The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge was at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Saturday afternoon in the Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship. CarBahn with Peregrine racing Audi’s Tyler McQuarrie and Jeff Westphal, won the pole in the GS class while Bryan Herta Autosport w/ Curb Agajanian Hyundai’s Harry Gottsacker and Mark Wilkins won the pole in the TCR class.
Bryan Herta Autosport teammates Harry Gottsacker and Mason Filippi were involved in a wreck at turn one that brought the full course caution a few seconds in the race, leaving debris all over the track.
Also involved were Ryan Norman of Bryan Herta Autosport and Thomas Collingwood of BGB Motorsports Porsche. Both cars did not suffer major damage and were able to continue the race. Meanwhile, Gottsacker and Filippi were done for the day.
It took track crews about ten minutes to clean up the debris before the race could get back underway with an hour and forty-eight minutes left in the race with McQuarrie leading in the GS class and Norman leading in the TCR class. McQuarrie had a 1.888 second lead over Nate Stacy when the second caution came out for debris off of Max Faulkner’s Speed Syndicate Motorsports Audi at turn ten.
During the caution, both classes made pit stops. The race resumed with an hour and thirty-two minutes left as McQuarrie continued to lead the GS class, and Spencer Brockman was the new leader in the TCR class.
The restart lasted four minutes before the No. 71 Rebel Rock Racing Chevrolet Camaro of Frank DePew did not see the No. 61 Road Shagger Racing Audi of Gavin Ernstone and made contact, leaving debris on the track at the exit of turn ten, sending the race to its third caution.
DePew’s car stalled, extending the caution just bit a longer. The race resumed with an hour and thirteen minutes left. McQuarrie led every lap so far in the GS class while Brockman continued to lead in the TCR class. With an hour and seven minutes left, Ryan Norman passed Brockman for the lead.
Norman came in for this pit stop with Gabby Chaves taking over the car with under an hour left. Jon Morley now leads the race in the TCR class. McQuarrie would finally come to pit road with fifty minutes left, handing the car over to Jeff Westphal as Alan Brynjolfsson took over the lead in the No. 7 Porsche. Teams in both classes continued to make their final scheduled pit stops of the afternoon.
Once scheduled pit stops were complete, Corey Lewis, who had not pitted yet, was the GS class leader with Kyle Marcelli, Trent Hindman, and Jeff Westphal chasing him. Jon Morley continued to lead in the TCR class with Gabby Chaves behind him.
With under twenty-five minutes left, Chaves caught Morley and passed him for the lead. Once Lewis made his pit stop, the lead went to Hindman, followed by Westphal and Marcelli. Westphal was right behind Hindman with five minutes in the race.
Westphal got a great run on the front stretch on the final lap as Hindman tried to stop his momentum, but Westphal won the battle and took the lead exiting off of turn one. Westphal would win the race in the GS class while Gabby Chaves won in the TCR class.
With the win, CarBahn with Peregrine racing Audi keeps their championship hopes alive with one race left in the season. In the TCR class, the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport w/ Curb Agajanian Hyundai of Ryan Norman and Gabby Chaves has a four-point lead heading into the final race of the season over their teammates Michael Lewis and Mason Filippi.
The Michelin Pilot Challenge wraps up the season in two weeks at Sebring International Raceway on Friday, November 13th, at noon on NBC Sports Gold Track Pass.
