Watkins Glen CTSC Weekend Notebook

Photo: John Dagys

***Rebel Rock Racing has adjusted its lineup this weekend, with Elliott Skeer moving to the team’s No. 7 Porsche Cayman with Sam Adams and Theo Bean replacing Skeer in the No. 8 with Robin Liddell. Bean, a University of Georgia student majoring in Business Management, makes his series debut.

***There’s also been changes at RS1, with Aaron Song and Remo Ruscitti having been replaced by Justin Piscitell and Aurora Straus in the No. 18 Porsche. Piscitell, meanwhile, is no longer listed in the No. 65 Murillo Racing BMW 328i.

***Ryan Eversley has rejoined the HART squad, filling in for Michael Valiante in the team’s No. 93 Honda Civic Si as the Canadian continues his recovery from an accident at Sebring in March. Eversley, who will also be in the car next weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, is coming off a sweep of the Pirelli World Challenge weekend at Road America.

***Scott Maxwell scored his 12th career Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge pole, tying him Matt Bell with most poles in series history. Maxwell, of Toronto, achieved the feat on Canada Day.

***There were a number of firsts in qualifying in ST, with Derek Jones, the LAP Motorsport-run Mini JCW Team and Mini JCW scoring their first career pole. It was also the first front-row sweep for the car and team in competition, by default.

***A torn seal in the gearbox forced the Sebring and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca-winning Bodymotion Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport of Trent Hindman and Cameron Cassels to miss the second half of Thursday’s practice, which Hindman had paced. Cassels will start today’s race from 6th overall.

***The No. 76 C360R Ford Shelby GT350R-C did not qualify on Friday due to Paul Holton having to travel home for family matters. Team principal Karl Thomson told Sportscar365 that Holton arrived back at The Glen last night and the team is ready to go for this afternoon’s race.

***Team TGM will only start one of its Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsports, after both the Nos. 46 and 64 cars took part in practice. David Murry and Ted Giovanis were listed in both cars.

***Click Here to view the official grid for today’s race.

***Giovanis told Sportscar365 that he plans to build a development team for his Cayman GT4 program later this summer. He currently owns a total of three of the new-for-2016 cars, which are officially supported by Porsche.

***Following their exploits in Creventic’s 24H Series, Charles Espenlaub and Charlie Putman have returned to series competition in the No. 09 Automatic Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Putman is also taking part in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama series this weekend.

***Multimatic’s Billy Johnson, who is fresh off a fourth place class finish in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will not complete the remainder of the FIA World Endurance Championship season with Ford Chip Ganassi Racing. Johnson and co-drivers Olivier Pla and Stefan Muecke are currently in the lead of the GTE-Pro championship.

***Robin Liddell, Spencer Pumepelly, Corey Lewis and Stephen Simpson are all set to pull double duty between today’s Continental Tire 150 and tomorrow’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. Putman and Trent Hindman are two other Continental Tire Challenge drivers set for multiple races today, but competing in other IMSA development series.

***The Continental Tire 150 takes the green flag at 12:25 p.m. for two and a half hours of racing. The event will be streamed live on the FOX Sports GO app and IMSA.tv, as well as IMSA Radio. Watch the race Sunday, July 10 at 9 a.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.

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