De Phillippi Leads Walkenhorst BMW 1-2 at Halfway

Photo: Brian Cleary/SRO

Connor De Phillippi leads a Walkenhorst 1-2 at the halfway point of the Indianapolis 8 Hour.

The BMW factory driver holds a 2.5-second advantage over the sister No. 35 BMW M6 GT3 of David Pittard, in a race that has turned into the German squad’s favor after issues for its nearest rivals.

Contact between a GT4 car took the No. 7 K-PAX Bentley Continental GT3 out of contention in the third hour, having lost more than 30 laps in the garage undergoing repairs to the car’s right-rear suspension.

Left-rear tire issues in drying conditions for the No. 93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 Evo and No. 31 Team Hardpoint WRT Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo cost both teams multiple laps.

The No. 30 JAS Motorsport Acura of Renger van der Zande runs third, although is off-sequence on stops to the BMWs after rebounding from a one-lap deficit due to a ill-timed pit stop.

Ben Keating runs fourth overall in the GT3 Pro-Am class-leading No. 04 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo while Markus Winkelhock has moved the No. 31 Hardpoint WRT Audi back into the top-five.

The No. 33 Notlad Racing by RS1 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 of Patrick Gallagher leads the GT4 class ahead of the No. 82 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4 of Chandler Hull. 

Connor Bloom, in another BMW, runs third in class.

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