JEREMY SHAW
IMSA SPORTSCAR
WATKINS GLEN (USA)
23 JUNE
ROUND 6/11
An enthralling Six Hours of Watkins Glen last Sunday ended with another emphatic victory for Porsche Penske Motorsports pairing Felipe Nasr and Dane Cameron.
No fewer than nine of the 11 GTP entries led at one stage or another, but in the final reckoning, after a red-flag stoppage of more than 40 minutes due to heavy rain, Nasr immediately muscled his way to the front. The Brazilian held off a challenge from Renger van der Zande’s Cadillac to become the first repeat winner this season.
The early stages were marked by an impressive charge by Phil Hanson aboard JDC-Miller’s privateer Porsche 963. The 24-year-old Englishman started fourth after outqualifying the two factory Penske Porsches, and lost no time in slipping ahead of van der Zande, who had deposed the polesitting WTR/Andretti Acura of Louis Deletraz on the opening lap.
Hanson maintained his advantage until the first round of pitstops. Even though the car never again featured at the sharp end of the competitive field, the little team from Minnesota had made its mark.
Fellow Brit Jack Aitken was the star of the second hour, forging to the front in the Whelen Cadillac he shared with Pipo Derani and Tom Blomqvist. But a hard-earned 12-second lead was erased when Aitken spun at the Inner Loop, whereupon another off by Derani cost a lap.
The middle portion of the race was characterised by intermittent and localised short showers of rain. Cameron moved to the front after 72 laps when his team elected not to pit during a full-course caution, then chose to stay out on slicks when all of the other frontrunners opted for wet tyres shortly before half-distance.
Going into the final two hours, Detroit winners Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor were now in contention, along with WTR/Andretti Acura team-mates Deletraz/ Jordan Taylor, the two Penske Porsches, the #01
