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CTSC Lime Rock Weekend Notebook

John Dagys’ Continental Tire Challenge weekend notebook from Lime Rock Park…

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

***After victories in the last four consecutive Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge races, the Ford Mustang GT4 has been hit with a comprehensive Balance of Performance adjustment this weekend at Lime Rock Park, with a 10kg increase in minimum weight, 4 mm reduction in air restrictor, 3.5-liter decrease in fuel capacity and 1mm smaller refueling restrictor.

***BoP changes have also been made to the McLaren 570S GT4, which has been given a 15kg weight break for this weekend, although along with the BMW M4 GT4, are subject to 15kg weight increases at SRO-declared high altitude tracks.

***The ST class Porsche Cayman, meanwhile, has been given a 100p-pound weight break as well.

***A total of 36 cars are set for today’s race, largely due to an influx of entries in TCR, which has doubled in size since the last round at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

***Both the No. 11 RS Werkes Racing Audi RS 3 LMS TCR and Rumcastle Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR have returned to action, as well as the second eEuroparts.com Racing Audi, which will start on the class pole in the hands of Tom O’Gorman and Kenton Koch.

***Two other Audi TCR cars make its series debuts this weekend, with entries from Roadshagger Racing and Strom Motorsports. 

***In GS, Automatic Racing has returned with a single-car Aston Martin Vantage GT4 entry after electing not to make the trip North of the Border to CTMP, while Montreal-based Motorsport in Action is MIA with its McLaren GT4.

***Winward Racing, meanwhile, has returned to a two-car Mercedes-AMG GT4 operation with a brand-new chassis for the No. 57 car, which was destroyed at Watkins Glen following an accident by Bryce Ward. Ward is rejoined by Indy Dontje this weekend.

***The No. 65 Murillo Racing Mercedes GT4 will start from the rear of the GS class field after missing qualifying due to an accident by Tim Probert in Practice 2. The car, which sustained damage from the impact with the barriers in Turns 2 and 3, has been repaired. Click Here for the final starting grid.

***IMSA President Scott Atherton said they are in discussions with other TCR manufacturers on the prospects of opening up the class to additional models beyond the already approved Audi, VW and Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCRs next year. “There’s no disappointment with what’s going on there now… but we are expecting a more diverse grid [next year].” he told Sportscar365.

***Atherton, however, stressed that any eligible manufacturers must sell production cars in the U.S., which would prohibit cars from Opel, Cupra or Peugeot, for example, from competing.

***Watch the Lime Rock Park 120 live on IMSA.tv, with coverage beginning at 11 a.m. EDT. FS1 will air tape-delayed coverage of the race on July 29 at 3 p.m. EDT.

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

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