The beautiful Finger Lakes region of upstate New York plays host to Watkins Glen International Raceway. One of the premier road courses in all of the United States. Sports car races have been hosted here since the mid 1950s. It is summertime, on Seneca Lake, the fastest road course in North America is ready for action. Here, on Seneca Lake, the peace and tranquility will be broken by the thunder of sports cars, for the annual tradition of the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen. Sports car racing has been a tradition here, since races were held on the streets of the town after WW. II. starting way back in 1948, and the permanent circuit here at The Glen, which has also hosted such motorsports as Formula 1, NASCAR, and IndyCar, was built and first opened in 1956 or '57. This is round three of the Michelin Endurance Cup, and the shortest endurance event on the schedule.
But that does not mean that a 6-hour race is less of a challenge. The #40 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 of Louis Deletraz, and Jordan Taylor scored pole position for the race today. P.J. Hyett, sharing with Paul-Loup Chatin and Matt Brabham, put the #99 AO Racing Oreca 07, "Spike" the dragon, on LMP2 pole. Risi Competizione with their #62 Ferrari 296 GT3 have taken pole position in the GTD Pro class with Daniel Serra, the Brazilian, setting a new track record. He will share the car with his Italian co-driver, Davide Rigon. Parker Thompson is at the top of the shop in GT Daytona claiming his third pole of 2024 in the #12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 he shares with Frankie Montecalvo and Aaron Telitz for today's race.
Most teams have opted for trio lineups with some in GTP and GTD Pro opting for duos. This track is on every racer and race fan's bucket list. It has been hazy and hot, and we could have some rain which could really throw things up in the air. Watkins Glen delivers both speed and action. We have had five races and five winners. Hello to our pit reporters, Ryan Myrehn, Chris Wilner, and Matt Yocum. In final practice, BMW Team RLL had to drive the spare car from their Indianapolis home base to Watkins Glen. Louis Deletraz set a new track record for the pole.
A car that has captured hearts and minds of fans, is "Rexy" the dinosaur, the Porsche 911 GT3R. They are going for a hat trick but are chasing the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari and the Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3's. Ben Barnicoat coming off a massive win at Le Mans last weekend as well. It has been 99 days since we have seen the LMP2 cars in IMSA, but the form book for "Spike" and P.J. Hyett, has continued. Watch the dragon today. Trouble in paradise for the #8 Tower Motorsports car that had two wrecks in Free Practice.
But they are set to go. Welcome to our broadcast team, Dave Burns, Calvin Fish, and Brian Till. We are going to be having a big look at the GTP cars, a favorite is the #31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac, fourth, 91 points down. Pipo Derani will not return to the team for 2025. He is a free agent for next year. BMW Team RLL want to win, after winning here last year. They must make it happen. One of the fiercest competitors will be Mother Nature. It is hot. We have rain possible. Look at the setups. Take care of the equipment. What will you do about drive time?
We are going to be battling the cars, the track, and nature. 56 cars. 11 GTP, 13 LMP3, 11 GTD Pro, and 21 GTD cars. Here is what Watkins Glen looks like, 275 miles northwest of New York City. 3.4 miles, 11 corners, smooth, grippy, and old school. Plunge into turn one and watch the runoff area for track limits. Watch the Inner Lopp that is very fast going to turn five and then into 6 and 7 and 8 at The Boot, with the toe and the heel. Our keys to winning, do not take a big bite into the Inner Loop. Play nice with others, just like kids on the playground.
Watch the sky, the weather, a good chance of thunderstorms on this Sunday. OK. The #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 will start from pit lane and cop a drive through penalty for not starting directly on the grid. Six hours is a long way to go. Don't freak out but be very careful. We need to watch for lightning which could cause a red flag and a race stoppage. Louis Deletraz on pole alongside Renger van der Zande. Here we go. The GTP and LMP2 cars will start ahead of the GT cars. Green flag and away we go!
Deletraz to the lead ahead of van der Zande and here comes Jack Aitken in the #31 Whelen Cadillac and Phil Hanson in the #85 JDC-Miller "Banana Boat" Porsche 963. Deletraz through the Inner Loop fpor the first time as the GTD Pro and GTD cars start. van der Zande moves to the lead for Cadillac. The prototypes on hard Michelin tires, weaving back and forth to get the temperature and the pressure up. van der Zande more willing to go for it. He is driving for a job in 2025 as Ganassi will not return next year. Phil Hanson pressing Louis Deletraz. He drove a similar Porsche 963 for Jota at Le Mans in the 24 hours last weekend.
Acura vs. Porsche vs. Cadillac. van der Zande really pushing because of the rain threat. Oh dear! We have two LMP2 cars off the road including Dwight Merriman in the #18 Era Motorsport entry getting together with the #81 DragonSpeed car with Eric Lux at the controls. Merriman still stuck in the laces of The Boot. He has damaged the front dive planes on the right front of the car. So, we are underway here so stay with us. I hope you are watching on Peacock on your mobile device and enjoying this one. Or, if you are in Europe, or the rest of the world, IMSA Radio and IMSA TV have you covered.
Renger van der Zande still leads as we have this Full Course Yellow for the shemozzle between Merriman and Lux in LMP2. Merriman being assisted. I think that was too optimistic of a move by Merriman who tagged Eric Lux. Merriman trying to start the car, he is sharing with Ryan Dalziel and Connor Zilisch. Eric Lux sharing the #81 DragonSpeed car with Argentinian Nico Varrone and Sweden's Rasmus Lindh. OK. We are going to go back to green here in a bit, maybe. With the class split the #25 BMW is joining the caboose end of the GTP field. The LMP2 cars are flying around here with fabulous downforce and are as quick as the GTP cars, the LMDh prototypes.
The BMW is just in front of "Spike" the purple dragon, the #99 Oreca LMP2 car. Remember, no two race cars are ever the same. Each car has a different personality. Watch the stack up with the GTD Pro and GTD cars. The GTP cars will have a hard time getting past the LMP2 cars. Drivers are cleaning the tires, running the throttle against the brake pedal to get heat into the tires. Green flag! Away we go again! van der Zande, Hanson, Aitken, and the rest. van der Zande runs wide and now Phil Hanson wants a bite of thecherry.
Cadillac vs. Porsche. Hanson sends it and is in the lead! He is flyuing! Egad! That was bananas! No pun intended. Jack Aitken now wants to make his move on van der Zande for second. Ganassi Cadillac vs. Action Express Cadillac. Hanson is feeling it right now and he was unfazed by the challenge from the Dutchman. Co-driver Richard Westbrook said that the Porsche 963 is back where they'd like it. Hanson, and Westbrook, sharing with Dutchman Tijmen van der Helm. Porsche Penske having trouble trying to make a move on Louis Deletraz. Jaminet in the #6 and the sister #7 behind. False start and drive through penalty for P.J. Hyett in the #99 Oreca LMP2, "Spike".
Whoops! One of the Ford Mustang GT3 factory cars off the road, the #65 car. Dirk Mueller at the wheel of it. Mustang finished on the podium at Le Mans last weekend. Brake trouble, a rear brake fire with some debris. Mueller sharing with Joey Hand, and they have service to do early doors. The caliper is leaking and so they need to change the rear brake caliper. This is a six hour race, but you don't want to lose time either. Daniel Serra and Ferrari leading in GTD Pro after Ferrari won Le Mans again with the 499P Hypercar. It was their 11th Le Mans win.
Onofrio Triarsi in another Ferrari in second in GT Daytona, the #023 Triarsi Competizione car. Charlie Scardina and Alessio Rovera are his co-drivers. Renger van der Zande is catching the GT3 cars through the esses and this is unreal! This is what the prototypes are doing for six hours. P.J. Hyett has served his drive through penalty. Hyett had control of the second group but was not close enough to the GTP cars. He is 12th and last in LMP2 but has time to make up ground in the next five and a half hours and now, Hyett is trying to pass both John Farano and Lance Willsey. Willsey with Sean Creech Motorsport in the only Ligier in the LMP2 field in a sea of Oreca's.
There is lots of rubber down on the road already. Be careful making moves on the outside with the tire marbles, the tire shreds that get on track. Steven Thomas leads LMP2 over Dan Goldburg through traffic. Goldburg put the #22 United Autosport car and now, nick Boulle in the #34 Inter Europol Oreca goes by and Sheena Monk in the #66 Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3 notices the faster cars going by. Boulle sharing with Tom Dillmann and Jakub "Kuba" Smiechowski. Daniel Serra looking good in the #62 Risi Competizine Ferrari over Alexander Sims in the #3 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.
Serra building the advantage. Alexander Sims radios the team and says the rear tires are going away. Sims sharing with Antonio "The King of Spain" Garcia. Full Course Yellow again as the #47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 is off in the gravel trap. A huge impact tearing the whole nose off. He was tagged from behind by the LMP2 car of George Kurtz... and... ker-runch! The all-Italian team of Roberto Lacorte, Giorgio Sernagiotto, and Le Mans overall winner from last weekend, Antonio Fuoco. So, for Antonio, it is feast, to famine, in a single week. I think Lacorte tried letting Kurtz by, and contact was made by accident. That is the #04 CrowdStrike by APR Oreca 07 with Kurtz, Colin Braun, and Toby Sowery.
Energy in the tires is what Michelin wants in their tires with the long, flowing corners. Big lateral loads, energy through corners, and only Daytona provides similar loads in the Rolex 24. It is hot in the summer here at The Glen, using hard compound tires. Teams work with ride height, stiffness, and setups to avoid the tires falling off of a cliff. I admire the work of the Michelin engineers and each team has an engineer to assist them. This year, we have just the hard compound tire available. The GTP teams get seven sets of tires for qualifying and the race and a stint time is 55 minutes to an hour. Think about strategizing tire usage.
Some teams scrubbed tires so that the mold release could be taken off. We are still under yellow after the crash for the #47 Ferrari as pit lane is open for the GTP cars. JDC-Miller, Action Express, Ganassi Racing, Acura WTR, BMW RLL, and others are in. Tijmen van der Helm gets into the #5 Porsche 963. At Action Express it is fuel only and Jack Aitken will do a double stint. Fuel and tires for the #01 and BMW beats everyone out. We saw the Lamborghini in the lane, too, the #63 Lamborghini SC63 for Lamborghini Iron Lynx. Matteo Cairoli and Andrea Caldarelli, the duo of drivers.
So, AO Racing have pitted "Spike" and the CrowdStrike LMP2 car is getting a nose change. These prototypes are very modular so they can be efficiently repaired. The LMP2 cars will stay the same as they have been for a number of years to come. Now then, the GTD Pro and GTD cars are all in. We are seeing the incident between #04 and #47 under review by the stewards. Daniel Serra gets sticker Michelin tires and will do a double stint. Alexander Sims in the #3 Corvette will be fueled and gain sticker tires. Both Vasser Sullivan cars are in. Jack Hawksworth is doing a double stint sharing with Ben Barnicoat.
45 minutes into the race and we should go back to green flag racing soon. Extending the homologation rules for GTP and LMP2 and that is one story, but we also have more coverage coming for the foreseeable future with IMSA and NBC as well as their Peacock streaming service. Trust me, you won't want to miss it. This is a golden era of sports car racing with many great cars, many great drivers. The presentation of the cars and the drivers is top notch. I do follow other forms of racing from time to time. But sports car racing is something anyone can be passionate about. It is incredible!
Fans here with their dogs. We need to keep watching the weather radar. Coexistence with the other classes is hard to deal with sometimes, especially with the fantastically fast GTP prototypes. The #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 of Connor De Philippi had a massive crash and cracked the monocoque and of course the team drove through the night and brought their backup car, their spare car all the way from Indianapolis and put a fresh 4-liter turbo V8 motor in the back of it. The #12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus has had a driver change due to the weather concerns.
Parker Thompson says that Ben Barnicoat is amazingly quick and he and Parker rehearsed their driver change, getting only 18-20 seconds to unstrapping one driver and putting the other one in. Korthoff Preston Racing have done their first driver change as Mikael Grenier, the French Canadian says he had a good opening stint sharing with Mike Skeen and Kenton Koch. BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, Cadillac. van der Helm being harried by van der Zande now chasing down Jack Aitken and the leading BMW of Phillip Eng in the #24 BMW.
Deletraz makes a move on van der Helm for fourth spot! Almost to the end of the opening racing hour here. Eng pulls a gap over Jack Aitken with van der Zande being harried by Deletraz and van der Helm and now, here comes the #6 Penske Porsche 963, Mathieu Jaminet at the wheel of it. Now, here comes the Lamborghini SC63 GTP car which has also run in the FIA WEC. The Lamborghini program are just running the endurance races as Gianmaria Bruni is pressing hard in the #5 Proton Competition Porsche 963 being harried by the sister BMW.
These hybrid GTP cars have so many tools, the differential, the fly by wire systems and so on.
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