Indianapolis 8 Hours: Hour 2

Pit stop time for Ferrari #1 and they go for four tires and so does the #34 Walkenhorst BMW.  Dane Cameron should be our leader in the JAS Honda Acura NSX GT3.  Martin Konrad is now fifth.  Dane Cameron leads Martin Tomczyk, Markus Winkelhock, and Jordan Pepper.  The #69 BGB Motorsports Porsche is in the lane.  That's a GT4 car, the Porsche Cayman is being shared by Tom Collingwood, John Tecce, and Dylan Murry.  There's Matt Dalton as well.  Now, he goes by Matt, to honor his grandpa, but his given name is Joe, sharing that GT4 Aston Martin with Patrick Gallagher and Jonathan Taylor.  Matt Dalton brings the field to green.  Now you can go and here comes Dane Cameron.  The rooster tails are immense.  You just can't see.  Jordan Pepper and Martin Tomczyk, threading the needle, and Pepper wants by Markus Winkelhock.  Pepper shortcuts turns five and six.  Have Bentley found the secret sauce?

Now, Winkelhock is monstering Tomczyk but gets trapped, look, by a GT4 car.  The #04 Mercedes pits and Colin Braun will do a couple stints, taking over for George Kurtz.  They need a large slice of luck to win the title.  The drivers are still exploring for grip.  The best racing line is out the window with all the rain.  Nick Wittmer almost plows into Andy Lee.  Nick Wittmer flies right past the McLaren and here's Bill Auberlen, too!  This is a battle royal in GT4!  Yikes!  Matt Dalton is still leding in class.  Auberlen moves by Dr. Jim Rappaport.  He is an orthopedic surgeon who also happens to be a racing driver.  Augusto Farfus movwes past Andy Lee as the ponds have abated in depth.  

If you've driven a faster car, and are driving a slower one, you are familiar with the mindset of the bloke driving the faster automobile.  Dane Cameron leads Martin Tomczyk and Markus Winkelhock.  Jordan Pepper and Martin Konrad are next.  In clear air, Dane Cameron has run the fastest lap so far at 1:32.28.  Matt Dalton is ahead of the two GT3 leaders and he has to give way as Farfus goes by.  He is a magician in the rain.  He won the 2019 Rolex 24 at Daytona in another series (IMSA), and that made him a master.  He has also run in DTM for BMW.  The Brazilian driver is very positive, energetic, and professional.  Farfus looks to the inside and goes by the #20 Porsche.

Many of these cars have a rear view camera, but that can get blurred by the water.  Dane Cameron continues to lead.  The lap times will fall like dominoes.  An eight to ten second range is how much you can go in terms of lap time with a wet tire compared to a slick before the wet tire gives up and is totally busted.  Do you risk slick tires?  If you make that change, don't throw a new driver into the car because he or she will be thrown into the fire.  Jordan Pepper fourth, Augusto Farfus in fifth.  Dane Cameron has had clear sailing while Jordan Pepper has had to bish bash bosh his way through the field.  This is a new, different race track for the new wet weather Pirelli P Zero.  This track is vastly different from say Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for instance, another round of the American series.

Oh no!  Drive through penalty for Mercedes #04 for entering a closed pit lane.  Colin Braun's father, Jeff Braun is calling strategy for his son, and the rule books say different things for different championships.  Ben Keating was at the end of his 65 minute stint, as the pits were closed but these boys hit the lane under green.  If it is under yellow you can extend to 70 minutes, but they had to pit to not go over the 65 minute maximum.  George Kurtz who started the car has been arguing this point.  Here comes #04 to serve the penalty.

They couldn't change tires and get out quickly enough.  They are a lap down now.  They came in for rain tires during green flag racing.  Because of the pit stop delta, they have gone down a lap.  These are byzantine rules.  Most of the other cars are racing for the overall trophy, but the Crowdstrike boys are trying to go for the SRO America series in the first three hours.  The rain could be done and dusted, perhaps.  Jeff Braun on strategy for #04 and Peter Baron for the #63, two sports car racing veterans.  Dane Cameron continues to lead this motor race.

There is a difference between closing the pit lane and closing the pit exit.  Dane Cameron clocks in a 1:31.77 while Augusto Farfus uncorks a 1:31.73.  Dane Cameron is cooling his tires, looking for water so they don't begin to chunk.  Nick Wittmer now leads GT4 with the ST Racing BMW, car #438.  The pit entry was closed.  Nick Wittmer leads GT4 followed by Bill Auberlen, Andy Lee, Joe Dalton, and Parker Chase.  The wet tires move around on big loads.  Dane Cameron continues searching for water and Martin Tomczyk, the German, is reeling in the American sports car ace.  Martin Tomczyk had 200 or so DTM starts and many of those, in the rain.

Down Hulman Boulevard they go.  Manage the tires.  Don't burn them up.  We have a long, long way to go.  In GT4, it's a battle for the lead.  Wittmer vs. Auberlen.  Stop and hold penalty for the #82 boys!  Oh dear!  They will be held for 99 seconds total.  The hold is the amount of time you were short on the pit stop.  The penalty is 51 seconds in the lane.  Auberlen is serving the penalty now and you cannot do any normal service on the car.  Will Auberlen go for a driver change?  You can't do that until you've served the penalty, I don't think.

If you are in the lane for a time penalty, you can do service and then take the penalty.  But is it a straight drive through?  No.  It's a timed penalty which is different.  The team might have to fight this one with the marshals, the SRO marshals.  Meantime, a battle between Dane Camrrton and Martin Tomczyk for the lead of this motor race.  These corners between turns four and six are amazing.  Cameron goes by the #75 Mercedes and so does Tomczyk.  Cameron does not have the grip compared to the BMW and a left rear tire is flat on the #93 Racer's Edge Acura, Trent Hindman at the controls.  Hindman has to be extremely careful.

He has a long way to be in limp home mode.  If that Pirelli tire flails, it'll do big damage to the bodywork and the suspension parts.  Now, we watch this stop for fuel only and there were no fresh tires for the boys at Racer's Edge.  Cameron is hanging on by a thread over Tomczyk as they lap past Max Root.  You have three great drivers, make that four, at various points of their careers.  The Racer's Edge team takes fuel and are going with all four tires, all new tires.  The left rear tire takes a pasting 'round this circuit.  Meantime, Martin Tomczyk takes the lead and also puts a lap on Max Root still at the wheel of the #20 Wright Motorsports Porsche, that's the Root/Poordad/Heylen car.  

Dane Cameron is pushing really hard at the moment.  Tomczyk just wrestles his way to the inside in replay.  The BMW has the advantage in the low speed, technical corners.  It looks like parts of this track here at "The Brickyard" are beginning to dry.  Let us not forget it was Connor De Phillippi who put the sister #34 Walkenhorst BMW on the pole in the shootout yesterday.  Jordan Pepper wants to scrap with Markus Winkelhock and has to give it up and let Winkelhock go.  Jordan Pepper's father and sister have also done some racing.  In the meantime, Max Root is fending off the challenge from Markus Winkelhock but Winkelhock says "no you don't, sunshine" and biffs Root to the side, slamming the door in his face.

That Bentley has a thundering V8 motor.  It's reminiscent of the old Roush Racing Ford Mustang's in the IMSA GT series, back in the 1980s and '90s, and other cars in that particular series.  In the next hour, this track might be dry.  Winkelhock and Pepper are both taking dry lines and at the end of this stint, they will have to go to slick Pirelli tires.  A twitchy moment there, look, for Andrew Davis in the #2 GMG Racing Porsche Cayman.  That's the Davis/Bell/Liddell automobile.  Winkelhock gets snookered, nearly, by the #8 Lee/Sofronas/Sabo Audi.  Markus Winkelhock is the man to lead his one and only start in a Formula 1 Grand Prix.  That's the only one he led.  He spent five years in DTM, and also ran FIA GT1, and won the IGTC in 2017.  He is the son of the late, great Manfred Winkelhock, and the nephew of Le Mans winner, Joachim Winkelhock.

He is in the lane now and Spencer Pumpelly will be back into the car.  He is a co-driver for Hardpoint in a few other championships, Rob Ferriol the team boss, and this is a WRT prepped car, and not the same car they use in a different championship.  Markus Winkelhock is going to have a really tricky time coming out on the road in the wet.  Fuel for Dane Cameron in the Acura as well.  He is out of the car and it is not known whether it will be Renger van der Zande or Mario Farnbacher in the car.  Spencer Pumpelly is dirt tracking that #31 Hardpoint Audi!  Wow.

Augusto Farfus leapfrogs the Audi.  Farfus might have some damage on that BMW.  Jordan Pepper uncorks another fast lap.  1:31.078.  Now, Spencer Pumpelly will also go faster as the tires get more grip.  Who is fastest on wets?  Who is fastest on slicks?  Slick tires, of course, are racing tires, sans any tread.  Bentley will be happy, giddy, for the next race, the 24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps, in Belgium, the blue ribbon IGTC race, at the end of this month, in less than three weeks.  Can't wait to bring that one to you as well.

K-PAX has Jules Gounon suited and booted, and ready to go.  They want to go to slicks but it is now spritzing with rain, again.  Poor old Mario Farnbacher is really having a tough old time on his current tires.  The mental exhaustion with the rain is as much as the physical.  It's cold at Indy, but wow.  Where the heck did this rain come from?  Apple, I want the money back on the iPhone weather app.  It's inaccurate there, mate.  Nick Yelloly is the next driver to take over BMW #35 from Martin Tomczyk.  David Pittard is the third driver in BMW #35.  

Jan Heylen takes over the #20 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R from Max Root.  He has been a driver coach, working with Fred Poordad and Max Root, both, who are his co-drivers.  Spencer Pumpelly, on slicks, in the wet, and the two GT4 BMW M4's are going to have more grip.  These GT3 machines are very aerodynamically dependent, and so, they are going to be skating around.  The GT4 cars have more mechanical grip and more roll.  Rain tires for the Acura team as the #35 Walkenhorst BMW pits and yes, Nick Yelloly takes over.  Bentley have also been to the lane for service, and now, Augusto Farfus in the sister Walkenhorst BMW takes the lead of this motor race.

Martin Fuentes will gain a place and he is the Pro Am leader.  He will secure points and the North American championship, due to the pit lane in nine or ten laps, according to team boss Gregory Romanelli.  K-PAX went with fuel, no tires, and no driver change, leaving Pepper out there on the road.  Getting a tire change done in under 20 seconds is the goal.  Two mechanics, and one wheel gun.  Mercedes #75 in the lane for service.  Martin Konrad I believe, is out, and a new driver will be in the car.  It is either Kenny Habul or Mikael Grenier, the Canadian.  Martin Tomczyk debriefs with the team at Walkenhorst BMW.

Slow stop for the #75.  Kenny Habul, team principal, at the wheel, the Bronze title winner in 2018.  He is a racer and a businessman, both.  Mario Farnbacher has been into the lane for wets.  The #93 Racer's Edge Acura has pitted, Shelby Blackstock now at the wheel of it.  Meanwhile, Martin Fuentes is running ofourth, chasing down the fifth place Mercedes AMG GT3, the #04 which is down a lap.  That's the Kurtz/Braun/Keating car, and the #1 Ferrari will win the title as we are going to enter the third hour.  Mark Issa is the third driver in this car. 

Indianapolis 8 Hours: Hour 1

For the first time in it's long, storied history, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, affectionately known as "The Brickyard" for the yard of bricks across the start/finish line from the original track when it opened in 1909, is hosting a full-fledged endurance sports car race, as round two of the 2020 SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge is set to go, for eight hours around this fabled palace of motor racing.  This place, stirs the soul of any racing fan.  A 22 car field of GT3 and GT4 machinery, is set to do battle at The Brickyard, and the race, is coming at you, live!, next!

One thing we shall have to look out for today at Indianapolis, in Mother Nature.  The forecast does call for rain in the race's opening stints.  So, teams will have had to factor that into their strategy and the Pirelli rain tires, the P Zero rain tires, will have to be at the ready.  There have been sprinkles.  It's chilly out there, and rain is coming.  No one has much experience here on this track, but it races well.  Side by side action is to be expected.  The back part of the course is very technical but it flows around most of the speedway.  The rain might abate as we get towards the end of this motor race.

Approach the first corner, brake at the 400 board, set up for turns two, three, and four, arc the car, open your hands, hit the chicane, brake at the 400 board and into turn seven.  Open your hands and move to the exit curve, through a couple more turns, onto the banking again, approaching turn ten, and then, through the final turns to turn 13, and to the start/finish line at turn 14.  Renger van der Zande, driving for Honda, is excited for the prospect of rain.  The wind is blowing and the rain will pass through as a shower.  Renger van der Zande says the Acura will be good on slicks on a damp road.

He is sharing with Mario Farnbacher and Dane Cameron.  Jordan Pepper, and Spencer Pumpelly, both of these blokes have been penalized.  They both move to the final half of the top of the GT3 grid.  SRO boss Stephane Ratel says "it's a dream come true and a great privilege to be here."  Despite some manufacturers having to pull out due to the challenges of the virus, the grids are still very full for GT3 and GT4.  It'll bean exciting event.  We have a stout field of GT4 cars.  12 GT3 cars and ten GT4 cars.  Bill Auberlen is one of the big name drivers in a GT4 car.

The big call will be tire choice as we are going to experience some showers.  Ryan Briscoe, 2012 Indianapolis 500 polesitter Ryan Briscoe is here, making a guest appearance for Vital Speed in a Ferrari 488 GT3 sharing with Trevor Baek and Jeff Westphal.  Acura are here and Honda/Acura brand manager, Ted Klaus, is here.  Bentley M-Sport that won the Bathurst 12 Hours knew they couldn't compete in other races, so K-PAX will be the Bentley representative team, and for Mercedes, DXDT is one of those teams as well.  Two cars from each brand can score points and Mercedes has three in the field today.

Everyone has done their installation laps already.  So much will happen during this motor race today.  When the conditions are wet, Bentley might have their hands full.  BMW with their M6 will work well.  Augusto Farfus, one of the BMW drivers is going to be one to watch.  What does not work in the dry, in the wet, their setups might work better.  Tire degradation means you are using the tire more during the early part of a stint.  So, let's see how the rest of the day looks with a dry forecast.  65 minutes is the maximum drive time for a stint.  Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Bowles is very happy to have the GT3 and GT4 cars here.  The first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 clocked in at 6 hours and 42 minutes.

With the weather, for GT3 cars, they have tire warmers.  But the GT4 blokes don't run tire warmers.  The experience level in GT4 isn't as high as it is in GT3.  In endurance events, it used to be the mission was to drive to a taget time, but not anymore.  SRO America President Greg Gill is so happy to be at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  This is a big deal.  Excited to bring this motor race to you.  Three cars are running a three hour race for the Pro Am category, and results of the race will be taken to crown a champion, making up a race from Mosport in Canada, that was cancelled, and then, after the three hour mark, everyone will continue.

Watch for the #1 Squadra Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 which is without regular driver Rodrigo Baptista.  Martin Fuentes of Mexico is sharing with Italian Alessandro Balzan, and American Mark Issa.  Jordan Pepper, Jules Gounon, and Maxime Soulet are ready and so is the #75 SunEnergy1 Mercedes AMG GT3 of Kenny Habul from here in the states, sharing with Martin Konrad from Austria, and Canada's Mikael Grenier.  Watch out for Aston Martin in GT4.  That is the #33 Notlad Racing by RS1 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 with Joe Dalton, Pat Gallagher, and Jonathan Taylor.

Deputy Chief Security Officer for Amazon Web Services, C.J. Moses gives the command to start engines.  He is also a TC America competitor who ran races here earlier this weekend, and now, the engines have fired.  The safety car will lead the field as we are ready to roll.  We look down the grid at everyone involved.  The cars roll off the grid onto their pace laps, their reconnaissance laps.  Where's the grip in the track?  Look at the clouds, and the radar.  We are at the tail end of a storm cell here, and there will be sprinkles.  The windshield wipers are on.  The less experienced GT4 drivers are going to be a little bit on edge as we get going.

It's light rain right now but might get heavier.  We'll have to wait and see, ladies and gentlemen.  Ride the brake against the accelerator to heat the tires.  Mercedes #75 are going to gamble.  Martin Konrad at the wheel of it to start the race.  Rolling the dice might just pay off.  It's all about survival.  Don't skate off the road.  The maximum pit stop time is 74 seconds including 51 to get into the lane.  112 seconds is the long delta pit time to make adjustments during the pit stop.  The minimum and maximum times don't start until the race begins.

Good practice to get it right.  There's a no man's land between 74 and 112.  Now, the field is ready to roll, wipers and headlights on.  Augusto Farfus is bringing the field to the green flag, and we're away!  The American flag flies ands the rain begins immediately!  Into turn one on slick tires for the first time, there's some near contact as Bill Auberlen makes up four spots in GT4.  Martin Tomczyk wants by Trentn Hindman as Travor Baek spins the #6 Vital Speed Ferrari.  Augusto Farfus is being monstered by Dane Cameron as Jordan Pepper is up to fifth place.  This track is beginning to get wet.  The leaders are opening up an amount of daylight onn the rest of the field.

Farfus up and over the curb.  Farfus and Tomczyk are going to the pit lane for slick tires.  Jordan Pepper makes his move to the lead.  Pit stop time immediately.  How quickly can you get the tires changedZ?  They are going for fuel and tires at Walkenhorst.  Good idea.  The #04 DXDT Mercedes is in the lane and so is the #1 Hublot watches sponsored Ferrari.  Dane Cameron opens a lead of 1.7 seconds over Jordan Pepper.  Cameron is skating his way through, look.  He's going to try and stay there.  Jordan pper is running the cushion, exploring, looking for water.

Maximum stint length is 65 minutes and the minimum is a triple stint, three hours.  Now, we see that parts of the track here at Indianapolis is drying.  Farfus and Tomczyk are both a lap down and they will have to book it to catch back up.  How long will this rain last?  Tomczyk went underneath Jordan Pepper as he sanps sideways.  Dane Cameron is headed for the lane, again.  What is going on here?  Surprising to see him enter the lane.  The rain has all but stopped.  The boys on slick tires will be in the pound seats here, ladies and gentlemen.

Pepper, sharing with Jules Gounon and Maxime Soulet, and the South African is on a different lap to the BMW's.  Pepper is bish bash boshing it right now, but so are the BMW boys as they are throwing in best sector times, going purple all the time.  This is a three way race right now, but the Bentley seems to be working out well at this time.  They are better off on slicks than on wets and the wet weather tires really just don't work.  The factory drivers are earning their money in this rain so far.  In GT4, Andy Lee is leading the class with John Miller behind.  Lee in the #8 GMG Racing Audi R8 GT4 sharing with Elias Sabo and James Sofronas.

Leading in GT4, the #438 ST Racing BMW M4 GT4, Jon Miller, sharing with Canadian drivers Samantha Tan and Nick Wittmer.  Meanwhile, the Bentley boys have leapfrogged the Acura.  The rain seems to be abating.  But there are rooster tails out there as the drivers continue to search for grip.  Three wide down the front straight as Richard Heistand is in the lane for the #63 DXDT Mercedes AMG GT3.  The rain is continuing.  Heistand is sharing the Mercedes with David Askew and Ryan Dalziel.  Max Root is fifth in the #20 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R.

Max Root is 21 years old but he has the savvy to not make mistakes, and he is swamped now by GT4 cars as well.  Root sharing with Fred Poordad and Jan Heylen, the Dutchman.  Root is pitting and needs dry tires. He needs grip and does not want to go off into the weeds and crash.  Markus Winkelhock is a verhy effective rain and endurance driver as well.  #20 is in the lane for the fuel top off and tires as well, look.  They are in the lane for a full two minutes.  The best weather app is to look out the window.  Don't trust the computer or the phone right now, mate.

Team manager Darren Law at K-PAX says that Jordan Pepper is earning his money.  It is his call with track conditions.  The team hoped to have the rain pass but not now.  Darren Law says it is extremely difficult to hold onto the car on slick tires in the wet.  The rain tires may not be the bst match for the Bentley and Law says, "for sure, it'll be tougher, but the rain is coming down too heavily now."  Bring him into the lane bolt on those wet tires.  It's going to be pouring out there soon, chaps.  Traction Control will be on maximum setting as Pepper is passing by Matt Dalton in the Notlad Racing Aston, car #33.

Pepper in the lane.  Martin Konrad will take the lead with the two Walkenhorst BMW M6 GT3's steaming along as the rain is getting worse, blokes.  It's a deluge.  This is similar to what we've seen at the 24 Hours of Spa, our next race in the championship, before.  Poor old Trevor Baek has had his yellow Frerrari into thew wall.  He rotated and slams the wall!  Bang!  He's got a broken left rear suspension.  That's the #6, Trevor Baek sharing with Ryan Briscoe and Jeff Westphal.  The #93 Racer's Edge Acura NSX GT3 is also in the lane and back out.  Trent Hindman, Shelby Blackstock, and Robert Megennis sharing the car.

Ryan Briscoe says it is very disappointing for Trevor Baek and the rest of the Vital Speed Ferrari team.  Baek was really building his speed and he needed to watch out for aquaplaning and then, bang, he was in the wall.  The damage to the car looks bad on the left front suspension.  It could be game over for these blokes, but we hope they can stay in the race.  We have the safety car on track as Augusto Farfus is in the lane for fuel.  One tire and refueling can equate to the short pit stop and you are in the box for 23 seconds.  Also in the lane, the #3 Motorsport USA McLaren 570S GT4 as the puddles are turning into ponds.  Michael McAleenan, Michael Cooper, and Dan Rogers sharing that automobile.

Richard Heistand is in the lane for tire pressure adjusting, and Peter Baron, an experienced team boss is calling the shots for DXDT today.  Also, we have seen the #2 GMG Racing Porsche 718 Cayman MR in the lane, Jason Bell at the controls, sharing with Robin Liddell, and Andrew Davis.  A couple carts in the lane serving a penalty and pitting.  Jordan pper is in the lane, resetting the driver stint and taking fuel only.  We have also seen in the lane in GT4, the #26 Classic BMW BMW M4 GT4.  Phil Bloom, sharing with Stevan McAleer and Toby Grahovec.  The marshals say that we will do more yellow laps to get the water moved off the racing line.

It was a splash and dash for Bentley #7.  Andrew Davis has the lead in GT4.  There are many GT4 cars between Martin Konrad and Andrew Davis.  The safety car may point some of the other GT4 cars by, but there's no one trrapped there right now.  The spray will be immense and the water will hang as a mist in the air because of the grandstands.  The #20 Porsche has a splash and a dash as well.  The only car that will need to be waved by is the #17 Porsche Cayman for The Racer's Group.  That Porsche Cayman is being shared by Derek DeBoer, Andy Lally, and Dr. James Rappaport.  We are also seeing a great run thus far for the #31 Audi Sport Team Hardpoint WRT Audi R8.  Markus Winkelhock, Spenhcer Pumpelly, and Mirko Bortolotti sharing the car.

WRT has one of their team bosses, Thierry Tassin, calling strategy.  Tassin is a former winner of the Spa 24 Hours in the touring car days, and a very experienced driver and team boss, both.  Pit stop time for slick tires, look, for the Bell/Liddell/Davis Porsche Cayman with the five lug nut wheel as opposed to a single wheel nut on the GT3 cars, and they have two rattle guns instead of one, and the rattle guns work a little differently, too, having to removed five lug nuts instead of a single lug nut.  Pit lane will close when the safety car comes by.  Dane Cameron has moved the #30 Team Honda by JAS Motorsports Acura, and poor old Andrew Davis was held for speeding in the lane.  He has lost to the safety car.  Deary me.

Dane Cameron will do the short stop and reset their fuel window.  Mario Farnbacher and and Renger van der Zande are his co-drivers, of course, as we are set to go back to green next time by.  We'll have the safety car out for a lap more before we turn these boys and girls loose again.  TRG must be upset with the marshals from SRO for not doing the wave by.  Jeepers creepers.  They will be behind the eight ball now.  No wave by for the TRG blokes.  Kevin Buckler, team boss, will be upset.  He'll be on the horn going, "everyone, what on earth is going on?!"  TRG are now ninth in class in GT4.  Andy Lee leads Parker Chase and Jon Miller.  Then comes Bill Auberlen in fourth and in fifth, Matt Dalton.

Now, we are ready to go back to green.  Martin Konrad leads this motor race, and we are back to green.  No wave by.  You can't pass 'til the start/finish line.  Watch the puddles.  That's close!  Konrad is back underway and three wide, look, as Markus Winkelhock goes by Trent Hindman.  George Kurtz has passed the TRG Porsche.  That's the #04 Crowdstrike Mercedes.  Farfus and Tomczyk are flying by.  Hindman has to check up and the BMW's have left both Hindman and Kurtz in the dust.  George Kurtz sharing with Colin Braun and Ben Keating.  Whoops!  We have a car stopped at the approach to turn 12.  That's the #25 CCR Team TFB BMW M4 GT4.  Tim Barber sharing with Cole Ciraulo and Parker Chase.

Parker Chase has the car back up and running.  We see pit stops now for the #20 Wright Motorsports Porsche, Max Root still at the wheel of it.  Someone had air jack trouble on a pit stop.  The rain has let up.  The sun could break through the clouds.  Now, the team that may have had air jack issues was Racer's Edge.  Not sure.  Robert McGinnis is happy to race a GT3 car with Trent Hindman and Shelby Blackstock.  Hardpoint Audi and one of the Walkenhorst BMW's is in the lane.  Robert McGinnis won the Indy Lights race here at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May of 2019.  McGinnis will be in the car at the three hour mark.

You lose just five to ten seconds on top offs for fuel.  Not much time as you may think.  Driver changes can also happen.  Now, we will have the stint lengths coming into play very soon.  The #25 BMW got back on track in GT4.  Very good.  Now, Andy Lee is pitting the GMG Audi, car #8.  The blokes in GT4 can't do the short stop on the fuel like the GT3 cars can.  That was actually a drive through, maybe a drive through penalty for Andy Lee.  Not good.  There could be a drive through penalty also for that #17 TRG Porsche Cayman as well.  Martin Konrad leads Alessandro Balzan.  Jon Miller leads Bill Auberlen in GT4.  Auberlen ducks to pit lane.

He is sharing that car with James Clay and Chandler Hull.  Martin Konrad pits for a splash and d ash from the overall leasd.  They have plenty of time with almost an hour on the board.  Now, did Auberlen get released too soon?  The minimum refuel time in GT4 is 110 seconds and he short pitted that automobile.  He's significantly short.  This is going to turn their race pear shaped.  So now, Alessandro Balzan leads in the #1 Hublot watches Squadra Corse Ferrari 488 GT3.  He is trying to help Martin Fuentes win a title.  Jon Miller is in the lane for a stop as some of the teams are questioning the #82 car and their short stop.

Matt Dalton is in the GT4 lead and a driver change happening for the #438 BMW M4 GT4.  We don't know if Nick Wittmer or Samantha Tan are into the car.  That BMW has a graphics package of Van Gogh's legendary Starry Night masterpiece painting on it.  We thought the safety car would peel off, but there's standing water all over the road that needs to be dispersed.  The ponds are being evacuated.  The turn 14 puddle shifts and changes every lap.  The cars will be able to disperse said puddle.  We hgave a long, long way to go yet.  But at six and a half hours, you can do six more 65 minute stints, but if this delay breaks into that window, then you'd have only five more regular pit stops to accomplish.

If you can run one less stop than your competitors, then, you are fine as wine, mate.  The BMW has had an electrical issue due to the water, and he had to recycle it and it's working fine.  Martin Fuentes has to do a stint yet we believe.  Balzan is in the lane for service and will hand over to Fuentes.  Top off the fuel as well.  These blokes are running 50 kilometers an hour for a splash and a dash. 

No. 7 K-PAX Bentley Stripped of Front Row Start

No. 7 Bentley to start from 10th after incorrectly placed GPS device on car...

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/no-7-k-pax-bentley-stripped-of-front-row-start/

Indianapolis 8 Hours: Qualifying & Pole Shootout

Live coverage of qualifying and the pole shootout for the Indianapolis 8 Hours, anchored by Greg Creamer and Calvin Fish in the broadcast booth, and by Ryan Myrehn reporting from pit lane.

Pre-Race news from Indianapolis on Saturday before the 8 Hours

Tomorrow is the big one, round two of the Intercontinental GT Challenge at the world’s most legendary race track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Here’s all the pre-race news.

Catsburg: Nurburgring to Indy “A Bit Different”

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/catsburg-nurburgring-to-indy-a-bit-different/

Hindman Leads Acura 1-2 in Pre-Qualifying 

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/hindman-leads-acura-1-2-in-pre-qualifying/

Acura Teams Sharing Resources in Dual Title Challenge

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/acura-teams-sharing-resources-in-dual-title-challenge/

Walkenhorst BMW Quickest in Qualifying; GT4 Grid Set

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/walkenhorst-bmw-quickest-in-qualifying-gt4-grid-set/

De Phillippi Scores Pole for Indy 8H

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/de-phillippi-scores-pole-for-indy-8h/

23 cars were on the entry list, but 22 will start the race tomorrow.

Indianapolis Saturday Notebook

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/indianapolis-saturday-notebook/

Looking forward to bringing you all the action of the Indianapolis 8 Hours tomorrow.  Tune in for truncated start and finish coverage on CBS Sports Network, or, better yet, as I shall do, check the full race out on the SRO GTWorld YouTube channel which should begin at 8:30 A.M.  See you tomorrow.  Between now and then, I shall also post some videos of the sessions from today if you have not seen them.  Excited for tomorrow’s race.  For now, we bid you good evening from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  See you tomorrow, for race day.

IGTC stories from Indianapolis on Friday

Preparations continue for Sunday’s Indianapolis 8 Hours at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Here’s the latest.

Pepper Tops Friday Test Session at IMS

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/pepper-tops-friday-test-at-ims/

 

Gounon, K-PAX Bentley Quickest in Free Practice at Indy

 

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/gounon-k-pax-bentley-quickest-in-free-practice-at-indy/ 

Indianapolis Friday Notebook

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/indianapolis-friday-notebook/

 

 

 

Thursday headlines from Indianapolis Motor Speedway & Intercontinental GT Challenge

All the headlines for Thursday and preparations leading up to the Indianapolis 8 Hours at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Intercontinental GT Challenge.

Ratel: Indy 8H Grid "Quite a Success" Amid COVID-19

 

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/ratel-indy-8h-grid-quite-a-success-amid-covid-19/ 

 

Askew Qucikest in Bronze Test for Indy 8H

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/askew-quickest-in-bronze-test-at-indy/ 

An interview with Jules Gounon.

Gounon Enjoying “Crazy Period” of Nonstop Racing

https://sportscar365.com/sro/igtc/gounon-enjoying-crazy-period-of-nonstop-racing/

Indianapolis Thursday Notebook

https://sportscar365.com/sro/sro-america/world-challenge-america/indianapolis-thursday-notebook-2/