Notebook Items Include Porsche Looking To Better Last Year’s Austin Finish; Paul Miller Racing
Has Near-Perfect Weekend; CJ Wilson Racing Hopes To Follow “Triple Win” Trend In GS
One year ago, Porsche North America seemed poised to claim its third consecutive 1-2 finish in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition at the Lone Star Le Mans at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas.
But with three minutes remaining, both cars were forced to pit for fuel, allowing BMW Team RLL drivers Dirk Werner and Bill Auberlen to win over the Risi Competizione Ferrari of Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer. Nick Tandy and eventual GT Le Mans (GTLM) champion Patrick Pilet managed to claim the final spot on the podium in the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR.
This year, Tandy and Pilet are eager to reach the top step at Austin.
“We have a score to settle,” Tandy said. “This year, I hope that we can bring home the victory that we lost last year just a few kilometers from the finish line. I always particularly look forward to Austin. Part of the reason for this is the demanding racetrack – I especially enjoy the first fast sector. But the city has a very special flair, and it’s always worth a visit.”
Pilet and Tandy won earlier this year at Long Beach, but that stands as the lone podium finish for the No. 911. Meanwhile, teammates Earl Bamber and Frederic Makowiecki placed third last weekend at VIRginia International Raceway to record the fourth podium finish for the No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR. A year ago, Bamber and Joerg Bergmeister rebounded from their late fuel stop to place fifth at COTA.
Paul Miller Racing Near Perfect For Lamborghini at VIR
The first WeatherTech Championship GT Daytona (GTD) class victory for Lamborghini was the icing on the cake for Paul Miller Racing in the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR. The No. 48 Castrol Edge/Universal Industrial Sales Lamborghini Huracán GT3 co-driven by Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers led every practice session, captured the pole, led the morning warm-up and then led all but eight laps en route to victory.
“It’s a huge honor as far as getting the first win for Lamborghini,” Sellers said. “When you’re growing up as a kid and dreaming of driving Lamborghinis, and then to get the first major win in the U.S. in a premier series is a great honor.”
The team brought Lamborghini its first pole at Detroit with Sellers, and then scored the first podium by finishing third at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. At VIR, it was Snow strapped in for qualifying, and he delivered for his first career WeatherTech Championship TOTAL Pole Award.
"We were pretty strong all weekend,” Snow said. “The pressure (to perform) kept getting more and more as the weekend went on. Obviously we kept pressing harder and harder to stay on top. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that we led every practice session, qualifying and won the pole. Going into the race we had no excuse and had to do everything we could to win.”
CJ Wilson Racing Hopes To Follow “Triple Win” Trend
When Trent Hindman and Cameron Cassels won at Sebring in March in the No. 12 Bodymotion Racing Porsche GT4 Clubsport, they kicked off a three-race winning streak in Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Grand Sport (GS) competition. Daytona winners Scott Maxwell and Billy Johnson brought that streak to a halt by winning at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, also beginning a three-race winning streak for the No. 15 Multimatic Motorsport Ford Shelby GT350R-C.
Last weekend, Danny Burkett and Marc Miller gave CJ Wilson Racing its first GS victory in the Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIRginia International Raceway, and are looking to build a “three-win” streak of their own for the final two rounds of 2016 competition.
“We’re so happy to get our first GS win, and now we are also hoping to do three in a row this year like everyone else seems to be doing,” Miller said. “I’m definitely looking forward to the next race at our home track, Circuit of The Americas.”
With only the races at COTA and Road Atlanta remaining, the drivers of the No. 33 ONE Capital Management/MotorOilMatters.org Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport trail Maxwell and Johnson by 20 points, 260-240.
“In 2013, when CJ Wilson racing got its first ST victory, Stevan McAleer and I were driving and it was a huge moment,” Miller said. “Last year, I ran a limited ST schedule while helping the team develop its GS program, and it was great seeing Stevan and Chad [McCumbee] win the ST championship. I have always been in an atmosphere that was championship caliber, and here we are this year, working real hard and being in contention for several wins. Now that monkey is off our back, so we can go to the next race and hopefully do the same thing.”
End Quote:
Chad Gilsinger, No. 93 HART Honda Civic Si, ST winner at VIRginia International Raceway: "I know that every time I’m in the car I can’t win the race, but I can lose the race. My job was to stay in front, keep the car on the track, and do what I needed to do to give the car to Ryan [Eversley]. I was fortunate to start the race next to my teammate, Kevin Boehm, who put the No. 92 Honda on the pole. I knew we had a good car, I had a great start and was able to get ahead into Turn 1. Then once the rain came down it was a matter of being smart and not pushing too hard.”
