But how many remember who Kissed the Bricks
Wayback’ in September?
Suppose the majority of Sports Fans were busy
watchin’ pigskins being tossed round, eh? Although I did stumble into the
NASCAR Playoff race from New Hampshire on USA Network briefly. When looking for
the TV coverage of the Battle on the Bricks race during lunchtime.
As it still really baffles me, how IMSA or NBC
think they’re gonna move the proverbial needle when putting the start of the
race, and the first three hours duration behind a Freakin’ Paywall! And Yes,
Peacock streaming is nothing more than that!
As seriously? USA Network couldn’t forego running three hours of Law and
Order reruns?
Began the weekend by listening to the majority
of Qualie’ via IMSA Radio, albeit they either moved qualifying forward, or I
misread when it started? Since when I dropped in, they were interviewing the
Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) pole winner Casper Stevenson, driving the No. 27
The Heart Of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
Believe it was Dan Harper in the #48 Paul
Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 claiming the GTD Pro P1 award. But cannot remember now
who snagged the LMP2 pole? Whilst Tom The bomb! Blomqvist took the GTP pole
position aboard His No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing’s Acura ARX-06 Prototype.
Listened to David Land’s coverage. Which began
on Friday talking to some of the “Stars” of Indianapolis. That being Edwardo
Barichello, Logan Sargent, Broc Feeney and Romain Grosjean. With Barichello,
Sargent and Feeney all making their IMSA
debuts.
Yeah, that’s the son of former Formula 1 winner
Rubino’, nee Rubens Barrichello. Whilst Feeney is an Aussie’ contesting the
Supercars Championship down Under Mates! And was leading the title fight prior
to Mother Speedway.
As Feeney held a 345 point lead with 12 wins prior
to the October 12th Bathurst 1000 race…
Meanwhile, Grosjean needs no
introduction. But I did learn that the Lamborghini SC63 IMSA GTP programme has
been placed on a one year “pause” for 2026. Making it quite odd that
Lamborghini would be debuting its “Joker” Evo “Card” for its new rear
suspension with just two races remaining in the season. And possibly the SC63’s
future?
This explains why Romain is so eager to return
to IndyCar. With Grosjean telling Land that He’ll be turning 40. And its good to have people mentioning your name
vs. not mentioning your name when asked about the rumours of driving for Dale
Coyne Racing next year?
Yet what I cannot understand is why Logan
Sargent was getting so much interest and coverage over the entire weekend?
Yeah, He’s a former Formula 1 driver, but so what! Grosjean, Felipe Nasr,
Sebastien Bourdais and Paul di Resta were too. And to a lesser extent, Pietro
Fittipaldi and Jack Aitken also made F1 starts, which are just some who I can
think of with past Formula 1 results.
Yet IMSA Radio’s John Hindhaugh and Ryan Marin
felt compelled to keep us up to date on constantly where Logan was, which I
just don’t understand. For which all I recall is that Logan didn’t have a very
stellar outing, albeit at one point setting the fastest lap for LMP2…
Which speaking of the LMP2 category, it seems
like All of the Young Turks are racing there. With the likes of Hunter McElrea,
Toby Sowery, Rasmus Lind, Pietro Fittipaldi and James Roe all plying their
trade Thar. Not to mention former IndyCar drivers Ben Handley and Benjamin
Pederson, or is it Peterson, Ya Sure Yuh Betcha?
Tuning into the preamble, I was Cornfuzed’
hearing that the top three gid spots were all Cadillac’s, Huh? With Jack Aitken
now starting on pole. As the No. 60 MSR entry of Blomqvist had received a
post-tech penalty. With the Acura having some producer supplied bodywork out of
compliance, seeing the #60 relegated to P12.
As the Whelen Cadd-Oh-lacc’ V-Series.R was
dominant the entire six hours. Tending to recall hearing it lead 210 of the
races 243 laps! Not to mention being only one of two IMSA GTP entries running
three drivers line-ups.
The race was littered with Full course
Cautions, along with multiple penalties after IMSA tightened up its allowable
aggression. Yet with 53 cars trading paint and rubbin’ fenders, this outcome
wasn’t surprising…
As the only drama seemed to be whether the
leaders could make the race’s finale without running out of their virtual
energy allotment. But a late race caution for Ben Handley drop kicking Toby
Sowery in the dueling LMP2 racecars saved the day. Especially for the eventual
runner-up No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Caddy’. With Ricky Taylor crossing the
stripe with just 4% virtual energy remaining!
Yet it was Aitken, Earl Bamber and Frederik
Vesti winning in the #31 Whelen Caddy’. The team’s first victory since the 2023
12 Hours of Sebring, Yikes! With Jack “Achey Breaky” Aitken being the only
“carryover” driver from that Sebring win.
While it was also Cadillac’s first win of the
season in IMSA competition, with just one race remaining on the calendar.
Once again, completing a Hat trick ‘O victories
at Mother Speedway, was the No. 11 TDS Racing in LMP2. With Hunter McElrea,
Steven Thomas and Nikkel Jensen victorious.
The GTD Pro field included a great scrum with
the No. 77 Rexi’ AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R with Klaus Bachler at its
controls. Making the crowd favourite’s Porsche’s flanks extremely wide and
frustrating the two Multimatic Ford Mustang GT3’s behind Him! As first the #65
couldn’t get by, and then it took the #64 quite a while. Before finally Sebastian
Priaulx saw His chance and made a bold pass that ultimately led to Priaulx and
Mike Rocky’ Rockenfeller winning; the duo’s second win of the season.
But the most striking victory had to be the No.
70 Inception Racing’s Ferrari 296 GT3 win with Brendan Iride, Frederik
Schandorff and Ollie Millroy in the GTD Class.
As the car strangely lost its Bonnet during the
race, triggering a full course caution for debris on-track, Youch!
Apparently with one hour remaining, an LMP2
racecar crossed in front of Schandorff, sucking the Ferrari’s hood off the car!
Pitting for a replacement bonnet, the team motored its way home to the team’s
maiden victory! Ironically coming on the one year anniversary of the team
switching from its previous McLaren 720s GT3 racecar.
And thus, the chapter upon Indianapolis Motor
speedway’s six hours endurance race comes to a close. With Road America taking
the six hour race duration next year, while IMS becomes a “standard” 2Hrs,
40mins “Sprint” race.
As you’d have to say, IMSA could have made much
more of this six hours race by at the very least, requiring the GTP entries to
run three drivers. Whilst not sure how much enthusiasm will be conjured over a
Sprint race in the fall?
