PWC to Utilize Chicane Layout at Lime Rock

Photo: Jon Tenca

After much debate from teams and manufacturers, this weekend’s Pirelli World Challenge round at Lime Rock Park will utilize the chicane layout, the series revealed on Monday.

PWC Director of Competition Marcus Haselgrove confirmed to Sportscar365 that plans are now in place to run on the modified version of the 1.5-mile circuit, recently used by IMSA and other sanctioning bodies.

The change avoids the possibility of cars catching air at Uphill, which had been a topic of discussion following a test last week with Cadillac Racing and K-PAX Racing (pictured above) on the full layout.

Some competitors had shared concerns of a GT3-spec car flipping over, particularly when tucked up behind another car in the fast uphill section.

The series has not visited the high-speed Connecticut circuit since 2013, prior to the era of full FIA GT3-spec machinery, which have been prone to similar incidents elsewhere.

The most notable came last year in a VLN round at the Nurburgring, where the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 of Jann Mardenborough took flight and landed outside the fence, killing a spectator.

It’s understood Nissan, as well as other manufacturers, had been lobbying for PWC to use the chicane layout on grounds of safety.

A test at Lime Rock involving a number of PWC competitors is scheduled for Tuesday, with official track action set to get underway on Friday.

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