The Michelin Pilot Challenge concluded the 2020 season Friday afternoon at Sebring International Raceway’s Alan Jay 120. Tyler McQuarrie won the pole in the GS category with a lap time of two minutes and ten seconds.
His team needed to win the race to win the championship. Harry Gottsacker won the pole in the TCR category with a lap time of two minutes and sixteen seconds.
Two minutes into the race, Bryan Herta Autosport teammates Mason Filippi and Spencer Brockman collided heading into turn one. This caused Filippi’s car to have suspension damage and shredding of the right-front tire.
Brockman was able to continue the race while Filippi’s team was done and finished in 11th place. A minute later, another incident occurred also at turn one involving Frank DePew spinning out Bryce Ward. DePew had to serve a drive-through penalty for the incident.
The first and only caution of the day came out with an hour and thirty minutes left when Tim Probert got a run on Ward heading to turn seven before moving down and making contact. Both cars were out for the remainder of the race.
Track crews had to repair the wall, which took approximately ten minutes before the race could resume with an hour and twenty minutes left. Some teams did go to pit road before the race resumed. McQuarrie was still leading in the GS class, and Ken Block led in the TCR class.
McQuarrie went to pit road, leading the first 21 laps with an hour and five minutes remaining to change drivers with Jeff Westphal taking over. The new leader in the GS category was Cameron Lawrence, who replaced Bill Auberlen this week due to COVID.
Lawrence led eight laps before pitting as Robby Foley took over the ride. With 51 minutes left, Ryan Norman in the Bryan Herta Autosport went to pit road to change drivers with Gabby Chaves taking over. Westphal was back on pit road, telling his crew chief that something was going down and the crew changed tires.
With 40 minutes left, Westphal drove the car back to pit road with mechanical issues, ending their chances to repeat as champions. For the next three laps in the GS class, Robin Liddell and Jan Hayden took turns leading laps before Foley resumed the lead with 30 minutes left in the race.
Late in the race, the Bryan Herta Auto teammates of Mark Wilkins and Gabby Chaves battled for the lead in the TCR category while Robby Foley had a comfortable eighteen-second lead over Trent Hindman of Archangel Motorsports Aston Martin.
Foley would win the race in the GS category by 15.347 seconds over Hindman while Wilkins just beat his teammate Chaves to win in the TCR category. With the second-place finish, Gabby Chaves and Ryan Norman win the TCR championship. Kyle Marcelli for Kohr Motorsports finished in third place to win the GS championship. Hyundai also clinched the manufactures championship after the race.
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will conclude their Saturday, November 14th, in the Mobile 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at 10 am on NBCSN, 3 pm on NBC, and 6 pm on NBCSN or watch the race in its entirety on NBC Sports Gold Track Pass at 10 am.
