It is the finale of the 2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Championship at Road Atlanta in the red clay hills of north Georgia, just outside of Atlanta. Today is championship day at Road Atlanta just outside of Atlanta, Georgia, in the suburb of Braselton. Alex Filsinger and teammate Jesse Lazare, on the pole, in the Grand Sport class for GT4 cars, in the #69 MIA (Motorsports in Action) McLaren Artura GT4. The TCR pole goes to the #17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi RS3 LMS TCR of Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor. After nearly nine months of racing, the GS and TCR titles are up for grabs. This is championship day!
This is it. The grand finale. The last chapter of 2023 is about to be written. It is the Fox Factory 120 as we join Kevin Lee, Calvin Fish, and Brian Till in the booth. 70 points between three cars in Grand Sport, the #72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Kenny Murillo and Christian Szymczak. Second is the #71 Rebel Rock Racing Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R of Robin Liddell and Frank DePew. Leading, the #95 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 of Cameron Lawrence and Robert Megennis. Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker could be champions in TCR today but they have their teammates in the #98 Hyundai Elantra of Mason Filippi and Mark Wilkins.
The BMW's in GS are missing straight line speed. Robby Foley and Vincent Barletta are 60 points ahead. Rain in the forecast and it is misting as we hear from pit reporters Hannah Newhouse and Matt Yocum. At Indianapolis, the #33 team was close to victory but finished second. All they need to do is finish ahead of the Audi. This could be a special day for Robert Wickens and his supporters as the cars roll off the grid. At Road Atlanta, we are 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. Such rhythm and flow, and elevation change here. This is an old school circuit. The grip is high here. High speed approach to turn one, picking up grip uphill to turn three.
Now, turns three and four take you to the esses. Turn seven slow. But get on the power onto the backstretch and big commitment into the turn ten braking zone. Lots of potential argy bargy. It is narrow and fast. On pole in Grand Sport is the #69 MIA (Motorsports in Action) McLaren Artura of Alex Filsinger and Jesse Lazare while in TCR as we said it is that #17 Audi. We are green and we have a battle raging between Filsinger, Murillo, and Adam Adelson. In TCR, #17 is not accelerating at the start! Chris Miller has no drive! He says "I have no gearbox!"
Unreal! You cannot change columns until the start/finish line. Stay in your column. Well, well, well. That dodges a massive bullet. But it is game over for the #17! Full Course Yellow to collect the #17 JDC-Miller Motorsports/Unitronic Audi. Hyundai in control, in the pound seats as we get started. Still trying to see who is ahead in the Grand Sport class. All attention has been paid to this drama, this disaster for the #17 Audi. Unbelievable! You can see the safety workers talking to Chris Miller trying to figure out what went wrong with the car.
The field weaving to maintain tire temperature behind the safety car on a cloudy, overcast day outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Here comes the tow truck. It is surely game over for car #17. The field trudges around behind the safety car/safety SUV basically in formation flying formation. That is a BMW SUV that is the safety car. Hyundai now in charge as we said. Robert Wickens tells us that the championship battle does not have to change. They still have to execute a strong race. The gearbox went out on the #17 Audi. Green flag.
Filsinger, Adelson, Murillo, and more. The third-place car leads the champonship. Cameron Lawrence is going to press Kenny Murillo in the #72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 sharing with Christian Szymczak. Vincent Barletta and Frank DePew must stay on the lead lap. Same for Bryce Ward in the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 sharing with Daniel Morad, with sim racers helping them out. Hyundai fills the TCR top five and a massive squeeze between the tail end of GS and the leaders in TCR. My gracious. Filippi knows what he must do. The #33 team have not won a race in 2023 but the championship is theirs if they stay there.
They might be totally content. The race win would be the icing on the cake and all they need is a top eight placing. It is "Friday the 13th" if you are superstitious, by the way. Whoops! Speaking of #13, Jenson Altzman is off the road in the #13 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford Mustang GT4. Alex Filsinger continuing to lead over Adam Adelson, Kenny Murillo, Cameron Lawrence, Rory van der Steur, and more. Charles Espenlaub is at the wheel of the second #56 Murillo Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 sharing with Eric Foss.
Cameron Lawrence passes the #72 Mercedes and in replay, we see argy bargy with Altzman and the #19 van der Steur Aston Martin #19 and the #13 Ford Mustang has a broken toe link and suspension damage. Again, if we have a safety car, this will help the cause of the #71 Camaro and the #96 BMW. This is a different deal and the #19 Rory van der Steur driven Aston Martin has clobbered Kenny Murillo who slides! Oh, my word! Same corner! Back-to-back laps! Is van der Steur driving angry? We are under yellow again, look, at the Road Atlanta season finale.
#72 is back on the button and motoring around the circuit. However, I still wonder about this argy bargy early doors. We have our bonus coverage if you are watching via Peacock this morning. Pit stop time for the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT4. All four new Michelin tires and a tank of petrol. They will get the wave by, the class split. So, they have answered the bell and are in good shape. They are strategy experts with team boss Will Turner and strategist Don Salama. Vincent Barletta will stay out of trouble and hand off to Robby Foley. Same deal at Rebel Rock Racing and the #71 Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R of Frank DePew and Robin Liddell who have not pitted yet. DePew at the wheel of the Camaro.
The #17 Audi is back for repairs. They will have to repair the car and begin pushing if their rival at Hyundai runs into problems. The car is running. But will the problem be solved? This is heartbreaking. I thought the car was stuck in gear. It had drive, but sounded like silverware in a blender. Metal swarth being ground away, maybe. Hyundai and Audi are scrapping for the manufacturers' cup and there is the team's championship as well. Bryan Herta Autosport have wond divers' titles but not yet manufacturers' titles.
Already two yellows in the season finale here at Road Atlanta for Michelin Pilot Challenge. JDC-Miller Motorsports, game over it seems. Chris Miller very disappointed. He says that he did not sense anything wrong, being on the podium five of the last six races. He went to power and had nothing. They are still trying to figure out what on earth is going on. They'll be back next year in 2024. We go back to green. Alex Filsinger and McLaren lead the motor race being chased by Adelson, Lawrence, van der Steur, and more. Rory van der Steur slides the car and keeps it together! Yikes!
In the meantime, the incident between the #13 Ford Mustang and the #19 Aston Martin, drive through penalty for Jenson Altzman. There could be a second penalty, but I am not sure. It is said to be for a local yellow and a pass, a standing yellow, which is an egregious deal. Alex Filsinger continues in the lead as we see Eric Filgueiras in the #28 RS1 Porsche Cayman, who were docked for ride height by the stewards and sent to the tail end of the grid in Grand Sport. van der Steur serves one of two possible penalties. Nearly a half hour into the race. Vincent Barletta in the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 came to the lane for a fuel top up and tire change.
They will pit next for a driver change over to Robby Foley. Penalty, incident responsibility, drive through penalty for the #19 van der Steur Aston Martin for contact with the #72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4. Murillo and Szymczak have had a disastrous race so far and are in recovery mode. Seth Lucas in the #50 Hattori Motorsports Toyota Supra GT4 EVO sharing with Billy Johnson. Seth Lucas has won GT4 races for Hattori Motorsports in SRO GT4 racing, GT4 America. oh no. The #39 CarBahn with Peregrine Racing BMW M4 GT4 is off the road. Sean McAlister spins getting squeezed off the road by Hugh Plumb into, the beach, at turn ten, the big gravel trap.
McAlister sharing that #39 BMW M4 GT4 with Jeff Westphal. That is another of the G82 model BMW M4's, the new ones. This is a short Full Course Yellow. Soon, we wll get to the point where minimum drive time will be met. BMW #39 is mired in the gravel trap. Did he go for a hole that wasn't there or did we see him get biffed off the road? He feels the day is done. Game over. Steve Dinan, the manager of CarBahn with Peregrine Racing, is a BMW specialist, after the team has run Audi and Porsche models in the past. 2023 is over. CarBahn with Peregrine Racing will start focusing on 2024.
Rebel Rock Racing are going to wait a bit longer before Robin Liddell will get into the car and try hard to get into contention for victory. Keep it clean. That is the plan. #71 and #96 may pit after we go back to green, with a 35 second delta through the lane. So, you have 50 seconds to play with working in the box. We'll have to see how this all sifts out like sifting sugar on a cookie. Had to mention cookies! Of course! Meanwhile, Michael Lewis and Taylor Hagler are in deja vu mode although Lewis is injured so Taylor Hagler is sharing with Bryson Morris today.
Will Bryson Morris come over to Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2024? We have seen him in other championships and other kinds of cars this year. Will Turner tells us that anyone can win the title. Lawrence in the front and Barletta also in line. The competition will be between Turner BMW and the Camaro. It is unpredictable. Team boss Will Turner mentions split strategies. Vincent Barletta and Robby Foley, they are the ones contending for the title. The #95 team has nothing to lose while the #96 has to be a little bit conservative. This is the final race for the Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R which is a car that is long in the tooth. It will be retired to the museum.
Team strategist Don Salama putting the puzzle together. We are inside minimum drive time, but this is a quick yellow. 78 minutes of racing left on the board. The #39 BMW is being loaded onto the flatbed truck. The marshals have taken a long time to load this car onto the flatbed. If not, that is another five minutes of fuel burn. 50 minutes on fuel for GS and an hour for TCR. Vincent Barletta working the tires, get them cleaned off. #96, they don't have to change tires. Just keep the Michelin Pilot's clean. Over half an hour under Full Course Yellow to see about pit stops and another possible penalty for the #19 van der Steur Racing Aston Martin.
This is compelling as we finish the 2023 season. Eric Filgueiras has leapfrogged from 24th in the overall where he started, up to tenth place. We should get one to go before green, next time by. We should settle in and get some racing done. We do have an hour and 15 minutes on the board yet. Rest In Peace, Jim Sharp, founder of Forgeline Wheels, a valued member of the racing community. No change at the top of the shop as Alex Filsinger leads over Adam Adelson, Cameron Lawence, Bryce Word, and Hugh Plumb.
Mason Filippi leads TCR over Bryan Ortiz, and Robert Wickens. Pit lane open as we go back to green. Murillo Racing in the lane with many others. McLaren leading the motor race and the two Murillo cars nearly came together at pit entry as Cameron Lawrence chases Adam Adelson. Murillo in the lane with both cars. Tire changes, fuel, driver changes. Christian Szymczak into the #72 and into the #56 I think it is Charles Espenlaub, as Robin Liddell replaces Frank DePew in the #71 car. Higher tire degradation for the Camaro. Christian Szymczak in the #72.
#71 could go down a lap. Oh dear! Ah yes. Robby Foley and Christian Szymczak will be pushing. The Rebel Rock Camaro is a lap down! Filsinger, Adelson, Lawrence, the top three. Mired in traffic are indeed the leaders. This looks like the 985 out of Atlanta! What a hornet's nest in Grand Sport! Think of the championship picture. Forget the win. Liddell doing all he can to pass Bryce Ward in the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 sharing with Daniel Morad. Ward and Morad won the 4-hour race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and of course had a massive battle with Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer.
Cameron Lawrence pressing Adam Adelson. Cameron Lawrence ran a Trans Am 2 race here in 2011 and the first time he qualified on pole in the WeatherTech Championship was here in 2015. Side by side stuff. Adelson gives it up as Lawrence slices through. Out of turn seven, not enough steam for the BMW and Robin Liddell is putting the welly down, absolutely flying! Robin Liddell is pushing to catch up to the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT4. Straight six power in the BMW, V8 power in the Camaro. Don't go away. We have much more action to bring you in the Michelin Pilot finale from Road Atlanta.
Alex Filsinger is four and a half seconds up the road from Lawrence as Robin Liddell is hounding Cameron Lawrence. This car has pace over the Mercedes and the BMW. Getting down to brass tacks, Robby Foley does not need to beat him but still needs to be right on his six. Rebel Rock Racing encouraging their driver, Robin Liddell. Coming up on the halfway mark in the race. The McLaren's have the speed and the durability here at Road Atlanta as Liddell is racing to get his lap back. The gap is growing hand over fist. Foley has to stay close. That is his mission. Alex Filsinger has been in front for a good chunk of the race thus far from the pole.
Fast laps chopping and changing all over the place. Filsinger is not the fastest car. Robin Liddell is setting quick lap after quick lap and the stability of the car is there in low speed and high speed turns. Filsinger dealing with a lapped BMW M4 GT4, the #98 Random Vandals Racing car of Kenton Koch and Paul Sparta. The points are shuch that Foley and Barletta are 80 markers ahead of Szymczak and Murillo while Liddell and Depew are 120 points behind. Foley is eking out a gap on Szymczak currently.
In TCR it is very close for the top three as well. Miller and Taylor are out of contention 140 points behind as here the #91 Hyundai of Tyler Maxson and the #5 Tim Lewis and Roy Block Alfa Romeo. So, the scrap really is on, 80 points separating both Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra's of Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker vs. their sister car of Mason Filippi and Mark Wilkins. Robert Wickens will take over for the second stint. #33 can win the title if they finish in the top eight. #98 leads, and they must win and hope for troubles with the sister car. Clear the board, rework fuel mileage strategy.
Getting close to the halfway mark. A lot of fuel burn at this high speed track of Road Atlanta. A single pit stop is all the TCR boys and girls need. A good battle for second between Bryan Ortiz, Harry Gottsacker, and Bryson Morris. Gottsacker in the yellow car for the Hyundai Hope on Wheels charity. Bryson Morris is 19 years old, from Nashville, Tennessee, who has driven internationally in sports cars but also in open wheel cars. Best wishes to Michael Lewis, too, for a speedy recovery. Mike LaMarra is next up in the #73 L.A. Honda World Honda Civic FL5 TCR.
Mike LaMarra sharing with Ryan Eversley. This is Ryan Eversley's last race as an HPD driver. He has different plans for the future. Robin Liddell passes Alex Filsinger to get back on the lead lap as Daniel Morad has now taken over the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4, and on the same strategy as Robin Liddell in the Camaro. Robin Liddell has his lap back, 16th overall. Robert Wickens is getting suited and booted for his stint. No change at the top of the shop. Liddell and Morad are pressing hard. Filsinger continuing to lead.
Daniel Morad also does a lot of simulator work which is a big part of being a racing driver these days especially in sports car racing. A Herculean effort for L.A. Honda World this weekend who had engine and electrical troubles in practice and qualifying. Ryan Eversley is suited and booted awaiting his stint. L.A. Honda World, frustrated by their results this season. They also have the sister #7, the older generation FK7 model Honda Civic in the hands of William Tally and Mat Pombo. 52 minutes to go in the race and the 2023 season.
#33 in the lane as Harry Gottsacker will hand off to Robert Rickens. Wickens' driver assistant is a former football player. They want to go for a fifth straight driver's championship. The manufacturers' cup also on the line as the #91 van der Steur Racing Hyundai beats out the factory car, Bryan Ortiz and Tyler Maxson. A driver change, for the sister #98 car. Mason Filippi has finished his stint and Mark Wilkins will take it to the end. #98 down and away and Motorsports in Action in the lane in the #69. Alex Filsinger hands over to Jesse Lazare. Maybe they will need a wee bit of fuel save. One pit stop to stretch it to the end. Will the Michelin tires work out? Will they be squirmy at the end?
#98 took only front tires. Maybe they had understeer. 48 minutes of racing to go. Troubel in turn ten for the Audi, the #15. The Audi's are dropping like flies in TCR. So, their chances of a manufacturer's cup are dimming. We have takers in TCR. Taylor Hagler ready to get in for Bryson Morris. Tires changed and fuel added. Bryson Morris has done incredibly well, starting in go karts eight years ago in 2015. New left side Michelin tires at Turner Motorsports in the #96 BMW M4 GT4. This is Robby Foley I believe. The Audi sweeps across through the chicane, getting loose over the curbs. A mismatched downshift and the gearbox goes bang.
Same issue as the #17 at the beginning of the race. The gearbox is the Achilles heel in these Audi touring cars. Both GS and TCR remain in play as we get into the last 40 minutes and change. In the race, everyone has made at least one pit stop, many have done two. Here is your points situation in GS, the top three.
1. #72 Christian Szymczak & Kenny Murillo Murillo Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 2,480 points
2. #71Robin Liddell & Frank DePew Rebel Rock Racing Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R 2,420 points -60
3. #96 Robby Foley & Vincent Barletta Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 2,350 points -130
If the pits don't open in two and a half minutes, one of the teams will have a drive time shortage. Robert Megennis still must take over from Cameron Lawrence in the #95 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT4. This ill-timed yellow may have become detrimental to their race. Robert Megennis has to do 40 minutes. They did not come into the lane to double stack the pit stops. Weird. Murillo Mercedes did that and they were fine. In TCR, is the #70 car in the same boat? Sally McNulty has not gotten out of the car to hand off to Jacob Deily for 40-minute minimum drive time.
You must minimize the damage. What do we do? You could easily take emergency service. But Turner Motorsports are in trouble. The pits are opening for GS. Trouble in paradise for Turner Motorsports. Here they come. But this is the end of their motor race. A lot of GS cars are pitting. The #69 is the first car not needing to stop and here comes more of the GS field. Robert Megennis on the wall, read to go. Megennis gets into the car. Four tires taken. Fuel added. A tough break for Turner Motorsports indeed.
The #72 Mercedes gets four tires and fuel and Christian Szymczak will take it home. Luca Mars in the #59 Ford Mustang GT4 is out ahead of everyone, taking over the KOHR Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4 from Bob Michaelian. Jesse Lazare is five laps shorter than everyone who pitted. Did Elliott Skeer pit the #47 Nolasport Porsche Cayman? No. Lazare is a lap behind Foley and an extended yellow can give him more fuel mileage. Daniel Morad, Elliott Skeer, and Stevan McAleer, they need another opportunity for fuel and hope this yellow is extended.
36 minutes left on the board. The TCR leading #98 BHA Hyundai Elantra runs fifth overall but there will be the class split and Christian Szymczak will be able to make a move. Here is the wave by with 35 minutes still to go. Here is the points situation in TCR.
1. #33 Gottsacker/Wickens Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR 3,010 points
2. #98 Filippi/Wilkins Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR 2,050 points -60
3. #17 Miller/Taylor Unitronic/JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi RS3 LMS TCR 1,930 points -120
We saw a wild second race for VP Challenge earlier this morning which had three cars leading within the final few minutes, with two laps remaining. Foley is still buried in the queue. Gracious knows why. Has he had issues we've not seen? He didn't stop with other GS cars. He should be ahead of Mars, Szymczak, Liddell, and other Grand Sport runners. Jeepers creepers! Lights still on atop the safety car, or safety SUV if you prefer.
A wee bit over a half hour to go. We come close to concluding the fourth Full Course Yellow of this motor race. Kenny Murillo tells us a lot is going through their minds. They are hoping for the best, prepping the car, finding their pace. Half hour to go. With Turner Motorsports, if everything worked out, why on earth are they buried in the queue? Did Cameron Lawrence stay out too long? Daniel Morad, in replay, he slows, and a couple cars pass him befoe he gets up to speed again. Green flag. Jesse Lazare leads the motor race, not in the championship fight.
Jesse Lazare is going for it and Robin Liddell is glued to the back of Szymczak. I don't think this is a fair fight. Liddell is going to eat Szymczak alive. We are looking a tthe bronze and blue Mercedes and the white, green, and black Rebel Rock Camaro. Szymczak protects to the left, depep on the brakes in turn ten. Liddell gets ahead. Szymczak cannot hold the outside line. The Camaro is the fastest car compared to the Mercedes and the BMW. How did Robby Foley get buried in the pack?
It is a 30-point swing currently. Rebel Rock could squeak out a title over the Murillo Mercedes, but something out fo the ordinary has to happen. So, here is the revised points table.
1. #71 Liddell/DePew Rebel Rock Racing Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R 2,420 points
2. #72 Szymczak/Murillo Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 2,400 points -20
3. #96 Foley/Barletta Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 (G82) 2,360 points -60
Robert Megennis is now in the fight, but they didn't pit before a yellow and they will have a drive time issue. Megennis will not be in the car for 40 minutes. They will have a penalty as Stevan McAleer is being harried by Daniel Morad and no dice for the Canadian trying to pass the Scotsman. Depending on where Robby Foley is, that car, the #95, might be invisible on points. Lots of calculations being made between team boss Will Turner and team strategist Don Salama. Well, well, well. The plot doth thicken.
Inside the final 25 minutes of the race and the 2023 Michelin Pilot Challenge season. Rebel Rock, sixth, Murillo Racing seventh. The #71 is plus 20 on #72 and plus 60 on the #96. Vinny Barletta said that the team pitted a lap before the yellow came out. So both Turner Motorsports BMWs in trouble. Foley has to push. He has to get close to Liddell and Murillo and does not really need to pass them by. #71 and #72 are nose to tail for the title. If the #71 and #72 have fisticuffs, then it will be manna from heaven for the #96. If Liddell does not make further progress, Foley has to push and gain seven places. Eric Foss is now in the sister #56 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4.
Foss is sharing with Charles Espenlaub. Foley has picked up a place as we watch two of the Hyundai's including the #99 of Victor Gonzalez and Tyler Gonzalez in the Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Tyler Gonzalez will be full-time driving for VGRT for next year. 20 minutes remaining. Very soon, Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker, the points leaders, they will be the champions. Robert Wickens will have completed a special comeback after his 2018 IndyCar accident. Robert Wickens will be back in Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2024.
Meanwhile, Jesse Lazare continues to lead and has controlled the race, two and a half seconds ahead of Elliott Skeer, Stevan McAleer, Daniel Morad, and Thiago Camillo, who all must pit. Robby Foley in 16th. Robert Megennis in 15th, he won't be classified in the sister car. Just under 15 minutes left. Luca Mars in fourth spot does not need to pit again. Lazare will make it. Skeer and McAleer are marginal on gas. We have drizzle moving in. This could put the cat amongst the pigeons. The skies are clud and there is rain on the camera lens.
These painted curbs are going to become very slick with the rain. Robin Liddell, the Scotsman, is a rainmeister. Ryan Eversley in third, in his last race as an HPD contracted factory driver and he runs wide! Eversley and teammate Mat Pombo right together. 11 minutes left in the season in 2023. Bryan Herta is proud of his team and all the effort they put in, the driver's, pit crew, engineers, and so forth plus the support from Hyundai. The nerves are still there with the weather. When Dan Wheldon won his first Indianapolis 500 in 2005, and then in 2011, he told Bryan Herta how much he appreciated that win even more. Savor the moments.
This race is far from over. The #14 and #50 Toyota Supra's have drive through penalties in their future and way off the road, locking up, is the #83 BGB Motorsports Porsche Cayman of Thomas Collingwood and Spencer Pumpelly. Inside the last ten minutes of the year in 2023. The championship still in play and here comes Elliott Skeer! He is flying! Oh dear! A big accicent for the #77 BMW M4 GT4! This will be a Full Course Yellow, but a short one. Massive right front damage for Peter Mercier sharing with college student Nick Shaeffer. That is the #77 Stephen Cameron Racing BMW M4 GT4 (F82).
The Grand Sport points are closing as we have six and a half minutes to go.
1. #71 Liddell/DePew Rbele Rock Racing Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R 2,420 points
2. #72 Syzmczak/Murillo Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 2,390 points -30
3. #96 Foley/Barletta Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 2,380 points -40
Robin Liddell in sixth place and does not have enough fuel if we go back to green. #14, #50, and #95 disappear from Robby Foley. LKyca Mars has had best starts and finishes of second, at Daytona for the start and Road America for the finish in the #59 Race For RP Ford Mustang GT4 for KohR Motorsports and team boss Dean Martin. Peter Mercier out of the BMW under his own steam and the #83 Porsche Cayman has been rescued by the marshals.
This could come down to a tiebreaker. Liddell will win on a countback. As they run, 30 points is the gap. Liddell being told he is clear by one car and they might run it out under yellow or go back to green. If we go back to green, Liddell will have to be aggressive. This weird mist is soaking everything here just outside of Atlanta. Will we get a restart? In TCR, this is fabulous for Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker. This could be manna from heaven for the #33 team. The #98 are winning the race but could still lose the title.
A Honda is off course, and it is Mat Pombo. Trouble for the #7 Honda. He cannot pass under yellow, and Ryan Eversley can move up. In replay, he pulls off the road to do a reset. Keep trying to power cycle the car and it isn't working. If he can continue, the team will be on the podium as Ryan Eversley moves on from HPD next year. We have had rain, wrecks, mechanical woes, you name it. Curioser and curioser. White flag his tim by and we shouldn't be in a position to go back to green but let's see. This is an unknown.
Safety car lights still on. They don't have to show a white flag. The clock runs down to zero. Megennis is behind Foley so Turner Motorsports dodges a bullet and the two Toyota Supra's #14 and #50 are getting a penalty. Checkered flag. Motorsports in Action, Jesse Lazare and Alex Filsinger win Grand Sport. The champions, we believe are Robin Liddell and Frank DePew on a countback! In TCR, Mark Wilkins and Mason Filippi had to win to get the title, and they will win for Bryan Herta Autosport, but Bryan Herta Autosport also wins the TCR championship for Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker even with no victories on the year!
Overall/Grand Sport: #69 Lazare/Filsinger Motorsports in Action McLaren Artura GT4
TCR: #98 Filippi/Wilkins Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian
Hyundai Elantra N TCR
We see the #27 has just pitted without getting to the line. The #14 and #50 are penalized for Scott Andrews and Anton Dias Perera. We do not yet know who will win the championship. So, you might have to stay tuned to find out before our big enduro with the Petit Le Mans tomorrow. We are still waiting, hearing the chatter among the teams. Final results we are hearing now are under review insofar as the championship is concerned. It could be that we give you that information later this afternoon or this evening.
We'll give you the information, soon. For now, so long everybody. We have WeatherTech Championship qualifying still to come. It has been a wonderful season of Michelin Pilot Challenge racing in 2023 and we'll see you next year for more in 2024.
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