IMSA: Time for the 2019 Petit Le Mans Season Finale

As how many miles have they covered since this past January's Rolex 24?

This weekend features the 22nd running of the Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, for which I'm planning on tuning into on Ye 'Ol Intrawoods', to catch thou wonderful tones of Der Heindenmeier' & Company on IMSA Radio, led by John Hindhaugh, with Jeremy Shaw and Shea Adam calling thou action!

Or Y'all can tune into the race Saturday, October 12th on NBC, beginning at 9AM Pacific with Leigh Diffey, Calvin Fish and A.J. Allmendinger in the Booth.

BUT AS ALWAYS! CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS!

Atherton to leave IMSA after 2019 Season Ends

As the Sports Car race caps the season's long celebrations of IMSA's 50th Anniversary, which has seen several competitors running celebratory liveries. With the two GT Le Mans Porsche's doing so this weekend in Retro Coca Cola paint schemes fashioned after the late Bob Akin's Porsche 962. Whilst I've seen one of his previous Nasty 935 Panzerwagon in thou Flesh at a long ago Monterey Historics event.

Porsche unveils Retro Coca cola liveries for Petit Le Mans

As I'm doing my Petit preview a Wee Bitamyte' differently this time round. Focusing upon the IndyCar Teams participants whom also dabble in SportsCarland...

(DPi) Prototypes

As I've previously eluded to here upon No Fenders, Acura leads the way for the first time in series history, already claiming the Manufacturer's title at Laguna Seca I believe. While it's No. 6 entry is poised to claim the Drivers title.

Acura Team Penske

Acura ARX-05

#6) Juan Pablo Montoya, Dane Cameron  and Simon Pagenaud

#7) Helio Castroneves, Ricky Taylor and Graham Rahal

Obviously, SNAP! (Where Are Yuhs Jeffie?( the majority of IndyCar Fans tuning in will be paying Attenzione to thou Team Penske boyz' - featuring three Indianapolis 500 winners behind the controls.

As JPM, "Monty" or Juan Pablo Montoya and season Long team-mate Dane Cameron lead the Drivers Championship by 12-points: 274-262 over the reigning Daytona Prototype International (DPi) Champions Felipe Nasr and Pipo Derani in the rival #31 Whelen Engineering  Caddy'. (Cadillac DPI VR) With HULIO' and Ricky Taylor third overall with 254 points.

As hopefully Montoya can redeem himself by not putting a wheel wrong a la his 2015 IndyCar Championship Blunder - en route to claiming the title for El Capitano, nee Roger Penske.

Reigning Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud will fill out the No. 6's Drivers trio, while Graham Rahal will substitute for Alexander Rossi in the Seester' #7 Acura.

As Rossi with his Good Buddy Thee Mayor 'O Hinchtown' (James Hinchcliffe) will be Down Under contesting their first Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercars race. Yeah, it'll always be V8 Supercars to Mwah! In a Wildcard entry for Walkinshaw Andretti United in a (GM) Holden Commodore.

Alexander Rossi, James Hinchcliffe to Contest Bathurst in Holden

While ironically, Roger Penske also boasts a V8 Supercars Team, known as DJR Team Penske, running Ford Mustang's. With his lead driver Scott McLaughlin having won a record 17 races this year; YEEHAW!

Meanwhile, another ex-IndyCar Driver known in Nofendersville as "Symona-Symona," (Simona de Silvestro( currently races the #78 Kelly Racing Nissan Altima...

Juncos Racing

Cadillac DPI VR

#50) Rene Binder, Will Owen and Spencer Pigot

The 'lil Team from Indianapolis that Could! Has spent it's time since the Mosport round rebuilding its heavily Damaged Cadd-Oh-lacc', which definitely took a licking Up North Eh!

As the team's just announced recently that IndyCar Driver Spencer Pigot will round out Thar Driver's line-up at Road Atlanta. As Spencer's No Stranger to Juncos, having won multiple Road to Indy Championships with them.

GT Le Mans (GTLM)

Porsche has already locked-up the Manufacturer's Crown, and is basically locked into an intra-team scrum for the Drivers Championship. Although think I've read Somewheres' that the #912 tandem of Earl Bamber and Laurens Vanthoor simply need to finish eighth in class to claim the title.

BMW Team RLL

BMW M8 GTE

##24) John Edwards, Jesse Krohn and Chaz Mostert

#25) Connor De Phillippi, Philipp Eng and Tom Blomqvist

The Good news is that BMW will return next season with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The Bad news is that the front engine M8's haven't been ultra competitive this year.

As I've taken my best guess at who'll be piloting Thar two GTLM entries at Road Atlanta. And have Zero clue over whether or not we'll see IndyCar phenom Colton Herta Moonlighting once again this weekend? After all, the teenager grabbed a Rolex wristwatch first time out at Daytona this past January.

Chip Ganassi Racing

Ford GT

#66) Joey Hand, Dirk Muller and Sebastian Bourdais

#67) Ryan Briscoe, Richard Westbrook and Scott Dixon

Once again, ARSE-Sumin' thou Cheepster', nee Chip Ganassi will run his typical Endurance events line-up in what sadly, is the final outing for the iconic Ford GT; BOO, HISS!

As No idea if Ganassi will return to Sports Car competition next year? But hey, why not see Chip fielding a Brace 'O rival GTLM Spec Ferrari's? Or a Big Boyz' DPi entry? Who knows what 'Ol Cheep' will do?

GT Daytona (GTD)

While Meyer Shank Racing's #86 duo of SuperMario' and "Clark Kent" lost the series inaugural Sprint Cup Championship to them Lumberjack Fellahs from Up North Eh! Oh KanaDuh's FAF Motorsports No. 9 Porsche 911 GT3 rivals Zachery Robichon and Scott Hargrove. Yet The #86 MSR Duo most likely will win the War Saturday at Hotlanta'.

AIM Vasser Sullivan

Lexus RC F GT3

#12) Townsend Bell, Frankie Montecalvo and Chase Parker

#14) Jack Hawksworth, Richard Heistand and Aaron Telitz

Don't have anything clever to say 'bout the AIM Vasser Sullivan Boyz', other than Toyota's probably happy with the lack of media scrutiny following 'Ol MEATHEADZ', aka Paul Gentilozzi, eh?

And will NBC have T-Bell' doing commentary from the Team's Pit-box once again? While Bloody Union Jack' Hawksworth's gotta be feeling happy to be running Sports Cars vs. the torturous season his past employer A.J. Foyt Enterprises just endured again, this year...

Meyer Shank Racing

Acura NSX GT3 Evo

#57) Katherine Legge, Cristina Nielsen and Ana Beatriz

#86) Mario Farnbacher, Trent Hindman and Justin Marks

Taking a total Flyer upon the No. 57 Drivers roll, other than knowing for certain that Thy Leggy Juan', aka Katherine Legge will be driving. As this All Femme Fatale entry has had a revolving cast 'O females at its keyboard. And I'm guessing that the Dane', aka Cristina who drove at Laguna Seca will return, whilst speculating upon ex-IndyCar Driver Beatriz.

Meanwhile, tend to recall that IMSA Radio's Jeremy Shaw claimed that the MSR's #86 Dynamic Duo of Farnbacher & Hindman held a commanding 31-point lead over Thar nearest rival for GTD Class Honours in the Drivers Championship following Laguna Seca. And theoretically will simply need to motor home to claim this title.

According to the IMSA Standings, Farnbacher & Hindman lead Zach Robichon 264-232, basically a race win ahead - with Turner Motorsports BMW M6 GT3 tandem of 'Ol Billy "Bill Power"" Auberlen and Co-driver Robby Foley in third with 227 markers apiece...

LE Mans: 2019 Post Mortem

The winning No. 8 Toyota TS050, with Drivers Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Fernando Alonso being victorious for the second year in-a-row. (Image source: thecheckeredflag.co.uk)

As just cannot say I was very impressed with this year's Toy-Yoter' Whitewash!

As this year's 87th running of le 24 Heurs du Mans seems such a distant memory now, especially since I wasn't overly impressed by the lack of any true Competizione for outright victory this year. Which Sadly, reminded Mwah of last year's Toyota Beatdown!

LE MANS: Toyota Wins a fairly Mundane Procession

Not to mention the endless Noise from some Smarmy Spaniard I call Fredrico Suave Cock-A-Doo-little Du' about winning the mythical Triple Crown; BARF!

INDY 500: Alonso First I Take Indianapolis, then Dakar?

Began listening to Radio Le Mans at 8AM Pacific Saturday morning. Programme Dumped twice within 15mins. And naturally Dumped during Scott Atherton's interview about IMSA's take upon new Hypercar formula, which I'd enjoyed hearing, especially since I really didn't know nothin' about this new FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Formulae.

ACO confirms Hypercar regulations for 2020-21 World Endurance Championship

Then I noted that Andrew Marriott is a Super DUMB ARSE! Best part of entire race Broadcast I listened to was hearing Toyota Bad Arse Driver K-Squared', Y'all know Kamui Kobayashi who won this year's Rolex 24! Replying Dead-pan to Marriott: Why surprised? You're leading by 1min; why Surprised? Kobayashi re-iterated, sounding slightly annoyed, after climbing out of the leading #7 Toyota LMP1.

Keeping casual tabs upon the IMSA Brigade, I noted how the No. 64Corvette C7.R was out due to a Massive Shunt caused by a "gentleman Driver" in the Dempsey Proton No. 88 Porsche.

Along with scribbling the words Aston Martin's Nightmare. With its No's 97 & 95 both involved in accidents. After Corvette & Aston Martin were given BoP (Balance of Performance) Adjustments on race's eve seemingly added insult to injury.

Leaders @9:30PM Pacific, 8.5hrs remaining

GTE Am) #85-Porsche-Ferrari.

GTE Pro) #51-91-36

LMP2) #26-36-38

LMP1) #7-8 +1:18 over 3rd place #11. 248-laps completed.

On a trivial note, I jotted down that someone on the Broadcast? Had noted there were a total of 22 former Formula 1 Drivers with Over 1,000 F1 race starts competing at this year's Le Mans; CRIKEYS!

Ben Keating's No. 85 Ford GT led GTE Am class for several hours. since Keating jumped into the cockpit. With the lanky Texan joking they'd chosen the obnoxiously bright pink so they didn't need any lights in the cockpit to see at night; Cymbol Crash Puh-lease!

Andrew Marriot Good Morning. Yes, I've had a shave & put some moisturizer on ... Who bloody Freakin' Cares?

Other Pitlane Reporter Nick, Not Matt! Damon notes how uncomfortable sleeping in his rental car is; Yuck-Yuck-Yuck!

Yet I was so G-DAMN certain that Ho-Hum; YAWN! It'd be another 1-2 Toy-Yoter' Whitewash that I didn't even bother getting up early Sunday morning or tunin' in at All to listen to the final hour's procession. And only, finally, reluctantly decided to find out the results via my NFB Newsline for The Blind telephone service late Sunday evening.

Late Lopez Drama Hands sister Toyota 2019 Le Mans Win

Yet the euphoria of FoMoCo's first ever "Customer" Ford GT winning it's class at Circuit de la Sarthe was very short lived, as it was soon discovered that it, along with one of its Bigger Brother GTE Pro Brethren were both Disqualified (DSQ) for Fuel Tank violations.

AUTOS: Ford Licking its Wounds at Goodwood

And now, in what I just thought of calling The Lost Years', we'll have to endure one more year of Toyota Crushing All opposition in the LMP1 Prototypes class for the 2019-20 WEC season before hopefully more than just two "coveted" Hypercars show up on thoust grid for the 2021 24 Heurs du Mans...

New Hypercar Regs' will pit Toyota vs. Aston Martin Valkyrie at 2021 Le Mans