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2024 BATTLE ON THE BRICKS

BMW M Team RLL Scores 1-2 Sweep at TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks

TDS Racing Reprises Indianapolis Win in LMP2


 

September 22, 2024

By John Oreovicz

IMSA Wire Service

Race Results

 

INDIANAPOLIS – The standard playbook for a six-hour IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship endurance race is “preserve the car and put yourself in position for when things get serious with an hour to go.”


 

BMW M Team RLL executed it to perfection Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.


 

Jesse Krohn and Philipp Eng led a 1-2 finish for the suburban Indianapolis-based team in the second running of the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks. Eng finished the victorious drive in the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8, crossing the speedway’s famous yard of bricks finish line 1.647 seconds ahead of the team’s similar No. 25 entry shared by Nick Yelloly and Connor De Phillippi.


 

The winners completed 219 laps of the 2.439-mile IMS road course for a total of 534.141 miles of racing over the course of six hours. Roughly an hour was run under caution early in the event due to excessive standing water from a heavy rainstorm.


 

Mathieu Jaminet and Nick Tandy finished third in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963, moving the duo to within 14 points of the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class-leading No. 7 Porsche of Felipe Nasr and Dane Cameron, who finished ninth in class on Sunday.


 

It was the second win for BMW in the GTP class, but the first achieved on track. The marque’s prior triumph with the No. 25 car came at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen in 2023 after the No. 6 Porsche was put to the rear of the class field due to a technical infraction.


 

In fact, it was the first podium finish for the No. 24 in the GTP era and the first IMSA victory for Krohn since he shared in a Grand Touring Le Mans (GTLM) class triumph in the 2020 season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Eng’s last IMSA win came exactly one year prior to that at Daytona.


 

“This is just unbelievable,” Krohn enthused. “This is my 11th year with BMW, and looking back on the journey I’ve had with them, now I can say I’ve won in every single car they put me in. This has to be one of the biggest wins of my career. First of all, I can’t even believe I’m here to begin with. Now we’re winning with the GTP car, and that’s unbelievable after the day we had today.”


 

The BMWs started fifth (No. 25) and eighth (No. 24) but quickly began to show their prowess in the race’s third hour following the lengthy safety car period. They ran fourth and sixth, respectively, late in the fifth hour when the caution again flew when the championship-leading No. 7 Porsche briefly stopped on track before continuing at a reduced pace due to power steering issues.


 

Quick pit stops by BMW M Team RLL lifted De Phillippi in the No. 25 and Eng in the No. 24 to second and third place. Eng then took advantage of traffic to slip past his teammate for second place before executing a daring pass on Louis Deletraz (No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06) into Turn 13 for the lead with 47 minutes remaining.


 

“I set it up in Turn 7 already and it went all the way down to Turn 12,” Eng explained. “I tried to get a good exit out of Turn 12, and in the earlier laps, I noticed (Deletraz) always tried a round line into the next corner. Once I was as close as I was on that lap, I just took a chance and went for it. It was hard but very fair racing.”


 

De Phillippi also soon moved past Deletraz, and the two BMWs were rarely separated by more than a second the rest of the way, surviving a tense side-by-side moment with 10 minutes to go. Jaminet was able to stay within range but never close enough mount an attack on De Phillippi.


 

“This might rank as our greatest victory as a team,” BMW M Team RLL team principal Bobby Rahal said. “It’s just so timely and represents the effort that all of us have put in. I’m so thrilled for everyone with our team and BMW M Motorsport because it has been a tough year in a lot of respects. None of our competitors really had any problems today and we were able to succeed.


 

“This is huge ... this is what you really work for, and I think we have to be very positive going into Petit Le Mans.”


 

TDS Racing Scores Repeat LMP2 Victory at Indy

Steven Thomas and Mikkel Jensen repeated their 2023 Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class victory Sunday in the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07.


 

Joined this year by Carmel, Indiana, resident Hunter McElrea, they won by a commanding 26.049 seconds over the Motul Pole Award-winning No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA shared by Nick Boulle, Tom Dillmann and Jakub Smiechowski. The No. 18 Era Motorsport ORECA featuring the driver lineup of Dwight Merriman, Ryan Dalziel and rising teen star Connor Zilisch claimed third in class.


 

The LMP2 field was shuffled a third of the way into the six-hour event when confusion for the class reorder under caution led to seven competitors being assessed drive-through penalties. McElrea, who was in the car at the time, then commenced a tremendous comeback stint that took the No. 11 back to the front.


 

Jensen took over for the final two hours, and once he got past the No. 22 United Autosports entry on older tires driven by Paul di Resta, he was dominant and pulled away with ease.


 

“The TDS car is quick here and we know our lineup is strong,” noted Jensen. “That’s why we won last year, and we were straight away fast again this year. It was quite a crazy race, but Hunter did an amazing job bringing it up to first, and that made my life easier.”


 

Both McElrea and Jensen praised Bronze-rated driver Thomas, who was in the car when it rained early and during the difficult transition from Michelin wet-weather tires to dry-condition slicks.


 

“The emotion of being able to kiss the bricks again here is one of the highlights of my career,” Thomas said. “It was a lot of fun for me. I love the rain, so it was a great experience today for me, and I think we’re now tied for the class lead in the Michelin Endurance Cup. So, we really have something to shoot for at Petit Le Mans at one of my favorite tracks.”


 

The final round of the 2024 WeatherTech Championship is the 27th annual Motul Petit Le Mans, set for October 9-12 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

 

Last-to-First Resurrection for Rexy, AO Racing in GTD PRO at Indy

Wright Adds GTD Win to Complete Porsche GT Class Sweep at the Brickyard


 

September 22, 2024

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Race Results

 

INDIANAPOLIS – At a track known widely for its more than century-long history, a fictional prehistoric creature added a new chapter to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway record books.


 

AO Racing brought back its green “Rexy” dinosaur livery on its No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) for the six-hour TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, supplanting its pink sister “Roxy” which adorned the car the last two IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races at Road America and VIRginia International Raceway.


 

And after unexpected adversity, the pair of Laurin Heinrich and Michael Christensen authored a comeback for the ages with a last-to-first, title-push bolstering third victory of the season for the team in Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO).


 

For both drivers it is their third career WeatherTech Championship win, albeit in different ways. Heinrich has won all three this year (WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Streets of Detroit). Christensen won the 2014 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in GT Le Mans (GTLM) and 2017 Rolex 24 At Daytona in GT Daytona (GTD), so this is his third win in as many different classes and in as many different IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races.


 

Heinrich qualified the No. 77 Porsche fastest of the 35 cars entered in the two GT classes at the 2.439-mile, 14-turn IMS road course. However, the car was sent to the rear of the field for not meeting the minimum ground clearance, so it rolled off 56th and last overall and 13th and last in GTD PRO.


 

What appeared a setback transitioned into a challenge, one which Heinrich accepted with open arms, especially as cloudy skies shifted to consistent to persistent rain for most of the first three hours.


 

After the first hour, Heinrich had gained 33 spots overall, and rose to 23rd overall and fourth in GTD PRO. Heinrich pitted under a lengthy early full-course yellow, just under 90 minutes into the race, and handed off to Christensen where the team could deploy its intended strategy.


 

The pivotal moment of the race occurred on the final pit stop sequence with just over one hour remaining. Entering the pits third, the AO Racing crew propelled the No. 77 Porsche to the lead ahead of the leading No. 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3 and No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3.


 

Heinrich extended the gap from the restart and ultimately secured the class victory by 12.527 seconds over Mike Rockenfeller, who shared the No. 64 Ford with Harry Tincknell to deliver that pair its second straight runner-up finish.


 

“I think starting from the very back, with many cars in front of me, I had a lot of other drivers I was racing where I could have got over-ambitious,” Heinrich explained. “So I thought, ‘Don’t rush too much.’ I wanted to get them one-by-one and it worked well.


 

“The start was a bit difficult, because the race started and I was only in Turn 12! That was a bit weird. But I think it was better and more stretched out, a bit calmer. Soon I realized we had good pace, could fuel save when I could, and took them one-by-one. It was good to prove to myself I could do that if I had to.”


 

Antonio Garcia claimed the final podium place for the No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R, in the car he shared with Alexander Sims. Garcia captured the spot after a daring inside move of Jack Hawksworth, in the No. 14 Lexus, at Turn 13 three laps from the finish.


 

Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat were fourth with Heinrich’s closest championship rival, Ross Gunn, ending fifth in the No. 23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo he shared with Alex Riberas.


 

Heinrich entered the weekend just 17 points ahead of Gunn (2,519 to 2,502). Despite the qualifying setback, with the win for AO and Gunn’s fifth place finish, that gap is now extended to 99 points (2,887 to 2,788) heading to the season finale at Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. 


 

Wright Porsche of Skeer, Adelson and Heylen Secures Emotional Victory in GTD 

Similar to AO Racing with its Porsche in GTD PRO, Wright Motorsports with its Porsche started deep in its class – GT Daytona – and emerged victorious after six hours of racing in Indianapolis.


 

When the skies opened with consistent and increasingly heavy rain, the strategy and pace propelled the trio of Elliott Skeer, Adam Adelson and Jan Heylen and their No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) forward early from 14th in a 22-car GTD class. Solid stints from all three kept them in the lead.


 

Adelson started and delivered a strong opening stint, scything through cars and avoiding the many pitfalls that caught out others. He made it into the top five and once he’d handed over to Heylen, the No. 120 Wright Porsche took the lead for the first time on Lap 54. The car added two other stints up front between Skeer and Heylen and all told led a class-high 140 of 207 laps, including the last 84.


 

The win is the first for Skeer and Adelson in WeatherTech Championship competition, while 2021 Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) class champion Heylen added his fourth career WeatherTech Championship win, all with Wright Motorsports and all in GTD. His most recent came at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in May 2022.


 

For longtime friends and co-drivers Skeer and Adelson, the emotion was especially evident post-race. The pair have two other podium finishes this year, third at both the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and also at WeatherTech Raceway.


 

“We never expected to come here and take the victory! It’s especially special,” Adelson said. “The beginning stints usually don’t matter, but here I feel I made a good contribution. There is no better car than Porsche in the wet.”


 

Skeer added, “It means everything. It’s the best day of my life by far. To win in a Porsche, to do it with my best friend, to do it with the Wright guys and to do it at Indy, this is a very, very special day.”


 

Turner Motorsport kept its championship hopes alive with a runner-up finish, achieved by the trio of Robby Foley, Patrick Gallagher and Jake Walker in the No. 96 BMW M4 GT3.


 

They’re now 222 points (3,006 to 2,784) behind championship leaders Russell Ward and Philip Ellis, who with third driver Indy Dontje finished fifth in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.


 

Mercedes-AMG completed the podium in GTD with the Motul Pole Award-winning No. 32 Korthoff/Preston Motorsports entry, driven by Mikael Grenier, Kenton Koch and Mike Skeen.


 

The WeatherTech Championship full season and Michelin Endurance Cup conclude the weekend of October 9-12, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. Coverage of the 10-hour Motul Petit Le Mans begins with live coverage on Saturday, October 12, at noon ET on NBC with coverage continuing at 6 p.m. ET on USA. The full race will be streamed on Peacock and outside the U.S. on IMSA’s Official YouTube channel. 

 

 

TireRack.com Battle On The Bricks

Post-Race Press Conference Transcript

Interviews with GTD and LMP2 Race Winners

Sunday, September 22, 2024

Indianapolis Motor Speedway


 

Interviews with: Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer

THE MODERATOR: We are joined now by our GTD winners, Adam Adelson is to the left, next to Elliott Skeer.


 

Adam, start us off, first win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. What does that mean to you?


 

ADAM ADELSON: First, Yan (Heylen) had to catch a flight and he couldn't be here.


 

First win at Indy is absolutely incredible. I've lost three championships here over the last two years, and in different racing series, and you know, Elliot asked me before this weekend if I thought this was going to be an emotional one and I said, "No, we are here to practice. We are here to learn. We are here to race and just improve for what's to come in the future."


 

Little did we know that we'd both be walking away with our first IMSA win at Indianapolis, a place which has treated us so poorly in the past. It's just absolutely incredible.


 

THE MODERATOR: Elliot, you've worked your way up through the various ranks here in the IMSA sanctioned series and elsewhere through the Porsche ranks, and now you've made it to the top of the ladder here. Tell us about it and what it means to win.


 

ELLIOTT SKEER: It's a pretty emotional day, as we say, we've yet to have a non-emotional race at Indy for highs and lows.


 

To finally win an IMSA race and to spend 20 years chasing this to do it with Wright Motorsports in a Porsche; it's literally what I've been chasing, literally that exact combo, for a decade now.


 

To not only do that, but to do it with my best friend, Adam, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it's the best day of my life without a shadow of a doubt. One of the coolest feelings. Everything that I've worked towards for it absolutely paying off with it.


 

The opportunity to kiss the bricks, you don't get that opportunity in life without being in a pretty cool situation, and then to be able to come here on a weekend that, yeah, as we were saying, we didn't think it was going to be a high emotional weekend and it comes out being the most. It's an unbelievable feeling.


 

The team did everything right. We guessed -- for the conditions today and how different they had been to the previous days, obviously with the Porsche, you had to make some adjustments for that, and they absolutely nailed it today.


 

There's an insane amount of credit that has to go to the engineers and the crew for what they did to this car to give us the opportunity to fight for the win and we just took every part of that opportunity and executed over six hours.


 

Yeah, truly, truly a special day in my life.


 

Q. Seems like you guys got to the lead early. How did you plot for all the various conditions and the chaos on track?


 

ADAM ADELSON: Well, this being my first year in IMSA and first year racing at what I like to think is a pretty professional level, for me, it's taking the start, it's always good to do that. For me to get my stints out early is kind of the goal because Elliot and Yan are considerably faster than me.


 

So pretty much for me, it's go out there, learn and try to give them the car in the best condition and in the best position that I possibly can. And you know, I do teal know that in a lot of these races, you know, the longer format ones, endurance races, that the beginning stints don't typically matter as much as the middle and the end ones.


 

Usually, it's just survive and stay on the lead lap and try to stay as high up in the pack as you can. But you know, today I really felt like I made a difference and the driver order, after that, just with the yellows and the rain, it just made sense to keep me in for the first hour 30, hour 40, and hand off to Yan and have Elliott double and have Yan finish because we wanted him to finish.


 

Q. It was a 56-car field and you had the changing conditions as it was. Could you put into context, from our vantage point up here, when it was under green flag conditions, it was pretty exciting.


 

ELLIOTT SKEER: It's definitely a different mindset in those sort of conditions in an Endurance race. It's different in it's a two-hour versus a six; if it's changing versus just a straight dry race.


 

Ultimately days like today become the one who losses the least amount of time is the one who ultimately puts themselves in the best position.


 

Adam was definitely in the most changing conditions out there, and ultimately he did an unbelievable job driving through the field in the middle of the rain and chaos to put us in a strong position; and then it became the job of both Yan and myself just to minimize any losses.


 

So the traffic is nonstop around here. It's definitely a great warm up for Petit in that sense. The traffic is unbelievable.


 

It's how little can you lose with traffic, how little can you lose making a mistake in staying out of the grass, staying out of the gravel and ultimately running a strong, consistent pace up front is what we needed to do. But it definitely took Adam being up there to get us in that position to run that pace that we needed.


 

It's definitely a lot of management. You are definitely not on a qualifying lap every lap like you are at some other tracks, which frankly I love that style of Endurance racing, just being smart with it and it all seemed to work out today.


 

Q. Is it fun, stressful or all of the above?


 

ELLIOTT SKEER: It's amazing. It's what we work for to be in all those situations. As a driver when you're out there, it's changing but you're pushing yourself. It's unlike other sports. There is a physical edge. You know, there is a grip limit to the tire so you are doing everything you can to stay as close to that as possible without going over.


 

So it's a physical challenge, a mental challenge, and at the end of the day, you know, doing that is what we live for and then ultimately to come out with a win, it truly makes a very special day.


 

Q. You talked about the setup calls, was it just that, you just had the right car under you, or were there some strategy decisions that played a part in getting to the front as well?


 

ELLIOTT SKEER: I think I can make the pun of, we definitely did have the "right" car for both the "R" and the "W" sense of the word.


 

I'd like to say, it's the most satisfying thing to win in a Porsche because it is quite hard to win in a Porsche. Everything has to be right with that car to do it, and when you do, it's truly unbelievable.


 

Ultimately with the conditions changing as much as they do, you ultimately have to play a little bit of a game in understanding what it might be the next day. We took a look at the weather and said you know what, try it this way, try it that way.


 

I think we had a good hour-and-to-hour-and-a-half discussion on the driver order, and then we threw it out the window and then we redid it, and then in the middle of the race, we changed it up again.


 

Ultimately it played out as it needed to. But I can safely, say it truly takes a team for this result to come together. As drivers, we only have the car that's under us. As the crew, they only give us what they can and let the drivers deal with it.


 

Yeah, this is the biggest team effort I've been a part of, and just everything came together today.


 

ADAM ADELSON: Just to add on to that.


 

ELLIOTT SKEER: Yeah.


 

ADAM ADELSON: We lost almost our entire first practice due to a collision with another car, and neither Elliott nor I got into the car until yesterday for the first time.


 

ELLIOTT SKEER: Yeah.


 

ADAM ADELSON: I think we really didn't have the right setup on the car, and we didn't get it right for quali either so we kind of threw the kitchen sink at it but in a very calculated way with a lot of intent in every single change.


 

I have to give a really strong shout out to the guys at Wright Motorsports because they really pulled a rabbit out of the hat with that one and gave us an incredible, incredible car that worked great in the dry. Worked great in the wet. It was comfortable to drive. It was just amazing.


 

Q. Hearing that, does it make it even more impressive that you led 140 out of the 207 laps that the GTD class completed?


 

ADAM ADELSON: Absolutely.


 

ELLIOTT SKEER: Without a doubt.


 

ADAM ADELSON: Absolutely. Without a doubt.


 

ELLIOTT SKEER: I got us up there.


 

ADAM ADELSON: These guys are some proper, proper wheelmen. I got us into the Top-10, and I think we started 16th and ended up in fifth, and then Yan drove it straight to the front.


 

ELLIOTT SKEER: I just drove around. Did what I can with it, and when you get the position up there, it's a lot easier to make it happen.


 

But you were definitely in the muck of it to say the least. Had to keep the nose clean. Kept all the guide plans on and put us in the position with it. So a lot of variables today to say the least.


 

ADAM ADELSON: I didn't want to get out. They were like -- box this lap. I was like, wait, I can go a little bit longer.


 

ELLIOTT SKEER: Tires were good. Yeah, we sensed that for sure.

Interviews with: Hunter McElrea, Mikkel Jensen and Steven Thomas


 

THE MODERATOR: Okay. We are joined now by our winners in the LMP2 class, from left-to-right: Hunter McElrea, Mikkel Jensen and Steven Thomas. This is the team's first win of the season.


 

THE MODERATOR: Hunter, why don't you start us off, your first win comes here at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. What does it mean to you?


 

HUNTER MCELREA: I love this place. I it's kind of like my home track in America. I live in Carmel (ph) during the year, so I have a lot of experience in the Road to Indy stuff, and it took me so long. I got second eight times and it was really annoying, and I won last year Indy Lights and I was joking it would be cool to go back-to-back because obviously they won it last year as well.


 

It's cool. I was hopeful. I felt like we would be quick here. But, honestly, without sounding cocky, we've been literally fast everywhere. And we kind of felt robbed at Sebring, like we did -- everybody did an amazing job, and it was a bit of a lottery with how the yellow fell.


 

We knew we had the speed. We just needed things to click, and yeah, I'm happy. It's really nice to win an IMSA and to do it with these two guys that have done a lot for me, it's super cool.


 

THE MODERATOR: We'll slide over to Mikkel. As Hunter mentioned, you were quick on Friday and led the practice session. Was it just kind of a weekend where everything clicked for you guys all together?


 

MIKKEL JENSEN: The TDS car is very good here. That's why we won last year. We went out in FP1, we were straightaway quick again. I didn't participate in the test, but these guys were also fast at the test. At least what I got reported and saw from all the data and lap time.


 

So we had big trust in the team for this race. We know our lineup is strong. We know our car is strong. So we just needed to execute the strategy today and have the weather on our side as well.


 

It was quite a crazy race for Steven starting on slicks, getting on the wets, then we had a long time under the safety car. And then Hunter did an amazing job bringing it up to first, and yeah, that made my life easier as well.


 

Just super happy to be back on the top step, back-to-back wins in Indianapolis. And as Hunter said, I think we should have won Sebring. We were the fastest in Watkins Glen as well, but we crashed.


 

So, yeah, luck has not been on our side, but we just take one race at a time. Now we won this one, and one more to go to win.


 

THE MODERATOR: Steven, you got to feel what it was like to kiss the bricks here last year, and now you get to do it again. What are the emotions like with that?


 

STEVE THOMAS: Well, I think this is a very satisfying race. I think whenever a Bronze is driving around in the rain, everyone is pretty nervous.


 

It was a lot of fun for me. I love the rain. So it was a great experience today for me, and you know, now we're tied for the Endurance, first place in the Endurance Cup, so we really have something to shoot for Petit Le Mans, one of my favorite tracks.


 

But the emotions of coming back here and being able to kiss the bricks again, one of the highlights of my racing career, and to be able to do it with Mikkel Jensen, who I think is the best P2 driver in the world, maybe best wet driver in the world, too; and Hunter, who has proven to be the fastest Silver, it's really been a pleasure to drive with them.


 

Q. Not who was in the car at the time, but there was a penalty --

HUNTER MCELREA: That was me.


 

Q. Did you think your race could have been over?


 

HUNTER MCELREA: Well, my engineer is French, and he's really hard to understand on a good day. I can't tell what he's saying on a good day.


 

So what happened was, some weird stuff sometimes happens on like the long yellows, full course yellows, and the pass around was not happening. And I was getting passed by cars, and I was super confused.


 

So I was kind of whining about that, like what's going on. And then I got the drive through and then spun by a GT, like the same time, and I'm like, Oh, I'm probably a lap down last. And then next thing you know, at the end of the stint I'm leading by ten seconds.


 

So it sums IMSA up. It's crazy. You're never out of the fight. I think Ara (ph) is the legend of being two laps down and somehow being in the fight every time, I don't know how.


 

But yeah, it's just IMSA, really. I have no idea and I still don't have any idea. I just do what I'm told. But yeah, it was super confusing, and then I was very pleasantly surprised when we were P5 in the lead lap and I knew, I felt like we had -- I knew I could at least get to the front. Yeah, it was nice to get to the lead and check out.


 

Q. For Steven, there's a lot of good Bronze in a deep field in LMP2 this year. What does it say when a Bronze is able to make such a difference at the start when it is such treacherous conditions?


 

STEVE THOMAS: Yeah, I hear the Bronze field, when I first started a couple of years ago, it was me and Ben Keating trading back and forth. And now it looks like every Bronze out there looks like my child, you know (Laughter).


 

You know, we're in our 50s. I think -- there's all these 30-year-olds now, and they really drive. They are in single-seaters, and I started driving when I was 51. You go out and look at the field and, you think, wow, we really have to work hard and bring our game. And it's just made me work harder and harder and harder in the sim and harder with Mikkel and Hunter because the Bronze field now, I mean, it's got to be the best Bronze field ever in IMSA and the prototype. It's got to be. I mean, these guys are good.


 

MIKKEL JENSEN: I hope for the future that the Bronzes are German drivers and not drivers that have been driving since they were young kids.


 

Q. Out of respect for our German friend, two questions for Hunter. You touched on your Road to Indy experience earlier. How much did that help you have a head start going into this weekend?


 

HUNTER MCELREA: It was nice. Steven has given me an opportunity to where I've had a lot of testing, so I don't necessarily feel like I'm unprepared when I come to the race. But I've never driven any track on a schedule apart from here until now, obviously, right.


 

Like before the year, I had only driven here on the whole schedule. So it's been a lot of learning. Road Atlanta, I've never driven, so it's going to be another learning for a little bit.


 

Honestly, I really like this track. I don't know, you just never know -- like Indy Lights car is a little different, and obviously the single-seater stuff to the P2 in a way, but similar, but also different in its own way. I didn't want to assume we were going to be fast.


 

But I kind of knew, probably, halfway through the first day of testing we were doing, I was like, okay, we need to get our basics right and we'll probably win, hopefully.


 

It's never easy, but the pace will be there. It helped me a lot, truthfully. Even in the wet, knowing where the grip was, I had a really fun stint in the wet, and it was all stuff I already knew, which was nice because usually I'm just trying stuff all the time and learning on the go.


 

Q. You've come up through the open-wheel ladder in America. I know it's probably been your main focus and trying to make that No. 1, but how do drives like this and performances like this secure a sports car future in America to keep doing this more and more and more if IndyCar just fizzles out for you?


 

HUNTER MCELREA: Yeah, I don't know. I had no idea I was going to be racing sports cars, really, last year at this time. But I literally had nothing. Like I had no drive at all.


 

And he sent me an Instagram DM and said, "Do you want to drive for us?"


 

I had never met this guy. I was like, Is this guy pranking me?


 

MIKKEL JENSEN: He was the best-looking guy.


 

Hunter McElrea: Steven funds it and makes it possible, Steven and his wife, Emily. He kind of runs the program. I kind of have two bosses in a way.


 

But no, it's been so cool to join them, and it's funny because it's true. It's been so cool to join them. And I don't know what happens next year with ratings and stuff like that. If I stay Silver, then I think I'd love to be back with these guys. But depending on a lot of things maybe out of my control, I don't really know what next year looks like. I feel like I did a good job today, we all did, but hopefully it's enough to get me something, especially if I'm upgraded.


 

Q. If you could talk about the last move, I think you had to get by the 22 at the end for the lead, you sort of bumped him out of the way in turn one. Did you know you were that much stronger? Talk about the move and how you pulled it off.


 

MIKKEL JENSEN: It was a crazy stint at the end because some guys, depending how long their fuel stop would be, some would not take tires and some took two tires like we did, only two new on the left. Some took a full set because a longer fuel stop, and I was obviously informed that Paul di Resta would be on older rubber than I was.


 

And yeah, I went for the gap. We are good friends off the track. So I hope he wouldn't do anything stupid to me, and he didn't. So it turned out well, everything.


 

Q. Then you just drove away at that point.


 

MIKKEL JENSEN: I think we had better tires at that point, and then we drove away but still surprised about the pace. I mean, we were faster than Dillmann having four tires, we only had two tires.


 

So I really had to manage towards the end, I mean, the right front, the right side of the tires. Did a double stint; was harder to make it last. But a TDS car is strong, and it's all about trying to be smart and not using too much tires in traffic when you get the dirty air, and just make it last over the stint.



FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

 

 

TireRack.com Battle On The Bricks

Post-Race Press Conference Transcript

Interviews with GTP/Overall Race Winners and Second-Place Finishers;

GTD PRO Winners

Sunday, September 22, 2024

Indianapolis Motor Speedway


 

Interviews with:

Connor De Phillippi, Nick Yelloly, Bobby Rahal, Jesse Krohn, Philipp Eng


 

THE MODERATOR: Good evening, everybody. We are pleased to be joined now by our first- and second-place finishers here at the Tirerack.com Battle on the Bricks. Identifying everybody from left-to-right, we have Connor De Phillippi, Nick Yelloly, Bobby Rahal, Jesse Krohn and Philipp Eng.

Start with our second-place finishers here. Connor and Nick, Nick, start us off. Obviously a very, very strong day for the whole program here. How big was this for the team, and can you talk about what it does for your morale as a group?


 

NICK YELLOLY: First off, it's a great day for BMW, obviously, to have a 1, 2 here. It was something that we were aiming for and have been obviously trying all year to get. I feel like we've had the opportunities to be at least on the podium a number of times, and things haven't quite gone our way, let's say.


 

So far this year and finally today we showed great pace, great strategy and drove really well, as well as a team, and of course I'm really, really happy for BMW Motorsport and RLL. RLL, obviously, are based only just down the road in Zionsville. So to have Bobby sit next to me on my left and have him celebrate a 1, 2 at the Brickyard is something really special.


 

For myself and Connor, it's been basically a year since we had our last podium after going on a decent run last year. Very relieved and happy for everyone back in Munich and, of course, BMW North America, as well. Onwards and upwards to Petit in a few weeks' time.


 

THE MODERATOR: Connor, you finished the race in the car, looked really, really close for most of it. Tell us about it.


 

CONNOR DE PHILLIPPI: Yeah, it was a monumental weekend for all of us. We never completed a 1, 2 finish, and certainly finally sealing the deal was just an amazing feeling, really.


 

Today it wasn't about us as drivers. It was about the team and BMW. At the end of the race, certainly we were battling. But really I was trying to go as fast as I could and keep the others behind as well. I saw them catching us. Both of us were kind of on slightly different strategies, but at the end of the day, we were both having to save energy.


 

In the end it worked out. We were navigating traffic and taking risk here and there, but overall we had to really just be -- it was so easy to make mistakes out there with traffic.


 

There was twice where I was next to a GT car, and I don't think he actually physically saw me. I don't think he wanted to be aggressive, but he just turned straight into me.


 

Stuff like that, I think we escaped, somehow. Everyone had at least two or three contacts. So just to complete that, not have any issues, tire failures going on, I was just praying that none of that hit us at the end and finally had some luck fall our way, which it did.


 

Super happy for everybody and proud to be part of the program.


 

THE MODERATOR: We'll skip over Bobby and go to our race winners in the No. 24, Jesse Krohn and Philipp Eng.


 

Jesse, why don't you start us off. Congratulations. How does it feel to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.


 

JESSE KROHN: This is such a legendary place. First of all, to be racing here in the top class with one of the greatest car manufacturers in the world with Bobby next to me, it's just unbelievable. And this is my 11th year with BMW, and for everything that we have gone through together, it culminates to this moment being here in the top class and winning this race. It means so much to me.


 

And I know that the team has had a hard time, as well. It's no secret we've had a tough year. So we knew that we had the package to do well. We just needed a little bit of luck on our side, and today it came, and it's also only because of hard work, hard work by the team and by BMW bringing us to this moment.

So it's a huge thanks to all of these guys.


 

THE MODERATOR: We'll slide over to Philipp. As Jesse just mentioned, hard work. How hard of work did you have to do to hold off your teammate and everybody else to win this thing?


 

PHILIPP ENG: Yeah, super happy for BMW M Motorsport, BMW and team RLL, for Jesse, my teammates, myself. It's been an incredible day. So many ups and downs early in the race. Much more downs than ups, actually.


 

But then we ended up in this amazing position to be leading the race. We knew that it was energy limited. So we had to -- or I had to save a lot of energy to make it to the end.


 

I knew that the cars around were in a similar position, but the team guided me very well through the whole stint. So I always knew what I had to do and how much I needed to save.


 

And it reminded me that it's quite an emotional win, actually, because it reminded me back to the days where life was a bit tough and buying fuel for my car wasn't so easy. It reminded me quite a lot to those times because that's what I had to do to make it to the end of the race and eventually get us the win.


 

Yeah, super happy for everybody. I hope this is only the first of many and the next one will hopefully follow in Petit Le Mans in a few weeks' time.


 

THE MODERATOR: Going to the team owner, Bobby Rahal. You've managed to win here as a driver, and won some Indy 500s and all of that with the team. How do you put this one into context?


 

BOBBY RAHAL: I have to tell you, given all the craziness of this week, this may rank as our greatest victory as a team. You know, I'm so pleased for these guys who have done a great job, not just this year but last year and this year.


 

Our relationship with BMW Motorsport, I mean, these people work night and day just as we do as a team to try to get us to this position that we achieved today. I'm just so thrilled for everyone in our team and at BMW Motorsport because it's been, you know -- it's been a tough year in a lot of respects.


 

Last year, we had a number of podiums, and I don't know, maybe we thought it's a little easier than it is, and this year, it's been more difficult. And to do it today, none of our competitors really had any problems and yet we were able to succeed.


 

This is huge. This is what you really work for. I have to say, I think going into Petit Le Mans, we have to think very positively about that. That's a long race, as this one was. But today, as I said, this may be, outside of my Indy 500 win, personally, my win, this may be the most important win we've had, and because it's just so timely and it just represents all the effort that all of us have put in, these guys, RLL and of course BMW Motorsport. Great day for us.


 

Q. Given the craziness, to put it mildly, this week, how critical was it to pick up the first 1, 2 on-track win with this car?


 

BOBBY RAHAL: Hang on, remember, we had a number of second places last year.


 

Q. This year, I think they got the first podium.


 

BOBBY RAHAL: I know, but we had numerous podiums last year. Regardless of what happened this week -- I won't go into that. If anybody wants to ask, I won't go into that.


 

But all these guys, us, these young drivers, Motorsport, everybody has worked their butt off to have a day like today. And we've had where we qualified well and just in the race, didn't quite work out.


 

For our team, and I think everybody in Munich and for everybody in Zionsville who works day-in and day-out on this program, this is huge for us. Because this is -- I don't want to say retribution, but this is reward for all of the effort that everybody has put in.


 

And so I'm so happy. I'm so happy for these guys, for our team, for the people in Munich who bust their butts for this program. I'm really, you know, I couldn't be happier.


 

Yes, I'm happy for us. I'm happy for me. Happy for us. But I'm really happy for the whole group. Because I, frankly, think we've worked hard and we earned it, and today was a great day for us.


 

Q. The pass for the lead, would you elaborate how you set that up? And second part, any fuel concerns or was it fine from your perspective in the car?


 

PHILIPP ENG: You mean the pass to the 40? It all happened so quickly, sometimes it's hard to recall after the race. I set it up already in turn 7, I believe, and it went all the way down to -- what's that corner? Turn 12? I just tried to get a good exit out of turn 12. In the laps early, I saw that he always tried a round line into that corner, into turn 13. Once I was as close as I was, that lap, I just took a chance and went for it, and it paid off. And he was very fair -- I don't know who was in the car at the time -- Deletraz? He's very fair. Very hard racing, but very fair racing with him.


 

I didn't get to hear the intercom what was going on.


 

BOBBY RAHAL: I heard, it was intense.


 

PHILIPP ENG: The team, they instructed me extremely well, what I needed to do and how much I needed to save. But I knew that we were really critical on energy. If I wasn't wearing gloves, I would have bit my fingernails off, probably.


 

Q. What do you think made this weekend be what it is considering you guys have had a lot of unlucky breaks over the course of the year and everything sort of just came together?


 

BOBBY RAHAL: Well, I mean, I think everybody works hard. I spoke to the guys in practice and, you know, Philipp said to me, The car is really good over the long run.


 

So he may not have had the one-lap pace or whatever, and that made me feel good because obviously that's pretty important. As I said, we just came back from a test at Road Atlanta, right, guys, and found some things there. The amount of work that our team, our drivers, our associates at Motorsport have put in is phenomenal. It's tough.


 

I just think that today we unloaded pretty good off the trailer. We had pretty good cars and made some tweaks here and there. These guys did a super job. I just think we all -- as I said, I asked, What do you think?


 

Yeah, I think we are good in race conditions. I think we are pretty good. We qualified fifth and eighth, I think it was, and we weren't the fastest. Three or four tenths off the Acuras, I think, was the fastest. But come race day that didn't matter, did it. Pit stops were good. Strategy was good.


 

To win one of these races, everything has to be in sync, and everything's got to work. And today was one of those days for us. And I just can't imagine, really, a better place for us as a team, for BMW, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.


 

As I said, I don't think you can overstate the importance and the value of this facility on your resume, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That means a lot. And to win here, yeah, just awesome, and I'm so pleased. As I said earlier, all the work that everybody has put in, today was a good day.


 

Q. I believe you were one of the first to go on slicks after the rain. What role did that play in the overall strategy and scheme?


 

JESSE KROHN: I mean, they asked if I could do it. They said, What do you think? Are you happy to go out on slicks?


 

I was quiet for a while, and I said, Yeah, let's do it. Because it really looked like it's going to be the time for slicks.


 

Obviously, like Bobby said, everything has to go together so this played a big part of how we ended up where we did. It was probably the sketchiest six laps of my life. I just -- every time I even thought on going on power, I had wheel spin and the car was almost gone off.


 

So it was super tough. It was the right call from the team. That saved us a pit stop. Every time we stop, there is a chance of things going wrong. So definitely the right call, and it was hard on my shoulders, a lot of responsibility, but in these races in IMSA, you've just got to make sure that you are there in the last two hours with the car in one piece, and today we did it as a team.


 

PHILIPP ENG: Yeah, not on the phone -- you can curse, you know. Because I could see the word on his lips. (Laughter.)


 

Q. Was there any communication from the pit stand toward the end about the racing and the closeness of the combat between the two cars?


 

JESSE KROHN: There was a lot. Actually, I was listening to it, and I had to take off the headphones because it was stressful. I was like, I've done my job. Let it play out.


 

There was a lot of talk about the fuel, what the competitors are doing and how much fuel we have to save if we are going to make it at some point. It sounded like there's no chance, but Philipp just drove on fumes. And I don't know how he had the pace with the fuel numbers he was achieving, but this was really a great, great drive by Philipp and shows what a driver he is.


 

BOBBY RAHAL: I have to say, these guys know about rule No. 2 at RLL, which is don't take your teammate out. Although I have to say, when you pass on the pit exit, pass, I think it was, Philipp, I go, Oh, boy, I'm going to hear about this.


 

And then when Philipp passed -- went to the lead, I said, Okay, it's all evened out. I'm not going to have to deal with this.


 

No, they drove as professionals, they really did. I don't know if anybody said, hey, do this or do that or don't do this or don't do that. But they are professionals.


 

Today we really saw the best of this group today, these drivers who are super competitive, super smart. And, yeah, it was just a thrill to watch them do their thing.


 

Q. Now I have to ask, if Rule No. 2 is don't hit your teammate, what's Rule No. 1?

BOBBY RAHAL: I can't tell you.


 

PHILIPP ENG: Team secret.


 

BOBBY RAHAL: Team secret. Maybe I'll tell you privately what Rule No. 1 is.


 

Q. For Jesse and Philipp, you won in GTE cars before. What does it mean to win overall in a top class?


 

PHILIPP ENG: Well, I can remember the day very well that I got the call that I'm in the program. I was super happy. And the dream was to at least win a race, and here we are today. So it's a very special moment in my career to be sitting here right now and to be celebrating a victory for us. But a double victory for the brand is incredible, and that's what we are all working for.


 

Q. Philipp, I saw your great move for the lead on the 40, but I somehow missed -- at the last restart, it seemed like was the 40, 25, 24. I missed how you got by the 25.


 

PHILIPP ENG: Connor was a bit stuck behind traffic in the last corner coming back on the banking, and I trusted a run on him. I was lucky, I think, and then it was very fair. We were side-by-side going into turn one. We raced very hard, but we raced very hard as teammates, and we know there is something bigger than us. Congratulations again and thanks for joining us.


 

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

148515-1-1222 2024-09-22 22:56:00 GM

Interviews with: Laurin Heinrich and Michael Christensen


 

THE MODERATOR: We are joined now by our GTD Pro winners here in the Tirerack.com Battle on the Bricks, Laurin Heinrich and Michael Christensen. This is the team's third win of the season, also Laurin's third victory.

Michael, why don't you start us off. Always good to win at an historic venue like this. Be interested in your perspective on being able to bring it home today for this group.


 

MICHAEL CHRISTENSEN: Yeah, Indianapolis is a great venue. Somewhat a home track for another team that I race for in Europe. But, no, it's great to come here and support AO Racing and Laurin for the championship, and that was the whole purpose of being here, to try to support and help as good as I can.

I felt like we accomplished a very, very strong race after a most difficult start to the race. I've had a few of those lately, but this time was a good one.


 

Yeah, the team did a great job on the setup and the strategy and Laurin, his driving, and I did my part, too.


 

THE MODERATOR: Laurin, now a 99-point lead with just the season finale ahead of you, and obviously we know what happened yesterday, but talk about putting that behind you and getting the win and building that advantage back up as you look ahead.


 

LAURIN HEINRICH: What happened yesterday for sure was very disappointing, I said to you already yesterday, and then I started from very last. It was not so great. It was quite tough. But, to be honest, when I came to the track this morning and I saw every team member being so motivated and so fired up for the race, I knew that we can win this.


 

And it was great to see that mood and that commitment from the team, and I think that also helped Michael and me to keep our heads up. And in the end I really appreciate, also, Michael's support coming here to support me and the team and the championship because he usually has another much more important, I would say, program in Europe. I think it's not easy to just say, okay, I come to Indianapolis and Road Atlanta just to help. Yeah, thanks for that. Really appreciate it. Great job from him in the rain. That was really difficult conditions. I drove in the safety car, and it was really hard to keep the car in check. I can't imagine how it was during the green flag.


 

Third win of the season, 99-point lead is good, but it will be a tough race in Road Atlanta, ten hours of racing to go.


 

Q. There was a lot of traffic and chaos in the beginning of the race. There was a little bit of contact with the 23 car at one point. Can you talk me through that?


 

MICHAEL CHRISTENSEN: There was a lot of contact. I'm not sure with who, but at least we have a pair of endurance lights in our bumper from an Aston Martin; it was that hard we got hit.


 

And in turn 8 we got pushed off -- I think it was turn 23, but he was hitting me that hard, he went himself, off, too. So that was a bit weird. But we kept the car in one piece and ultimately passed them and moved on from there.


 

I thought it was an interesting strategy from various people to be that aggressive in a six-hour race. But, yeah, we managed not to have too much damage and kept our focus on the ultimate goal to win.


 

Q. How important is this for the championship?

LAURIN HEINRICH: It's great. As Michael said, we went through a lot in this race, especially with our championship competitors. If they have to catch up 99 points in Atlanta, I don't know what they will do there, but we will find out.


 

Yeah, I mean, for sure, for the championship, coming from Europe, 99 points, that sounds crazy, but that's not as much as it sounds. We still have to stretch our legs. I think Atlanta is a decent track for the Porsche. I've never been there in a GT3 car, but I'm very much looking forward to one of the greatest tracks in the U.S. I think it's a great place to finish off the season.


 

Looking back, all these races, Petit Le Mans races, have been quite chaotic. It's important to keep the nose clean and hopefully celebrate the championship Saturday night in Atlanta.


 

Q. Looked like you were able to move up pretty significantly; you got up to 20-something overall or third or fourth in class. Can you describe your first stint, especially with the weather coming?


 

LAURIN HEINRICH: I think starting from the very back and knowing the many cars in front of me were Bronze drivers or slower drivers, it's easy to get overambitious. I really told myself that I want to hold a bit back and don't rush too much because I knew it's a long race, six hours, and we knew rain was coming. That was a bit my approach. I wanted to get them one by one, and I think that's worked out pretty well.


 

The start was a bit difficult because, I mean, the rain started, and I was in turn 12. So that was a bit weird. I wasn't really prepared for that. I think it was better. You know, it was a bit more stretched out going through the first corners, a bit calmer.


 

Soon I realized I had good pace and fuel saved when I can, when I needed, and when I needed to attack, I took them one by one. Yeah, that worked out well, and I think it's also good for me to prove it to myself that I can do something like this.


 

Q. After you received the news yesterday about the issue and inspection, how much of that changed the entire strategy going into the race? Did you just basically throw the whole strategy book away and try something brand new, or was there not much that you had to change because you knew you had such a fast car in the first place?


 

LAURIN HEINRICH: I didn't have pole by 3/10ths or something. I knew that the others were in fast cars.


 

Yeah, the thing; the track is so short, so essentially when you do a full pit stop, you lose a lap, and when you start from the back, already when you do any pit stop, you lose a lap.


 

For sure the strategy changed a bit. We always set the priority to overcut the leaders when possible. And I think that worked well because, yeah, starting from the back, you just need to stay on the lead lap. That's the main priority. That worked well. And I think, also, some (indiscernible) helped us to pack up the field again and be a bit closer to the overall leaders again.


 

Q. And while winning from the front of the GT field is not quite as chaotic for the most part, was it fun going through all those cars?


 

LAURIN HEINRICH: For sure it's fun, but I think it's more fun to have nothing to lose, really. And I think in this race, there was a lot to lose.


 

It was a bit tense, but I think the key is to just stay relaxed and don't do more than what is possible or what the car can do or what the situation allows. And I think that's also quite a lot where I learned something in that race in that regard.


 

So very good race for me and for my driving development. And, yeah, I hope in Atlanta, maybe we can start a bit further ahead.


 

Q. The team move of the race might be your final exit from the pit stall to get in the lead. Was there less fuel time needed for y'all, or was it just the crew executed and you slid the car sideways into the lead?


 

MICHAEL CHRISTENSEN: Yeah, I don't know. To be honest, I lost a bit of track on what was up and down and where we were and fuel and others and all that.


 

So, to be honest, I didn't know much of where I would end up. But for sure the team had a good view on strategy, and I think, yeah, we had a good couple of hours in the beginning of the race that put us in a good position. For sure we tried to save some fuel whenever we can. For example, fighting with someone, you probably don't save so much fuel. And, yeah, anyway, I think we did what we could, as good as possible, and in the end that made us come towards the front.


 

We were a little bit unlucky with the safety car, got a caution, where we could have pitted and we just managed to do it the next lap which forced us a bit backwards again. It's like that, give and take. The main point is we came to the front and we had a fast car, and Laurin did a good job in the end.



FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

 

 

Unofficial Results, Points & Post-Race Nuggets | WeatherTech Championship

TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks

Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Sunday, September 22, 2024
Once available, unofficial race results will be on results.imsa.com.

 
Unofficial points will be available at pitnotes.org/points.

GTP

No. 24 BMW M Team RLL | BMW M Hybrid V8

  • 23rd IMSA win
  • Second GTP win
  • First win of 2024 (last win at Watkins Glen, June 2023, No. 25 GTP)
  • First win at Indianapolis, best previous finish was third in GTP in 2023
  • Sixth different GTP winning car in 2024
  • Last time BMW-powered cars finished 1-2 in the top-level prototype class was in 2013 at Indianapolis in Grand-Am (BMW Riley DP with Starworks Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing)

Philipp Eng

  • 34 years old from Salzburg, Austria
  • Second career win in 30th start
  • First win in second Indianapolis start
  • First win in 2024

Jesse Krohn

  • 34 years old from Nurmijarvi, Finland
  • Third career win in 56th start
  • First win at Indianapolis in first start
  • First win of 2024

 

LMP2

No. 11 TDS Racing | ORECA LMP2 07

  • Third IMSA win
  • Second straight win at Indianapolis
  • First win of 2024
  • Fifth different LMP2 car to win in 2024

Mikkel Jensen

  • 29 years old from Hasselager, Denmark
  • Ninth career win in 25th start
  • Last win was at Indianapolis in 2023
  • Second consecutive win at Indianapolis

Steven Thomas

  • 57 years old from Carl Junction, Missouri
  • Fourth career win in 27th start
  • Last win was at Indianapolis in 2023
  • Second consecutive win at Indianapolis
  • First win of 2024

Hunter McElrea

  • 24 years old from New Zealand
  • First career win in fourth start
  • Previous best finish was second at Sebring in 2023
  • Win in first start at Indianapolis


 

GTD PRO


No. 77 AO Racing | Porsche 911 GT3 R

  • Third IMSA win, all in GTD PRO
  • Third win of 2024
  • Won from rear of GT field
  • First win at Indianapolis in second start
  • Third win of 2024 (Laguna Seca, Detroit), most of any GTD PRO team

Michael Christensen

  • 34 years old from Karlsunde, Denmark
  • Third career win in 29th start
  • Last win was at 2017 Rolex 24 At Daytona GTD class
  • First win at Indianapolis in first start at track
  • Third start with AO Racing in 2024

Laurin Heinrich

  • 22 years old from Kurnach, Germany
  • Third career win in ninth start
  • First win at Indianapolis in first start at track
  • Third win of 2024 (Laguna Seca, Detroit)

 

GTD

No. 120 Wright Motorsports | Porsche 911 GT3 R

  • Eighth IMSA win
  • Last win was at Laguna Seca in 2022
  • First win at Indianapolis in third start
  • Previous best finish at Indianapolis was sixth in GTD in 2023


 

Jan Heylen

  • 44 years old from Geel, Belgium
  • Fourth IMSA win in 64th start
  • Last win was at Laguna Seca in 2022
  • First win at Indianapolis in second start
  • Previous best Indianapolis finish was 11th in 2014 GTD

Adam Adelson

  • 27 years old from Las Vegas, Nevada
  • First IMSA win in eighth start
  • Previous best finish was third (twice), most recently at Laguna Seca 2024
  • First win at Indianapolis in first start

Elliott Skeer

  • 30 years old from Huntington, N.Y.
  • First IMSA win in eighth start
  • Previous best finish was third (twice), most recently at Laguna Seca 2024
  • First win at Indianapolis in first start

 

 

Eng, Krohn, No. 24 Lead 1-2 BMW Finish at TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks

No. 6 Penske Porsche Places Third to Move within 14 Points of GTP Lead


 

September 22, 2024

By Mark Robinson

IMSA Wire Service

 

Unofficial Race Results

 

INDIANAPOLIS – BMW delivered an impressive 1-2 finish Sunday at the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, the six-hour IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Philipp Eng drove the No. 24 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 across the finish line 1.647 seconds ahead of teammate Connor De Phillippi in the sister No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8.


 

It was the first win for the No. 24, which Eng shared with co-driver Jesse Krohn, in the second season of the hybrid-electrified Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class. It was also the first 1-2 GTP finish for BMW M Team RLL.


 

Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet finished third overall and in GTP in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963. With the other Porsche Penske car, the No. 7 driven by Felipe Nasr and Dane Cameron, suffering power steering issues and finishing ninth in class, it unofficially closed the No. 6 within 14 points of the No. 7 for the GTP lead with one race remaining in the 2024 WeatherTech Championship season.


 

The race on iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course began in light rain that grew steadily heavier. A full-course caution just 45 minutes into the race lasted nearly an hour as track service crews worked to move standing water from the track in several areas.


 

When the green flag waved again with just more than four hours to go, the rain soon stopped, the track dried and full-on racing took place throughout the 56-car field around the 2.439-mile, 14-turn circuit. Eight different cars led in GTP alone, with Eng powering past Louis Deletraz in the No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06 and into the lead with a daring move in Turn 13 with 46 minutes remaining. Eng was challenged several times by De Phillippi after that but held strong to secure his second career win and the third for Krohn.


 

Other class winners on Sunday were: Steven Thomas, Mikkel Jensen and Hunter McElrea in the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07 in Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2); Laurin Heinrich and Michael Christensen in the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R in Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO); and Adam Adelson, Elliott Skeer and Jan Heylen in the No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R in Grand Touring Daytona (GTD).


 

The 2024 WeatherTech Championship season closes with the 27th annual Motul Petit Le Mans on Saturday, Oct. 12 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Live coverage is available on NBC and Peacock starting at noon ET.
 

 

 

No. 01 Cadillac Leads Soggy Battle on the Bricks at Halfway Mark

Heavy Rain Subsides as Racing Intensity Picks Up


 

September 22, 2024

By Mark Robinson

IMSA Wire Service

Three-Hour Results

 

INDIANAPOLIS – As conditions at Indianapolis Motor Speedway began drying following earlier rain, Renger van der Zande led the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks in the No. 01 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R halfway through the six-hour IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race today.


 

Watch the exciting conclusion to the race live on NBC and Peacock in the U.S. and on YouTube.com/IMSAOfficial outside the U.S.


 

The opening three hours on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course featured dramatically changing conditions throughout. The race started with a light rain falling at the drop of the green flag that turned into a heavier downpour, which forced a full-course caution of nearly an hour while track crews worked to remove standing water in several locations around the circuit as well as on pit lane. Racing resumed with just over four hours to go and the chase was on.


 

The No. 01 Cadillac was one of seven Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) cars to take turns leading the race overall in the opening half. Van der Zande was ahead of Nick Yelloly in the No. 25 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 as the field followed the safety car under the fourth full-course caution of the race at the three-hour mark. Sebastien Bourdais, van der Zande’s co-driver in the No. 01 and winner of the Motul Pole Award in GTP qualifying on Saturday, led the bulk of the laps, including the entire caution period under the wettest conditions.


 

Skies remained overcast when racing resumed but the rain eventually stopped, with teams returning to dry-condition slick Michelin tires as the track dried out. Other class leaders at the three-hour mark were: the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07 in Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 in Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and the No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R in Grand Touring Daytona.


 

The Battle on the Bricks was extended to six hours in length this year, making it an added round of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. With points added at the three-hour mark of today’s race, the Michelin Endurance Cup season leaders were: the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 in GTP, No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07 in LMP2, No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 in GTD PRO and No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in GTD.

 

 

Francis, Taurino Seize Super Trofeo Pro Class Control with Indy Win

Berkeley’s Late Pass Seals ProAm Win; McGee, McIntosh Sweep in Am; Vales Overcomes Penalty to Win in LB Cup


 

September 21, 2024

By Mark Robinson

IMSA Wire Service

Race 2 Results

 

INDIANAPOLIS – Ernie Francis Jr. and Giano Taurino knew it was vital to have a strong weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway if they wanted to cement their position as Pro class leaders in Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America. Their win Saturday following a third-place finish the day before did just that.


 

The duo put together a powerful drive to the overall and Pro class victory Saturday in the No. 88 TR3 Racing, Lamborghini Miami Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2. The result opened an unofficial 12-point advantage for them in the standings with just two races remaining in November at Jerez, Spain.


 

Francis started third in class and fourth overall but quickly motored into the Pro lead on the first green-flag lap. He and Taurino dodged potential disaster during the mandatory pit stop when their car became entangled with two others entering and exiting the pits directly in front of them.


 

Fortunately, the No. 88 Huracán didn’t sustain damage, Taurino still led when the pit cycle concluded and he went on to win by 2.772 seconds over Nico Jamin and Kiko Porto in the No. 4 Ansa Motorsports, Lamborghini Broward Huracán. Jamin and Porto are now a dozen points behind Francis and Taurino. Ryan Norman and Danny Formal finished third in the No. 1 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán and fell 13 points from the lead.


 

“This is a great step for us in the championship, trying to close the door on this one,” said Francis, who starred in Trans-Am racing before joining Super Trofeo this year. “It is so stressful being outside the car (while Taurino finished); I was praying the entire time. We knew what we had to do this weekend, we had to capitalize on it and maximize the points. … We did exactly what we needed to do.”


 

Taurino finished second and third in the last two Pro class championships. He was elated with where he and Francis sit now following the Indy weekend.


 

“It feels very good,” he said. “All the hard work that we’re doing is starting to pay off. It’s a blessing. We’ll keep our faith and we’ll do our best to close this out. “

Luke Berkeley made a daring late pass for the ProAm class lead in the No. 64 MLT Motorsports, Lamborghini Naples Huracán that he shared with Garrett Adams to deliver the duo’s first win together. Berkeley’s move came on AJ Muss in the No. 66 Forty7 Motorsports, Lamborghini Philadelphia Huracán on the next-to-last lap.


 

“It was tough,” said Berkeley, the 2021 Am champion. “I settled into second and figured I would land there, but some traffic made it easy to catch up to AJ. I knew it wouldn’t be easy to get by him but when the gap opened up, I went for it. Respectful driving and I think it’s one of my best drives to date. I drove my heart out.”


 

For Super Trofeo rookie Adams, it marked his first win and podium finish – at an iconic racetrack.


 

“It’s legendary!” Adams said. “Couldn’t ask for a better location, better day.”


 

Muss and co-driver Joel Miller finished second in the No. 66 Huracán but it was still enough to give them an unofficial six-point ProAm lead over Nate Stacy and Nick Persing (No. 8 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán).

Am class leaders Glenn McGee and Anthony McIntosh capped off a perfect weekend, sweeping both pole positions and race wins in the Am class. They won by 25.685 seconds ahead of Cole Kleck and Al Morey (No. 17 Topp Racing, Lamborghini Austin Huracán).


 

“Basically, we did the same thing as yesterday,” said McIntosh, who finished Saturday’s race in the No. 69 after driving the opening stint on Friday. “Managed the tires from the start. Glenn knew he had to go for a couple laps, otherwise he was going to get caught in the scrum, so he went and then dialed it back. Then when I got in the car, it was just manage the gap, manage the gap, manage the gap.”


 

McGee and McIntosh are on the brink of winning their second straight Am championship, with a 17-point unofficial lead over Dominic Starkweather (No. 47 Precision Performance Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán).


 

“We’ve got a little buffer (in points) going to Jerez,” McIntosh said, “so that’s good.”

In LB Cup, Rodrigo Vales won for the third time in the past four races in the No. 34 TR3 Racing, Lamborghini Miami Huracán. Knowing he would be assessed a 2.502-second postrace penalty for his pit stop not meeting the minimum time requirement, Vales pushed hard on his closing stint to cover the penalty time and still win by 0.675 seconds.


 

“I was trying to go fast as hell to get there,” Vales admitted. “I push and push and push, and he was telling me (on the radio) to push more. We make it together. It’s amazing to win here, it’s great. It’s like a real nice sensation.”

 

Bourdais Puts Cadillac Racing and Ganassi On Pole at Indy

LMP2: Boulle Earns First Career Pole, Extends Points Lead


 

September 21, 2024

By John Oreovicz

IMSA Wire Service

Qualifying Results (prior to post-qualifying technical inspection)


 

INDIANAPOLIS – Conditions were oppressive for Saturday’s late afternoon qualifying session for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, with an ambient temperature of 89 degrees and heat indices in the mid-90s.


 

Sebastien Bourdais and the No. 01 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R were best at beating the heat to top the times overall and for the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class. Bourdais claimed the Motul Pole Award for Sunday’s six-hour endurance race with a lap timed at 1 minute, 14.592 seconds (117.712 mph).


 

A gaggle of dedicated spectators baked in the sun on the viewing mounds lining the 2.439-mile road course’s opening sequence of corners and at the end of the backstretch, while others sought shade in the covered grandstands high atop Turn 1 of the IMS oval. They saw Bourdais put on a clinic as he earned his seventh pole in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship action.


 

Bourdais is also a former sports car race winner at Indianapolis, sharing in a Daytona Prototype class win with Alex Popow in 2012. It was his first pole in 22 attempts at Indianapolis, spread across sports cars and Indy car races on the Speedway’s road course and iconic oval.


 

“Not a great record, huh? 22 attempts!” joked the 45-year-old Frenchman.


 

“Obviously it’s always great to be on pole, and it’s a very nice feeling to do it at the home base of Chip Ganassi Racing,” Bourdais continued. “It helps us to stay alive in the championship fight, which is obviously a long shot. But we live to fight another day, and that’s very much the spirit we have for the rest of the season. That Cadillac was quite good today.”


 

Bourdais and co-driver Renger van der Zande last started from the pole in May at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Their most recent WeatherTech Championship race win was just prior to that in Long Beach.


 

The No. 01 Cadillac duo arrived at Indianapolis ranked third in the GTP championship points standings behind a pair of Porsche Penske Motorsport entries. The championship-leading No. 7 Porsche 963 of Felipe Nasr and Dane Cameron qualified seventh at IMS, while the team’s No. 6 entry earned the third starting spot.


 

Louis Deletraz and Jordan Taylor (No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06) earned the outside front row starting spot with a lap of 1:14.817 (117.358 mph), 0.225-seconds off Bourdais’ best lap.


 

Bourdais believes that traffic will be the biggest issue in Sunday’s race, which for the first time is a round of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Championship. There’s also a possibility of rain.


 

“We really didn’t know where we stood after practice because qualifying was the only time that we were able to string two or three laps together,” he said. “The density of the traffic, with 56 cars on track, is just insane. That was the big unknown, going into qualifying, and it was a big guessing game. So, we pretty much decided to just trust the read we had from when we tested here a month or so ago and had the track to ourselves. There was no way to know anything else from the practice we had.


 

“We just stuck to our guns, and it was definitely challenging because the tires got hot really quick and the window to get a lap in was not very wide.”


 

LMP2: Boulle Earns First Career Pole, Extends Points Lead

In Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Nick Boulle and Tom Dillmann unofficially extended their lead in the class point standings from 27 to 38 as Boulle claimed the Motul Pole Award. They will be joined behind the wheel this weekend by Jakub Smiechowski.


 

Boulle was the only LMP2 driver to break the 1 minute, 18-second barrier, clocking a tour of 1:17.618 (113.122 mph) in the No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07 to earn his first career pole in IMSA competition.


 

The lap was 0.461-seconds quicker than the second-fastest LMP2 qualifier, Steven Thomas in the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA.


 

Boulle’s three fastest laps in the 15-minute LMP2 session would have been good for the top spot.


 

“To be perfectly honest, I think we’ve struggled in qualifying through the year, just in terms of finding that magic lap, or getting the tires in the right window,” Boulle said. “And we found it. That was certainly a special lap, one that I will remember for a long time.


 

“Every lap in the car I feel like I learn something,” he added. “I think this place in particular rewards being aggressive, but it’s very detail oriented in terms of how you just touch the curbs, using every bit of track at certain points. I think that lends itself well to me. Where you get to push here makes it a really fun place to drive, and I have enjoyed it.”


 

Ben Keating qualified third in class in the No. 2 United Autosports USA ORECA, while Boulle and Dillmann’s closest rival in the championship chase, the No. 74 Riley ORECA shared by Gar Robinson and Felipe Fraga, will start seventh.


 

The TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks runs from 11:40 a.m.-5:40 p.m. ET on Sunday. Live flag-to-flag coverage starts on Peacock at 11:30, with NBC joining at 3 p.m. to carry the final three hours.

Catsburg Inherits GTD PRO Pole at Indianapolis for Corvette

Grenier Adds Korthoff/Preston Mercedes-AMG’s Second GTD Pole in Last Three Races


 

September 21, 2024

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Qualifying Results (prior to post-qualifying technical inspection)


 

INDIANAPOLIS – The second-to-last race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season will see a pre-race grid change, as the second qualifying entry in the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class will move to the front of the GT field for Sunday’s six-hour TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.


 

During Saturday’s 15-minute qualifying session for the 35 cars split between 13 GTD PRO and 22 GT Daytona (GTD) class entries, Laurin Heinrich appeared to have secured his maiden Motul Pole Award in his first WeatherTech Championship qualifying attempt, aboard the returning “Rexy” livery of the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992).


 

However, following his apparent pole position lap, IMSA officials found a technical violation for ground clearance that will erase that time and qualifying position. Heinrich’s No. 77 AO Racing Porsche will move to the rear of the combined GTD PRO and GTD field, as cars within the GT category are not gridded by class order but by qualifying times for both classes.


 

Perhaps more crucially for the GTD PRO class championship leader, it also negates an anticipated qualifying pole position points boost.


 

Prior to the infraction discovered by IMSA, Heinrich was poised to secure 35 points for the top spot and extend his 17-point lead over Ross Gunn to 27 points.


 

Instead, Gunn and co-driver Alex Riberas move up from a provisional sixth place in class on the grid to fifth in the No. 23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo. Heinrich and returning co-driver Michael Christensen will start 13th in GTD PRO.


 

That shifts the pre-weekend points total of Heinrich being up 17 points (2,519-2,502) to up just nine points (2,537-2,528) heading into the race.


 

For the revised GTD PRO order, Nicky Catsburg will move up to the pole in the No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R he shares with Tommy Milner.


 

Catsburg posted a best lap of 1 minute, 23.209 seconds (105.521 mph) around the 2.439-mile, 14-turn IMS road course. This time is enough to secure Catsburg his third Motul Pole Award of the season and his WeatherTech Championship career, with the first two achieved earlier this year at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Road America.


 

“It's nice to be on pole for tomorrow,” Catsburg said. “It's a shame for the 77, but at the same time it's a nice surprise for me and the team. Qualifying is a little irrelevant when it comes to these long races.


 

“But it is good to be there. It proves that we have done good work in practice and what we are doing is working. We can build on that for the race, and I’m very pleased with where we are starting.”


 

Catsburg’s time was 0.059-seconds behind Heinrich. The new pole time is now just 0.036-seconds clear of new second starter Mike Rockenfeller, who will share the No. 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3 with Harry Tincknell.


 

The No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3, which won the last GTD PRO race at VIR, lines up third ahead of the No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R.


 

Grenier Continues Korthoff/Preston Mercedes-AMG Momentum with GTD Pole

The No. 32 Korthoff/Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 is on a roll in GTD.


 

Mikael Grenier won his first Motul Pole Award at Road America, and then he and Kenton Koch won the team’s first race at VIRginia International Raceway. Now, Grenier captured his second season and career pole in three races as he, Koch and the returning Mike Skeen will roll off from the top spot of a 22-car GTD class field.


 

Grenier’s best time of 1 minute, 23.537 seconds (105.107 mph) was less than four tenths of a second off the GTD PRO track record, but 0.262-seconds quicker than second place in GTD, in the form of VIR polesitter Giammarco Levorato in the No. 55 Proton Competition Ford Mustang GT3.


 

“It’s a special place. I came here once during IndyCar and it’s full of magic,” Grenier said of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.


 

“We struggled a lot in the first two practices, but we fixed some issue we had on the car. We need to be quick in traffic, keep it in one piece for five hours and then sprint for an hour.”


 

The No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 will start third, just ahead of championship leader Russell Ward in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.


 

Ward and Philip Ellis came into Indianapolis with a 284-point lead (2718-2434) over Turner’s Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher and seek to secure the GTD title a round early if they leave with at least a 385-point lead over second place. Even if they don’t mathematically secure the title this weekend, Ward and Ellis could position themselves to do so merely by leaving the starting grid for the 10-hour season finale on Oct. 12 at Motul Petit Le Mans, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.


 

Live coverage of the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks six-hour race from Indianapolis on Sunday begins at 11:30 a.m. ET and local time on Peacock, and will stream live in its entirety. NBC will pick up live television coverage at 3 p.m.

 

No. 39 CarBahn BMW Breaks Back into Victory Lane with McAlister, Westphal

Filippi, Wilkins Squeeze out Fuel-Efficient TCR Win in No. 98 Hyundai


 

September 21, 2024

By Mark Robinson and David Phillips

IMSA Wire Service

Race Results

 

INDIANAPOLIS – It was a long time coming, but CarBahn Motorsports finally found its way back to victory lane in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge.


 

Sean McAlister and Jeff Westphal put in an impressive drive in Saturday’s Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 to capture the overall and Grand Sport (GS) class win in the No. 39 BMW M4 GT4. It’s the first time CarBahn has won a Michelin Pilot Challenge race in nearly four years, when Westphal and then-co-driver Tyler McQuarrie took the checkered flag at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Halloween 2020.


 

“The team deserves it, they worked so hard with such precise detail in the car,” Westphal said. “We’ve always had potential; it’s just been putting it together. It’s great for everybody.”


 

McAlister started sixth in the 20-car GS field and was still there when he turned the No. 39 over to Westphal on a pit stop under a full-course caution some 45 minutes into the two-hour race. Westphal then battled his way past GS points leader Matt Plumb in the No. 46 Team TGM Aston Martin Vantage GT4 and both Turner Motorsport BMWs to seize control.


 

From there, it was a matter of holding off the charging Philip Ellis in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT GT4, which with co-driver Bryce Ward was seeking back-to-back wins at Indy.


 

The gap in the closing half hour varied depending on who was mashing the accelerator harder – Westphal or Ellis – with Westphal prevailing by 3.658 seconds.


 

“I’ve raced against Ellis in GTD (IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship) and I knew he was quick,” Westphal said. “Every time I would push, I’d pull out a couple tenths. He’d push and he’d pull out a couple tenths. … I think we were both playing the cat-and-mouse game trying to catch each other without making big mistakes, and the gap stayed pretty stagnant.”


 

For Westphal, it’s Michelin Pilot Challenge career win No. 4 and his first since that Halloween triumph four years ago. For McAlister, it’s win No. 1 at a very memorable venue.


 

“I’ve been in this series almost three full years now and I haven’t even been on the podium,” McAlister said. “It’s great to finally come out and get top of the podium – especially at Indy. It’s amazing!”


 

Plumb, with co-driver Paul Holton, brought the No. 46 Team TGM Aston Martin home in fourth place. With the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport finishing ninth, it stretched the GS lead for Plumb and the No. 46 to 110 points unofficially over Stevan McAleer, Trent Hindman and the No. 28. Only the season finale, the Fox Factory 120 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on Oct. 11, remains.


 

“As we learned in the last two races, things can go real south, real quick,” Plumb said, referring to finishes of 11th and 15th in the past two races. “We played this whole season the same thing, which is take what you can get and don’t get upset. So, fourth was great. … I think we probably could’ve done a little bit better but we’ll take it."


 

Chaos Early, Strategy Late Brings Hyundai Touring Car Win

Chaos and strategy, early and late, Hyundai had the Touring Car (TCR) class covered. After a chaotic start and an early full course yellow, the No. 99 Victor Gonzalez Racing Team Hyundai Elantra N TCR bolt rocketed from deep in the field to the lead and looked a potential winner. Until, that is, Lap 22 when a hapless Morgan Burkhard found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and was punted into the Turn 1 grass by a Grand Sport (GS) competitor. 

 

Burkhard’s misfortune opened the door for the No. 98 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian Hyundai to take the lead. Mark Wilkins and, later, Mason Filippi duly maintained that lead for the remainder of the race, leading a 1-2 sweep for the team ahead of the No. 33 Hyundai of teammates Harry Gottsacker and Robert Wickens. TCR championship leaders Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor finished third in the No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCR. 

 

Although the No. 98 Hyundai led the final two-thirds of the race and enjoyed a relatively comfortable 4.427-second lead over the No. 33 Hyundai at the finish, Filippi himself was by no means comfortable. He’d taken the helm from Wilkins on Lap 26 and as the laps clicked off with no sign of a full-course yellow to slow the pace - or the rate of fuel consumption - Filippi slowed his pace by two or more seconds a lap to make the finish without a late splash of VP Racing fuel. 

 

“The last two laps (the team) said we had five liters of fuel left,” said Filippi. “I lost the calculator on my dash, so I was just going off what the team told me to do. A huge thank you to Bryan Herta Autosport and Hyundai. The car handled so well, we could save fuel and set a good pace.”

 

Wickens also slowed his pace in the final going, but for different reasons. 

 

“Saving fuel wasn’t a problem,” he explained. “I was trying to manage my tires. I don’t know what I did wrong but for some reason I seemed to have worn out the left front more than anticipated. I banked enough fuel early on which, unfortunately, built up the gap (to the No. 98) and I was never able to bring it back.”

 

The JDC-Miller Audi battled back from an early penalty, as Miller was hit with a drive-through penalty for jumping the start when the TCR field unexpectedly slowed to avoid a bunched-up GS field.

 

Relegated to the back of the TCR field, the JDC-Miller Audi stopped for fuel during the Lap 22 full-course yellow, which enabled the car to go the rest of the way on just one more stop. They ran much of the remainder of the race in second place before that second stop dropped them to fourth, even as the lead Hyundais and the No. 72 Pegram Racing Audi RS3 LMS SEQ tried to go the distance on a single stop. Lapping two seconds or more faster than the cars ahead of him, Taylor caught and passed the Pegram Audi in the closing laps but was too far behind the Herta Hyundais to threaten the lead.   

 

“The fundamental thing is we have several less liters of fuel than the Hyundais,” said Taylor, “They can run 15 minutes longer than we can on a full fuel run. We weren’t holding back. We did everything we could to beat them.

 

“We maximized the package we have. The team is throwing everything they can at the car, they’ve been giving us great pit stops and, hey, we’re having fun. Being on the podium at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is pretty special.”     

 

Although second place enabled Gottsacker, Wickens and the No. 33 Hyundai to edge a little closer in the championship points standings, Taylor, Miller and the No. 17 JDC-Miller Audi head to Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with an unofficial 120-point margin over the defending champion No. 33 team.  

 

Qualifying Results | WeatherTech Championship

TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks

Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Saturday, September 21, 2024

Qualifying Results

Practice 2 Results

Practice 1 Results


 

Additional results are available at results.imsa.com.

Qualifying Results | WeatherTech Championship

TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks

Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Saturday, September 21, 2024

Qualifying Results

Practice 2 Results

Practice 1 Results


 

Additional results are available at results.imsa.com.

 

Mix of Old and New Winners in Super Trofeo Opener at Indy

Cabirou, Morris Earn First North American Victory in No. 30 Ansa Huracán


 

September 20, 2024

By Mark Robinson

IMSA Wire Service

Race 1 Results

 

INDIANAPOLIS – Friday’s Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway featured a healthy mix of new winners and repeat victors. In a rare result, all four class pole winners went on to win.


 

Loris Cabirou and Bryson Morris capitalized on starting from the overall and Pro class pole to drive to the overall and Pro win in the No. 30 Ansa Motorsports, Lamborghini Broward Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2. It was the first North American win for both drivers, though Cabirou is also driving in the European Super Trofeo series.


 

The ProAm class win went to Keawn Tandon and Hannah Grisham in the No. 55 Forty7 Motorsports, Lamborghini Greenwich Huracán. While it was the sixth Super Trofeo triumph for Tandon, the 2023 ProAm champion, it was the first for Grisham in her maiden series race.


 

The Am and LB Cup classes saw familiar names atop the leaderboard at the finish, as Anthony McIntosh and Glenn McGee (No. 69 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán) extended their Am points lead and Nick Groat (No. 57 One Motorsports, Lamborghini Newport Beach Huracán) did the same in LB Cup.


 

Cabirou’s only flaw in his opening stint was earning a warning from IMSA officials for jumping the race start. He pulled away to a 3.8-second before turning the No. 30 Huracán over to Morris during the mandatory pit stop. From there, Morris held No. 4 Ansa teammate Kiko Porto at bay to win by 0.928 seconds.


 

“Super great start from Loris with the pole and then pulling away by three seconds, making my life a little bit easier,” Morris said. “I was just kind of able to manage the pace. … I had the easy job to do; he did the hard part. Being our first time here, both of us, it’s a really awesome place to have our first win.”


 

“I am really happy,” added Cabirou. “We did a good run with the team yesterday, good quali – my first pole in Lamborghini. Our focus is tomorrow but I am really happy.”

Likewise in ProAm, Tandon took off from the class pole and wasn’t headed, giving the car to Grisham in the class lead. Though she hadn’t raced a Huracán before, Grisham avoided a number of incidents involving ProAm cars behind her and pulled away to win by 6.329 seconds over Luke Berkeley and Garrett Adams in the No. 64 MLT Motorsports, Lamborghini Naples Huracán.


 

“That was awesome!” said Grisham, a Heart of Racing Team development driver. “Keawn did an amazing job and handed me the car in an amazing position. I couldn’t ask for much more. … It’s something I’ll remember forever.”


 

By finishing fifth and earning a point for the Race 2 pole, AJ Muss and Joel Miller (No. 66 Forty7 Motorsports, Lamborghini Philadelphia Huracán) crept back into the ProAm class lead, unofficially two points ahead of Nate Stacy and Nick Persing, who finished eighth in the No. 8 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán after being assessed a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility.

After taking over for McIntosh in the No. 69 WTRAndretti Huracán, McGee quickly recovered from second place in the Am class. He passed Cole Kleck (No. 17 Topp Racing, Lamborghini Austin Huracán) for the lead with 16 minutes remaining in the 50-minute race and won by 11.357 seconds. McIntosh and McGee take an unofficial 12-point lead in the Am standings into Saturday’s Indy finale.


 

“The strategy was give up that first stint to take care of the car,” McIntosh explained, “let people pass us and save the tires for the second stint and go to work.”


 

And that’s what McGee did.


 

“We knew we had good long-run pace,” McGee said. “Tony just took care of the car and ran down the leader, which helped because when we came out of the pits, we were right on him. I kept poking at the guy in front, let him drive his tires off and then we were able to get him.”

Groat lost the LB Cup lead early in his first stint but recovered it by the time the pit window opened 20 minutes into the race that ran without a full-course caution. Once the pit cycle completed, he was still out front and won by 10.760 seconds over Rocky Bolduc (No. 99 Topp Racing, Lamborghini Boston Huracán). Groat unofficially has a 15-point lead in the LB Cup standings.


 

“This was one of the more tough races because it wasn’t battling people the whole time,” Groat said. “It was really a mental game with myself, just staying focused and doing everything right lap after lap after lap. You have no words for being up on the podium at somewhere as amazing as Indy. It’s such a historic place, it’s incredible.”


 

Saturday’s race streams live on Peacock (in the U.S.) and IMSA.tv (outside the U.S.) starting at 5:05 p.m. ET.

 

Jaminet, Tandy, No. 6 Porsche Back on Top in Indianapolis Practice

Defending Battle on the Bricks Winners Set Pace in 90-Minute Session


 

September 20, 2024

By John Oreovicz

IMSA Wire Service

Practice 1 Results

 

INDIANAPOLIS – Mathieu Jaminet and Nick Tandy picked up right where they left off a year ago at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.


 

Leading the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.


 

Jaminet topped the timing screens Friday in opening practice for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, lapping the 14-corner, 2.439-mile road course inside the iconic IMS oval in 1 minute, 16.138 seconds (115.321 mph) in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963. That barely edged Sebastien Bourdais in the No. 01 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R, whose best effort in the 90-minute session was clocked at 1:16.177 (115.262 mph).


 

Out front is where Tandy and Jaminet were when they departed IMS last September after winning the 2023 edition of the race in a 1-2 finish for the Porsche Penske team. They are off to a successful defense at an event that is not only important to the Penske organization as a whole, but vital to the No. 6 car’s championship aspirations. They go into Indianapolis qualifying an even 100 points behind Porsche Penske Motorsport’s No. 7 entry with drivers Dane Cameron and Felipe Nasr, who ran eighth fastest in this Friday’s opening practice.


 

“It’s a very important race for us on the No. 6 car side to try to get points for Porsche and to regain ground in the championship. We’re looking forward to the challenge,” Tandy said earlier this week in a conference call with reporters. “From Porsche’s point of view, the goal is going for a manufacturer’s championship. On a personal side, you want to have the chance to win the team and drivers (championships). And it’s still open.


 

“We haven’t been to Indianapolis this year (to test) but obviously the last time we went to IMS, the team finished 1-2,” he added. “We’ll take everything from last year, hope that it still works and go racing.”


 

Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) was the only class in which times were faster than the benchmarks established last year in IMSA’s return to Indianapolis. Like in GTP, the 2023 race-winning entry led practice, as Mikkel Jensen gapped the field by nearly half a second in the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07 he shares with Steven Thomas and Hunter McElrea. His best lap was 1:17.368 (113.488 mph).


 

“I think I got a good clear lap, and probably some of the others didn’t,” said Jensen. “Traffic was everywhere, and I think traffic is playing a big role this weekend. With 56 cars and this short lap time, it’s a lot of traffic.”


 

Riccardo Agostini, who paced all GT-class entries (Grand Touring Daytona and Grand Touring Daytona Pro) in the No. 023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 (1:23.855, 104.709 mph), also expressed concern about how congestion could make Sunday’s six-hour race a chaotic affair. The Indianapolis race was lengthened from two hours, 40 minutes to six hours this year, making it a round of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.


 

“I’m quite new in the series but it’s always good to be first, even if it’s practice,” Agostini said. “I expect quite a messy race, with a lot of overtaking. It’s not going to be easy and you need to be quite smart to let the cars by at the right moment without losing too much time.”


 

Marvin Kirchhofer was the fastest GTD PRO runner in the opening practice at 1:24.030 (104.490 mph) in the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports McLaren 720S GT3 Evo.  


 

The session was briefly red-flagged when the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06 stalled on track and with electrical issues. A second short stoppage allowed IMSA to clear debris from a bump between Nicky Catsburg in the No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R of the GTD PRO class and the GTP-class No. 5 Proton Competition Mustang Sampling Porsche 963 driven by Alessio Picariello.

 

Qualifying for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks takes place starting at 3:40 p.m. ET Saturday. The six-hour race streams live in its entirety Sunday beginning at 11:30 a.m., with NBC joining for the conclusion from 3-6 p.m.

 

Practice Results | WeatherTech Championship

TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks

Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Friday, September 20, 2024

Practice 1 Results


 

Additional results are available at results.imsa.com.

 

Battle on the Bricks Notebook: IMS President Pleased with Event’s Growth

Korthoff/Preston Chasing Its Own Double; Kellymoss, DragonSpeed Join GTD Field


 

September 20, 2024

By John Oreovicz and Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

INDIANAPOLIS – The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.439-mile road course will feature six hours of competition, an expansion that makes it the fourth of five rounds in the 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. That’s still more than twice the length of the 2023 Indianapolis race, won by Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet and Porsche Penske Motorsport, which at two hours, 40 minutes was run as a standard WeatherTech Championship “sprint” race.


 

Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles is pleased with how the lead-up to this year’s event has gone. Activities started Thursday evening with a fan event, the IMSA Street Festival, on Main Street in Speedway, just outside Turn 1 of the IMS oval.


 

“I think the event went really well for the first year,” Boles said. “Having the GTP prototypes back last year was really big for us. A lot of people love the GT cars because they connect with them; they look like the cars we drive. But the GTP cars have an extra cool side – the hybrid side of it, just how advanced they are. You look in the cockpit at all the buttons that all the drivers have to manage, and the solutions that each manufacturer has developed.


 

“What I’m most excited about this year is going from the two-hour, 40-minute race to the six-hour race as part of the endurance championship.”


 

The 2023 Battle on the Bricks was the first major event where IMS created an infield camping area. The offering was a success and is back this year.


 

“We liked it enough that we allowed camping (this year) on the weekend for the Brickyard 400 NASCAR weekend, which was the first time we’ve done that,” Boles said. “Our camping numbers are up a bit for this race because I think camping is such a big element at a road course when you go to a place like Mid-Ohio or Watkins Glen or Road America. Fans love camping next to the track at a racetrack.


 

“It’s going to take some time to continue to grow it, but it’s done really well.”


 

While obviously most famous for the Indianapolis 500, IMS has embraced sports car competition as a key element in its growth and development.


 

“We’re known for the month of May, and people have always asked, ‘What do you do for the rest of the year?’” said Boles. “The nice thing about IMSA is that there are 18 different manufacturers that participate in the weekend activities – that’s a lot of OEMs. We have cars on track 140 days of the year, and most of those days are OEM testing days, where they bring in new product to demonstrate to their sales teams and others.


 

“We have a lot of sports car teams testing, and special manufacturer events like Ferrari Challenge,” he added. “That’s great for the racetrack, because when people hear the noise because cars are on the track, that’s the best marketing tool we have.”


 

Korthoff/Preston Seeking to Double Wins and Michelin Endurance Cup Crowns

Korthoff/Preston Motorsports won its first Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class race at the Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway last month. The enjoyment period has been … brief.


 

“It’s funny how short-lived the highs can feel sometimes because it goes right into the next thing!” laughed Kenton Koch, who shares the No. 32 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with full-season co-driver Mikael Grenier and the returning Mike Skeen for the last two races.


 

“It’s, ‘Yay, we won!’ followed by right back into driving again, testing at (Michelin Raceway) Road Atlanta with this car.”


 

The trio won last year’s IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup and seek an encore this year. With two races remaining – each an endurance event – they’re five points back (31-26) of Winward Racing’s trio of Philip Ellis, Russell Ward and Indy Dontje in the No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3. Lessons learned from the Michelin Raceway test should help them defend the title, though Koch said the team is prioritizing adding to its win list over a repeat title.


 

“We want to go win, and sometimes you compromise yourself in the end if you go for those (endurance championship) points,” he explained. “How you go about the races is different depending on the approach. Here at Indy, for instance, it’ll race like another Watkins Glen, and having the prototypes around makes opportunities to pass compared to just GT races where it can be harder.”


 

Kellymoss, DragonSpeed Expand GTD Field

In addition to returning Michelin Endurance Cup-only entries in GTD, two other cars are making “first” GTD starts of this season. Kellymoss with Riley makes its first start since the Rolex 24 At Daytona, albeit with a new car number and entirely new driver lineup, while longtime Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class entrant DragonSpeed enters a Ferrari.


 

Last year’s Porsche Carrera Cup North America champion Riley Dickinson joins fellow WeatherTech Championship debutant Jake Pedersen and 2023 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca GTD winner Kay van Berlo in the No. 90 Kellymoss with Riley Porsche 911 GT3 R (992). For Dickinson, stepping into this series after his Carrera Cup success and Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) class win at Daytona this year is a dream come true.


 

“It’s pretty incredible,” Dickinson said. “We tested a couple weeks ago and it went well. Indianapolis is a fantastic place for me – there have been a lot of firsts for me here in my career – so walking up to the pit lane was a really cool feeling.”


 

DragonSpeed, which was just confirmed by IMSA to run a full 2025 campaign in GTD with its No. 81 Ferrari 296 GT3, gets some running in at Indianapolis with Henrik Hedman, Toni Vilander and Rasmus Lindh in the car that wears No. 56 this weekend.


 

“It’s good to be back in a Ferrari,” said Hedman, who has extensive Ferrari experience in other models and championships. “It’s not as physical (as the LMP2 car) and it puts us into a deep field.” 

 

 

 

What to Watch For: TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks

Big Field Means Big Action for Series’ Newest Endurance Race


 

September 19, 2024

By David Phillips

IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – What’s in a number? When it comes to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the magic number has long been 33, as in the number of cars that have started all but three Indianapolis 500s since 1934. This weekend, however, 56 cars are expected to compete in the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, the penultimate round of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. To be more precise, that’s 11 Grand Touring Prototypes (GTP), 10 more in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class, 13 in Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and 22 in Grand Touring Daytona (GTD).


 

And speaking of numbers, Sunday’s race is slated to run for six hours, making it the fourth of five IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup events on the calendar. So, with 56 of the world’s fastest sports cars jousting for position on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course, there figures to be plenty of action throughout the weekend.


 

Racing for Repeats


 

Porsche Penske Motorsport (GTP), TDS Racing (LMP2) and Winward Racing (GTD) come to the Brickyard ready, willing and able to repeat the winning success they enjoyed there in 2023.


 

The two-car Penske team not only currently occupies first and second place in the GTP standings, but also will hit the proverbial bricks on a two-race winning streak as the No. 7 Porsche 963 won at Watkins Glen and the sister No. 6 led a Porsche Penske 1-2 at Road America. Although Winward hasn’t won of late, the No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 was a fixture in victory lane in the first part of the season with four wins in the first five races (including the most recent endurance race at Watkins Glen). The team comes to Indy on the back of a third at VIRginia International Raceway.


 

TDS has yet to reach the top step of the LMP2 podium in 2024 but has come pretty darned close with a runner-up finish at Sebring. The No. 11 ORECA brings back the same driver lineup of Steven Thomas, Mikkel Jensen and Hunter McElrea this weekend that took second at Sebring.


 

Welcome Back, Endurance Teams

As Round 4 of the Michelin Endurance Cup, the Battle on the Bricks affords the chance to welcome back competitors who focused their efforts on the endurance races on the 2024 IMSA calendar. The GTP class sees the return of the strikingly liveried Verde Mantis, the No. 63 Lamborghini Iron Lynx Lamborghini SC63. The GTD PRO ranks will be bolstered by the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 and the No. 19 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2. Two more Ferraris – the No. 21 Af Corse and No. 47 Cetilar – will make their first appearances in GTD since Watkins Glen, while a third, the No. 023 Triarsi Racing Ferrari, will be back in action after a cameo WeatherTech Championship appearance at Road America.

  

Big Points up for Grabs


 

With the season and endurance championships running concurrently this weekend, there’s a bevy of critical points available; all the more so given that Michelin Endurance Cup points are awarded not just for the overall finish but for the standings at the three-hour mark. 


 

When it comes to the WeatherTech Championship standings, the No. 7 Penske Porsche enjoys a 100-point lead over the No. 6 Penske Porsche in GTP, while the No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07 is 27 markers up on the No. 74 Riley ORECA in LMP2. The No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 owns a comfortable 284-point advantage over the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 in GTD. Comfortable? The Winward squad can effectively clinch the championship this weekend.

Not so in GTD PRO, where the substantial advantage once enjoyed by the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R over the No. 23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo has shrunk to 17 points.


 

The Michelin Endurance Cup titles are all up for grabs, with the No. 7 Porsche Penske’s five-point lead over the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R the heftiest margin of the lot. The gap between the LMP2-leading Inter Europol ORECA and the No. 18 Era Motorsport ORECA is but a single point, half of what separates the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 from the Risi Competizione Ferrari in GTD PRO, even as the Winward Racing Mercedes leads the No. 70 Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 by all of three points.


 

Suffice to say, every point will count in all four classes of Michelin Endurance Cup competition at Indianapolis. Be sure to catch all the action this weekend on NBC, Peacock, IMSA Radio and IMSA.tv.


 

 

Lamborghini Super Trofeo Ventures to Latest Iconic Track: Indianapolis

Class Points Races Are All Tight for Last Domestic Round of Season


 

September 18, 2024

By Mark Robinson

IMSA Wire Service

Entry List (Click Here)

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America wraps up the domestic portion of its season with the latest iconic racetrack on the 2024 calendar: Indianapolis Motor Speedway.


 

The visit to the Brickyard’s 2.439-mile road course this weekend follows stops this year at four other popular and challenging U.S. circuits – Sebring International Raceway, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen International and Circuit of The Americas. The races on Friday and Saturday at Indy will determine who has the edge heading into the final doubleheader round of the IMSA-sanctioned single-make series that takes places Nov. 14-15 at Jerez, Spain, ahead of the Nov. 16-17 World Finals gathering Super Trofeo competitors from North America, Europe and Asia.


 

Record-setting grids raced at two North American locations this season. Forty cars competed at WeatherTech Raceway in May, only to be outdone by 43 entries at COTA over Labor Day weekend. Thirty-six cars are on the Indianapolis pre-event entry list.


 

Championships in all four Super Trofeo classes remain up for grabs. No leader has more than an eight-point advantage, and with points earned ranging from 15 for a class race win to one point for 10th in class (plus a point earned for each class pole position), the battles remain wide open.


 

  • Pro class: Ernie Francis Jr. and Giano Taurino (No. 88 TR3 Racing, Lamborghini Miami Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2) regained the Pro class lead at COTA but are just six points ahead of Danny Formal and Ryan Norman (No. 1 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán) as Norman chases a third consecutive Pro class title. Kiko Porto and Nico Jamin (No. 4 Ansa Motorsports, Lamborghini Broward Huracán) are 11 points from the lead.
  • ProAm class: With a pair of ProAm wins at COTA, Nate Stacy and Nick Persing (No. 8 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán) took the class lead by two points over AJ Muss and Joel Miller (No. 66 Forty7 Motorsports, Lamborghini Philadelphia Huracán).
  • Am class: The same happened for Anthony McIntosh and Glenn McGee (No. 69 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán) in the Am class. Their two COTA wins launched the defending class champions to the top of the standings, three points better than Dominic Starkweather (No. 47 Precision Performance Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach Huracán).
  • LB Cup: Nick Groat (No. 57 One Motorsports, Lamborghini Newport Beach Huracán) has the largest advantage of any class leader, though with a pair of wins at COTA, Rodrigo Vales (No. 34 TR3 Racing, Lamborghini Miami Huracán) closed within eight points of Groat.


 

This weekend’s 50-minute races from Indianapolis stream live on Peacock (in the U.S.) and IMSA.tv (outside the U.S.) at 3:55 p.m. ET Friday and 5:05 p.m. Saturday.

Entry List Notebook – Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120

Thirty-Three Teams Will Battle for Right to Kiss the Bricks


 

September 16, 2024

By Mark Robinson

IMSA Wire Service

Entry List (Click Here)

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It’s another chance for IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge drivers and team members to “kiss the bricks” this week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when the series returns to the historic track. Saturday’s race will also prove pivotal in determining the 2024 class champions.

 

Thirty-three cars – 20 in the Grand Sport (GS) class and 13 in Touring Car (TCR) – are on the pre-event entry list. The championship frontrunners hold leads of 50 (GS) and 170 points (TCR) heading to Indy, the ninth of 10 races on the schedule.

 

Matt Plumb and the No. 46 Team TGM Aston Martin Vantage GT4 have seen their GS lead shrink to 50 points over the red-hot Stevan McAleer, Trent Hindman and the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport. Meanwhile, Chris Miller, Mikey Taylor and the No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCR hold a slightly more comfortable 170-point edge over the 2023 TCR champions, Robert Wickens, Harry Gottsacker and the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR.

 

Here’s what else you need to know about Saturday’s two-hour race:


 

Fast Facts

Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120

Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Indianapolis, Indiana

Sept. 20-21, 2024

  • Race Day/Time: Saturday, Sept. 21, 1:05 p.m. ET
  • Peacock Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 1 p.m. (available outside the U.S. on IMSA.tv and YouTube.com/IMSAOfficial)
  • CNBC Encore Telecast: 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 29
  • IMSA Radio Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 1 p.m. on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com
  • Circuit Type: 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course
  • Classes Competing: Grand Sport (GS), Touring Car (TCR)
  • Race Length: Two hours

 

Michelin Pilot Challenge Track Records

  • GS: Jesse Lazare, McLaren Artura GT4, 1:28.490 / 99.224 mph, September 2023 (qualifying)
  • TCR: Chris Miller, Audi RS3 LMS TCR, 1:31.076 / 96.407 mph, September 2023 (qualifying)


 

2023 Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winners

  • GS: Bryce Ward/Daniel Morad, No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT GT4
  • TCR: Chris Miller/Mikey Taylor, No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCR

 

Storylines

  • Condensed Race: Last year’s Indianapolis Motor Speedway race was one of two on the 2023 schedule that were four hours in duration. This year’s event is the standard two hours.
  • GS Title Battle Tightens: Matt Plumb and the No. 46 Team TGM Aston Martin have seen their class lead shaved by nearly 200 points over the past three races. Can they regain their championship form at Indy or will Steven McAleer, Trent Hindman and the No. 28 RS1 Porsche continue clawing their way back?
  • JDC-Miller Audi Look to Defend 2023 Win, Sew up TCR Title: The No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCR shared by Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor won last year’s TCR race at Indianapolis. If they repeat that achievement this weekend, it will all but wrap up the 2024 class championship as well.


 

Who’s Hot?

  • No. 28 RS1 Porsche: With two wins and a second-place finish in their last three races, Hindman and McAleer have been sizzling in the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport. The hot streak has put them back in the middle of the GS championship conversation.
  • No. 93 Montreal Motorsport Group Honda: Dai Yoshihara and Karl Wittmer have reeled off three straight podium finishes in the No. 93 Honda Civic FL5 TCR, including a TCR win last time out at VIRginia International Raceway.


 

Who’s Good Here?

  • Defending Winners: With little recent Michelin Pilot Challenge history to go on, the reigning race winners get the nod here. Bryce Ward is back in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT GT4 but has a new co-driver in Philip Ellis – one of Winward’s full-season drivers in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – since Ward’s normal co-driver, Daniel Morad, has other racing commitments. Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor are back to defend their TCR Indy win in the No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCR.


 

Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winners in 2024 Field (4)

  • Robin Liddell (1): GS – 2014
  • Chris Miller (1): TCR – 2023
  • Mikey Taylor (1): TCR – 2023
  • Bryce Ward (1): GS – 2023

 

Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Pole Winners in 2024 Field (3)

  • Chad Gilsinger (1): ST – 2012
  • Jesse Lazare (1): GS – 2023
  • Chris Miller (1): TCR – 2023

 

Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winning Teams in 2024 Field (2)

  • JDC-Miller MotorSports (1): TCR – 2023
  • Winward Racing (1): GS – 2023

 

Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winning Manufacturers in 2024 Field (5)

  • BMW – 3
  • Chevrolet – 2
  • Audi – 1
  • Mercedes-AMG – 1
  • Porsche – 1

Entry List Notebook – TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Fifty-Six Entries for Newest IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Race


 

September 11, 2024

By Mark Robinson

IMSA Wire Service

Entry List (Click Here)

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway takes on a new look this year, as the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks becomes a six-hour endurance race.


 

Fifty-six cars across the four WeatherTech Championship classes are entered for the penultimate race of the season that airs in its entirety on Peacock starting at 11:30 a.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 22. NBC joins the coverage at 3 p.m. through the finish at the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course that incorporates the front straight of the famous Indy oval.


 

The 2023 Battle on the Bricks, the first IMSA race at Indianapolis in nine years, was the standard two hours, 40 minutes in length. Now six hours in duration, the event becomes the fourth of five IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races on the schedule as well as the 10th of 11 on the overall season slate.


 

As such, entries that compete only in the Michelin Endurance Cup races are back. Among those are the No. 63 Lamborghini Iron Lynx Lamborghini SC63 in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class; the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 and No. 19 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 in the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class; and as many as a half-dozen cars in the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class.


 

Here’s a primer for what you need to know ahead of the race weekend:

 

Fast Facts

TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks

Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Indianapolis, Indiana

Sept. 20-22, 2024

  • Race Day/Time: Sunday, Sept. 22, 11:40 a.m. ET
  • Peacock Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 11:30 a.m. (available outside the U.S. on IMSA.tv and YouTube.com/IMSAOfficial)
  • NBC Coverage: LIVE – 3-6 p.m.
  • Live Qualifying Stream: Saturday, Sept. 21 – 3:35 p.m. on Peacock (in the U.S.) and IMSA.tv (globally)
  • IMSA Radio: Select sessions live on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com; SiriusXM live race coverage begins Sunday, Sept. 22 at 11:30 a.m. (XM 206, Web/App 996)
  • Circuit Type: 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course
  • Classes Competing: Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), Grand Touring Daytona (GTD)
  • Race Length: Six hours


 

Track Social Media: 

Event Hashtags: #IMSA, #BattleOnTheBricks, #ThisIsIndy


 

WeatherTech Championship Track Records

  • GTP: Matt Campbell, Porsche 963, 1:13.672 / 119.182 mph, September 2023 (qualifying)
  • LMP2: Mikkel Jensen, ORECA LMP2 07, 1:16.619 / 114.597, September 2023 (race)
  • GTD PRO: Klaus Bachler, Porsche 911 GT3 R, 1:23.140 / 105.609 mph, September 2023 (qualifying)
  • GTD: Madison Snow, BMW M4 GT3, 1:23.075 / 105.692 mph, September 2023 (qualifying)


 

2023 TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks Winners

  • GTP: Mathieu Jaminet/Nick Tandy, No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963
  • LMP2: Steven Thomas/Mikkel Jensen, No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07
  • LMP3: Anthony Mantella/Wayne Boyd, No. 17 AWA Duqueine D08
  • GTD PRO: Daniel Juncadella/Jules Gounon, No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
  • GTD: Russell Ward/Philip Ellis, No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3

 

Storylines

  • Go the Distance: The TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks is a six-hour endurance race this year after running as the standard-length two hours, 40 minutes in 2023. As such, many teams will employ three-driver lineups (they are required for the LMP2 and GTD classes).
  • Penske Porsches Return to Site of First 1-2 Finish: Porsche Penske Motorsport holds the top two positions of the GTP standings heading to Indianapolis. The No. 7 Porsche 963 and co-drivers Dane Cameron and Felipe Nasr lead the No. 6 Porsche 963 with co-drivers Mathieu Jaminet and Nick Tandy by 100 points. The No. 6 won last year’s Indy race with the No. 7 finishing second.
  • Four-Way Fight in LMP2 Standings: Four teams are within 97 points atop the LMP2 standings. Nick Boulle, Tom Dillman and the No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07 lead the class. Gar Robinson, Felipe Fraga and the No. 74 Riley ORECA are 27 points back, Ryan Dalziel and the No. 18 Era Motorsport ORECA are 91 points from the lead, and Ben Keating, Ben Hanley and the No. 2 United Autosports USA ORECA are 97 points behind with two races remaining.
  • Nail-Biter in GTD PRO: The No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R has maintained the GTD PRO points lead since fashioning back-to-back wins in May and early June. But Ross Gunn and the No. 23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 have steadily closed the gap since behind one win and a pair of third-place finishes. Gunn and the No. 23 now sit just 17 points behind Laurin Heinrich and the No. 77 Porsche.
  • No. 57 Winward Mercedes on Brink of GTD Title: With a 284-point lead heading into race weekend, Russell Ward, Philip Ellis and the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 hold the largest advantage of any class. A strong finish at Indy, where they are the defending race winners, could nearly sew up the GTD championship. But with 23 cars entered in the class, a lower result could reawaken the title battle.


 

Who’s Good Here?

  • Porsche Penske Motorsport: Returning to IMS following a 1-2 finish a year ago, the Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963s are the obvious GTP favorites.
  • TDS Racing: Steven Thomas and Mikkel Jensen look to repeat their winning ways at Indy in the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07.
  • Mercedes-AMG: The iconic German marque swept the GT classes a year ago. The No. 75 Sun Energy 1 entry is Mercedes’ lone GTD PRO entry this year, with the defending GTD winner, No. 57 Winward Racing, one of three Mercedes entries in that class.


 

Who’s Hot?

  • No. 6 Porsche 963: While their teammates in the No. 7 still lead the GTP championship, Mathieu Jaminet, Nick Tandy and the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 have cut 79 points into that deficit over the past four races. In that span, the No. 6 has two wins, a second place and a third place.
  • No. 23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin: Likewise, the No. 23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 has been hot over the last four races, with one win and a pair of third-place finishes. It’s allowed the No. 23 and driver Ross Gunn to slice 150 points off their deficit to the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R in GTD PRO.

 

Previous IMSA Winners at Indianapolis in 2024 Field (11)

  • Sebastien Bourdais (1): DP – 2012
  • Ryan Dalziel (1): DP – 2013
  • Philip Ellis (1): GTD – 2023
  • Jack Hawksworth (1): PC—2014
  • Mathieu Jaminet (1): GTP – 2023
  • Mikkel Jensen (1): LMP2 – 2023
  • Andy Lally (1): GT – 2012
  • John Potter (1): GT – 2012
  • Nick Tandy (1): GTP – 2023
  • Steven Thomas (1): LMP2 – 2023
  • Russell Ward (1): GTD – 2023


 

Previous IMSA Pole Winners at Indianapolis in 2024 Field (4)

  • Ryan Dalziel (1): P – 2014
  • Ben Keating (1): LMP2 – 2023
  • Madison Snow (1): GTD – 2023
  • Jordan Taylor (1): DP – 2013


 

Previous IMSA Winning Teams at Indianapolis in 2024 Field (6)

  • Action Express Racing (1): P – 2014
  • AWA (1): LMP3 – 2023
  • Magnus Racing (1): GT – 2012
  • Porsche Penske Motorsport (1): GTP – 2023
  • TDS Racing (1): LMP2 – 2023
  • Winward Racing (1): GTD – 2023


 

Previous IMSA Winning Manufacturers at Indianapolis in 2024 Field (6)

  • Mercedes-AMG – 2
  • Porsche – 2
  • BMW – 1
  • Chevrolet – 1
  • Ferrari – 1
  • Ford – 1