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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