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CTSC Mid-Ohio Weekend Notebook

Ryan Myrehn’s CTSC weekend notebook from Mid-Ohio…

Photo: Brian Cleary/BCPix.com

***Several Balance of Performance adjustments have been made to the GS class since the last round at Sebring. The Aston Martin Vantage GT4, Ford Mustang GT4 and McLaren 570S GT4 have all been given 15kg weight breaks, with the BMW M4 GT4 getting 10kg less weight, along with being permitted to use the ‘Silver Power Stick’.

***The Audi R8 LMS GT4 has been given 4 liters of additional fuel capacity while the Mercedes-AMG GT4 loses 2 liters. Revisions to the BMW and Mercedes were made for “improved clarification” on altitude compensation for Mid-Ohio, according to IMSA.

***Alexandre Premat showed the way in the brief third practice that preceded qualifying in the No. 92 Ramsey Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4. Rodrigo Sales of Compass Racing and BimmerWorld Racing’s Nick Galante were fastest in the TCR and ST classes, respectively.

***Trent Hindman and Alan Brynjolfsson are coming off VOLT Racing’s first victory in last weekend’s Pirelli World Challenge GTS SprintX Race 1 at Virginia International Raceway. The duo took part in the one-off PWC start to gain experience of the 3.27-mile circuit ahead of the Continental Tire Challenge race in August.

***Several cars, including VOLT’s Mustang GT4, have gone back and forth between Continental Tire Challenge and PWC competition on alternating weeks, owing to the flexibility of the SRO GT4 platform.

***With rain out of the forecast for this afternoon, it will be left for a later weekend to determine how the TCR class cars stack up with GT4 machinery in wet conditions. The prevailing opinion in the paddock was that the front wheel drive touring cars, which also pack a significant amount of downforce, could take the fight to the GS class frontrunners.

***Practice 2, run in wet conditions, appeared to confirm this theory until the track surface began to dry towards the end of the session and times started to drop. Nevertheless, three TCR runners ended up in the top ten overall.

***JDC-Miller Motorsports driver Michael Johnson, who returned to the IMSA paddock for the first time since his January crash at Daytona this weekend, said he has kept busy in his layoff from racing including getting married three weeks ago.

***Johnson told Sportscar365 that the team is exploring options to add some Pirelli World Challenge races with their Audi RS3 LMS TCR to the schedule this year to make up for the track time he lost as he recovered from his injuries. Johnson said the plan is to use the remainder of this season to build toward the 2019 campaign.

***Chase Briscoe is one race into his quadruple-header weekend of racing in Ohio. The Ford Performance development driver, who is paired with Scott Maxwell this weekend in the No. 15 Ford Mustang GT4, has three sprint car races on his calendar this weekend as well. The first one, Friday night at Attica Raceway Park, did not go exactly to plan.

***Briscoe is trying to complete a career first: three races in one day. He has two more sprint car races scheduled for Saturday night following the Mid-Ohio 120.

***The Mitchell, Ind. native is using this weekend to help prepare for his planned NASCAR XFinity Series start at Mid-Ohio in August, when he will also be competing in the Trans-Am series events as he continues to build his road racing experience.

***Mid-Ohio is a home track for Patrick Gallagher who hails from nearby Thornville, Ohio and is a 2017 Ohio State graduate with a degree in industrial and systems engineering. Gallagher’s co-driver Chad McCumbee qualified the No. 8 Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang on pole position for this afternoon’s race.

***Corey Fergus, who co-drives the No. 69 Motorsports In Action McLaren GT4 in the GS class with Jesse Lazare, is also local to the Mid-Ohio circuit. Born and raised in Columbus, Corey and currently resides in his home town and works at a dealership there as well.

***The No. 4 Team TGM Mercedes of Ted Giovanis and Guy Cosmo did not turn a flying lap in qualifying and will start at the back of the field. According to IMSA Radio, the team suffered a tire puncture. IMSA rules prohibit teams from changing tires in qualifying, and it was reported that TGM’s efforts to plead force majeure were unsuccessful.

***Mikey Taylor has been nominated to fill the seat alongside Don Istook for RS Werkes Racing this weekend. JT Coupal and Ethan Low co-drove with Istook at Daytona and Sebring, respectively.

***Taylor told Sportscar365 that the deal right now is only for this weekend but the South African driver said he has relished his return to the cockpit after some time away concentrating on his advertising company Out There Brands. The company produces custom signage, apparel, and more for many teams in the IMSA paddock.

***After campaigning a Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the first two races of the season, Stephen Cameron Racing has elected to switch to the BMW M4 GT4 platform beginning this weekend at Mid-Ohio. Ari Balogh qualified the No. 19 entry 15th for this afternoon’s race.

***Watch the Mid-Ohio 120 on IMSA.tv, beginning at 2:10 p.m. EDT, with tape-delayed coverage airing May 12 at 12:30 p.m. EDT on FS1.

John Dagys contributed to this report.

Ryan Myrehn is an Indianapolis-based broadcaster and reporter. In addition to his work covering primarily domestic sports car racing for Sportscar365, he is the lead announcer for SRO America's TV coverage as well as a pit reporter for IndyCar Radio. Myrehn, a graduate of DePauw University, is also the host of Sportscar365's “Double Stint” Podcast.

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