WeatherTech Raceway's Speed Week Feature - Monterey SportsCar Championships Powered By McLaren

The DPi Podium after the finish of the Monterey SportsCar Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images (2019)

WeatherTech Raceway's Speed Week Feature - Monterey SportsCar Championships Powered By McLaren
By: Brandon O'Brien

Sunday morning dawned at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca with a slight fog that burned off well before the start of the Monterey SportsCar Championship Powered by McLaren race.  After an unseasonably hot week the cooler weather was just what the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams needed.

This writer is impressed with any championship series where, near the end of the season, there are still mathematical odds for a number of teams and drivers to come away with the championship.  As in years past, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is one not to disappoint.  The series is divided into four distinct automotive classes; DPi (Daytona Prototype International), LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2), GTLM (Grand Touring Le Mans), and GTD (Grand Touring Daytona) which are GT3 specification cars.  Due to the number of cars and their performance differences some of the tracks are unable to "safely" handle all four classes at one time.  Fortunately WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca can handle all four classes which makes for some very exciting racing.

The change in weather from hot to "average" Monterey weather left some teams behind the curve.  Those teams that could quickly adapt to the new track conditions seemed to do best.  On Saturday, in the heat,  Ricky Taylor was able to place the No. 7 Acura Team Penske Acura ARX-05 on the overall pole with a time of 1:15.035.

Ricky Taylor and Helio Castroneves had the pole winning No 7 Acura Team Penske Acura ARX-05 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images (2019)

Kyle Masson in LMP2 placed the No. 38 Performance Tech Motorsports ORECA LMP2 on their pole with a time of 1:16.817.

Kyle Masson exiting Turn 11 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in the No. 38 Performance Tech Motorsports ORECA LMP2.  Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images (2019)

The GTLM pole when to the No. 24 BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE when Jesse Krohn put down a time of 1:21.557.

Jesse Krohn on his way to the GTLM pole in the No. 24 BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE while entering the Corkscrew at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images (2019)

Finally, Corey Lewis with a time of 1:24.962 placed his Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 on the GTD pole.

Bryan Sellers and Corey Lewis on their way to the GTD pole in the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3.  Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images (2019)

Unlike last year, the race had a clean, safe start leaving the full field of 32 cars vying for the coveted checkered flag and the race ran without a full-course caution.  As anticipated, the Acura Team Penske Acura's led the pack of ten DPi cars. Dane Cameron was able to take control of the race from the No. 7 Acura after his second pit stop about halfway through the race.  Essentially from that point the drivers of the No. 6 Acura never looked back.  Pipo Derani and Felipe Nasr in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R took over third place from the Van der Zande and Jordan Taylor No. 10 Cadillac with about 15-minutes remaining.

The DPi winning No. 6 Acura Team Penske Acura ARX-05 co-driven by Dane Cameron and Juan Pablo Montoya in the Corkscrew at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images (2019)

With only two cars participating in the LMP2 class Matthew McMurry and Dalton Kellett in the No. 52 PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 were able to take over the lead from Cameron Cassels and Kyle Masson No. 38 Performance Tech Motorsports ORECA LMP2.

Matthew McMurry and Dalton Kellett in the winning LMP2 No. 52 PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 entering the Corkscrew at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images (2019)

Fortunately for Dirk Mueller the race did not start as it did last year and they were in contention from the very start  The No. 24 BMW M8 GTE being driven by Jesse Krohn was able to hold onto their lead for 19 laps when the car suddenly slowed in Turn 2 allowing Mueller to get by in the No. 66 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT. Mueller stated, "I knew my car was great, I could follow so closely behind. I don't know really know what happened but he lost momentum and I took advantage (and) got by.  That was tough because you don't expect it.  That was quite a close moment.  From that moment, I think that was the milestone for the victory."

Krohn and co-driver John Edwards in the No. 24 BMW were able to maintain their second place position in front of the No. 25 BMW for most of the race.  With about 10 minutes remaining Antonio Garcia in the No.3 Corvette Racing Corvette C7.R, on fresher tires, was able to pass the No 25 BMW for third place. The BMW was then quickly passed by Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Corvette.  This was the order the race finished.

For Joey Hand this was a dream come true. Hand said, "I've been trying to win at this racetrack, my home racetrack, since like 1998."

The smile on Joey Hands' face says it all.  Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images (2019)

The GTLM winning No. 66 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT during practice on Saturday was co-driven by Joey Hand and Dirk Mueller.  Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images (2019)

In GTD Bryan Sellers and Corey Lewis in the No. 48 Lamborghini Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 were able to take their pole position all the way to take the checkered flag.

The GTD winning No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 driven by Bryan Sellers and Corey Lewis exiting Turn 11 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images (2019)

In second place was the No. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GT3 which was being co-driven by Cooper MacNeill and Toni Vilander.  The final podium spot was taken by the No. 44 Magnus Racing Lamborghini driven by John Potter and Andy Lally.

Next up for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is the 2019 season finale, Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on Saturday October 12th.




TAGS: Acura Team Penske, Acura DPi, Brandon O'Brien, BMW Team RLL, BMW M8 GTE, Chip Ganassi Racing, Ford, Ford GT, GTD, GTLM, Huracan, Lamborghini, LMP2, Monterey SportsCar Championships, WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, 

Mid-Ohio's Home Course Advantage Pays Off For BMW Team RLL

 2018 Mid-Ohio Acura Sports Car Championship 2nd Place GTLM Class winners; Conner De Phillippi and Alexander Sims.  Image Credit: copyright 2018 BMW Group USA

Mid-Ohio's Home Course Advantage Pays Off For BMW Team RLL
Words By: Brandon J. O'Brien
Image Credits: 2018 BMW Group USA unless otherwise specified

After a disappointing showing at the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach, BMW Team RLL was able to qualify on the GTLM pole for the Acura Sports Car Championship at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

John Edwards was able to post a qualifying time of 1:17.853 minute in the No. 24 BMW M8 GTE while his team-mate, Alexander Sims, driving the No. 25 BMW GTE secured a third place starting position with a 1:17.932 minute lap.

The GTLM Class Pole Sitting BMW M8 GTE at Mid-Ohio.  Image Credit: copyright 2018 BMW Group USA

Team Principal, Bobby Rahal said, "This is certainly a nice turnaround from Long Beach, isn't it? I think both cars are working really well on the Michelins but it is going to be very close tomorrow and we cannot relax."

Unfortunately, on the opening lap Edwards got held up and forced off track when Robert Alon spun his LPM2 Oreca prototype.  Both Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber took advantage and moved their Porsche 911's into 1st and 2nd.

Up to the first pit-stops Alexander Sims maintained 3rd Place for the No. 25 BMW M8 GTE. Conner De Phillippi took over and re-entered the race in sixth just ahead of the No. 24 sister car driven by Jesse Krohn.  De Phillippi did a long middle-stint that allowed him to cycle up to the head of the GTLM pack.  When he pitted for a second time he lost the lead to Laurens Vanthoor's No. 912 Porsche but was able to re-enter the foray just ahead of Richard Westbrook's No. 67 Ford GT, closely followed by Jan Magnussen's No. 3 Corvette C7.R and Joey Hand's No. 66 Ford GT.

The 2nd Place finishing GTLM BMW M8 GTE at Mid-Ohio.  Image Credit: copyright 2018 BMW Group USA

De Phillippi was able to easily stay ahead of this trio and focused on closing the gap to first. With 10 minutes remaining he had successfully closed the gap to 1.5 seconds but was not able to consummate a pass for the lead in the remaining time.

This is what Bobby Rahal had to say after the finish, "For sure it was a good day for us. Connor and Alexander did a super job. We got bogged down in traffic and decided to run long with their car. Our second pit stop was faster because we did not have to put so much fuel in and we could put soft Michelin tires on. Everyone else had twenty more laps on their tires and I think that and the lighter fuel load is really what made the difference. Connor ended up in the seat and drove very well. I feel bad for John and Jesse. They got stuck in a fuel window and we really could not do too much with it. A shame really but after Long Beach where we were uncompetitive, it feels good.”

Unlike Long Beach, the GTD cars were racing along with the Prototype and GTLM cars.  BMW NA Ambassador Bill Auberlen co-drove the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 with Dillon Machavern.  Machavern started the car in the fifth GTD starting spot and Bill Auberlen finished the race in 6th position.

The top three by class for the first race at Mid-Ohio since 2012 were;

Prototype:
1st - Acura DPi No. 7 co-driven by Helio Castroneves and Ricky Taylor
2nd - Acura DPi No. 6 co-driven by Juan Pablo Montoya and Dave Cameron
3rd - Mazda DPi No. 77 co-driven by Oliver Jarvis and Tristan Nunez

The overall race winning No. 7 Acura DPi as seen at Long Beach.  Image Credit: copyright 2018 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

GTLM:
1st - Porsche 911 RSR No. 912 co-driven by Earl Bamber and Laurens Vanthoor
2nd - BMW M8 GTE No. 25 co-driven by Alexander Sims and Conner De Phillippi
3rd - Corvette C7.R No. 3 co-driven by Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia

The GTLM race winning Porsche 911 RSR as seen at Long Beach.  Image Credit: copyright 2018 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

GTD:
1st - Lexus RC F GT3 No. 14 co-driven by Kyle Marcelli and Dominik Baumann
2nd - Acura NSX GT3 No. 86 co-driven by Alvaro Parente and Katherine Legge
3rd - Lamborghini Huracan GT3 No. 48 co-driven by Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow

Also participating at the Mid-Ohio weekend was the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series which took to the track on Saturday for the Mid-Ohio 120. BMW participates in this series in the Grand Sport (GS) and Street Tuner (ST) Classes.  The No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing BMW M4 GT4 co-driven by Tyler Cooke and James Clay was able to achieve a podium finish behind two Ford Mustang GT4's.  In ST Class,  Nick Galante and Devin Jones were able to race to a 3rd Place in Class in their No. 81 BimmerWorld Racing BMW 328i behind two Mini's.

BMW file photo of the No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing M4 GT4.  Image Credit: copyright 2018 BMW Group USA.

BMW file photo of the No. 81 BimmerWorld Racing 328i.  Image Credit: copyright 2018 BMW Group USA

The next IMSA WeatherTech race will take place on Sunday June 2nd at Detroit's Belle Isle Park Raceway.  

The next IMSA Continental SportsCar Challenge be on the weekend of June 30 - July 1 at Watkins Glen for the "Continental 240 At The Glen".

TAGS:  Acura DPi, Acura NSX GT3, Alexander Sims, Bill Auberlen, BimmerWorld Racing, BMW, BMW M8 GTE, BMW M6 GT3, BMW M4 GT4, BMW 328i, BMW Team RLL, Chevrolet C7.R, Conner De Phillippi, Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge  Earl Bamber, Helio Castroneves, Jesse Krohn, Joey Hand, John Edwards, Juan Pablo Mantoya, Lamborghini Huracan GT3, Laurens Vanthoor, Lexus RC F GT3, Mazda DPi, Nick Tandy, Porsche 911 RSR, Ricky Taylor, @The_EDJE