Watkins Glen Lamborghini ST Weekend Notebook

Photo: Jamey Price/Lamborghini

***The Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America series makes its third consecutive trip to Watkins Glen, in hopes of a dry weekend. Round 4 was canceled here last year due to rain and rescheduled as a third round on the VIR weekend. Rain, however, is in the forecast for this evening’s race.

***A total of 16 cars are set to take the start of the race, with Trent Hindman pedaling his No. 10 Prestige Performance entry to overall pole with a fast lap of 1:46.967. Shinya Michimi (Pro), James Burke (Am) and Ross Chouset (LB Cup) were the class pole-sitters. Click Here for the full grid for Round 3.

***Thursday’s practice sessions saw a number of significant accidents, including a heavy crash by Anthony Massari in the No. 26 DAC Motorsports Lamborghini, with both driver and car ruled out for the weekend. Massari was treated and released from the medical center but has not been cleared to race.

***As a result, Massauri’s co-driver, Emmanuel Anasis, has moved over to the No. 77 Courtney Racing entry, as a solo driver, replacing Aaron Povoledo.

***Reigning Lamborghini World Final Champion Patrick Kujala, in his North America series debut, wrecked the No. 17 US Racetronics car in Practice 2, sustaining heavy right-front damage but was repaired for qualifying. Kujala will share the wheel of the Pro-Am class entry with Brian Thienes in both races.

***The No. 71 Change Racing Lamborghini of Jim Norman was also in the barriers on Thursday, with right-side damage. It also returned to action on Friday and qualified 2nd in the Am class for Round 3.

***Michimi’s Prestige Lamborghini is carrying a special patriotic livery from Wish for Our Heroes (pictured above), a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing resources to average active-duty military members, to improve their family’s quality of lives while home or during deployment.

***A number of other teams are running graphics in honor of the July 4 weekend. There are also cars with #GetWellSoonAndrew stickers, for former Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo World Champion and North America series competitor Andrew Palmer, who remains in the hospital with a head injury following last month’s accident in the Pirelli World Challenge round at Lime Rock Park.

***TRG’s Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo was withdrawn earlier this week due to not having a signed deal for this weekend, according to team principal Kevin Buckler. Buckler told Sportscar365 they are good to go for the rest of the season and are pushing hard for more cars in 2017.

***Change Racing’s Robby Benton has been one of a few team principals that are pleased with the return of VIR to the schedule, as the replacement round for Boston, in August. “It’s not only a home track for the team but also our dealer principal and team owner, Andy Littlefield, his dealership is in Greensborough,” Benton told Sportscar365. “Without VIR on the calendar, it would have been hard to [draw the parallels from road to race].”

***Change expects its No. 16 car to return for the balance of the season, possibly with Corey Lewis at the wheel. Benton said a deal to lease the car to another team this weekend fell through at the 11th hour after the other team’s customer backed out.

***Andy Blackmore has expanded his IMSA Spotter Guide portfolio to include Super Trofeo this year. Click Here to download the guide for this weekend’s races.

***Watch Round 3 live on Motor Trend and Demand and IMSA.tv on Friday at 5:55 p.m. ET, with Round 4 scheduled for Saturday at 5:35 p.m. ET. Tape-delayed coverage will air on CBS Sports Network on Sunday afternoons. Check your local listings.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John