CGR Wins Petit Le Mans; Nasr, Cameron Take GTP Title

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Chip Ganassi Racing overcame an early race sensor-related infraction to take a dramatic victory in Saturday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans, while Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Felipe Nasr and Dane Cameron claimed the GTP drivers’ championship with a third place finish.

Renger van der Zande made a bold pass around the No. 6 Penske Porsche 963 of Nick Tandy into Turn 1 with 15 minutes remaining to take the lead in the ten-hour contest, which included a nearly five-hour run of green flag racing.

The No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac, which dropped off the lead lap in the opening hour due to a mechanical black flag for a sensor-related issue, came back into contention following a multi-car accident involving the then-second placed Ricky Taylor in the final hour.

It set up a 35-minute shootout to the finish that saw six GTP cars restart on the lead lap.

Van der Zande, who also overcame a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility with the No. 20 High Class Racing Oreca 07 Gibson in the third hour as well as a spin on his out-lap with two hours to go triggered by a GTD car, shared the win with Sebastien Bourdais and Scott Dixon in the team’s final WeatherTech Championship race with Cadillac.

Tandy recovered to finish second in the No. 6 Porsche, despite getting hit in the rear by the No. 24 Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 of Philipp Eng moments after losing the lead.

Eng, who pitted due to a tire puncture from the incident, was later assessed a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility, relegating the car to a fourth place result.

It promoted the No. 7 Porsche of GTP champions Nasr and Cameron to third at the checkered flag in the car they shared with third driver Matt Campbell.

Cameron became a four-time IMSA champion, with Nasr picking up his third WeatherTech Championship title, all in the top prototype class for the Brazilian.

Porsche also claimed the GTP manufacturers’ title by having its four 963s just roll off the grid on Saturday afternoon, with Porsche Penske taking the teams’ championship.

The pole-sitting No. 31 Action Express Racing Cadillac, which had two early race penalties, completed the top-five in the race after also making a late-race pit stop with Jack Aitken at the wheel.

Proton Competition’s privateer Porsche was sixth, benefitting from misfortune from both Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06 cars.

Ricky Taylor was eliminated from the race after he hit the crashed No. 55 Proton Competition Ford Mustang GT3 of Corey Lewis, which brought out the race’s fifth and final yellow.

The team’s No. 40 Acura, meanwhile, was handed a two-minute and 26-second stop-and-hold penalty for an improper wave-by for Jordan Taylor on the final restart.

Jordan Taylor came home seventh, ahead of the No. 63 Iron Lynx-run Lamborghini SC63 that was eighth in class after a lengthy late-race stop.

Two GTPs retired from the race early on, with a fuel system issue taking the No. 25 BMW out of action in the fifth hour, followed by power steering failure for the No. 85 JDC-Miller Motorsports Porsche, in Richard Westbrook’s final race.

TDS Wins Race; Inter Europol by PR1 Secure LMP2 Championship

LMP2 race honors went to the No. 11 TDS Racing Oreca of Mikkel Jensen, Steven Thomas and Hunter McElrea, while Tom Dillmann and Nick Boulle claimed the class championship.

Jensen finished 1.109 seconds ahead of the No. 74 Riley entry of Felipe Fraga, with Connor Zilisch completing the class podium in a come-from-behind run by Era Motorsport.

It marked back-to-back class wins for the French squad, which also came out on top in last month’s Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Dillmann, who finished fourth, secured the drivers’ title for he and Bronze-rated driver Boulle in their Inter Eurpol by PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports entry.

The No. 8 Tower Motorsport Oreca completed the top-five in the race with Frederik Vesti taking the car to the finish.

United Autosports had a race to forget, with both of the team’s Orecas failing to finish after multiple accidents, including two for class pole-sitter Ben Keating.

It were the only two LMP2 retirements in the ten-car class.

RESULTS: Motul Petit Le Mans

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