A dismal performance for the # 3 IMSA GTD PRO Corvette at INDY

Try as they may, Jordan Taylor, Antonio Garcia and crew finished 5th, last in class in the IMSA GTD PRO class in the “Battle on the Bricks” race on the 2.4 - mile road course at the Indianapolos Motor Speedway on Sept 17.

They were also out-paced by 3 leaders from a field of 17 cars in the IMSA GTD AM class including this BMW M4 GT3.

The cause is a mystery as no explanations besides complaints about “traffic” were offered in “official” team report.

The Vasser/Sullivan # 14 Lexus RC F GT3 will automatically win the championship merely by starting the final race at Road Atlanta on Saturday October 14, a 10-hour deal a/k/a Petit Le Mans.

The C8 GT3 R Corvette notched wins at CTMP Mosport Canada & VIR coming into Indy but lacked consistency over the season.

Taylor qualified 5th in GT PRO and behind 2 GTD AM cars but the # 3 could not sustain higher track position, even after a perfect pit stop near the 1-hour mark for Garcia to take over.

While there was little to celebrate, the Corvette team is regarded as one of the best in the business and the Corvette still attracts the biggest crowd.

There seems no call for hair pulling as the Corvette enters a bold new era with customer teams racing the new Z06 GT3R coming soon at the Daytona 24-hour race on January 27, 2024.

 It was a banner day for Indy Series and track owner Roger Penske whose GTP Porsches finished 1-2 overall.   Ex-Corvette driver Nick Tandy shared the win, setting up a Porsche-Acura-Cadillac-BMW battle for the title. 

 Next year Indy will become a 6-hour race, ending in darkness as IMSA attempts to draw a bigger crowd.

 Photo credits Richard Prince, Jake Galstat, Richard Dole.