Connect with us

WeatherTech Championship

Continental Tire Keys to the Race: Petit Le Mans

Continental Tire Keys to the Race: Petit Le Mans…

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

The 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season draws to a close this weekend at Road Atlanta with the 19th annual Petit Le Mans, which also doubles as the final leg of the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup.

Continental Tire Keys to the Race: 

Race: Petit LeMans Presented by Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort

Track: Road Atlanta

Length: 10 hours

Entries: 37 cars spread across four classes: 9 cars (P), 6 cars (PC), 10 cars (GTLM), 12 cars (GTD)

Schedule:

Thursday, Sept. 29 (all times ET)
Practice 1 – 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Practice 2 – 3:25-4:25 p.m.
Practice 3 – 7:30 – 9 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 30
Practice 4 – 10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
CTSC Race – 12:25 – 2:55 p.m. (2 hours, 30 minutes)
Qualifying –  3:30 – 5 p.m.

Sat, Oct. 1
Warm-up – 8:40 – 9 a.m.
Race –  11:10 a.m. – 9:10 p.m. (10 hours)

Previous Winners: Action Express Racing (P), PR1/Mathisen Motorsports (PC), Porsche North America (GTLM), Park Place Motorsports (GTD)

Previous Polesitters: Richard Westbrook (P), Tom Kimber-Smith (PC), Earl Bamber (GTLM), Cameron Lawrence (GTD).

Driver Insight: “We have always had a strong car at Road Atlanta. We won there in 2014 and had a strong race going last year until the red flag. We have been even stronger on the track and in the pits this year than last, so I think it bodes well for us. The added race length works in our favor. All we can focus on is our own race though, and going out there and trying to win.” – Jordan Taylor, No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP

Drive Times: Minimum: 3 hours for PC & GTD Silver/Bronze drivers;  Maximum: 7 hours and no more than 4 hours in any 6-hour period.

Tires: Continental Tire “Black” for P, PC and GTD. Multiple tire brands/compounds for GTLM

Pit Stops: 45-50 minute stint length for P, PC; 50-55 minutes for GTLM, GTD

Weather: Sunny, High: 80 F, 10 percent chance of rain

TV:
Sat. Oct. 1:
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)
2:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. (FOX Sports 2)
*Entire race streamed on FOX Sports Go (with FS1 Authentication)

Mon. Oct. 3:
7-10 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)

Radio: Complete session-by-session coverage on IMSA Radio

Spotter’s Guide: Click Here

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

6 Comments

More in WeatherTech Championship