Hardwick: Strategy Key for Manthey’s GTD Win from Rear

Photo: Jordan Lenssen/Porsche

Ryan Hardwick said their start from the rear of the grid gave Manthey different strategy options that ultimately delivered the team its first IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD class victory.

Hardwick, Riccardo Pera and Richard Lietz took their No. 912 Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo to top category honors in last weekend’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, despite leading only eight laps in the Michelin Endurance Cup contest.

The car was forced to start from 18th in the 20-car class grid due to qualifying having been abandoned for an accident by the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, and subsequently lined up on full season points.

With the German squad only contesting the Endurance Cup races, resulting in a start from deep in the field, Hardwick said it put them with a mountain to climb.

“Starting from nearly the last row clearly, we only had one direction to go with strategy,” said Hardwick. “But I will say when you’re in the back, there are some different chances you can take.

“I think it was crucial about mid-race, the start of the race for me.

“It’s very difficult to pass on this track. Our car wasn’t the fastest on top speed and acceleration, but when we got clean air, we were quite fast.

“I was very patient in my stints and waited for opportunities, and as everyone saw, there were lots of crashes and lots of opportunities with other cars just basically taking themselves out.

“We remained calm, and also in the pit box our engineers made some really good strategy calls to get, at one point, all three of us out of the traffic and in clear air where we could then put some appropriate lap times down.”

The key came in the final few stops, with FIA Silver-rated Pera at the wheel, when the Italian driver being one of the first GTD cars to take on service, which in effect, undercut the majority of the field.

“That’s what put him out in clear air, and we were able to sail to the front,” said Hardwick.

The class win came on the heels of the team’s first WeatherTech Championship triumph in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March, with its GTD Pro entry.

Hardwick said getting their own win, in the No. 912 car, was equally as important for the organization.

“I think for the team, it’s very important,” he said. “This is the IMSA championship. I know something that Manthey themselves as an organization has wanted to come and compete in for many years.

“I’m just really happy to be a part of it in their first season here.

“I can tell you everyone on the team, from the owners to management and engineers, all the mechanics, everyone really loves coming here to America and our style of racing and our tracks.

“So the whole team is just really excited to be participating in these tracks.

“It’s an interesting spot for me to be in. I would say the one with the most track experience. That’s usually not the case for me.

“But I’m enjoying being a part of it.

“As you can see, the team is very well prepared for even tracks that they haven’t visited before.

“We always have an exceptional race car, and the team makes unbelievable decisions and quick work on pit lane, and that’s what it takes to be successful in these endurance races.

“It’s a team sport, and the three of us, along with Manthey, we’ve had a lot of success over the last couple of years racing together, and it’s nice to be able to do that here in the U.S. and IMSA.”

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