Porsche’s Matt Campbell leads at the half way mark in the IMSA Six Hours of Watkins Glen, after a messy race featuring five full course cautions in just three hours.
Renger van der Zande led from pole in the #93 MSR Acura, but it was soon taken off him by Porsche’s Felipe Nasr in the #7 Porsche. Jack Aitken in the #31 Action Express Cadillac, who started second, was then able to overtake both to lead the race.
However, the forecasted rain then arrived, causing chaos and the first caution. The second yellow then arrived soon after the first as drivers struggled to keep their cars out of the barriers and on track.
With Aitken having trouble in the pits, van der Zande re-inherited the race lead. He led for much of the second hour, but more cautions meant that Lamborghini’s Romain Grosjean took the lead.
Just before the fourth caution, Grosjean had pitted the #63 Lamborghini SC63. When the caution was called minutes later, he didn’t need to pit, and went into the lead. He’d been running strongly in the first two hours, in the top six or so, but this luck on strategy meant he took the lead when every other GTP pitted under yellow for the fourth caution.
He retained the lead at the restart over Kaku Ohta, who’d replaced Renger van der Zande in the #93 Acura. However, the race’s fifth caution was soon called as the #80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 and the #5 Proton Porsche 963, of Nico Pino, collided.
At the next restart, Grosjean retained the lead for Lamborghini, with Ohta second. Philipp Eng was third in the #24 BMW. But then guess what? You guessed it — another yellow was called for the #9 Pfaff Lamborghini, which had previously crashed causing an FCY, pulled off to drivers left on the boot section of the track.
As the entire GTP field pitted under yellow, Matt Campbell assumed the lead in the #6 Porsche, with Felipe Albuquerque second in the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac second. Third is Nick Yelloly in the #93 MSR Acura. The former leader, the #63 Lamborghini now with Daniil Kyvat at the wheel, is ninth after the stops.
Garg, Verhagen, Thompson leading in LMP2, GTD Pro, GTD
In LMP2, Bijoy Garg leads in the #43 Inter Europol Oreca 07-Gibson, the only car not to pit under the current yellow. Josh Burdon is second in the #74 Riley Oreca, with Rasmus Lindh third onboard the #22 United Autosports Oreca.
Neil Verhagen leads GTD Pro in the #1 Paul Miller BMW M4 GT3, with Klaus Bachler second in the #77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3.R second. Third is Antonio Garcia in the #3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R.
Finally, Parker Thompson leads the GTD class in the #12 VasserSullivan Lexus RC F GT3, with Ferrari factory driver Antonio Fuoco second in the #47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari 296 GT3. Third in class is Ollie Millroy in the #70 Inception Racing Ferrari.
