CTSC Returns to Action at Watkins Glen

Photo: IMSA

Following a nine-week break, the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge returns to action this weekend at Watkins Glen as part of a packed July 4th weekend of racing.

A total of 36 cars are entered for the fourth round of the season, including an increased grid in the GS class, which has so-far this season struggled for entries.

ENTRY LIST: Watkins Glen

The class features a nine-car grid for The Glen, thanks to both Team TGM and Automatic Racing doubling its efforts.

Ted Giovanas and David Murry are listed to drive both the Nos. 46 and 64 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsports, while Automatic will run a second Aston Martin Vantage GT4 for Charlie Putman and Charles Espenlaub.

Multimatic’s Scott Maxwell and Billy Johnson, who is fresh off a fourth place class finish in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Ford GT, continue to lead the class standings.

The duo in the Ford Shelby GT350R-C hold a five-point margin over CJ Wilson Racing’s Danny Burkett and Marc Miller, who was also at Le Mans.

Trent Hindman and Cameron Cassels, who took their second consecutive victory last time out at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, sit fifth after missing the season-opener at Daytona.

The ST class, meanwhile, again sees a 27-car entry, led by HART’s Chad Gilsinger, who holds a four-point lead over RS1’s Spencer Pumpelly/Nick Galante and Freedom Autosport’s Chad McCumbee and Stevan McAleer, who are both tied for second.

Gilsinger’s co-driver for The Glen is yet to be announced. He teamed with Cameron Lawrence for a fifth place class finish in Monterey.

The No. 7 Rebel Rock Racing Porsche Cayman also has a to-be-confirmed crew, while Bob Stretch is listed in the No. 34 Alara Motorsports Mazda MX-5 instead of  Christian Szymczak and Justin Piscitell.

Piscitell, however, is still listed as a third driver in the No. 65 Murillo Racing BMW 328i.

Sarah Cattaneo and Owen Trinkler, meanwhile, will debut their Nissan Altima, after starting the season in a Honda Civic Si.

Also of note, JDC-Miller Motorsports will be looking to give its BMW 228i its proper race debut this weekend, after electrical issued hampered the Stephen Simpson and Michael Johnson-driven entry in Monterey.

Continental Tire Challenge practice kicks off on Thursday afternoon, with additional practice and qualifying on tap for Friday. The two-hour and 30-minute race is set for Saturday at 12:25 p.m. ET.

John Dagys

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