The Touring Cars Get Their Chance to Race Solo for the First TimeJuly 17, 2023By Mark RobinsonIMSA Wire Service Entry List (Click Here) DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Touring Car class (TCR) cars are about to embark on something they haven’t done before in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge: race without the Grand Sport (GS) class.The Lime Rock Park 100 wraps up an action-packed weekend of IMSA racing at the northwest Connecticut road course known as the “Bullring.” Fourteen TCR cars are slated to take the green flag at 4:15 p.m. ET Saturday, and the drivers are excited for the challenge.“I think it’s going to be a lot of hard battling, a lot of closer racing in the TCR packs just because there’s no GS cars,” said Harry Gottsacker, who’ll share the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR with co-driver Robert Wickens. “I think it’s probably going to be a green race throughout the whole thing and I think the top five are going to be fighting hard for the lead the entire race. It’s going to be a classic Bullring race.”Gottsacker and Wickens lead the TCR standings after five races despite having yet won a race. They’re eager to get back on track again after finishing second July 8 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, when Wickens was dislodged from the lead by Mikey Taylor in the No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCR with two minutes left in the race.“The Hyundai Elantra N has always been super strong there,” Gottsacker said of Lime Rock. “I know the track really well and I know Robert does, too. Last year we had a pretty good battle at the beginning of the race (driving different BHA Hyundais). We just kind of ran away with each other.“We’re knocking right there (for a win). I think it’s going to be a little more door-to-door action at Lime Rock without the GS cars. I think it’s going to be a good, fun race and I think we’ve got a good shot at it.”Taylor, who shares the No. 17 Audi with Chris Miller, agrees that the always-tight TCR racing could be even more competitive at Lime Rock. Add the fact that the race is 100 minutes long – 20 minutes shorter than the typical race – and it intensifies the pressure to call the correct strategy.“Last year I drove the stint of my life to hold onto the lead while also having to battle through the GS traffic,” Taylor said, referring to his drive to the Lime Rock victory with Miller in 2022. “Without that GS traffic (this year), I am sure all the TCR competitors will practically be going flat out the whole race, which brings into play the issue of not having enough fuel in the tank to make the complete race on one stop.“The increased average lap speed will also make tire wear a very big part of how each team manages their race,” Taylor added. “I am really looking forward to the challenge! I think this will be the first time in about 11 years that I will not be racing in a multiclass event since my single-seater days in South Africa.”The CTMP win was the first of 2023 for Taylor and Miller and closed them within 30 points of TCR leaders Gottsacker and Wickens. Five teams are logjammed within 130 points atop the standings with five races to go, meaning every outing is crucial starting with Lime Rock.“After a lot of hard work by the team, we are really hitting our stride at the perfect time as this is the busiest part of the schedule,” said Miller. “The championship is so tight at the top of the standings. We really can’t afford to have a bad event the rest of the season. It was nice to get the (CTMP) win and celebrate a bit, but our focus quickly shifted to Lime Rock.”Two Michelin Pilot Challenge practices and qualifying will take place Friday on the 1.478-mile road course ahead of Saturday’s race that streams live on Peacock in the U.S. and on IMSA.com/TVLive elsewhere. |
