Chaves to Sub for Barbosa at Watkins Glen

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Gabby Chaves will make his return to IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar competition next weekend as he joins Action Express Racing for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.

Chaves will team up with Filipe Albuquerque and Christian Fittipaldi in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling-sponsored Cadillac DPu-V.R, filling in for Joao Barbosa who will miss the event due to a wrist injury sustained in a bicycle accident.

The team will be pursuing a third consecutive victory in the event.

“The first thing is of course that you never want to have an opportunity because someone got hurt, so this is an unfortunate circumstance with Joao having his injury,” said Chaves.

“But I appreciate the opportunity to join the championship-leading team. Mustang Sampling Racing has had a strong start this year and hopefully I can help the team continue to have those kinds of results.”

The Columbian-born driver is familiar with Watkins Glen, having competed in the event most recently in 2016 with the Panoz DeltaWing.

Chaves rejoins the IMSA fray for the Watkins Glen event having moved to a full time program in the Verizon IndyCar Series for Harding Racing.

“I love Watkins Glen, it is a great track and I am looking forward to racing the Cadillac Prototype there,” said Chaves. “I’m excited to be going back to endurance racing.

“With different classes all racing at the same time, there is a lot for the driver to deal with as you work through traffic.

“So I am looking forward to racing at the Glen again, and I really appreciate this opportunity with Mustang Sampling Racing.”

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