IMSA Watkins Glen: Porsche wins rain-halted six-hour race

Porsche’s Dane Cameron and Felipe Nasr won a topsy-turvy, rain-disrupted sixth round of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, The Six Hours of The Glen.

Their Porsche beat the Cadillac of Renger van der Zande and Sebastien Bourdais by 0.7s after a series of rain showers and storms flipped the race order several times in a sometimes bizarre event.

Pole winner Louis Deletraz’s #40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06 led the 56-car field to green at the fabled 3.4-mile, 11-turn road course in upstate New York. Van der Zande grabbed the lead entering The Boot section on the opening lap in the #01 Chip Ganassi Racing-run Cadillac V-Series.R.

Phil Hanson’s #85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 passed Jack Aitken’s #31 Action Express-run Cadillac and picked off Deletraz to run second before the first full-course yellow, as Dwight Merriman spun Era Motorsport’s ORECA – which had won both LMP2 races so far – on lap two and got himself stuck in the grass.

At the restart, Hanson barged his way past van der Zande for the lead, banging wheels on the run to the Bus Stop and forging his way to an impressive lead in the customer 963.

The second caution followed shortly afterwards when George Kurtz's Crowdstrike by APR ORECA brutally rammed Roberto Lecorte’s Cetilar GTD Ferrari into the Turn 8 fence.

All GTP cars pitted under yellow, and Philipp Eng’s #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 led the restart, having taken a shorter fill of energy, from Aitken. Erstwhile leader Hanson handed over to Tijmen van der Helm, who rejoined third but quickly tumbled back to sixth.

Deletraz led the way at the start in the pole-sitting Acura (Photo by: Richard Dole / Motorsport Images)

Aitken passed Eng for the lead at the start of the second hour with a smart move around the outside of Turn 7.

But after the second round of pitstops, the leading #31 car required an unscheduled pitstop after Pipo Derani, who took over from Aitken, damaged the nose in an off at Turn 1. He also flatspotted the right-front tyre, the lengthy extra stop putting him a lap down and out of the frame.

That promoted Nick Tandy’s #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963, which he’d just taken over from Mathieu Jaminet, to the lead as the third hour began, from Bourdais in the #01 Cadillac. Jordan Taylor powered past Bourdais for second in the #40 Acura he took over from poleman Deletraz.

The third yellow was required when Joao Barbosa shunted the Sean Creech Motorsport-run Ligier LMP2 on the exit of Turn 1. Cameron's #7 PPM 963 stayed out to lead, as Taylor picked up second from Tandy and Filipe Albuquerque in the #10 Acura – but the Portuguese was given a drive-through penalty for an unsafe release in the pitlane.

On fresher tyres, Tandy passed Taylor to make it a Porsche 1-2 by half distance – just before the heavens opened. Cameron missed the pit entry and stayed out for a slow lap on slicks, as Tandy and Taylor pitted for wets.

The fourth yellow arrived soon after, as Gianmarco Levorato’s Proton-run Ford Mustang shunted on the approach to the final corner and Zach Robichon spun his Aston Martin in avoidance.

The second half of the race saw the wet-shod Tandy leading Taylor and Matteo Cairoli in the sole Lamborghini SC63 (which was later hamstrung by overheating issues). Tandy pitted immediately to switch to slicks, with Cameron rocketing back to the lead. Albuquerque rose to second, ahead of Nick Yelloly’s re-tubbed #25 BMW, which was crashed in practice by Connor De Phillippi and started from the pit lane, and Bourdais.

A mid-race deluge meant taking wets was a necessity (Photo by: Richard Dole)

Heavy rain arrived on lap 101, bringing out another full-course caution that coincided with Sarah Bovy slamming her Iron Dames Lamborghini into the wall on the exit of a dry Turn 10.

Soon after the restart on a damp track, Albuquerque pulled a bold move to Cameron – the pair banging wheels on the back straight – to grab the lead towards the end of Hour 4.

After falling back on strategy, Tandy charged up to the front again, trading paint with Albuquerque in a frantic duel for the lead inside two hours to go. Tandy grabbed the top spot in a wild three-wide move with a backmarker in the chute towards Turn 6.

Moments later, rain hammered down once again, with multiple cars firing off into the barriers on their slick tyres – four cars going off at Turn 8, including Loris Spinelli’s GTD Lamborghini ploughing head-on into the barriers, and Hunter McElrea’s LMP2 car slamming the Turn 1 tyre wall.

There was also chaos in the Porsche Penske pits, as Jaminet (back in for Tandy) had to reverse around Nasr (in for Cameron) after both cars overshot their pit boxes.

That led to an Acura 1-2, with Deletraz’s #40 leading Ricky Taylor’s #10. De Phillippi snatched third ahead of van der Zande, Jaminet and Nasr. After several laps behind the pace car, the race was red-flagged with 1h20m to go.

As the race went back to yellow conditions, everyone changed to slicks. Deletraz won the race off pit road, as the #10 Acura slumped from second to sixth. Nasr was the big gainer, springing from sixth to second, while van der Zande retained third from Jaminet and De Phillippi.

Nasr pounced on Deletraz at the final restart after quick pit work from his PPM crew (Photo by: Richard Dole)

More drama followed when Taylor ground to a halt, his right-rear wheel parting company just as IMSA was preparing to go to green. Team-mate Albuquerque believed the earlier contact with Cameron had caused some issues with that corner.

After a lengthy delay, the race restarted with just 16 minutes remaining. Nasr dived past Deletraz at Turn 1, with van der Zande grabbing second from the Swiss going into the Esses. Jaminet demoted Deletraz a further position to take third at Turn 6.

Van der Zande couldn’t catch Nasr, who sprinted away to extend the #7 car’s points lead, while Jaminet and Tandy completed the podium.

AF Corse’s Le Mans winner takes LMP2

Nielsen followed up his Le Mans win with LMP2 spoils alongside Wadoux and Perez Companc (Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images)

In LMP2, poleman PJ Hyett led in AO Racing’s ORECA led from Steven Thomas (TDS Racing) and Daniel Goldburg’s #22 United Autosports entry. Hyett was given a drive-through penalty, however, for a start infringement – which set a trend for penalties for category frontrunners.

Just before half distance, Tom Dillmann in the leading #52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen entry was handed a drive-through penalty for a restart violation, as was Felipe Fraga (#74 Riley), who inherited the lead, for passing under yellow.

As the race restarted, overall Le Mans winner Nicklas Nielsen led in AF Corse’s #88 car and survived contact from Fraga at Turn 7, as Ben Hanley’s #2 United Autosports entry got spun around by Colin Braun in the #04 Crowdstrike ORECA vacated by Kurtz.

That gave Nielsen the win just seven days on from his famous Le Mans success with Ferrari, co-driven by Luis Perez Companc and Lilou Wadoux.

Braun, Kurtz and Toby Sowery finished second, with Fraga, Gar Robinson and Josh Burdon third.

Aston Martin scores last-lap victory in GTD Pro

Riberas and Gunn took GTD Pro honours after Milner was forced to pit at the start of the final lap (Photo by: Richard Dole)

Daniel Serra initially led from GTD Pro class pole in Risi Competizione’s Ferrari 296 from Alexander Sims in Corvette Racing’s #3 Z06 GT3.R.

Jack Hawksworth’s #14 Vasser Sullivan’s Pro class Lexus RC F gained the lead after the first round of pitstops from Sims, who had to pit for new brake rotors in the second hour.

The long-time leading #14 Lexus Hawksworth shared with Ben Barnicoat was given a drive-through just before half distance for not maintaining pace at the third restart, and the top spot changed hands multiple times during the weather interruptions.

After the red flag, Tommy Milner found himself at the front of the GTD Pro field in the #4 Corvette, ahead of Ross Gunn’s Heart of Racing Aston Martin and Marvin Kirchhofer’s Pfaff McLaren 720S – all three having stayed out on slicks in the downpour.

Milner survived scary moments as the GTP leaders caught him and the GTD pack with just minutes remaining, but what he couldn’t do was make it to the finish on fuel, and he had to pit at the white flag.

That allowed Gunn and Alex Riberas to scoop the class honours, ahead of Kirchhofer and Oliver Jarvis in the Pfaff McLaren and Antonio Garcia in the #3 Corvette he shared with Sims.

Philip Ellis led the pro-am GTD class in Winward Racing’s Mercedes, having also slithered around on slicks – almost going off at Turn 6 as he did so. He fended off an attack from Parker Thompson’s #12 Lexus at the Bus Stop in the closing moment to secure victory with Indy Dontje and Russell Ward.

IMSA Watkins Glen 6 Hours Race Result

Main Information Additional Data Additional Data Driver Info

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Main Information Additional Data 1  -  2
Cla	Drivers	#		Chassis	Laps	Time	Interval	Pits	Points	Retirement
1	D. Cameron F. Nasr Porsche Penske Motorsport	7		Porsche 963	148	-		7
2	R. van der Zande S. Bourdais Cadillac Racing	01		Cadillac V-Series.R	148	+0.749 0.749	0.749	8
3	N. Tandy M. Jaminet Porsche Penske Motorsport	6		Porsche 963	148	+2.819 2.819	2.070	8
4	J. Taylor L. Deletraz Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti	40		Acura ARX-06	148	+22.455 22.455	19.636	8
5	J. Krohn P. Eng BMW M Team RLL	24		BMW M Hybrid V8	148	+22.924 22.924	0.469	9
6	C. de Phillippi N. Yelloly BMW M Team RLL	25		BMW M Hybrid V8	148	+23.820 23.820	0.896	12
7	G. Bruni B. Viscaal Proton Competition	5		Porsche 963	147	1 lap		11
8	P. Derani J. Aitken T. Blomqvist Whelen Cadillac Racing	31		Cadillac V-Series.R	147	1 lap		9
9	L. Perez Companc N. Nielsen L. Wadoux Richard Mille AF Corse	88		ORECA 07	147	1 lap		7
10	G. Kurtz C. Braun T. Sowery Crowdstrike Racing by APR	04		ORECA 07	147	1 lap		9
11	G. Robinson F. Fraga J. Burdon Riley	74		ORECA 07	147	1 lap		8
12	J. Smiechowski N. Boulle T. Dillmann Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports	52		ORECA 07	146	2 laps		10
13	D. Andersen S. Lucas S. Huffaker MDK by High Class Racing	20		ORECA 07	146	2 laps		10
14	D. Goldburg P. di Resta B. Garg United Autosports USA	22		ORECA 07	146	2 laps		11
15	J. Farano M. Dinan C. Eastwood Tower Motorsports	8		ORECA 07	146	2 laps		12
16	P. Hyett P. Chatin M. Brabham AO Racing	99		ORECA 07	146	2 laps		11
17	B. Keating B. Hanley N. Pino United Autosports USA	2		ORECA 07	146	2 laps		10
18	T. van der Helm R. Westbrook P. Hanson JDC/Miller Motorsports	85		Porsche 963	146	2 laps		8
19	R. Gunn A. Riberas Heart Of Racing Team	23		Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	139	9 laps		6
20	M. Kirchhofer O. Jarvis Pfaff Motorsports	9		McLaren 720S GT3 EVO	139	9 laps		6
21	A. Garcia A. Sims Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports	3		Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	139	9 laps		7
22	J. Hawksworth B. Barnicoat Vasser Sullivan	14		Lexus RC F GT3	139	9 laps		10
23	H. Tincknell M. Rockenfeller Ford Multimatic Motorsports	64		Ford Mustang GT3	139	9 laps		6
24	L. Heinrich S. Priaulx AO Racing	77		Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	139	9 laps		8
25	R. Ward P. Ellis I. Dontje Winward Racing	57		Mercedes AMG GT3	139	9 laps		5
26	A. Adelson E. Skeer J. Heylen Wright Motorsports	120		Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	139	9 laps		12
27	M. Franco A. Costa C. Sbirrazzuoli Conquest Racing	34		Ferrari 296 GT3	139	9 laps		9
28	J. Potter A. Lally S. Pumpelly Magnus Racing	44		Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	139	9 laps		8
29	F. Montecalvo P. Thompson A. Telitz Vasser Sullivan	12		Lexus RC F GT3	139	9 laps		5
30	R. Foley P. Gallagher J. Walker Turner Motorsport	96		BMW M4 GT3	139	9 laps		10
31	S. Yoluc R. Andrade S. Andrews Lone Star Racing	80		Mercedes AMG GT3	139	9 laps		11
32	S. Mann F. Heriau M. Molina Af Corse	21		Ferrari 296 GT3	139	9 laps		6
33	O. Fidani M. Bell L. Kern AWA	13		Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD	139	9 laps		7
34	K. Li A. Fjordbach K. Bachler MDK Motorsports	86		Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	139	9 laps		9
35	O. Triarsi C. Scardina A. Rovera Triarsi Competizione	023		Ferrari 296 GT3	139	9 laps		7
36	J. Andretti G. Chaves S. Hargrove Andretti Motorsports	43		Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	139	9 laps		8
37	T. Milner N. Catsburg Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports	4		Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	139	9 laps		9
38	M. Skeen M. Grenier K. Koch Korthoff/Preston Motorsports	32		Mercedes AMG GT3	139	9 laps		7
39	B. Iribe F. Schandorff O. Millroy Inception Racing	70		McLaren 720S GT3 EVO	139	9 laps		6
40	B. Sellers M. Snow N. Verhagen Paul Miller Racing	1		BMW M4 GT3	139	9 laps		11
41	K. Marcelli D. Formal G. Doyle Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti	45		Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	138	10 laps		9
42	S. Monk T. Calderon S. McAleer Gradient Racing	66		Acura NSX GT3	137	11 laps		10
43	R. Taylor J. Barbosa Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti	10		Acura ARX-06	134	14 laps		10
44	F. Perera J. Pepper Iron Lynx	19		Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	131	17 laps		18
45	T. Steven M. Jensen H. McElrea TDS Racing	11		ORECA 07	125	23 laps		8
46	J. Hand D. Muller Ford Multimatic Motorsports	65		Ford Mustang GT3	124	24 laps		13
47	E. Lux R. Lindh N. Varrone DragonSpeed	81		ORECA 07	122	26 laps		7
48	D. Serra D. Rigon Risi Competizione	62		Ferrari 296 GT3	122	26 laps		5
49	M. Goikhberg L. Spinelli D. DeFrancesco Forte Racing	78		Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	117	31 laps		6
50	M. Cairoli A. Caldarelli Lamborghini Iron Lynx	63		Lamborghini SC63	107	41 laps		7
51	R. Frey M. Gatting S. Bovy Iron Dames	83		Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	94	54 laps		5
52	R. De Angelis Z. Robichon I. James Heart Of Racing Team	27		Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	83	65 laps		5
53	G. Levorato C. Lewis R. Hardwick Proton Competition	55		Ford Mustang GT3	82	66 laps		3
54	J. Barbosa J. Edgar L. Willsey Sean Creech Motorsport	33		Ligier JS P217	65	83 laps		2
55	R. Lacorte G. Sernagiotto A. Fuoco Cetilar Racing	47		Ferrari 296 GT3	15	133 laps		1
dnf	D. Merriman R. Dalziel C. Zilisch Era Motorsport	18		ORECA 07	1	147 laps				Retirement
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