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Racing Roundup

Weekly Racing Roundup (11.18.19)

Entry list for DTM / Super GT joint race at Fuji plus news from the past week…

Photo: DTM

22 Cars Set for Landmark DTM x Super GT Dream Race

A total of 22 cars from five manufacturers will take part in this weekend’s DTM x Super GT Dream Race at Fuji Speedway.

It marks the second joint event between the two series that will share the common Class 1 platform beginning next year.

Audi and BMW’s current Class 1 cars from DTM will compete side-by-side with the outgoing 2019-spec Super GT GT500 cars from Nissan, Honda and Lexus.

The event format will largely follow DTM norms with a pair of single-driver 55-minute-plus-one-lap races but with Super GT-style rolling starts and without the use of DRS or Push to Pass.

The field includes four Audi RS 5 DTMs and three BMW M4 DTMs but, as expected, no cars from Aston Martin partner R-Motorsport.

A further 15 Super GT cars are entered, including six Lexus LC500s, five Honda NSX-GTs and four Nissan GT-R NISMOs.

As previously announced, the DTM cars will be driven by Alex Zanardi, Marco Wittmann, Kamui Kobayashi, Loic Duval, Rene Rast, Mike Rockenfeller and Benoit Treluyer.

The Super GT contingent includes Kazuki Nakajima, Nick Cassidy, Ryo Hirakawa, Fred Makowiecki, Tsugio Matsuda, Ronnie Quintarelli amongst others.

Unlike DTM teams while will all use the same driver in both races, a number of Super GT cars will be driven by different drivers in each race.

ENTRY LIST: Dream Race

Photo: Bob Berridge

Peugeot 908 HDi FAP Triumphs in Classic 24 

Joao Barbosa and David Porter took a 2007-spec Peugeot 908 HDi FAP to victory in the HSR Classic 24 Daytona presented by IMSA, in a comprehensive field of legendary prototype and GT machinery at Daytona International Speedway.

Barbosa and Porter claimed Class E honors by more than a lap, with the three-time Rolex 24 at Daytona overall winner setting a new LMP1 lap record of 1:34.5 in the process in the diesel-powered prototype, which made its debut on the famed Florida high banks.

More than 175 entries from 15 countries took part in the fifth running of the event, which was split into five groups that each competed in four one-hour race sessions throughout the weekend. 

Photo: Dennis Quiggle/Quiggle Photography

News & Notes

***Jim Briody took part in his 100th career endurance race in last weekend’s Hankook 24H COTA event, where he announced his retirement from racing. The 75-year-old American, a multi-time SCCA champion, has been competing internationally with Cor Euser Racing for the last 12 years.

“100 seems like a good number,” Briody said. “Truth is, I feel like I could keep going, I love beating the crap out of the 20 somethings. But, with my 75-year-old body and 28-year-old mind, I really want to go out while I am still in top form.”

***The minimum weight of Duqueine Automotive’s 2020 LMP3 car has been increased by 10 kg to 960 kg as a penalty for the constructor failing to meet homologation deadlines. The ACO made the decision because “this non-compliance is likely to jeopardize fairness and equity between the manufacturers concerned”.

***ADESS, Ginetta and Ligier, the other three 2020 LMP3 constructors, have all had their minimum weight set at 950 kg, meanwhile. Duqueine’s increase will only be effective through 2020 in the European Le Mans Series, Michelin Le Mans Cup and Ultimate Cup Series, as well as the 2020-21 Asian Le Mans Series season.

***A GT4 race named Greater Bay Area GT Cup was held during the weekend’s Macau Grand Prix. Local driver Kevin Tse won the 12-lap race in a Mercedes-AMG GT4 entered by Team TCR ahead of teammate Philip Kadoorie. Third place went to Wei Chung Chang, driving an Aston Martin Vantage.

***In coverage from Sportscar365’s sister site e-racing365 last week, Matteo Ferrari was crowned the inaugural MotoE champion, plans have been revealed for international expansion of the smart EQ fortwo e-cup, and a location in Nepal’s Himalayas has been chosen to host an Extreme E round.

***The ABB FIA Formula E Championship season gets underway this weekend with a double-header at Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. A number of GT and endurance regulars will take part, including Sam Bird, Robin Frijns, Jean-Eric Vergne, Andre Lotterer, Sebastien Buemi and Alexander Sims. Brendon Hartley and James Calado will make their series debuts, meanwhile.

John Dagys contributed to this report

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.

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