TCR Lineup Changes Highlight 39-Car Watkins Glen Entry

Changes to IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR title-contending lineups highlight the notable shifts race-to-race from the O’Reilly Auto Parts 4 Hours of Mid-Ohio to this weekend’s LP Building Solutions 120 at Watkins Glen International.

The global endurance sports car racing calendar has had a historic run of races this year, with 24-hour races at Le Mans, the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps on three consecutive June weekends. As Hyundai Motorsport is also going for a TCR class win in Germany, it’s had a knock-on effect on two IMSA TCR title contenders.

Bryson Morris (No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR) and Mason Filippi (No. 98 Hyundai) will head to the ‘Ring to race alongside Robert Wickens and Michael Lewis in the Hyundai Motorsport-entered car in TCR.

A three-time Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR champion (2019, 2021, 2022), Lewis resumes racing for the first time after an injury sidelined him in late 2023.

At Watkins Glen, that means two IMSA veterans will be back in action filling their seats. Taylor Hagler, a two-time TCR champion (2021, 2022), shares the No. 33 Hyundai alongside Mark Wilkins. Additionally, Harry Gottsacker shares the No. 98 Hyundai with longtime friend Parker Chase. Both drivers make their season debut.

Team co-owner Bryan Herta will have a three-pronged weekend himself.

His longtime business partner Sean Jones will be with the Hyundai effort at the Nürburgring while longtime BHA team manager Phil Howard will run the four-car armada at Watkins Glen; these four cars are the top four in the championship heading into the race.

Herta won’t be at either; he’ll be working on the pit box as strategist for Kyle Kirkwood’s Andretti Global Indy Car at their Road America race.

The team’s No. 76 Hyundai of Denis Dupont and Preston Brown leads the No. 98 of Gottsacker and Filippi, the Mid-Ohio winners, by just 10 points – or essentially one position on-track – heading into Watkins Glen.

Elsewhere in the 17-car TCR field, the No. 55 Gou Racing Cupra Leon VZ TCR returns after missing Mid-Ohio, and Baker Racing adds a second car – the No. 56 Audi RS 3 LMS TCR for Dean Baker and Bruno Junqueira – this race.

The full-season No. 52 Baker Racing Audi driven mainly by James Vance along with Sam Baker has quietly leapt to fifth in TCR points this year as the best non-Herta Hyundai.

The 22-car GS field is a little more straightforward. The No. 4 CarBahn BMW M4 GT4 EVO and No. 54 Panam Motorsport Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 are back for the first time since Sebring and Monterey, respectively.

Mid-Ohio pole-sitters AR Motorsports, with its No. 14 Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS and Bronze Cup winners Kingpin Racing, with its No. 53 Toyota, are among those that drop off.

Pilot Challenge has two one-hour practice sessions, one apiece on Thursday and Friday, before qualifying Friday afternoon and racing Saturday at 11:45 a.m. EST. Race coverage streams on Peacock and globally, ad-free courtesy of Michelin, on the IMSA Official YouTube channel.