Michelin Watkins Glen Notebook

Fresh Off the Le Mans Podium

The Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen will feature eight podium finishers that raced on Michelin tires from the 90th 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Driver	Le Mans Finish/Class/Team	IMSA Class/Team
Mike Conway	2nd/Hypercar/Toyota Gazoo Racing	DPi/Action Express Racing
Kamui Kobayashi	2nd/Hypercar/Toyota Gazoo Racing	DPi/Action Express Racing
Richard Westbrook	3rd/Hypercar/Glickenhaus Racing	DPi/JDC Miller MotorSports
Daniel Serra	2nd/GTE-Pro/AF Corse	GTD Pro/Risi Competizione
Antonio Fuoco	3rd/GTE-Pro/AF Corse	GTD/Cetilar Racing
Davide Rigon	3rd/GTE-Pro/AF Corse	GTD Pro/Risi Competizione
Ben Keating	1st/GTE-Am/TF Sport	LMP2/PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports
Cooper MacNeil	2nd/GTE-Am/WeatherTech Racing	GTD Pro/WeatherTech Racing

Third Endurance Test

The six-hour race at Watkins Glen will be the third round of the Michelin Endurance Cup season. Points will be awarded at three hours and at the finish. Here are the current leaders:

DPi: No. 5 JDC Miller MotorSports Cadillac
LMP2: No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports
LMP3: No. 33 Sean Creech Motorsport
GTD Pro: No. 3 Corvette Racing
GTD: No. 70 Inception Racing McLaren/No. 21 AF Corse Ferrari

The Glen and Its Demands

The 3.4-mile, 11-turn road course calls for a well-rounded race car package. Michelin engineers note that power, aero efficiency, and mechanical balance are required to outpace the field. With the elevation changes, high-speed corners, and long straights, strategy can play an important role during the six-hour race.

The Heat Is On

Summer is here and so is the action on track. IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge will be racing three out of the next four weekends. This stretch includes the much-anticipated return to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and the GT weekend at Lime Rock. Strong performances during this part of the season can have championship implications.

Tire Efficiency Awarded

Michelin is encouraging sustainability by rewarding WeatherTech and Prototype Challenge teams for efficient tire use. The Michelin Efficient Performance Award is being given in each class based on the numbers of laps completed and number of Michelin slick race tires used in a race. Midyear awards are being given out along with a $5,000 tire credit. The first winners will be announced this weekend.

Winless at Watkins Glen

The Acura DPi has 14 IMSA victories dating back to 2018, but none of those wins have come at Watkins Glen International. No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing and No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing hope to change that this weekend.

Records

Qualifying
DPi/Oliver Jarvis/1:29.639/2019
LMP2/Gabriel Aubry/1:31.735/2019
LMP3/Austin McCusker/1:40.404/2021
GTD/Jack Hawksworth/1:44.499/ 2018
GS/Kuno Wittmer/1:54.240s/2021
TCR/Robert Noaker/1:56.046/2021

Race
DPi/Olivier Pla/1:29.657/2019
LMP2/Gabriel Aubry/1:32.918/2021
LMP3/Colin Braun/1:39.967/2021
GTD/Jack Hawksworth/1:44.786/2017
GS/Devin Jones/1:54.077/2019
TCR/Jon Morley/1:57.085/2021

Watkins Glen Tire Allocations

WeatherTech Championship
DPi: 14 sets – IMSA Hard
LMP2: 14 sets – IMSA Hard
LMP3: 10 sets – Michelin Pilot Sport GT S8M/S9M
GTD PRO: 10 sets – Michelin Pilot Sport GT S9M
GTD: 10 sets – Michelin Pilot Sport GT S9M

Michelin Pilot Challenge
GS: 5 sets – Michelin Pilot Sport GT S9M
TCR: 4 sets – Michelin Pilot Sport GT S9M+