Expanding GTP Class, Tightening GTD Class and a Tale of Two LMPs
August 3, 2023
By David Phillips
IMSA Wire Service
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The hits keep coming in the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with one iconic natural terrain road course after another: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen International, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Lime Rock Park and now Road America.Cases can be made as to which is the most demanding, the most historic, the most spectator friendly, but on one point there is no debate: At 4.048 miles, Road America is the longest road course in use by professional racing series in North America. And where WeatherTech Raceway has its Corkscrew, Road America has its Hurry Downs. Where The Glen has The Boot, Road America has Thunder Valley. Where CTMP has Moss Corner, Road America has (what else?) Canada Corner. Where Lime Rock has Big Bend, Road America has an even bigger bend in the Carousel. Not to mention three – three – straightaways where the Grand Touring Prototypes (GTPs) will touch 175 mph or more.In short, from booming straightaways, high- and medium-speed curves to tight corners and elevation changes galore, Road America challenges teams, drivers and cars in every way. What’s more, every class in the WeatherTech Championship is on the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America’s bill – that’s three prototype classes and two GT classes.
Seventh Inning/Race Stretch
The Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche GTPs will get to stretch their legs as never before at Road America. As has pretty much been the case throughout the season, the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 and the similar No. 60 Acura of Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian shape up as the cars to beat given their slim but consistent edge in speed. While they have two overall wins so far the season, the Acuras have been beaten by each of the competing marques through the opening half-dozen races of the season owing to a variety of factors ranging from bold strategy calls, the occasional mechanical glitch and the (almost) inevitable on-track incidents. After a slow start to the campaign, BMW M Team RLL’s twin BMW M Hybrid V8s have come on strong of late with a string of podiums and a win. Porsche Penske Motorsport won at Long Beach and the No. 6 Porsche 963 looked a winner at The Glen before the victory was overturned in a postrace technical inspection.After joining the series midstream, JDC-Miller MotorSports served notice it’s ready to compete for the top spot after the No. 5 Porsche 963 was on pace in last week’s open test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, turning the fastest lap of the day on Day 1. Further adding to the Porsche cause, the No. 59 Proton Competition Porsche 963 will make its WeatherTech Championship debut this weekend in the hands of Harry Tincknell and Gianmaria Bruni. Apart from wins at Sebring and WeatherTech Raceway, respectively, the No. 31 Whelen Engineering and No. 01 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.Rs have had a rollercoaster of a season. Despite that, the No. 31 arrives at Road America in the GTP class lead, albeit a mere 10 points over the No. 25 BMW.
Tightening GT
What once looked like a runaway in the GT Daytona (GTD) championship is anything but following a disappointing finish by Paul Miller Racing’s No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 at Lime Rock. Although they remain atop the standings, PMR’s Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow are now feeling a bit of heat from their closest pursuers, Roman De Angelis and Marco Sorensen in the Lime Rock-winning No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3.The GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) standings also got more interesting at Lime Rock, with the No. 23 Heart of Racing entry completing an Aston Martin “double” by besting the class-leading No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3. It means that all five full-season GTD PRO teams (and manufacturers) have now won this year.So, while they could afford to take a somewhat conservative approach in recent races, knowing a string of podium finishes would likely secure a title, Paul Miller Racing and Vasser Sullivan arrive at Road America looking for wins to re-solidify their championship prospects.
A Tale of Two LMPs
Speaking of championship races, the two LMP classes could hardly be more different. For while the No. 74 Riley Ligier JS P320 of Gar Robinson and Felipe Fraga has literally been unbeatable in Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) races that award season points in 2023, the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) race is a battle between the class-leading No. 04 Crowdstrike Racing by APR, No. 11 TDS Racing and No. 52 PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07s. What’s more, two-time defending Road America winners Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel will be out to continue their success in the No. 18 Era Motorsport ORECA this weekend, and a Road America “hat trick” would only intensify the LMP2 championship battle.As for LMP3, while the No. 74 Riley enjoys a comfortable championship lead, just 18 points separate the second-placed No. 17 AWA Duqueine D08 from its sister No. 13 Duqueine, with the No. 30 Jr III Racing Ligier sandwiched in between. The No. 17 was the class winner in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona and has a pair of points-paying third-place showings. The Nos. 13 and 30 have each finished second behind the No. 74.Last but by no means least, while extolling the many virtues of Road America’s four-plus miles of pavement, don’t forget you’ll also find some of the world’s best track food there. If you’re attending the IMSA SportsCar Weekend, by all means patronize one or more of the many concession stands scattered around the property. And if you’re watching from home, be sure to fire up the grill and have plenty of brats on hand. The race airs live at 11 a.m. ET Sunday on USA Network. |
