The question heading into Sunday’s race at the iconic and idyllic 4.048-mile Road America was, can the first-year Z06 GT3.R keep the momentum going from July’s impressive performance in Canada? Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports was hot on the heels of victory after the No. 3 with Sims and Garcia captured the first IMSA win for the Z06 GT3.R in the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The duo began from pole position and led 109 of 113 laps en route to a 0.408-second victory over Milner and Catsburg in the No. 4 Z06 GT3.R (while also setting the fastest lap!).
How would the Pratt Miller team respond after an impressive 1-2 GTD PRO finish? And let’s not forget about AWA, the (now) single-car team that races in the GTD class. Heading into the August 4th race in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the momentum appeared to be holding as Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports swept the GTD PRO front row during qualifying. Before we get to the Road America summary and highlights, let’s do a quick review of the teams and drivers.
The IMSA Teams And Drivers For Road America
♦ GTD PRO: Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports
- The No. 3: Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims
- The No. 4: Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg
♦ GTD: AWA
- The No. 13: Matt Bell and Orey Fidani
- The No. 17: Anthony Mantella, the owner of the No. 17 car, quits after just two races; more details are here.
Race Summary:
After a rough beginning to the 2-hour, 40-minute sprint around the 4.048-mile Road America, the two Corvette Racing teams rallied back to grab respectable finishes during the IMSA SportsCar Weekend event at Road America. In a race that was plagued with caution periods, just how respectable were the final results? Well, check this out!
- The No. 3 with Garcia and Sims: FIFTH
- The No. 4 with Milner and Catsburg: SIXTH
- The No. 13 with Bell and Fidani: FIFTH (a season’s best!)
Race Highlights:
- At the start, the No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R (driven by Sims at the time) spun from second place after contact with a competitor (the race car only sustained minor damage and was able to continue without issue).
- Catsburg, in the No. 4, held strong at the front of the field, keeping his Z06 GT3.R ahead of the pack and leading the first 10 laps.
- Pit strategy and fuel mileage became paramount as the race neared the end, and two full-course cautions gave the teams a chance to take a breather, pit their GT3.Rs, and rally to respectable top-six finishes.
- In GTD, Bell and Fidani dazzled the crowd in their No. 13 Z06 GT3.R, picking up a remarkable 16 positions overall and 10 in their class.
- The No. 13’s season-best finish means Fidani continues to lead the Bob Akin Award standings, which will go to the season’s top Bronze-rated points-eligible driver.
Notable Driver Quotes:
- Antonio Garcia, No. 3 Z06 GT3.R
“The first lap led to our whole race. The opening contact damaged the car somewhat, and from that point on we had to gamble on a different strategy, save fuel and do something different. In a way, it got us some positions but when it came time to fight at the end, the car wasn’t where it needed to be. We definitely tried to squeeze as much as we could out of it.”
- Matt Bell, No. 13 Z06 GT3.R
“That was absolute chaos and a proper IMSA race! There was some seriously dicey, proper GT racing going on and I loved every bit of it, to be honest.”
What’s Next For IMSA?
The Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs are heading to the Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway on August 23 to 25.
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