Plumb, Team TGM Hold On for Lime Rock Win

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Hugh Plumb held on to give Team TGM’s first IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge victory of the season in Saturday’s two-hour round at Lime Rock Park.

Plumb, on a single-stop strategy, took his No. 46 Mercedes-AMG GT4 to a 0.377-second win over the No. 39 Carbahn Motorsports Audi R8 LMS GT4 of Jeff Westphal, which along with the third-place finishing No. 56 Murillo Racing Mercedes of Eric Foss, completed the race on two pit stops.

Having started from pole, Plumb’s co-driver Owen Trinkler stretched out into an early lead before pitting with 1 hour and 4 minutes remaining.

A long green flag stretch looked to play into TGM’s hands until a caution for debris with 36 minutes to go resulted in several GS teams making pit stops under the yellow and foiled the Joe Varde-led team’s strategy.

Despite being on worn Michelin tires, Plumb managed to keep his Mercedes out front, despite having late-race pressure from both Westphal and Foss, who crossed the line side-by-side in a battle for second.

Only six cars finished on the lead lap as a result of nearly 90-minute stretch of green flag running.

It marked defending GS champions Plumb and Trinkler’s first win since last year’s WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca round and back-to-back wins for the team at Lime Rock.

Devin Jones, who made his second stop on just prior to the restart, came home fourth in the No. 82 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4, with Robin Liddell completing the top-five. 

Liddell got around Plumb shortly after the restart to put his Rebel Rock Racing Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R back on the lead lap, although was unable to capitalize despite appearing to have the faster car.

Lewis, Wilkins Take Over TCR Points Lead With Class Win

Bryan Herta Autosport scored its second TCR class win of the season, with a dominant run by Michael Lewis and Mark Wilkins that has put the duo into the championship lead.

Wilkins fended off a late challenge from Stephen Simpson to take his No. 98 Hyundai Veloster N TCR to a 3.325-second win over the JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi RS 3 LMS TCR in second.

BHA’s sister Hyundai of Harry Gottsacker and Mason Filippi completed the class podium.

Lewis and Wilkins have provisionally taken over the points lead after a second consecutive DNF for the No. 37 LA Honda World Racing Honda Civic Type-R of Shelby Blackstock and Tom O’Gorman.

O’Gorman pitted with smoke coming from the Honda with 45 minutes to go, due to a suspected broken oil line.

RESULTS: Lime Rock Park 120

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