2016 Continental Monterey Grand Prix Overview

2016 Continental Monterey Grand Prix Overview
By: Brandon J. O’Brien; Images by Brandon O’Brien / Motor Driven Images unless otherwise specified.

The Monterey Continental Tire Grand Prix weekend is one of our favorites. A lot has to do with its location at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with it’s rich history of sport cars racing in the Oak and chaparral covered foothills. The other is the number of different races. This year the event was comprised of the Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA, Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North American Series, Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Unlike last year or, for that matter, two weeks prior at Long Beach the weather in Monterey started out as cold, windy, and at times wet. The weather predictions for both Saturday and Sunday was for partial sun with the temperatures in the mid to upper 60’s. The changing weather made practice and qualifying a bit of a challenge for all the teams as the set-up was changing as fast as the weather. All the teams and drivers could do was to aim for a set-up that would work when they were on the track in spirited competition. This worked for some and for others it was a rough weekend.

Global Mazda MX-5 Cup

The Global Mazda MX-5 Cup is designed to give sports car drivers the platform to race on weekends in an economical, entry-level professional racing series. The Battery Tender Global MX-5 Cup features the all-new 2016 Mazda Global MX-5 race cars competing during IMSA sanctioned events that yield exposure and value to all the teams and drivers. Each race weekend hosts two 45-minute races.

The 2015 Series Champion John Dean II started the race from the pole and led for the first 30 minutes until he was passed in the corkscrew by rookie Mark Drennan. Dean was able to retake the position and led until lap 21 when Patrick Gallagher made an exciting pass into first. Amazing since a first lap incident dropped him from second to eighth.

In the hotly contested race Patrick Gallagher in the #72 McCumbree McAleer Racing MX-5 finished just 0.121 seconds ahead of John Dean II in the #16 Mazda Motorsports/Sick Sideways entry. Nikko Reger in the #01 Copeland Motorsports entry finished third but was disqualified when it was found to be underweight. Filling out the podium was Robby Foley in the #63 Mazda Road to 24 Scholarship entry.

Patrick Gallagher leading John Dean II during Round 1 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Edmund Jenks / PRTT

Race #2 on Saturday also did not disappoint. With many lead changes during the final four laps. John Dean again took pole and started the race from first . With five minutes remaining the top five cars were either nose to tail or side to side with the top three cars constantly changing positions. In the end, Robby Foley in the #63 Mazda Road to 24 Scholarship entry took the checkered followed by Dean Copeland in the #7 ALARA Racing entry with John Dean II in third in his #16 Mazda Motorsports/Sick Sideways entry.

Robby Foley leading the race during Round 2 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Edmund Jenks / PRTT

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA is in its 8th season with Yokohama. It produces intense competition for semi-professional and aspiring professional drivers. The IMSA sanctioned championship is one of 20 global Porsche single-make Cup Racing series. Cars allowed to compete are 2014-2016 Porsche 991’s which are based on the seventh, current, generation of the street car.

No. 36 Michael Levitas leading No. 25 Victor Gomez through Turn 5 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The Porsche GT3 cars took to the track both on Friday and Saturday. Rounds 3 and 4 for the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge were good races with Jesse Lazare in the #21 Kelly-Moss Road and Race entry leading from the pole and taking the checkered flag by a margin of 2.432 seconds in the first race and 7.412 seconds on Saturday. Lucas Catania came in second both days in the #26 NGT Motorsport entry and Ricardo Perez in the #02 JDX Racing entry coming in third on both days.

Jesse Lazare heading up to Turn 6 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

David Baker causing a traffic jam in Turn 5 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North American Series

The Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series kicked off its 2016 North American season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with races on Saturday and Sunday. Like the Porsche and Global Mazda Cup racing events this is a single-make series using the purpose-built Lamborghini Huracan LP620-2 Super Trofeo cars for both Professional and Amateur drivers in two 50-minute races.

The race on Saturday was won by Cory Lewis (P) in the #16 Carolinas Change Racing entry followed 9.288 seconds later by Shinya Michimi (P) in the #1 Paramus Prestige Performance entry with James Sofronas (PA) in the #14 Newport Beach GMG entry being third overall and the first Pro-Am finisher.

Cory Lewis heading to Turn 9 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

James Sofronas taking the Lamborghini into the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

For the race on Sunday Shinya Michimi (P) took home the checkered in the #1 Paramus Prestige Performance entry followed 1.918 seconds back by Cory Lewis (P) in the #16 Carolinas Change Racing entry. Third was again taken by a Pro-Am driver team of Trent Hindman (P) and Craig Duerson (A) in the #10 Paramus Prestige Racing entry.

Shinya Michimi heading up to Turn 6 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Trent Hindman taking the Lamborghini down through the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit:  2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Will James in the Paramus eXclaim Racing Lamborghini shows that this series is not for the weak at heart or pocket book.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge

The Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge was the main even on Saturday. Entering it's seventeenth season this series is a Grand Sport (GS) and Street Tuner (ST) racing series.  In traditional sports car racing format both the GS and ST cars will usually be racing on the track at the same time.  Currently the races are 2-hours and 30-minutes in length and require a driver change.

The Grand Sport Class features large-displacement 6-cylinder, 8-cylinder, 10-cylinder, or 12-cylinder sports cars as well as small displacement forced induction 4-cylinder or Wankel sport cars.

The new 2016 Ford Shelby GT 350 is an example of the GS Class large-displacement  sports car.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The Street Tuner Class features small-displacement 4-cylinder, 5-cylinder, or 6-cylinder sedans, hatchbacks, coupes, and convertibles.

This BMW 328i ST class sedan is entering the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The weather conditions for the race were about perfect.  Although both classes were on the track at the same time they generally remained separated due to their speed differences which made for cleaner racing within each Class.  

As hard as the Ford Shelby's tried they did not seem to have the power or agility to make it to the podium.  With 30-minutes remaining, Trent Hindman in the #12 Bodymotion Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 passed the #76 Shelby driven by Pierre Kleinubing.  The Shelby was then passed by the two CJ Wilson Porsches.  Danny Burkett finished second in the #33 ONE Capital Management/Motor Oil Matters Cayman GT4 with the #35 team car finishing third.

The race winning Bodymotion Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 accelerating up to Turn 6 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The 2nd place GT Class CJ Wilson Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 entering the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit:  2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The 3rd place GT Class CJ Wilson Racing Porsche Cayman breaking for the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

As expected, Mazda again took the Street Tuner class.  Although for about an hour of the race it could have been Mazda, BMW, or Honda.  In the end, the #25 Mazda MX-5 of Chad McCumbree was able to get past the #84 BMW and #93 Honda.  Taken over by Stevan McAllen during the pit-stop he was able to keep the #25 Freedom Autosport Maxda MX-5 in first.  He was followed by the #26 Semper FiFund.org MX-5 driven by Andrew Carbonell with the #56 Murillo Racing/Motorsports Porsche Cayman in third.

The ST Class winning #25 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5 entering the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The 2nd place ST Class car was the #26 Freedom Motorsport Mazda MX-5.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

3rd Place in the ST class belonged to the #56 Murillo Racing Porsche Cayman shown exiting the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

This year, the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was split up into two, 2-hour races.  The Prototypes and GTLM cars competed in the first race followed by the PC and GTD cars in the final event.

The Mazda Prototypes entering the Front Straight at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

This was the day that many expected Mazda to stand atop the podium as both Mazda Prototypes dominated all the practice sessions and qualifying.  Needless to say, the spirits in the Mazda pits were high as the cars took to the track in perfect weather.  For GTLM, both Ferrari and Ford appeared to be the ones to beat.  Uncharacteristically BMW was not to be found near the front runners.  This apparently was due to the team getting the new compound Michelin tires that had been given teams going to LeMans earlier in the season as this was the compound they would be using at LeMans.

All went according to plan for Mazda until the first pit-stops.  The #70 took longer than usual and the crew of the #55 were unable to get the fueling nozzle to seat.  Once back on the track both cars experienced more problems.  The #70 lost oil pressure and was unable to finish while the #55 lost more time due to a spin.  Unable to make up the lost time the #55 did manage to finish just off the podium in fourth place.

Driving a savvy race, the #60 Michael Shank Racing Honda Ligier JS P2 driven by Ozz Negri and John Pew took a commanding 30.099 second lead over the second place #90 VisitFlorida Corvette DP driven by Ryan Dalziel and Marc Goossens followed in third by the #31 Whelen Action Express Corvette DP driven by Eric Curran.

The race winning Michael Shanks Racing with CURB / Agajanian Ligier JS P2 accelerating up to Turn 6 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The race winning Michael Shanks Racing with CURB / Agajanian Ligier JS P2 at the top of the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The 2nd place VisitFlorida.com Racing Corvette DP heading down to Turn 9 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The 3rd place Action Express Racing Corvette DP in the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

On the GTLM side Richard Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe driving the #67 Ford GT were able to maintain a high pace and also conserve enough fuel to garner the victory.  For awhile during the closing laps of the race it looked like it might be a Ford GT 1-2 but Joey Hand, racing on a different pit strategy, needed to make a quick splash-and-go which cost him the lead dropping them to sixth in class.

The GTLM winning Ford GT accelerating down the Front Straight at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit:  2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Second place was taken by the #68 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GTE of Daniel Serra and Alessandro Pier Guidi followed by the #912 Porsche 911 RSR driven by Earl Bamber and Frederic Makowiecki

The 2nd place GTLM Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GTE exiting the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The 3rd place GTLM Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR heading toward Turn 9 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Image Credit:  2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images 

Following a rather long break the Prototype Challenge (PC) and GT Daytona (GTD) cars took to the track for their race in the afternoon.

The top three finishing GT Daytona cars entering the Front Straight at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Robert Alon and Tom Kimber-Smith took their pole winning #52 PR 1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca FLM09 to first place.  They were followed by the Renger van der Zande and Alex Popow driven #8 Starworks Motorsport machine in second.  Jon Bennett and Colin Braun finished up in third with their #54 Core Autosport entry.

The Prototype Challenge Class winning PR 1 Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca FLM09 exiting the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The Prototype Challenge Class 2nd place Starworks  Motorsport Oreca FLM09 entering the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The Prototype Challenge 3rd place CORE Autosport Oreca FLM09 entering the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

On the GTD side, Ian James and Mario Farnbacher drove their #23 Team Seattle Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R into first place.  The #63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GTD driven by Christina Nielsen came in second.  The #007 TGR-AMR Aston Martin Vantage GT3 driven by James Davidson and Brandon Davis filled out the top three.

The GT Daytona Class winning Team Seattle Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R entering the corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The 2nd place Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GTD heading to Turn 9 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit: 2016 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The 3rd place TRG-AMR Aston Martin Vantage GT3

This was a busy weekend spent in one of the nicest places.  David and his colleagues at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca are always nice and go out of their way to make the media feel welcome.  Thank you!

The #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE as seen from the outside of Turn 8a through the grass at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Image Credit:  Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

ENDS



TAGS: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, MRLS, WeatherTech, WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Lamborghini, Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo, Global MX-5 Cup, Continental Tire, Continental SportsCar Challenge, Prototype, GT LeMans, GTLM, GT Daytona, GTD, Prototype Challenge, PC, Porsche GT3 Cup USA, Porsche, Porsche GT3, Mazda, Mazda Motorsports, BMW, Motor Driven Images, Brandon O'Brien, David Hart

TUDOR United Sports Car Championship At Long Beach

The Tequila Patron Sports Car Showcase overall winning Wayne Taylor Racing Chevrolet Corvette DP at Victory Circle.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

TUDOR United Sports Car Championship at Long Beach
By: Brandon O'Brien - Photography By: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images unless otherwise specified

The TUDOR United Sports Car Championship (TUSCC) is a combination of the Grand-Am Series and the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) which had its first full season in 2014. It is sanctioned by IMSA and  TUDOR has a five-year sponsorship.

With three of the twelve planned 2015 races now in the books the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship is turning into a very interesting series to follow.  The races are all timed events, with the shortest (Long Beach and Detroit) being 100-minutes and the longest (Daytona) 24 hours .

What makes the series exciting and interesting for both the spectators and drivers is, at the majority of the venues, there are four classes racing at the same time.

Making its first appearance at Long Beach was the Claro / TracFone DeltaWing Racing Delta Wing DWC13 - Elan. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Prototype (P) is the flagship class featuring the fastest and most technologically advanced cars in North America by combining Grand-Am Daytona Prototypes with the ALMS P2 class prototypes and Deltawing cars.

The Action Express Racing Chevrolet Corvette Daytona Prototype on the starting grid at Long Beach, CA.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Prototype Challenge (PC) is a spec class carried over directly from ALMS featuring open-cockpit Le Mans Prototype cars built by Oreca with engines supplied by Chevrolet and tires by Continental. These cars are driven by a team of two drivers, one a full-time professional and the other a part-time "amateur" driver.

Grand Touring Le Mans (GTLM) is a continuation of the ALMS GT class of cars using the same technical regulations as the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Based on production models, they are engineered to produce the maximum performance possible.

The Team Falken Tire  GTLM Porsche 911 RSR as seen in the Paddock prior to racing at Long Beach, CA.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

GT Daytona (GTD) is a class that combines the Grand-Am GT and GX classes along with the Porsche GT3 Cup cars, all built to FIA GT3 specifications. These, like the PC cars, are driven by professional and amateur drivers.

A World Challenge Truspeed Motorsports prepared Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car which is similar to the GTD class of cars. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Long Beach celebrated its 41st straight year hosting racers on the temporary street circuit.  The longest running street race in North America it is a favorite among the drivers.  Although, like any street circuit that does not tolerate foolish moves, it is one where the drivers can truly race with a number of passing zones.

Unlike previous years there were only two classes of cars running this year; Prototype and GTLM.  Ricky Taylor placed the Konica Minolta Wayne Taylor Racing Chevrolet Corvette DP on the pole with a qualifying lap record time of 1:14.790. Scott Pruitt was close behind in the Chip Ganassi Racing Riley DP - Ford EcoBoost with a time of 1:15.048

The overall winning Chevrolet Corvette DP in the Fountain Turn during the Tequila Patron Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach, CA.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The second place Ford EcoBoost Riley DP driven by Joey Hand exiting the Fountain Turn at Long Beach, CA.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

In the GTLM class the RLL BMW's tied up the first two slots with Bill Auberlen in No. 25 setting a qualifying lap record time of 1:17.268 followed by John Edwards in No. 24 at 1:17:516 in the other BMW Z4 GTE.

The pole winning GTLM Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE qualified by Bill Auberlen exiting the Fountain Turn at Long Beach, CA.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Also starting on the front row was the sister Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE qualified by John Edwards at Long Beach, CA. Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Once the Green Flag was dropped, the Prototype Class ran nose to tail in qualifying order for the fist few laps.  Most position changes were due to mechanical issues or contact. Throughout the race, the first two positions never changed.

For the third race in a row, a different team was able to stand on the podium for the Prototype class. Jordan Taylor in the No. 10 Konica Minolta Wayne Taylor Raqcing Chevrolet Corvette DP was able to keep hard driving Joey Hand in the  No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Riley DP - Ford EcoBoost in his mirrors. After the race the Taylor's gave credit to Brembo for working with them allowing them to drive further into the corners than their competition.

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For most of the race the Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia was the front running GTLM car. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The first three positions of the GTLM competition were hotly contested throughout the 100-minute race as can be seen as they exit Turn 5 at Long Beach.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Bill Auberlen stated, "when it came to the race the extent of my lead was on the pace lap." Once the green dropped, former Formula 1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella in the third place Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia made a charge for the front, first passing the No. 24 BMW driven by John Edwards for second after drag racing him down Shoreline Drive to Turn 1 and, by Turn 5 was ahead of the pole sitting BMW driven by Auberlen. The race continued in that order for the opening stint with Auberlen pressing the Ferrari hoping that Fisichella would make a mistake.

Auberlen pitting on lap 31 turned the car over to co-driver Dirk Werner. A fuel venting problem slowed the filling time and Werner re-entered the race in fifth place.  The next lap saw the No. 24 BMW in the pits and Lucas Luhr was able to re-enter in second place due to the usual quick team service.

With an hour in the books, Werner in the No. 25 BMW was able to make up all of the time lost in the pits and was now in fourth place. He moved into third place on lap 45 and due to brake issues on the No. 24 BMW was able to shortly pass for second. The Ferrari, now being driven by Pierre Kaffer, had an 8 second lead.  With twelve laps to go, after setting a new race record lap time of 1:18.009 Werner drove the No. 25 BMW past the Ferrari for the lead and the victory.

Class winning drivers celebrating in Victory Circle. Left to Right: Dirk Werner, Bill Auberlen (GTLM), Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor (Prototype). Image credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Auberlen stated, "This is a special win as it has been a long time for our team. On top of that it is my home race. Between Dirk and myself we pretty much checked off every box this weekend.  We won, we had pole and the lap record in qualifying and Dirk brought it home with the win and a new lap record in the race. You can't do much better than that".

Bill Auberlen speaking to the press at the post race press conference while team-mate Dirk Werner looks on. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Next stop - May 1-3 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will be a 2 hour 40 minute event where all four classes of cars will be competing.


TAGS: TUDOR United Sports Car Championship, Grand-Am Series, American Le Mans Series, Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach, Prototype, Prototype Challenge, Grand Touring Le Mans, GT Daytona