Jaminet passed Connor De Phillippi’s Rahal Letterman Lanigan-run BMW with just six minutes of the six-hour race remaining. The race went full-course yellow just moments later, as a BMW GTD car somersaulted on the approach to the final corner.
The fifth round of America’s premier sportscar series began with the prototype classes starting in championship order, after the multi-car shunt that halted the LMP2/P3 session and led to the GTP session being abandoned due to heavy rain. The 57-car entry was the largest here since 1984.
Nick Tandy (#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963) led Pipo Derani (#31 Action Express Racing Cadillac V-Series.R), as Augusto Farfus spun the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 out of sixth place at the first corner. The right-front corner of the car was wrecked in the impact with the barrier, putting it out of the race. “My fault, I just lost the rear,” Farfus admitted.
Officials then green-flagged the GTD field, despite the stationary BMW on the track at Turn 1, but fortunately the stacked field of 20 cars, many of them two-wide, managed to avoid hitting it. The race went full-course yellow moments later.
Soon after the restart, the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport Acura ARX-06 of Louis Deletraz required a new left-rear tyre after being black-flagged by IMSA for a low-pressure warning. More opening-hour drama included Derani getting clipped by Mark Kvamme’s High Class Racing LMP2 car.
That didn’t cause a caution, but it wasn't long as LMP2 frontrunner Salih Yoluc (Towe Motorsports) harpooned Ben Keating (PR1 Mathiasen) at the final corner, causing Steven Thomas (TDS Racing) to hit the barrier in avoidance. He then reversed into the middle of the track at the blind corner, causing some near misses.
Matt Campbell picked up the lead as he’d pitted the #7 963 before the yellow, heading Tandy in a Porsche 1-2, while the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura of Colin Braun vaulted to third by not taking tyres but was then penalised with a drive-through for pitlane speeding.
Just inside the second hour the third FCY flew when Sebastien Bourdais crashed the Chip Ganassi Racing Caddy out of fourth after misjudging a lapping move on a Porsche GTD car and was smashed from behind by the close-following De Phillippi’s #25 BMW.
At the bottom of the second hour, the leading Porsches swapped places, with Mathieu Jaminet (in for Tandy) passing Felipe Nasr (in for Campbell) after the #6 pitted earlier than the #7.
Before the 2h30m point, the #7 Porsche pulled into pitlane from second place with a failing hybrid system and went behind the wall, elevating the #10 Acura up to second.
But that spot appeared to be cursed, as Filipe Albuquerque’s left-rear wheel flew off at the Inner Loop just a few minutes later. He lost a lap after taking the shortcut back to the pits, which promoted the #60 Acura to second and the #31 Cadillac to third. The remaining #25 BMW was in fourth, despite a half spin for Yelloly after contacting a GTD Lamborghini just before half distance.
The P2 curse continued when the #60 suffered a right-rear puncture, while more bad news for Acura was the #10 being penalised for failing to adhere to the minimum refuelling time. The leading #6 Porsche also received a scare when race control announced a warning for “failing to adhere to powertrain parameters”.
The next major incident was a four-car pile-up at Turn 6 in the fourth hour, as the #38 LMP3 of Alex Kirby ploughed into the rear of GTD Pro contending #63 Iron Lynx Lamborghini of Andrea Caldarelli, which collected the #42 Lambo of Rob Ferriol and the #01 Ganassi Cadillac of Renger van der Zande, who was running fifth overall.
At the restart with just over two hours remaining, Jack Aitken benefited from the timing of the yellow to lead in the #31 AXR Caddy from Braun in the #60 Acura, Tandy and Yelloly. Ten minutes into the stint, Yelloly jumped past Tandy for third, while Aitken battled for the lead with Braun.
De Phillippi took over the #25 BMW from Yelloly and a rapid penultimate pitstop meant he rejoined in the lead, while Tandy passed Derani for second with 75m on the clock. The #60 Acura slipped back to fourth, with Tom Blomqvist taking over from Braun despite a shoulder injury inflicted by sharing a seat with his team-mate.
In the closing stages, De Phillippi was unable to unleash the BMW’s pace that it had packed all weekend, pulling away to lead by over 7s from Jaminet, Derani and Blomqvist. But Jaminet responded in the final stages in a desperate final push as the 963 came into its own.
Jaminet grabbed the lead with a wild move in traffic with just six minutes remaining, as De Phillippi got stuck behind the GTD-leading Lexus.
The race ended under yellow when Bill Auberlen rolled his Turner Motorsports BMW M4 just moments later.
Derani finished third, ahead of Blomqvist. The JDC Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 of Mike Rockenfeller and Tijmen van der Helm finished fifth, ahead of the Ganassi Caddy, while the #10 Acura went off at Turn 9 in the closing hour and retired in the pits.
Crowdstrike wins LMP2, Riley tops P3
LMP2 was a fierce duel as usual, with the Crowdstrike Racing machine of George Kurtz/Ben Hanley/Nolan Siegel beating Era Motorsport (sharing with Indy NXT star Christian Rasmussen and Dwight Merriman) and the PR1 Mathiasen entry of Ben Keating/Paul-Loup Chatin/Alex Quinn).
In LMP3, Felipe Fraga (sharing the #74 Riley entry with Gar Robinson and Josh Burdon) traded paint in a battle for the lead with Garret Grist (AWA, partnered by Dakota Dickerson and Dylan Murry, the latter a late sub after Ari Balogh’s qualifying crash) across the closing hours. Fraga just came out on top.
Lexus claims GTD double
In GTD, Loris Spinelli (Forte Racing) led an early Lamborghini 1-2 ahead of Jordan Pepper’s Iron Lynx entry. Daniel Serra’s Risi Ferrari ran third, ahead of the Lexus duo of Aaron Telitz and Jack Hawksworth, with the #14 methodically working its way through the order to the head of the field after Ben Barnicoat took over.
Iron Dames spent a spell in the lead of Pro-Am GTD after a brilliant stint from Doriane Pin, but the Lamborghini was black-flagged due to being below the minimum tyre pressure requirement, a fate that also befell other frontrunners including the Risi Ferrari and Forte Lambo.
With two hours remaining, Pro Barnicoat headed Parker Thompson (sharing the sister #12 Lexus with Telitz and Frankie Montecalvo).
But there was disaster for the Hawksworth/Barnicoat car, as it was pinged for speeding in its final pitstop. That handed the overall GTD win to Telitz, while the Corvette of Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor inherited the GTD Pro lead, bouncing back from a drive-through penalty when a tyre was left behind in a pitstop, and it was hit along the pitlane by an Aston Martin.
But a charging Hawksworth pulled off a late lunge to pass Garcia in The Boot, bringing Serra’s Ferrari past him too.
Hawksworth just held off Serra in the closing laps to ensure a double Lexus victory.
IMSA Watkins Glen 6 Hours - race results
Cla | Class | Num | Driver | Chassis | Laps | Time | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | GTP | 6 |
Nick Tandy Mathieu Jaminet |
Porsche 963 | 201 | ||
2 | GTP | 25 |
Connor de Phillippi Nick Yelloly |
BMW M Hybrid V8 | 201 | 2.120 | |
3 | GTP | 31 |
Pipo Derani Alexander Sims Jack Aitken |
Cadillac V-Series.R | 201 | 14.198 | |
4 | GTP | 60 |
Tom Blomqvist Colin Braun |
Acura ARX-06 | 201 | 22.541 | |
5 | GTP | 5 |
Tijmen van der Helm Mike Rockenfeller |
Porsche 963 | 199 | 2 laps | |
6 | GTP | 01 |
Sébastien Bourdais Renger van der Zande |
Cadillac V-Series.R | 197 | 4 laps | |
7 | LMP2 | 04 |
George Kurtz Ben Hanley Nolan Siegel |
ORECA LMP2 07 | 196 | 5 laps | |
8 | LMP2 | 18 |
Dwight Merriman Ryan Dalziel Christian Rasmussen |
ORECA LMP2 07 | 196 | 5 laps | |
9 | LMP2 | 52 |
Ben Keating Paul-Loup Chatin Alex Quinn |
ORECA LMP2 07 | 196 | 5 laps | |
10 | LMP2 | 35 |
John Falb Giedo van der Garde Josh Pierson |
ORECA LMP2 07 | 195 | 6 laps | |
11 | LMP2 | 8 |
Salih Yoluc Kyffin Simpson Will Stevens |
ORECA LMP2 07 | 195 | 6 laps | |
12 | LMP2 | 88 |
Luis Perez Companc Lilou Wadoux Nicklas Nielsen |
ORECA LMP2 07 | 193 | 8 laps | |
13 | LMP3 | 74 |
Gar Robinson Felipe Fraga Josh Burdon |
Ligier JS P320 | 189 | 12 laps | |
14 | LMP3 | 30 |
Ari Balogh Garett Grist Dakota Dickerson |
Ligier JS P320 | 189 | 12 laps | |
15 | LMP3 | 17 |
Anthony Mantella Wayne Boyd Nicolás Varrone |
Duqueine D08 | 189 | 12 laps | |
16 | LMP3 | 36 |
Jarett Andretti Gabby Chaves Glenn van |
Ligier JS P320 | 188 | 13 laps | |
17 | LMP3 | 13 |
Orey Fidani Matthew Bell Lars Kern |
Duqueine D08 | 188 | 13 laps | |
18 | LMP3 | 4 |
Seth Lucas Tonis Kasemets Trenton Estep |
Ligier JS P320 | 187 | 14 laps | |
19 | LMP3 | 33 |
Joao Barbosa Nicolas Pino Lance Willsey |
Ligier JS P320 | 187 | 14 laps | |
20 | LMP3 | 54 |
Jason Rabe Andrew Pinkerton Stevan McAleer |
Ligier JS P320 | 185 | 16 laps | |
21 | GTD | 12 |
Frankie Montecalvo Aaron Telitz Parker Thompson |
Lexus RC F GT3 | 183 | 18 laps | |
22 | GTD PRO | 14 |
Jack Hawksworth Ben Barnicoat |
Lexus RC F GT3 | 183 | 18 laps | |
23 | GTD PRO | 62 |
Daniel Serra Davide Rigon |
Ferrari 296 GT3 | 183 | 18 laps | |
24 | GTD PRO | 3 |
Antonio Garcia Jordan Taylor |
Corvette C8.R GTD | 183 | 18 laps | |
25 | GTD PRO | 79 |
Daniel Juncadella Jules Gounon |
Mercedes AMG GT3 | 183 | 18 laps | |
26 | GTD | 1 |
Bryan Sellers Madison Snow Corey Lewis |
BMW M4 GT3 | 183 | 18 laps | |
27 | GTD | 16 |
Ryan Hardwick Zacharie Robichon Jan Heylen |
Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 183 | 18 laps | |
28 | GTD PRO | 023 |
Ross Gunn Alex Riberas |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 | 183 | 18 laps | |
29 | GTD | 66 |
Sheena Monk Katherine Legge Marc Miller |
Acura NSX GT3 | 183 | 18 laps | |
30 | GTD PRO | 9 |
Klaus Bachler Patrick Pilet |
Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 183 | 18 laps | |
31 | GTD | 27 |
Roman De Angelis Marco Sorensen Ian James |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 | 183 | 18 laps | |
32 | GTD | 23 |
Onofrio Triarsi Charles Scardina Alessio Rovera |
Ferrari 296 GT3 | 183 | 18 laps | |
33 | GTD | 78 |
Mikhail Goikhberg Loris Spinelli Patrick Liddy |
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 | 183 | 18 laps | |
34 | GTD | 93 |
Ashton Harrison Danny Formal Kyle Marcelli |
Acura NSX GT3 | 183 | 18 laps | |
35 | GTD | 44 |
John Potter Andy Lally Spencer Pumpelly |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 | 183 | 18 laps | |
36 | GTD | 92 |
David Brule Alec Udell Julien Andlauer |
Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 183 | 18 laps | |
37 | LMP3 | 85 |
Till Bechtolsheimer Daniel Goldburg Rasmus Lindh |
Duqueine D08 | 182 | 19 laps | |
38 | GTD | 77 |
Alan Brynjolfsson Trent Hindman Maxwell Root |
Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 182 | 19 laps | |
39 | GTD | 32 |
Mike Skeen Mikael Grenier Kenton Koch |
Mercedes AMG GT3 | 182 | 19 laps | |
40 | LMP2 | 11 |
Thomas Steven Mikkel Jensen Scott Huffaker |
ORECA LMP2 07 | 182 | 19 laps | |
41 | GTD | 96 |
Patrick Gallagher Robby Foley Michael Dinan |
BMW M4 GT3 | 182 | 19 laps | |
42 | GTD | 80 |
PJ Hyett Seb Priaulx Gunnar Jeannette |
Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 182 | 19 laps | |
43 | GTD | 70 |
Brendan Iribe Frederik Schandorff Ollie Millroy |
McLaren 720S GT3 EVO | 182 | 19 laps | |
44 | GTD | 83 |
Rahel Frey Michelle Gatting Doriane Pin |
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 | 182 | 19 laps | |
45 | GTD | 91 |
Alan Metni Kay van Berlo Jaxon Evans |
Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | 181 | 20 laps | |
46 | GTD PRO | 95 |
Bill Auberlen Chandler Hull John Edwards |
BMW M4 GT3 | 179 | 22 laps | |
47 | GTP | 10 |
Ricky Taylor Filipe Albuquerque Louis Deletraz |
Acura ARX-06 | 176 | 25 laps | |
48 | GTD | 47 |
Roberto Lacorte Giorgio Sernagiotto Antonio Fuoco |
Ferrari 296 GT3 | 158 | 43 laps | |
49 | GTD PRO | 61 |
Simon Mann Miguel Molina Ulysse De Pauw |
Ferrari 296 GT3 | 134 | 67 laps | |
50 | LMP3 | 38 |
Christopher Allen Connor Bloum Alex Kirby |
Ligier JS P320 | 109 | 92 laps | |
51 | GTD PRO | 63 |
Andrea Caldarelli Jordan Lee Pepper |
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 | 108 | 93 laps | |
52 | GTD | 42 |
Jaden Conwright Luke Berkeley Rob Ferriol |
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 | 105 | 96 laps | |
53 | GTP | 7 |
Matt Campbell Felipe Nasr |
Porsche 963 | 100 | 101 laps | |
54 | LMP2 | 20 |
Dennis Andersen Ed Jones Anders Fjordbach |
ORECA LMP2 07 | 60 | 141 laps | |
55 | GTD | 57 |
Russell Ward Raffaele Marciello Indy Dontje |
Mercedes AMG GT3 | 32 | 169 laps | |
56 | LMP2 | 51 |
Eric Lux Devlin DeFrancesco Pietro Fittipaldi |
ORECA LMP2 07 | 7 | 194 laps | |
57 | GTP | 24 |
Philipp Eng Augusto Farfus |
BMW M Hybrid V8 | 0 | ||
View full results |