Hopes for repeat driver championship squashed with 5th and 6th at Lime Rock
Corvette Racing got beat due to a host of factors that turned the contest into an educated guessing game for all the GTLM teams.
Under record high temperatures, 20-year veteran pro team photographer and friend Richard Prince remarked, “these were the toughest conditions I’ve worked”.
It may be surprising that average lap speeds at Lime Rock, more like an oval (only one left turn), are the fastest of all the tracks on the IMSA trail.
At just 1.5 miles, Lime Rock is also the shortest track offering no let-up during sub 50 second laps and ever-present traffic.
Full course caution flags are also rare (none this year) squashing chances to re-group during the 2 hour and 40-minute race. Deliberate decisions such as for optimal tires at all 4 corners need to be made on the fly.
Not that the race wasn’t exciting. Betting on a 3-stop strategy, GTLM winner Richard Westbrook in the # 67 Ford GT worked his way past # 912 Porsche RSR of Laurens Vanthoor in the closing laps. With Ford out next year, the scuttlebutt has Ferrari coming back and BMW staying, supposedly lured by more favorable BOP rules.
Magnussen & Garcia in the # 3 Corvette sit 3rd in the driver championship but fell back with a 5th place at Lime Rock, all but ruling out a repeat of last year’s title won without a single outright victory.
The # 4 Corvette was 6th Gavin (and Marcel Fassler still subbing for Milner).
The Torque Show, live from the paddock was a fun diversion hosted by TV personalities Justin Bell and Tommy Kendall chatting up guests.
The entertainment aims to attract more paying fans fueled by money from Michelin, distribution by Road & Track (Hurst) and highlighted by IMSA celebrating 50 years.
Results compiled by Wayne Ellwood.
Action photos thanks to Richard Martin.
July 20 also marked the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon shot program. Astronauts got sweetheart leases for Corvettes, Irwin, Worden & Scott pictured here courtesy of Jim Rathman Chevrolet in Melbourne FL.
This Corvette race report reflects opinions, observations and information gathered from a variety of unofficial sources and may differ from other accounts.