CP Racing Takes First Overall Win in 24H Portimao

Photo: 24H Series

CP Racing has taken its first overall victory in 24H Series powered by Hankook competition, with the American squad taking top honors in the Hankook 24H Portimao.

Shane Lewis, in his 60th 24-hour race, took the American squad’s No. 85 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo to a 36.612-second victory over the pole-sitting No. 18 Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II of Swen Herberger.

It came after a late stop for the Audi to take on fuel that ultimately handed the lead back to the CP Mercedes, which had a race-long battle with the German team.

Lewis shared top honors in the GT3-Am entry with fellow Americans Charles Espenlaub, Charlie Putman and Joe Foster.

The No. 22 WTM Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 of Georg Weiss, Leonard Weiss, Jochen Krumbach, Daniel Keilwitz and Indy Dontje crossed the line in third, ahead of the No. 903 Red Ant Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car, which picked up 992 class honors.

However, the WTM entry was disqualified due to the Ferrari’s exhaust not having been found to include a catalytic converter in post-race technical scrutineering.

Leipert Racing’s Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo picked up GTX class honors, while the debuting BMW M4 GT4 finished 11th overall after several setbacks, including multiple punctures and a trip to the garage.

The BMW Junior Team drivers of Daniel Harper, Max Hesse, Neil Verhagen plus Jörg Weidinger handled driving duties of the BMW, which has yet to be homologated.

TCE class honors, meanwhile, went to the No. 159 BBR Cupra TCR DSG with the all-Thai lineup of Kantadhee Kusiri, Kantasak Kusiri, Anusorn Asiralertsiri, Tanart Sathienthirakul and Pasarit Promsombat, who extend their championship lead.

RESULTS: 24H Portimao

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