finale-recaps-news-roundup-more/
IMSA Petit Le Mans 2023 Race Review
From Formula Jonah.
That is it! IMSA has concluded their 2023 season at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. A 10 hour event took place on October 14th and this video will tell you everything about what happened during the WeatherTech Championship event. This is my FINAL 2023 IMSA race review as I recap the details on the 2023 Motul Petit Le Mans!
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Weekly Racing Roundup (10-23-23)
Reports from International GT Open and British GT title deciders plus other racing and news...
https://sportscar365.com/features/roundup/weekly-racing-roundup-10-23-23/
Petit Le Mans Race Broadcast
The race broadcast of the Petit Le Mans on IMSA Radio. John Hindhaugh and Jeremy Shaw call the action from the global broadcast center broadcast booth, with Shea Adam and Nick Daman, reporting trackside from the pit lane.
Part 1
Part 2
Indianapolis Motor Speedway 240 Race Broadcast
The race broadcast of the penultimate Michelin Pilot Challenge event of 2023, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 240 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IMSA Radio has the coverage. John Hindhaugh leads the play-by-play with Jeremy Shaw on color analysis in the broadcast booth, the global broadcast center, and Shea Adam, reporting from the pit lane.
Monday, October 23, 2023
LIVE | Race | #DoningtonDecider | Intelligent Money British GT Championship 2023
All six drivers' championship titles, including the overall GT3 and GT4 crowns, are up for grabs at British GT's season finale!
James Cottingham enjoys a healthy but not insurmountable 13-point lead over Darren Leung and Dan Harper, while long-time leaders Jack Brown and Charles Clark are one of SIX championship contending GT4 crews.
David Addison and Joe Osborne in the commentary box, and Bryn Lucas reporting from the pit lane for the two-hour finale. We've enjoyed your company through many of these British GT races we've been able to bring you the video coverage of on Endurance... The Sports Car Racing Blog, and hope to bring more action, next year. We'll say goodbye for 2023, hoping you enjoy this race, and see you for more in 2024. So long, everybody, from British GT, 2023.
LIVE | Warm-up | #DoningtonDecider | Intelligent Money British GT Championship 2023
One last blast before Donington Decider's main event. Once again, we have David Addison and Joe Osborne in the commentary box and Bryn Lucas reporting from the pit lane. The race is coming up, after this.
LIVE | Qualifying | #DoningtonDecider | Intelligent Money British GT Championship 2023
Join David Addison, Joe Osborne and Bryn Lucas for British GT's final four-part qualifying session of 2023. Realistically, championship contenders Darren Leung and Dan Harper must beat James Cottingham if they're to apply pressure ahead of Sunday's title showdown.
Sunday, October 22, 2023
Recapping the Petit Le Mans
ICYMI, a full race weekend recap of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship season finale, the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.
Pre-Race News (including practice and qualifying reports):
Drivers Who Complement Each Other, Compliment Each Other
Ford is set to compete in the GT Daytona Pro category in 2024, returning to top level GT racing for the first time in five years, since the days of the Ford GT, GT Le Mans program, and here is their driver lineup.
Ford Unveils Stellar Driver Lineup for Mustang GTD PRO Program
https://www.imsa.com/news/2023/10/12/ford-unveils-stellar-driver-lineup-for-mustang-gtd-pro-program/
IMSA's future is secure in terms of series sponsorship. Details, below.
IMSA Secures Long-Term Extensions with Three Entitlement Partners
The 2024 entry list for the WeatherTech Championship has been revealed. Check it out.
IMSA Reveals Full-Season WeatherTech Championship and Michelin Endurance Cup 2024 Entries
Bourdais Gaps Field in No. 01 Cadillac to Close Motul Petit Le Mans Practice
Soon, in fact, at the second race of 2024, the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, we will be set to welcome a new GTP contender in the form of "The Raging Bull" from Lamborghini. For now, their testing program continues apace and they recently wrapped up a three-day outing with their new SC63 GTP car in Spain.
Lamborghini SC63 Prototype Completes Three-Day Test in Spain
Split Tire Strategies Net GTD Poles at Motul Petit Le Mans
Deletraz Seizes Motul Petit Le Mans Pole and GTP Points Lead
Before the beginning of the race, let's take a look back at the original GTP and what those cars in the days of GTP 1.0 were like to drive. To do so, here is an interview with the Nissan GTP team drivers from 1990, two motor racing legends. Derek Daly and Geoff Brabham.
What Was It Like to Race a GTP at Michelin Raceway? Brabham, Daly Remember
Drivers going for the title have different approaches to how they look at their situations, as this article explains.
Count the Points or Not, Drivers Vary in Their Preference
You've seen and read about the race. We shall continue to talk about it though because there is so much that happened last Saturday night. Race recap, incoming.
Race Recap:
Action-Packed Motul Petit Le Mans Finds No. 7 Porsche Leading After 4 Hours
Almost halfway through the motor race. But there's lots more room to run yet. Read on to find out the exciting conclusion.
No. 01 Cadillac Leads Motul Petit Le Mans With Two Hours Remaining
Alright. Open the pay window. It's crunch time at Petit Le Mans. Here's the thrilling conclusion. Press the fast forward button on the VCR/DVR or move forward to the end of the video on your mobile device. It is time to meet all the winners.
WeatherTech Mercedes, Forte Lamborghini Score GTD PRO, GTD Wins at Motul Petit Le Mans
The #60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura, in their final appearance, wins the battle. But the #31 Whelen Engineering Action Express Cadillac wins the war and becomes the inaugural GTP champions!
Wild Motul Petit Le Mans Sees No. 31 Cadillac Take GTP Title, No. 60 Acura Win Race
Now we wrap up the weekend, and the 2023 inaugural GTP season.
Post-Race News:
Check Out Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta Race Results and Points Standings Here!
Three Takeaways from Motul Petit Le Mans
That puts a bow on IMSA WeatherTech Championship action in 2023 but it won't be long, and we'll reconvene at Daytona International Speedway to do it all again in 2024. See you soon. Bye for now.
Saturday, October 21, 2023
Championship Contenders CRASH in the Final Hour at Petit Le Mans!
From Off in the Esses. Championship contenders crashing out, 13 caution periods in a 10 hour race and did an advertisment actually destroy a GT car?
2023 FANATEC GT World Championship at Indianapolis 8h
From RickSwanRacing.
Here is our mashup of the GT World Challenge at INDY. What an amazing track and so much fun to attend. If you do, say HI to the turn 1 raccoon that came out after dark to greet the fans.
Indianapolis Cinematic Highlights
Cinematic highlights of the finales for SRO America at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway including the Indianapolis 8 Hours.
TC America
Pirelli GT4 America
Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS
GT America
Friday, October 20, 2023
COTA Set to Stage Three-Hour GT4 Enduro in 2024
SRO America finalizing plans for first-ever long-distance GT4 America race next year...
https://sportscar365.com/sro/gt4-america/cota-set-to-stage-three-hour-gt4-enduro-in-2024/
BMW M Motorsport gearing up for 2024 WEC debut | 2024 FIA WEC Sneak Peek Series
BMW M Motorsport is getting ready to join the Hypercar class of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship with the BMW M Hybrid V8. Before their competition debut in March with the 1812km of Qatar, the team was in Spa on September 1st for a test session.
Thursday, October 19, 2023
EDITORIAL: Looking into the Crystal Ball, I see, success
OK. The original title of this editorial saying I am "pleased as punch" to find out this news, well, I was just in a bit of a hurry to find something. That is the understatement of the day for this Thursday! The truth is this development couldn't be better for our team at Action Express. This is mega! I mean, this is going to continue our momentum, in a big way, or big style, as I like to say quite often. Read on to find out more.
Wow. The hits just keep on coming for my buddies at Action Express Racing! Believe you me, everyone on the team, are on a roll! We have the 2023 championship in our pocket, and now comes the news, that our 2024 driver lineup for the #31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V Series R GTP is complete! Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken will be joined by the Englishman, Tom Blomqvist, who has been a prototype racing champion before. Concurrently, he also drives in the NTT IndyCar Series. Blomqvist, a former Rolex 24 winner, he shall boost our driver lineup even more. The confirmation of the signing for him to join our team, per my friend and Patron d'equipe, Bob Johnson, came on the weekend of the Indianapolis IMSA race last month. This inclusion of Tom on the team, is sure to help us not only maintain consistency for the endurance races, but also have more chances to replicate recent triumphs, such as this year's victory for the team at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Blomqvist will separately drive in IndyCar. But he will indeed be our third bullet in the gun for the endurance races which will surely put our competition on notice, that we mean business and will be in contention for all five Michelin Endurance Cup races in 2024. The Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, Six Hours of Watkins Glen, Six Hours of Indianapolis, and Petit Le Mans. We have the entire package. The team, the drivers, the car, the sponsorship support from the folks at Whelen Engineering. To our competition, I have this to say.
If you look back over your shoulder, or in your rearview mirror, as we demonstrated at Petit Le Mans on the way to the 2023 championship, you may just see a bright red Cadillac. We intend to race you fairly and cleanly but know that we are not sitting down and playing it safe. We are going to go for it and race you for the victory. Our mission has not changed and never will. At Action Express, it is our goal, our expectation, to win races. Bring on 2024! See everybody at Daytona Beach for the Rolex 24. Go for it, Action Express. You've got this. Cannot wait for the season ahead!
More WeatherTech Championship News
More IMSA WeatherTech Championship news after the Petit Le Mans as we put 2023 in the books and look forward to 2024.
The latest Double Stint Podcast with Tim Fulbrook and John Dagys analyzing the Petit Le Mans.
DOUBLE STINT: Petit Le Mans Recap; News Roundup & More (10-17-23)
JDC-Miller Eyeing Two-Car Porsche GTP Effort in 2025
Hanley to Team Up With Keating in United LMP2 Entry
Castroneves "Still Wants to Drive in IMSA" Despite MSR's Exit
Blomqvist Joins Action Express for Enduros in 2024
Michelin to Launch New Pilot Sport Pro Tire in GT Classes
Famin: MSR "An Option" for Possible Alpine GTP Program
BMW, Lamborghini and Alpine set to join the Hypercar class | 2024 FIA WEC Sneak Peek Series
There will be new additions from BMW M Motorsport, Lamborghini Squadra Corse, and Alpine in the 2024 FIA WEC Hypercar class. Watch Alexa Rendell and Sam Smith as they provide updates on what we can expect from these three new manufacturers.
Chapters:
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
GTP Title Contenders Collide! | 2023 Petit Le Mans Crash EXPLAINED
From Formula Jonah. With 1 hour to go, the GTP championship contenders collide! Wayne Taylor Racing's Acura and Action Express' Cadillac make contact at Turn 1 during the Petit Le Mans Finale for IMSA's 2023 season. This incident also defined which GTP team won the championship! Find out what happened by watching this video.
2023 Motul Petit Le Mans Race Recap
The 2023 Motul Petit Le Mans had its largest audience yet. Enjoy the full race recap of the race and the WeatherTech Championship at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. NBC Sports commentators Leigh Diffey, Calvin Fish, and Townsend Bell, tell the story of how everything happened.
Petit Le Mans Race Report: Meyer Shank Wins Big
IMSA's season is over and Meyer Shank Racing was the big overall winner at Motul Petit Le Mans along with the class winners across the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship's unforgettable 10-hour farewell to 2023.
25th Hybrid Anniversary at Motul Petit Le Mans
The inaugural running of Motul Petit Le Mans in 1998 featured the hybrid Panoz Q9 prototype, and 25 years later, IMSA is going racing at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with its first all-hybrid class for GTP cars in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
EDITORIAL: Another Championship for Action Express
I am so proud of my friends at Action Express Racing/Whelen Engineering Racing, for winning not just another championship title, but the inaugural Grand Touring Prototype title in the modern era! We won a single race, the 12 Hours of Sebring, back in March. However, it was consistency and always being at the front, in spite of overcoming adversity and obstacles at times, that got us here once again. This is the second championship AXR has won since I have known the team and the team principal, Bob Johnson. What a testimony as well, to our new car, the Cadillac V Series R LMDh for getting us here. The Daytona Prototype International Cadillac DPi-V.R was a wonderful, successful platform.
The new LMDh/GTP Cadillac with its reimagined and reworked 5.5 liter naturally aspirated V8 engine, and the new spec hybrid unit for energy recovery and regeneration worked extremely well. This is a spec unit all GTP teams from every manufacturer use, but it seemed to hang in there for us especially on launches out of the pit box where you hear the hybrid electric motor spool up and then... like a thunderstorm, or a mighty lion, the Cadillac V8 fires up and roars to life. Our drivers, too, Pipo Derani (in his fourth season with Action Express), Alexander Sims, and endurance driver, Jack Aitken, all pulled through for us. Some of Jack Aitken's drives in the enduros this year, particularly Sebring, Watkins Glen, and Petit Le Mans, were absolutely mega.
We had consistent finishes throughout the sprint races this year, too, and that is what kept our team in the championship fight against our rivals, another Cadillac, two Porsche's, two Acura's, and two BMW's. The competition is going to grow by leaps and bounds next year and we are ready for them. We also accomplished a tenth-place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year in our first appearance. We have an invitation, from our championship, to the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans. Whether the team takes it up, remains to be seen, as there is an IMSA race next year scheduled right before Le Mans, in June.
Do we send a second Whelen Cadillac to Le Mans like we did this year? Do we just focus on IMSA for 2024? That all remains to be seen. Our team is solid, and we have the momentum, with this championship going into next year. Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken have both been confirmed as our regular season drivers for 2024 with an endurance driver yet to be determined. I believe our 2023 regular driver, Alexander Sims, will be swapped back over to the Corvette Racing program, which, after its factory involvement has ended, they are going to focus on customer cars globally for next year. That is neither here nor there and I only reference it, as they will be mentioned in numerous race reports.
There are bound to be customer Corvette's in IMSA, SRO, and FIA World Endurance, among other championships. As for Action Express and Cadillac, our future is a bright one! This championship means so much! We have shown American ingenuity can compete with the best that the world has to offer and at the same time, top it. Just as much as it did in 2021 and Action Express has won many of them. A fantastic accomplishment and a testament to our success as a team, an organization, and the leadership of the people within our team who I have mentioned countless times. Congratulations, everyone! You deserve it.
IMSA 2024 Entry List REVEALED!
From Formula Jonah.
IMSA has revealed their entry list for the 2024 WeatherTech Sportscar Championship! 48 cars will race full time, and many more for the Michelin endurance rounds.There is a lot to breakdown, including Ford's return to IMSA, 4 corvettes for 2024, Lamborghini's new LMDh, and more! Find out all the details on IMSA's entry list in this video.
Monday, October 16, 2023
Race Recap & Post Race News from the Petit Le Mans
The race recap and all the post-race news from a thrilling Petit Le Mans to put a bow on the inaugural season of IMSA GTP's rebirth and put another season of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in the history books.
Race Recap:
Bourdais Passes Deletraz for Opening-Hour Lead at Petit
GTP Title-Contending Porsche Taken Out in Multi-Car Crash
Campbell Leads After Four Hours in No. 7 Porsche
Bourdais in Front With Two Hours Left; AXR Seals Endurance Cup
WeatherTech Mercedes Beats Pfaff Porsche to GTD Pro Honors
MSR Wins Petit Le Mans; Action Express Claims GTP Title
Extended highlights of Motul Petit Le Mans on NBC Sports. Leigh Diffey, Calvin Fish, Townsend Bell, Kevin Lee, and Brian Till, call the action from the broadcast booth with pit reports and trackside reports from Hannah Newhouse, Matt Yocum, Dillon Welch, and Georgia Henneberry.
Watch Extended Race Highlights of Petit Le Mans
Post-Race News:
Derani Felt Albuquerque Move Was "Too Optimistic"
First Win for US RaceTronics "Shows the Team's Momentum"
Cadillac, AXR Beaming With "Pride" in Winning First GTP Title
MSR Thought Their "Race Was Done" With Two Hours to Go
'Sad and Bittersweet' End for Corvette Racing's IMSA Chapter
First Customer Porsche Podium a "Mega Result" for Proton
Kurtz Wins Jim Trueman Award, Automatic Le Mans Invite
Road Atlanta Post-Race Notebook
Tough Petit "Lights a Fire" Under BMW After First GTP Season
There will be more news to come throughout the off-season and we'll see everybody again, for the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January of 2024.
Michelin Petit Le Mans Recap
Weekly Racing Roundup (10-16-23)
Report from Super GT at Autopolis plus other racing action and news...
https://sportscar365.com/features/roundup/weekly-racing-roundup-10-16-23/
2023 Petit Le Mans
From Lanky Turtle. Teams from the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship compete in the 2023 Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.
Sunday, October 15, 2023
Rebel Rock Lodges Appeal on Late-Race Lone Star Conduct
Rebel Rock Racing team lodges appeal to IMSA over late-race retirement from Lone Star Racing...
Saturday, October 14, 2023
Petit Le Mans: Hour 10 (the finish)
That corner is 140 miles an hour. We do hope that Albuquerque is OK. He was clearly groaning in pain. He was assisted to the ambulance. Action Express have won many races at Petit Le Mans. WTR and AXR have had battles for a decade or more. The wall is being repaired after Filipe Albuquerque had a massive shunt into the wall and the scoop is that he was indeed able to walk to the ambulance assisted by the AMR medical team. What a crazy, wild, nutty day this has been with just over 45 minutes to go in the season. The GT Daytona cars are right on the cusp of making it without final pit stops needed, full fuel save. Clutch and coast, stay off the brakes, run sixth gear. We are still dealing with barrier repairs and a broken K rail.
GTP cars will do a splash and a dash to top up before the end. On the radio, Pipo Derani asked, "he went off? Really?" This is going to hurt for the #10 team. Next year, they will have a two-car team. The #78 Forte Racing powered by U.S. Racetronics Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 have had a great race today. Patrick Liddy, Loris Spinelli, and Misha Goikhberg. GTD cars will stretch fuel. It has been a blast to jump into the WeatherTech Championship after racing in a number of the support championships. It has been a rollercoaster ride. Misha Goikhberg says they will win or run out of gas.
Push their chips into the center of the table. Jack Aitken at Whelen Engineering says lots has been going on and they were in a gunfight with the #10. They are right in it. Fuel saving like crazy with 43 minutes to go. It will be the same for them as everyone else going for a splash and dash to the very end. Pipo Derani being told to go for it. It is his turn to take it home. Huge damage to the #10 Acura and the car looks like it has been completely tubbed. In LMP2, the #04 CrowdStrike car has to win and the #52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports car has to finish fifth or worse.
GTD cars will stretch it and the GTP cars will be pitting for a splash and dash, I think. 40 minutes to go. How much will Pipo Derani take the fight to Renger van der Zande? Action Express are focusing on the #25 BMW Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8. All the prototypes are in the lane save for the #01 Ganassi Racing Cadillac. #31 Pipo Derani changing left side tires only and doing energy replenishment. Quick stop to keep track position. Same true for the #04 CrowdStrike APR car. Pipo Derani has moved down to fifth place. The #25 BMW is right behind. This is a nighttime cold tire restart, but we might see them getting a little bit more temperature before the green flag. 38 minutes to go. Race Control still reviewing the #10 and #31 incident. It is no call other than you took the onboard footage honestly.
You'd have to reduce the speed to allow him to go by. You can't just change lanes into the corner. There is a "needle of responsibility" according to IMSA Race Director Beaux Barfield. The #79 WeatherTech Mercedes-AMG GT3 will push to the end on the fuel they have with Daniel Juncadella at the end of the race. All the GTD runners hoping for some fuel save. Daniel Juncadella leads Kevin Estre and Mirko Bortolotti in GTD Pro. Mercedes vs. Porsche vs. Lamborghini with two titles still up for grabs here on this mid-October Saturday night.
The #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 is in the pit lane for service. As we said, Juncadella is going to push in GTD Pro. Just over half an hour to go. Titles still on the line in two classes. 33 and a half minutes to go in the season as Wayne Taylor is looking at his heavily damaged Acura sports car and knows his chances of winning are dashed. The #31 at this stage, could win the title by one point. But what if the #25 BMW gets a jump? The #25 of Connor De Philippi, Sheldon van der Linde, and Nick Yelloly is still in the fight. Will #31 have some kind of penalty? The fight is not over yet.
Nothing will change. No action on the #31 and #10 shemozzle. It is a racing incident. On the restart the #24 will let his teammate go by, seventh. De Philippi, and Derani is eighth. What will the privateer Porsche 963's #59 and #5 do? Here come the GTP cars for the restart with half an hour of racing left. The #01 of Renger van der Zande did not pit nor did the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura or the #59 Proton Competition Porsche. Green flag! Put the hammer down for a sprint to the finish with half an hour left in Petit Le Mans 2023 and the 2023 season!
This is it. The #60 has passed the #01. Colin Braun passes Renger van der Zande. Where are the #24 and #25 BMW's? What happened to the #01? The #25 is trying to make a move. It is go time. Use what you've got. Put all your chips on the table. Farfus moved over for his teammate as Colin Braun has rocketed away! He flies past Renger van der Zande. The #25 is now 26 points out of the lead of the championship and Pipo Derani has passed Augusto Farfus. They did not want to be squabbling in eighth. Derani directly behind Connor De Philippi.
Filipe Albuquerque was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, this news from IMSA and from the team at Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport. He was walking to the ambulance with the aid of the medics. Lapped traffic ahead and light the fuse for another GTP battle. GTP fight, chapter two. Meanwhile, Ben Hanley and company are just 17 points ahead of PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports. Dani Juncadella vs. Kevin Estre are scrapping it out for the GTD Pro victory. This is the final race for Pfaff Motorsports with the plaid Porsche before they change to the British McLaren orange colors for next season.
As Laurens Vanthoor was drafted into the beleaguered Penske Porsche GTP operation in the #6 Porsche 963, Kevin Estre was handed the opportunity to guest drive with Pfaff Motorsports. Estre half a second behind Daniel Juncadella. Kevin Estre knows how to drive on the ragged limit of the race car. Meanwhile, in GT Daytona, this is getting spicy, too. Loris Spinelli in the lead but Jan Heylen, look, he has only half a second before he is right on Spinelli's six. Meyer Shank Racing won the Rolex 24 and then were found outside the regulations taking a penalty losing a massive chunk of points. They will no longer be in the Acura IMSA squad next year and will be solely focusing on their two-car IndyCar program.
Imagine if they went out with a bang and won Petit Le Mans. Colin Braun could steer them that way in another 25 minutes. With 22 minutes to go, Colin Braun and Tom Blomqvist in their final run in the Meyer Shank Racing Acura, are third in points as they run. If the #25 BMW, Connor De Philippi must seize the moment, but in replay, look, we can see the #25 tag the #31 Whelen Cadillac and did the #31 get by cleanly? Indeed, it looks like it. That is high risk racing, but you know Action Express will push hard. Trouble, and damage for Felipe Fraga and the #74 Riley Motorsports LMP3 car as it trundles to the pit lane.
Did Matt Bell tag him? Yes. Fraga got tagged and had to go to the pit lane. A new rear Michelin tire. Now, there is an opportunity for Connor De Philippi to put it all on the line and give Pipo Derani a run for his money. You know that Derani and the Action Express Cadillac team are not going to take that sitting down and they will be in the fight, no matter what. 20 minutes left in the race and the season. Connor De Philippi saying to the #92 Kellymoss with Riley Porsche 911 GT3R, "help me out, here." Derani gets around to the outside and De Philippi has to go full send.
Pipo Derani and Cadillac Racing/Action Express lead the title fight. In the downhill, Derani must be very careful. Derani gets a clean run through turn 12. Connor De Philippi saying, "here I come. I am right on your tail, bucky." But at the same time, he wonders "how much risk do I take?" He has been balked by the #80 AO Racing Porsche, our old pal "Rexy" the dinosaur. Derani motoring away. Pipo Derani is going to be clear of the last GTD traffic in a wee while. He has cleared both the #16 Wright Motorsports Porsche and the Lambo, the class leader in GTD, the Forte Motorsports, US Racetronics Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2.
Connor De Philippi is the only American driver on the BMW Rahal Letterman Lanigan factory program. De Philippi wants to bring a title to Munich as Pipo Derani and Alexander Sims lead the championship and are only 18 minutes away from winning the first hybrid era GTP title. 15 minutes to go now. The race is on in the event and the championship. Colin Braun in the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 is defending from a resurgent Renger van der Zande aboard the #01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac V Series R.
The #60 and the #01 are scrapping for the race win. As for the championship, Pipo Derani still has things under control completely for the Whelen Engineering Action Express Cadillac team. Derani leads the title fight in spite of being only sixth in the race order. The #01 is off the leash and is good to go on fuel and chase after the #60. Here are your top six in points before we end this race as they run.
1. #31 Sims/Derani 2,733 points
2. #10 Albuqerque/Taylor 2,712 points -21
3. #60 Blomqvist/Braun 2,711 points -22
4. #6 Jaminet/Tandy 2,691 points -42
5. #7 Nasr/Campbell 2,691 points -42
6. #25 Yelloly/De Philippi 2,687 points -46
Colin Braun has never won Petit Le Mans and he'd love to win. The #18 Era Motorsports Oreca 07 in LMP2 is off the track, Christian Rasmussen at the wheel of it. The Indy Next star and champion is off. Ben Hanley was leading in LMP2, and Rasmussen might have made a move. Full Course Yellow number 12 with 13 minutes to go in the race. Colin Braun will be under maximum pressure before this race is done and dusted. We are under yellow but ready to take it home.
This is the final race for Meyer Shank Racing at the top level of IMSA sports car racing competition for the foreseeable future. They have run ever top level IMSA season since 2004. Before the race today the team and many fans singed the nose of the #60 Acura ARX-06 GTP. In the #01 Chip Ganassi Racing camp, Mike O'Gara had a plan B to conserve fuel and stay out. Renger van der Zande told he was good to go on fuel. van der Zande knows he is off the leash. At Action Express, Pipo Derani is told, "stay with the #25 BMW. No mistakes. No high risk moves."
Shadow the BMW by one position. Connor De Philippi is told he can push to the bitter end and he has been quiet on the radio. The #25 has to pass the #31 but move him out of the way and then catch the #5 and #7 Porsche's. Cadillac Racing boss Laura Wontrop Klauser, looking on. Alexander Sims, Jack Aitken, and so is team strategist Tim Keane, Iain Watt, and everyone else. Meyer Shank Racing and Helio Castroneves looking on. Colin Braun could win his first race as a dad. Roxyn, his son, is here, to see dad win.
But Renger van der Zande, full fuel, and he could be in full send, dive bomb mode. Renger van der Zande has an insurance company away from the racetrack. The Ganassi brain trust told him, "hey, man, we got you covered." Cadillac have to finish in front of Porsche to win the constructor's championship. Don't discount the #59 Proton Competition customer Porsche 963 either. We go back to green flag racing with five and a ahlf minutes to go! Colin Braun sends it through turn 12 and Renger van der Zande is right with him.
Where will Colin Braun land next year with the Meyer Shank program going away for next year? He could go out on top. Eating up the exit curb, maintaining the gap on Renger van der Zande. Oh no! The #16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R is flaming into the corner! This car is on FiYah! The fuel tank has been damaged after he got hit. Jan Heylen, on fire, not in a safe haven! Deary me! Yellow is out. That's #16 is burning! Jan Heylen is trying to reach for the fire bottles. Save my race car, please!
This will seal the deal for the #31 Whelen Engineering Action Express Cadillac. Meyer Shank Racing will win the race. The #63 Iron Lynx Lamborghini is stopped! Dear me. Talk about getting the rough end of the pineapple before ten hours is up. Here's a question for you. Did the #63 clatter into the back of the #16 Porsche and cause the oiling system to go up? This car had a podium shot in GTD Pro as Mirko Bortolotti was running well sharing with Jordan Pepper and Franck Perera. In replay, Sebastian Priaulx is off and on in the #80 "Rexy" Porsche.
Green flag out for the prototypes and the #63 went hard left, clobbering the wall. I am with NBC Sports' Townsend Bell, and wonder if the #63 lost the steering. Did someone cannon into the #16? He was already damaged, and it was side by side contact and now, the #16 is up in flames. I think the steering was undoubtedly busted on the #63 Lamborghini. Two minutes to go. This past Thursday, Pipo Derani celebrated his 30th birthday. He is at peace with life and his career. Derani, his wife Marena and ten-month old daughter Lorena are here.
Helio Castroneves in his last drive with Acura and Meyer Shank Racing they will win the Petit Le Mans. White flag. Two and a half miles to go. Ben Keating will win the LMP2 title. George Kurtz will get the Jim Trueman Award and the Bronze Cup getting the auto invite to the 24 Hours of Le Mans next June. Garrett Grist leads Matt Bell in LMP3 in the swansong for that class in the WeatherTech Championship. Daniel Juncadella and WeatherTech Racing Mercedes will win GTD Pro. Loris Spinelli and the U.S. Racetronics Lamborghini team will take GT Daytona honors at this juncture.
Final lap. So, here are your winners.
Overall/GTP: #60 Braun/Blomqvist/Castroneves Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06
LMP2: #04 Kurtz/Hanley/Siegel CrowdStrike Racing by APR Oreca 07
LMP3: #30 Dickerson/Garg/Grist JR III Racing Ligier JS P320 Nissan
GT Daytona Pro: #79 Juncadella/Gounon/Engel WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
GT Daytona: #78 Goikhberg/Spinelli/Liddy Forte Racing powered by USRacetronics
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2
What a crazy race and what a crazy season. The GTP class has delivered. All four brands have won this year. Meyer Shank Racing win Motul Petit Le Mans in their final race with the program. As far as the championship, it goes to Cadillac and Action Express Racing! Pipo Derani and Alexander Sims are the drivers' champions! In GTD Pro, the title goes to Vasser Sullivan Lexus. In GT Daytona it is the U.S. Racetronics Lamborghini to the winners' circle. Cadillac finish in front of Porsche and win the manufacturers' cup! JR III have their farewell drive in LMP3, and it is Ben Keating and Paul Loup Chatin winning the championship!
Pipo Derani lights it up doing a burnout!
Champions:
GTP: #31 Pipo Derani & Alexander Sims Whelen Engineering Racing/Action Express Racing Cadillac V Series R.
LMP2: #52 Ben Keating & Paul Loup Chatin PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca 07
LMP3: #74 Gar Robinson Riley Ligier JSP320 Nissan
GT Daytona Pro: #14 Ben Barnicoat & Jack Hawksworth Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3
GT Daytona: #1 Bryan Sellers & Madison Snow Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3
Next year, Alex Quinn and Ben Keating are moving to United Autosports in LMP2. Riley Motorsports are LMP3 champions. Vasser Sullivan in GTD Pro and Paul Miller Racing in GTD. We begin the countdown to the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2024 and a brand-new season and congratulations to the champions. For now, we bid you good night from Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. See you next year for more IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship action. So long, and take care, everyone. Bye bye.
Petit Le Mans: Hour 9
Sheldon van der Linde passes Tom Blomqvist with Tijmen van der Helm going for it. Right now, it is Cadillac, Acura, Cadillac, the top three. Traffic ahead. Turn seven on the backstretch. Punch it. The #10 got around the #31 on the previous lap. Albuquerque on a mission. Aitken playing catch up. Bourdais and Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac have been the measure of the field today. Albuquerque has been acknowledged by the Prime Minister in his homeland of Portugal. Albuquerque was able to pass Aitken on the inside in turn ten in the braking zone through traffic. Aitken has to push to get back around Albuquerque, while Sebastien Bourdais is running away with the race lead, but he is not in contention for the title.
The track is 70 degrees and getting colder. Alex Quinn leads LMP2 for PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports. We have seen the track temperature plummeting from a high of 115 degrees in the daytime. Revisitng keys to victory. Manage the Atlanta traffic like I-285. Cage the rage. Keep the fangs in your pocket until the last 5-10 minutes and be careful on your outlaps on cold tires. Be comfortable with the uncomfortable. In GT Daytona and GT Daytona Pro both the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW and the #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus have been retired. In LMP3, Gar Robinson, second generation racer out of Texas has won the driver's championship in LMP3.
Felipe Massa tested for Riley and may just come into LMP2 next year. Keep your eyes peeled. Gar Robinson is extremely happy and has had some of the best memories of his life in the last three years and finish the LMP3 chapter as they started with a win. It is going to be a hard fight to the end with the #30 JR III Motorsports car and the Riley Motorsports car. Gar Robinson's dad George Robinson have had a history that dates back to George driving in the SCCA Trans Am Series way back when.
Gar Robinson extremely thankful to Riley, Ligier, and IMSA. The other in LMP3 is Garrett Grist, Felipe Fraga, Matt Bell, and Rasmus Lindh. The LMP2 chapter is about to be written for Riley Motorsports. Bourdais wrapped up in traffic. Look at this. GTD and LMP3 traffic as Quinn and Rasmussen are squabbling for the LMP2 lead. Christian Rasmussen has chased up to second, the recently crowned Indy Next champion. Rasmussen is chasing Alex Quinn with an hour and 45 minutes to go. Rasmussen, you know he is going to go for it.
Ryan Dalziel his co-driver at Era Motorsports believes in him. Rasmussen has been a staple endurance driver for the team. Meanwhile, the fight is on at the front between Aitken and Albuquerque and Aitken has gone by Filipe Albuquerque. Racing into the night at Motul Petit Le Mans to cap off a wonderful season. We still have the premier class, the high-tech hybrid GTP prototypes are raging for the championship. LMP2 championship leader #52 has spun! They are burried in the gravel and thankfully, Alex Quinn gets out of the grass.
What car was involved? Anyone else? It could have been Christian Rasmussen in the #18 Era Motorsports Oreca. It was indeed the #18. Well, well, well. #18 in the pit lane from the lead with Christian Rasmussen staying behind the wheel. The LMP2 title fight is still between #52 and #11. The #59 Proton Competition Porsche 963 of Harry Tincknell went off the road and thankfully continues. Get out of there as quickly as possible. They left the pit lane moments ago on cold tires. Ambient and track temperatures dropping fast.
He couldn't get it turned, spearing into the fence, lightly. Albuquerque is coming fast towards Aitken. This is championship fighting we are seeing right now. The Acura might be a tad better at minimum corner speed and in the braking zones but the corner exit speed for the Cadillac is better. Jack Aitken pounces on Albuquerque. Is there damage to the front end of the Acura? It does not appear so. We confirm the #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus team have won the GTD Pro championship in spite of their earlier troubles this afternoon.
This is their first title together. Kyle Kirkwood is the endurance driver for the Lexus team and congratulates his teammates on their championship. Things have changed a bit as now Matt Campbell has taken the lead in the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsports Porsche 963 followed by Pipo Derani in the #31 Whelen Action Express Cadillac and I believe Filipe Albuquerque in the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport Acura. Yellow is out for the stopped #66 Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3. The back of the car is intact. She pulled off on the backstretch off turn seven.
The #10 Acura of Filipe Albuquerque will catch Pipo Derani in the #31 Cadillac behind the safety car. Everyone has one more stop to make. Of course, Tom Blomqvist after the prototype program ends for Meyer Shank Racing will transfer to their IndyCar team for 2024. Tony Dean won the inaugural Can Am race here in 1970 at Road Atlanta. 2.54 miles in length, with twelve turns and a 750-acre facility. In GTP, here is the situation. The #01 Ganassi Racing Cadillac has had lapped traffic issues. Action Express only 11 markers ahead of Wayne Taylor Racing.
Jack Aitken did tons of fuel save and did quick service so Pipo Derani will finish. Derani asking for help from the #01. Save fuel before the final stop. WTR Acura came in a lap earlier for four tires and a full fuel load. The gap is 11 points and then 96 points to the BMW and 100 to the Ganassi Cadillac as we keep looking at the points as they run with an hour and 20 minutes to go. This is the tenth Full Course Yellow of the race. Three of five titles have been decided and two are left to be clinched here north of Atlanta, Georgia, on this Saturday evening. What is the tradition? Where do you sit? Do you camp out in a tent, in a motorhome?
People are sitting by a campfire or in the grandstands. An hour and 15 minutes left to go. Cold tires and we have a restart imminent. We are back, ready for the restart. Green flag. Renger van der Zande leads over Pipo Derani. Filipe Albuquerque and Matty Campbell next up. Where is Connor De Philippi? He is fifth, further back. Can he go for it? They have a lifeline. Albuquerque trying to draft but Derani off corner exit is so strong and Renger van der Zande has the edge at the front as Christian Rasmussen leads in LMP2.
Felipe Fraga leads LMP3. Pressure on the #10 Acura. Derani running second and in five laps the leaders are going to catch lapped traffic. Sebastien Bourdais has had an outstanding performance. Renger van der Zande is the closer for the Chip Ganasssi Cadillac team. The sand is moving quicker through the hourglass as we'll have an hour remaining very soon. 54 cars, well, 52, is still a massive obstacle. Bourdais seems confident about a possible race victory but again the #01 is not in the title fight.
CGR are cheering their sister car at AXR to clinch the title. The #79 WeatherTech Mercedes-AMG GT3 nailed their colors to the mast with a win at the Rolex 24 winning at Laguna Seca and Indianapolis as well. The Mercedes has performed wonderfully in the cooler temperatures. They had a big win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Porsche's in GT Daytona are pushing hard. Jan Heylen, Sebastian Priaulx, and Trejt Hindman. Loris Spinelli though leads GT Daytona currently by 1.4 seconds sharing the Forte Racing/US Racetronics Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2. Trent Hindman along with Jan Heylen and Zacharie Robichon chasing the Lamborghini down.
Jan Heylen and Wright Motorsports have had a stressful year. They have scored ninth, sixth, and third, and hope for a win. Rexy the dinosaur is back in the #80 Porsche 911 GT3R. Volt Racing are likely to take a year's hiatus next year so they are looking for a podium. Now, Albuqeque is pressing Derani and Derani says not on your life, buster. Pipo Derani is defending. Albuquetque fiercely looking for qan opportunity in traffic.
Pipo Derani recognizes the moment. He knows what to do. The #31 does not have to win the race to win the title. Derani forces Albuquerque off the road! Holy cow! Yellow. Albuquerque is in pain, head on hit and Wayne Taylor knows it is all over. The #10 is out. #31 is now ahead of the BMW #25 by 76 points and now, Taylor and Albuquerque are 91 points out. One hour left in the race.
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