RacingNation.com

Big Day In Texas

TUDOR Prototype class and overall pole sitting Oak Racing Ligier JSP2 HPD.  [Photo by Jack Webster]

By Jack Webster & Eddie LePine

Saturday is shaping up to be a huge day in sports car racing in the US. Both the IMSA TUDOR United Sports Car Championship and the FIA-WEC series will be holding races at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Weather looks like it might be an issue, as it has been during the days leading up to the races on Saturday. Thunderstorm and rain showers have been persistent throughout the week and with a 40% chance of more rain forecast for race day, the teams have surely made plans for a wet race.

First up will be the TUDOR race, which gets underway on Saturday morning at 11:35am and concludes at 2:20pm, and will feature hot competition among the competitors in its 4 classes of racing: Prototype, LMPC, GTLM and GTD.

Starting the race from pole will be the all-new Oak Racing P2 prototype Ligier HPD Honda powered car that will be driven by Gustavo Yacaman and Alex Brundle. On pole in the LMPC class will be the Oreca FLM09 of Lewis Diaz and Sean Rayhall.

In the GT classes, the SRT Viper of Jonathan Bomarito and Kuno Wittmer led the way in the GTLM class, while the Aston Martin V12 Vantage of Al Carter and James Davidson took the top spot in the GTD class.

In what can only be described as a monumental task and outstanding achievement, as soon as the TUDOR race concludes the entire pits will be transformed for the FIA-WEC 6 Hour race that is scheduled to begin at 5pm. The IMSA pit wall will be removed, the IMSA teams will remove their equipment and the pits will be set up for the FIA-WEC teams who operate under quite different pit rules than the IMSA TUDOR series. Fans from around the world who have descended upon the Circuit of the Americas will get the unique opportunity to see top drivers compete in the IMSA TUDOR United Sports Car race and the international cars and stars who ran at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the FIA-WEC race the same day.

Austin marks the first race of the series since the Le Mans in June and the teams and drivers are quite anxious to get back to competition. The 6 Hour race at the Circuit of the Americas promises to be an exciting one, starting in daylight and ending at night – the first night race to be held at this outstanding facility.

Starting on pole overall in the FIA-WEC race will be the P1 class Toyota TS040-Hybrid of Buemi, Davidson and Lapierre, much to the dismay of the Joest Audi squad, who had topped the time charts in the preceding practice sessions.  Also new to US audiences this year is the Porsche 919 Hybrid, making its American debut at Austin. In the P1 privateer ranks, the Rebellion R1 Toyota leads the way.

In the GT classes, the AF Corse F458 Italia captured pole position in LMGTE-Pro after a stunning and brilliant drive Gimmi Bruni. In the LMGTE-Am the Prospeed Competition Porsche 911 RSR took the top spot.

With the changing weather conditions predicted for Saturday, and the promise of great competition among the best drivers from around the world, driving the greatest cars ever made, Saturday is shaping up to be a day of sports car racing to be remembered for quite some time. We are looking forward to it.

 

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