Category: IMSA

Watkins Glen, NY (19 June 2023) – Jr III (“Junior-Three”) Racing will head north this week to Watkins Glen International for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.

Piloting the No. 30 Airbnb Ligier JS P350 will be full season team regulars Ari Balogh and Garett Grist, the duo will be once again joined by LMP3 ace Dakota Dickerson.

Jr III Racing will be coming off of a three month hiatus from the last IMSA WeatherTech LMP3 race at Sebring International Raceway in March. The team ran into a remarkable and disappointing dose of bad luck with just over an hour left in the race, when a tire from a wrecked LMP2 car came crashing down on Grist, taking the team out of the race.

Earlier this month, Jr III Racing had a couple of test days at Watkins Glen ahead of this weekend’s race. All three drivers were able to knock off the rust and get back to running in tip-top shape.

“I’m very excited to be heading to Watkins Glen this week with the team,” said Dickerson. “We had a very successful test and I think we’re carrying some good momentum. There’s definitely a feeling of unfinished business after our misfortunes at the end of the twelve hour and I can’t wait to put it all out there for six hours of hard racing!”

Last year at Watkins Glen, the team had great pace at Watkins Glen and were looking to be on target for another run to the podium before a pit fire cost the team significant time.

“I’m ready to be back at Watkins Glen,” said Grist. “We were able to test a couple of weeks ago and it went really well. We were able to try some new things and practice what we found worked at Sebring. I believe that we will have a good weekend, especially after seeing how we did at Sebring and we are looking to come back after bad luck hit us last year at Watkins Glen. We as a team could really use the boost from a good weekend.”

The green flag will wave on the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at 10:40 am ET. The race will be live on USA Network starting at 2:00 pm ET, but you can catch all six hours of racing on the Peacock App starting at 10:30 am ET.

14 weeks have passed since the LMP3 class last raced at Sebring in March, with five events of the seven-race schedule remaining from June to October

JUPITER, Fla. (19 June 2023) – According to the calendar, the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is more than halfway done. But for Sean Creech Motorsport (SCM) and the rest of the LMP3 class field, the season only now begins in earnest, with Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen International (10:40 a.m., Peacock/USA).

Lance Willsey and João Barbosa will pilot the No. 33 SCM Focal One Ligier JS P320, joined once again by Chilean Nico Pino – who at age 18, became the youngest driver to stand on the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (earning a third-place finish with his Duqueine team). Pino will see WGI for the first time this week, but sim work has been as close to real life as possible now that the No. 33 SCM Ligier is on the iRacing program.

“I’ve been training, both physically and on the sim,” said Pino. “I’ve been looking at data, watching on-boards and doing sim racing – especially now that the car is on iRacing! It’s a great reference on how the track lays out and how the car behaves. It’s very cool, I’ve never been able to drive my exact car! It’s great that anyone in the world can race the exact same car I’ve driven.”

The LMP3 class has only run two race weekends in 2023 (Daytona and Sebring), with Sebring the only points paying race – though with 36 hours of racing completed, that’s more than some racing series contest in an entire season. It’s been 14 weeks since the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, nearly as long as the 16 weeks in between the 2022 season finale at Road Atlanta and the 2023 Roar Before the Rolex 24. The WeatherTech series will contest five races between now and Petit Le Mans in October, which will mark the finale for the LMP3 class in the premier IMSA series.

SCM team members have kept busy over the three months, working with teams competing in a myriad of sports car series – including the recent 24 Hours of Le Mans. The crew reunited two weeks ago at Watkins Glen to test the No. 30 VP Racing SportsCar Challenge and the No. 33 WeatherTech series cars, with Willsey and Barbosa sharing the wheel.

“It’s been a very long break!” said Barbosa. “It was nice to be back behind the wheel of the Ligier, it only took a couple of laps to get back into the groove. The crew did a great job at the test – the car is very good and it’s such a fun track to drive. It was uncharacteristically cold and cloudy at the test, and with the Canadian wildfire smoke, it made for very strange conditions. But we have plenty of options for this weekend. We didn’t do as many laps as we would have liked, with the third day ended early, but I feel as though we’re ready.”

The crew worked through several challenges at the test, including unseasonably cold temperatures and significant smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Fighting through the air quality issues, the team worked through a checklist of setup options – both for the cool conditions at the test, and for the far more likely warmer temperatures that would greet them later in the month.

“It was a good chance for everyone to get back in the swing of things,” said team principal Sean Creech. “For the crew, it was a chance to make sure everything was hooked up, refamiliarize themselves with setting up and tearing down, working on the car, making changes. Same for Lance and Joao – they haven’t been in the car since March, so it was good to have almost three days to bang the rust off.

“We have plenty of data coming out of the test,” continued Creech. “Like Joao said – we can race this car. We’ll tweak it in practice on the race weekend, especially since it was significantly colder at the test than it will be this week. But the car has good pace as it is now.”

SCM thanks team partner Focal One for its continued support.

The Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen takes the green flag Sunday at 10:40 a.m. Eastern. The race will be broadcast live in the U.S. on Peacock TV and the USA Network. International viewers can watch via IMSA.tv, with IMSA Radio also available at IMSA.com.

About SCM

Team leader Sean Creech has competed in a multitude of sports car series from 1990 until the present day, including Group C, IMSA GTP, WSC, Grand-Am, SRO World Challenge, and IMSA. SCM will contest the full WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2023 with João Barbosa and Lance Willsey. http://seancreechmotorsport.com/

About Focal One

One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime in the United States. The Focal One® HIFU Prostate treatment offers patients a non-invasive outpatient procedure to target prostate tissue while avoiding the common side effects such as loss of urinary continence and sexual function. The Focal One treatment uses high-performance, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to precisely target and ablate the prostate, allowing patients to quickly return to normal activities. http://www.focalone.com

ALTON, Vir., (June 15, 2023) – As the SRO America starts back up its season, Wright Motorsports will rev back up its efforts in the two top GT3-based series. Wright continues to lead the Fanatec GT World Challenge America championship fight as the Porsche customer racing team heads into rounds seven and eight at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR). The GT America powered by AWS series will host rounds nine and ten of the 18-race championship, officially hitting the halfway point in the season. Based in the wooded fields of Alton, Virginia, the 3.27, 17-turn course will be the beautiful backdrop as the pair of Wright Porsches compete in the two sets of championships June 26-18.

“We’re ready to resume the 2023 SRO America championships,” said Team Owner John Wright. “We had a brief break for Le Mans, where four Wright drivers went overseas to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Le Mans Cup. While they didn’t get the results they were hoping for, Charlie Luck and Jan Heylen are more motivated than ever to push for strong results this week. Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer are also on a great roll, and we’re ready to continue to make gains in the championships.”

In GT World Challenge America, Wright Motorsports is riding strong momentum through the season, having recently secured four podiums in the two previous rounds at Circuit of the Americas. The No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R race car of Charlie Luck and Jan Heylen celebrated their first double-podium weekend of the year, while the No. 120 Porsche of Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer swept both victories. The team holds a 46-point lead over CrowdStrike by Riley and TRG the Racers Group, both of whom are tied for second place. Adelson and Skeer lead the Pro/Am driver points, with a 36-point lead over George Kurtz, Colin Braun, and Derek Deboer. Luck and Heylen sit close behind in sixth place in what continues to be a tight championship fight. The weekend will host a pair of 90-minute races on Saturday, June 17 at 3:10 PM ET, and Sunday, June 18 at 3:15 PM ET.

Adam Adelson has been making his own way in the GT America championship. The young driver stands fifth in the championship standings, having missed the first two opening rounds of the season. He olds four top-five finishes in six races, recently closing out the previous round at Circuit of the Americas in second place. This weekend at VIRginia International Raceway, he’ll compete in a pair of 40-minute races, competing against 23 other entries for top honors in the bronze-only series. Race one will take place on Saturday, June 17 at 1:00 PM ET, followed by race two at 8:45 AM ET on Sunday, June 18.

All races will air live on Youtube.com/GTworld.

DRIVER QUOTES

Charlie Luck // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R

I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to compete in two Le Mans Cup this past week, which are 55 minute pro/am events. I learned an awful lot and had an absolute blast. An eight-mile track and 33 corners, taking about four minutes per lap, is an incredible experience.

I’m really excited about coming back to VIR, which is my home track. We’ve had lots of success here over the years. Jan and I are ready to work hard and make the best possible result happen.

Jan Heylen // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R

I’m happy to be back at one of my favorite tracks of the season. VIR is such a fun track with a good mix of high and low-speed corners and good passing zones. The goal is to come away from this weekend with as many points as possible to continue our bid for the championship. It’s also Charlie’s home track which makes it extra special.

Adam Adelson // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R

We’ve had such an amazing year so far, I think it’s safe to say that

the results have far exceeded our expectations. We’re firing on all

cylinders, the teamwork and camaraderie are incredible at Wright, and I feel like we’re getting better with each passing day. VIR is my

favorite track in North America, and I think our 991.2 GT3 R can be a real weapon around here. However, if there’s anything we’ve learned this season, it’s that the competition is stiff and many of our

competitors are working just as hard as we are, so it’s time to put

our heads down and give it our all, just as we have been since the

start of the season.

Elliott Skeer // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R

Few places rival VIR for the feeling inside of the race car and having it after the Le Mans break is perfect. Adam and I have used this last month wisely and feel prepared for the weekend and the challenges we may face. Ultimately, we know Wright Motorsports is going to give us the right car for the job, and we just need to keep executing as we have been on previous weekends.

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

Los Angeles, CA – June 14, 2023

Forte Racing by USRT is proud to announce that 25-year-old racer Patrick Liddy will enter the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen under its banner.

The US driver competed with Shane Seneviratne’s team in multiple Lamborghini Super Trofeo campaigns, distinguishing himself as one of the quickest drivers to recently emerge from the one-make series.

The chance to move up the sportscar ladder while staying in a team and an environment he already knows will be a boost as he looks forward to continuing a successful story. Liddy, who was born in Pasadena, had the chance to drive the team’s GT3 Huracan EVO 2 in a test day together with Loris Spinelli in Watkins Glen. Liddy started his career in 2018, entering the North American Lamborghini Super Trofeo series and finishing 3rd in his debut season as Pro-Am.

Forte’s 2023 IMSA campaign is supported by long-standing title partners Arrow Electronics (NYSE:ARW) , O’Gara Coach and Change Racing.

Patrick Liddy, #78 Driver:

“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to step up to the big leagues with Forte racing for the rest of the Endurance season. I have enjoyed working with this crew in Super Trofeo for years, so it has been great to jump into the GT3 car and immediately mesh with the whole team. This opportunity would not have happened without the support of Lamborghini and all of our partners — a Special thanks is also due to Edoardo and Shane. Feelings are very good after our test at Watkins Glen. Let’s go get some podiums!”

Shane Seneviratne, Team Manager:

“We are delighted to continue our collaboration with Patrick Liddy and partner with him for his move to the WeatherTech Sportscar Championship which is always a key step for a driver’s career. I think that moving up within the same organization is an important added value in terms of continuity. He knows the team very well, and we will be able to support him in the best possible way. Patrick had some remarkable seasons with us in Super Trofeo, and I think there are all the components that are needed to perform at a high level this year as well.”

Chevrolet a key player in effort to bring NASCAR Camaro ZL1 to Le Mans

LE MANS, France (June 8, 2023) – Chevrolet is adding to its rich history at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a prominent role in the Garage 56 program that has brought a Camaro ZL1 NASCAR Cup Series stock car to the French endurance classic.

The American manufacturer is partnering with NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, IMSA and Goodyear in an effort that will see the modified Camaro ZL1 race as a Garage 56 entry – granted by Le Mans sanctioning body Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) for innovative and unique entries into one of the world’s great motor races.

Chevrolet’s contributions to the Garage 56 Camaro are far-reaching. At the heart of the ZL1 is Chevy’s NASCAR R07 cast-iron V8 engine with the same block, castings and pistons used in NASCAR Cup Series events. Le Mans support comes from GM’s Performance and Racing Center in Pontiac, Michigan, leveraging Chevrolet’s experience and eight Le Mans class wins with the Corvette Racing program.

Engineers and designers from Chevrolet also worked with the Garage 56 partners to integrate working headlights, taillights, aerodynamic devices, cooling ducts for the brake system and other accessories.

MARK REUSS, GENERAL MOTORS PRESIDENT: “A NASCAR stock car running at Le Mans is something fans doubted they would see again. It is an honor to have Chevrolet and General Motors as key partners in this effort with NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports and Goodyear. We bring more than 20 years of experience and success with our Corvette Racing program. That and the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 powered by our Chevrolet R07 NASCAR Cup Series engine will thrill fans at the track and around the world with its unique look and the familiar sound of our Chevrolet V8.”

MARK STIELOW, DIRECTOR, CHEVROLET MOTORSPORTS COMPETITION ENGINEERING: “A year ago at the Sebring 12 Hours, we had a meeting with all the key partners – Jim France, Rick Hendrick, Mark Reuss – and were offered the opportunity to be a part of this program. Chevrolet was extremely honored and proud to be invited in this effort to take a NASCAR stock car to Le Mans. Our part of the program obviously is helping on the car side of it but also bringing the engine and powertrain component through our partnership with Hendrick Childress Development and getting the engine put together. The goal was to take the proven R07 driveline and harden it to run in in a 24-hour race.

“The other part is that we were taking a NASCAR Camaro ZL1 stock car and run it in a 24-hour endurance race. So we needed headlights, taillights and some of those other styling cues. We engaged GM Design, which helped us design the current Camaro ZL1 that we race in the Cup Series and integrate all those components to make it look proper.

“The R07 is a fully proven and very durable engine for 500 and 600 miles in NASCAR races. It’s a little bit different in a 24-hour race. The fuel requirements in France are different also, so that’s another challenge. With the learnings we’ve done in the past and the learnings we are continuing to do, Chevrolet is a perfect partner to help pull all this together.”

RUSS O’BLENES, DIRECTOR, GM PERFORMANCE AND RACING CENTER: “One of the great things about the Performance and Racing Center is our testing capabilities. We have a full driveline cell, which allows us to run the entire propulsion system as it sits in the car up to the wheels and tires. Where those would bolt on, we have dynamometers bolted there. We are able to replicate what the powertrain will see in 30 hours at Le Mans. We took data out that came out of the car, and we made a playback that will replicate that so the engine actually runs through its entire system. The transmission is there, so you get the shifting and the closest representation of what the powertrain will have to do at Le Mans.

“If you look at our history in endurance racing, GM and Chevrolet have a long and successful track record. We’ve taken that great core of the NASCAR engine and took the learnings that we’ve gained through our Corvette and Cadillac programs in road-racing durability and combined that into the core R07 engine with a few tweaks to help it go that full 24 hours.”

TODD CHRISTENSEN, DIRECTOR, CHEVROLET MOTORSPORTS MARKETING AND ACTIVATION: “I’d like to think we are the perfect engine partner based on our track record in the NASCAR Cup Series. We won our 41st Manufacturer Championship in 2022, we have more than 800 wins – more than any other manufacturer – and we’ve won eight races this season with the Camaro ZL1. We’re proud to partner with NASCAR and the Hendrick, IMSA and Goodyear organizations, we’re proud to be the body and the engine that makes the car go. Anytime we position the Chevy brand in a positive way in front of a new audience, it’s great and this is a very cool way to do it. To put the Camaro – an iconic muscle car and our Cup Series entry – in front of an international collection of fans that hasn’t seen it before is going to change some minds and thrill a lot of people, for sure.”

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is scheduled for 4 p.m. CET / 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 10. MotorTrend and MotorTrend Plus will provide both live television and streaming coverage. Radio Le Mans will stream audio coverage of the race and all on-track sessions.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

MONTEREY, California – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams WeatherTech Racing and Murillo Racing each capitalized on a pair of calculated and trouble-free races for a double-win IMSA weekend Saturday and Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Co-drivers Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella avoided the mistakes that derailed their GTD Daytona (GTD) Pro competition for their second IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship win of the season on Sunday in the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing/Proton Competition Mercedes-AMG GT3. On Saturday, Murillo Racing and co-drivers Kenny Murillo and Christian Szymczak scored a breakout victory in the No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 Saturday in the two-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race.

In Sunday’s featured WeatherTech Championship race, Juncadella took the green flag in the WeatherTech No. 79 after qualifying third and held the position in a hectic run into the first turn that set the tone for an eventful race over the next two hours and 40 minutes. Juncadella continued to stay in contention after a pair of restarts following early caution periods before handing off to Gounon for the race-closing stint.

Gounon continued to maintain the team’s lead-pack pace while benefitting from well executed pit stops and a race strategy that went to plan. While Gounon, Juncadella and the WeatherTech/Proton team avoided any mistakes, three of their front running GTD Pro competitors received penalties that moved Gounon and the No. 79 into the lead with 40 minutes remaining.

From there, Gounon managed his tires and the traffic to keep the competition behind him until the finish, crossing the finish line with three GTD-class teams between him and the second place GTD Pro finisher.

The victory was a GTD Pro series-leading second of the season for Gounon, Juncadella and the WeatherTech/Proton team after a win in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January. The No. 79 team and drivers have also closed on the GTD Pro championship leaders, trailing in second place with 1,374 points, just 41 tallies behind the top team and drivers.

Saturday’s victory was the first for Murillo, Szymczak and Murillo’s No. 72 Mercedes-AMG GT4 entry in IMSA competition and vaulted the team and drivers from sixth to first in the Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) championship with 760 points, 90 points ahead of the nearest competitor.

The win led a double-podium finish for Mercedes-AMG customer teams Saturday with the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Bryce Ward and Daniel Morad securing a season-best third-place finish.

Murillo’s victory came on a familiar 2.238-mile WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Road course the California based team and drivers consider a home track. Both drivers combined to lead a race-high 35 laps to cap a mistake-free victory by Murillo, Szymczak and the No. 72 team pit crew.

Starting driver Murillo moved from third place to first in the span of a single lap 35 minutes into the two-hour race. After moving to second in Laguna Seca’s Corkscrew earlier in the same lap, Murillo pulled off an over-under maneuver for the lead in Turn 11 that proved to be race’s winning pass.

Szymczak took over the No. 72 for the race’s final 55 minutes and cycled back to the lead when a competitor on an alternative strategy pitted from the top spot. From there, Szymczak maintained a close but comfortable gap on the field to the finish, crossing the line for the win with a 1.876 second margin of victory over the second-place competitor.

Winward’s run to the podium was a little more frantic and came after starting driver Ward masterfully stayed in contention after running his race opening stint on used tires. Ward spun the No. 57 to avoid contact in qualifying but was forced to start the race on most of the same tires that were flat spotted in the incident. Despite the challenge, Ward stayed on the lead lap and out of trouble before handing off to Morad early in the race’s second hour.

Morad quickly went to work, cracking the top five in the opening minutes of his closing stint and pulling off the pass for third with 10 minutes remaining. The No. 57 crossed the finish line just 4.5 seconds behind the winning Murillo entry to secure the first Mercedes-AMG Motorsport customer team double-podium finish of the season. The result gave Ward, Morad and the No. 57 team some much-needed championship points after enduring a pair of frustrating season-opening races at Daytona and Sebring.

Next up for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International, June 22 – 25.

Michelin Pilot Challenge Mercedes-AMG GT4 team are in action even sooner at the Detroit Grand Prix, June 2 – 3, where the GS class will be showcased in a single-class feature race on the new downtown Detroit Grand Prix circuit.

Jules Gounon, Driver – No. 79 WeatherTech Racing/Proton Competition Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It was quite a crazy race. We just stayed out of trouble and focused on what we could control. It was not one fast lap, but the entire race. The WeatherTech and Proton guys did a great job with strategy and car prep. I am proud of the team. We had a tough race at Long Beach and were able to come back and get the win today. I think we just drove clean and consistent and took the mistakes of our competition and were able to get the win. It was unexpected but makes a difference in the championship. There is a long way to go but this was great for us.”

Daniel Juncadella, Driver – No. 79 WeatherTech Racing/Proton Competition Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It was a hectic start. I knew I had to be smart. We were able to play out our strategy. With the yellows the race looked to be a bit crazy. It looked like we were not even going to be on the podium. Then we took the others’ mistakes and our payback and got an unexpected win here at the track that WeatherTech sponsors. Everyone had a perfect race, no mistakes and thanks to the team and my teammate. We will come back even stronger for the next one.”

Kenny Murillo, Driver – No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “What an incredible weekend. It’s really more of a mental battle at this event and I am really happy we came out on top. The Murillo Racing team did an incredible job with our Mercedes-AMG GT4, and you really couldn’t ask or a better platform, better tire or better event for our first IMSA win. I’ve been going to IMSA races with my father for probably 15 years, and I’ve always dreamed of winning in IMSA. I’m just really happy. The Murillo Racing crew really deserves this result. It’s been a long time coming, and hopefully we can follow these results. To get that monkey off our back is an incredible feeling. I’m just lost for words. My stint was exciting towards the end, and Christian did a great job to bring it home.”

Christian Szymczak, Driver – No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Those were the longest 40 or 50 minutes of my life. I didn’t know this race would pan out the way it did without many yellows, and that helped our car and our Mercedes-AMG GT4 platform and team shine. Once we got out front, we were just kind of able to manage and our tires were really good on wear. We did the best we could, and we just happened to do it right today. I didn’t know we could win, honestly. But now I know and no better place to win – this track is home to me.”

Bryce Ward, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “I am so happy to be partners with Daniel. Actually, I have been so fortunate to be with so many great drivers, starting with Indy Dontje, then Christian Hohenadel and Alec Udell and now Daniel Morad. Who else gets the opportunity to race with so many great drivers? They have really helped me out, and Daniel has done a fantastic job working of getting on the simulator with me. This was the hardest race I have ever had to manage. I was a little disappointed with qualifying 10th because I was on a faster lap and got totally blocked on my final qualifying run and ended up spinning the car. We had to change a tire and the other three were flat spotted, so I had no choice but to run on old tires. I had nothing, no grip anywhere on the old tires and that’s the way it was. Even though I was losing a couple of seconds a lap, the team made the call to keep me in the car longer and it was a super call. We got Daniel in pitting under yellow and he started reeling off the laps, got right into it and began moving up. It is a little unfortunate we didn’t get the win, but third place is absolutely amazing, I am so happy, and let’s look forward to Detroit.”

Daniel Morad, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “The decision on how we started the race was probably the toughest part of the race. We had to make the call on what to do about the damaged tires from qualifying. We got to replace one and ultimately decide to replace it with an old tire to keep our strategic options open for the race and have two sets of new tires for the second half of the race. We left our options open with Bryce’s huge sacrifice, and ultimately that put us in a spot to be on the podium and even have a chance to win the race. The car was absolutely ‘mega,’ one of the best cars we have had for this race track. Huge thanks to the engineering crew and the mechanics for putting our Mercedes-AMG GT4 together, and the crew did a flawless job. At the end of the day, I am happy with it, it’s a podium, and this is where we start our season.”

SALINAS, Calif., (May 14, 2023) – Sunday afternoon at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the team behind the Wright Motorsports No. 77 VOLT Lighting Porsche put on an impressive performance in round four of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. After starting on the last row in 15th position, drivers Alan Brynjolfsson and Trent Hindman finished the two-hour and forty-minute sprint race in sixth place, earning their best finish of the season to date after taking delivery of their new Porsche 911 GT3 R.

“Our entire team put in a great performance in what was a very busy race,” said Team Owner John Wright. “Their execution in pit lane and on track continues to stand out in a field of very skilled competitors. We’ve really made good strides with the new car and look forward to building on this momentum.”

Race morning greeted the competitors in typical Monterey fashion, with a several-hour blanket of thick, wet fog. However, the sun finally came out by the 12:10 PM race start, and driver Alan Brynjolfsson and the bright yellow VOLT Lighting Porsche took the green flag from 15th position. By the time the first full-course caution appeared early into the race, Brynjolfsson already had the car up to 12th place, and continued his climb in his opening stint. During the second full course caution, the Wright Motorsports Porsche stayed out on track while the majority of the field pitted, shooting the entry up to third place after only 30 minutes of running. With just under an hour complete, he concluded his stint for the race, pitting from fifth position to give the racing duties to co-driver Trent Hindman. Through another series of full course cautions and pit stops, Hindman continued the No. 77’s run, keeping the car near the top five, racing in a fast pack, jockeying for position. In the final 30 minutes of the race, he put heavy pressure on the BMW of Robby Foley, but concluded the event in sixth.

With two endurance and two sprint races complete, the fight for the championship moves on to Watkins Glen International for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, June 22-25. The six-hour endurance event will bring Max Root back to the No. 77 lineup, racing alongside Brynjolfsson and Hindman. It will also see the return of the No. 16 1st Phorm Porsche of Ryan Hardwick, Jan Heylen, and Zacharie Robichon. For schedule and event information, visit imsa.com.

DRIVER QUOTES

Alan Brynjolfsson

It was a solid points day with a sixth-place finish, especially considering we started from the back row.

Trent Hindman

It was the best race that we’ve collectively put together this year. We had a couple of small mistakes with myself and Alan, but the drivers sorting themselves out is the easiest fix of all, so I’m really proud of the work and the evolution we had in the car over the course of the weekend. We need to keep building on the momentum that we’ve got right now. We learned a lot this weekend, all thanks to the team at Wright Motorsports.

Wright Motorsports

Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

About VOLT® Lighting

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About Adelie Technik

Founded in 2011 Adelie Technik, a Service Disabled Veteran Small Owned Business (SDVOB) deploys the highest caliber engineers and consultants for our customers needs. Adelie is focused on delivery of your solution to your customer on your schedule. Adelie can deliver solutions ranging from PC deployment up to full DataCentre builds and beyond. Our engineers can also migrate your environment to the cloud. For more information on Adelie Technik, see adelietechnik.com.

We represent the highest quality in racing safety with the intention of maintain our position at the top. With 50 years in the industry, Sabelt is the world’s premier safety equipment manufacturer. A result of intense research and development.

SALINAS, Calif., (May 10, 2023) – Rexy, the beloved dinosaur-wrapped AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R heads to the Monterey Peninsula this weekend for MOTUL Course de Monterey Powered By Hyundai N. Following an on-track incident in the FIA World Endurance Championship race at Spa-Francorchamps, full-season IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship driver PJ Hyett suffered a lumbar sprain and has decided to opt out of this weekend’s festivities at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Hyett, who will be replaced this weekend by teammate Gunnar Jeannette, will use the time to rest and recover, prioritizing next month’s running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Jeannette, who doubles as a driver and Team Manager at AO Racing, will compete alongside co-driver Sebastian Priaulx in the No. 80 Porsche 911 “GT3 Rawr.”

“I understand and agree with PJ’s decision to sit this Laguna Seca event out to make sure he’s recovered for Le Mans,” said Jeannette, who also raced with the team at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and Twelve Hours of Sebring. “I’m happy to have the opportunity to race with Sebastian, Rexy, and the whole team at Laguna Seca.”

This weekend will mark Priaulx’s return to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, having last competed at the 2.238-mile, 11-turn road course in Salinas, California in 2020, racing a Mustang GT4.

“I’m looking forward to being back racing with AO and Gunnar this weekend, and getting back out there,” said Priaulx. “I haven’t been to Laguna Seca in a couple of years, and it will be fun to get the Porsche on track and see what we can do.”

The team will also be the designated entry to conduct pit stop demonstrations on Sunday’s pre-grid; a one-hour window before the race in which fans are able to stroll up and down pit lane, see the race cars up close, mingle with the crew, and enjoy pre-race activities. At the start of the pre-grid festivities, AO Racing will run several pit stop drills from their pit box, demonstrating the intricate choreography necessary for all teams to succeed on race day.

The MOTUL Course de Monterey Powered will begin on Sunday, May 14 at 12:10 PM Pacific, running for a total of two hours and 40 minutes. For those in the United States unable to attend, the race will air live on NBC and Peacock, and internationally on imsa.com/tvlife. IMSA Radio will offer in-depth coverage of every WeatherTech session on imsaradio.com.