At the 8 hours mark Porsche takes GTP IMEC crown

IMSA

Oct 11

After eight hours of racing and several FCY, Campbell-Jaminet scored 9 points in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cups for teams and drivers as well as Porsche for the manufacturers title. Porsche is now definitively IMEC Manufacturers champion while the #7 Porsche team and duo Nasr-Tandy are still first for the IMEC teams and drivers cups.

#7 Porsche 963 — 📷 © Luc Warnotte at Michelin Raceway. Laurens Vanthoor takes over in Posche #7 on a double role as Julien Andlauer was forced to withdraw from the Petit Le Mans for medical reason.

After four hours Porsche and Acura still in the race for IMEC crowns

The battle for the overall lead of the race has been dominated by #60 Acura and #31 Cadillac during the first three hours with Blomqvist / C. Braun / S. Dixon leading 79 laps and J. Aitken / E. Bamber / F. Vesti taking over during the last 24 laps.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Michelin Raceway. #60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 leads the pack at turn 5

Shortly before the three hours mark, a new caution allowed the championship leading Porsche #6 to take the lead as Jaminet was taking over the wheel in the #6 Porsche from Campbell while both #60 Acura and #31 Cadillac had already pitted.

Mathieu Jaminet who took the wheel (at 15:08) of the Porsche #6 kept Tom Blomqvist (Acura #60) at a reasonable distance (4.381 seconds at the four hours mark).

Porsche Penske Motorsport #6 team clinching five points and Acura #60 four while IMEC championship leading Porsche #7 scored two points. Nasr / Tandy still lead IMEC Cups with a little point ahead of Blomqvist / Braun. Campbell / Jaminet make a serious jump in the cup ranking being now third.

#7 Porsche IMEC Champion at the 8 hours mark

Jaminet / Campbell / Vanthoor in #6 Porsche 963 did lead the race during 130 laps until Aitken / Bamber / Vesti in the #31 Cadillac V-Series.R took the lead at the 6 hours mark for the next 123 laps.

Porsche and Cadillac at turn 5 — 📷 © Luc Warnotte at Michelin Raceway. #6 Porsche 963 still leads the race but not for long as #31 Whelen Cadillac is pushing hard, taking over a couple of laps later.

With Cadillac #31 leading at the 8 hours mark, both Porsche Penske Motorsport second (Jaminet / Campbell / Vanthoor in #6) and third (Nasr / Tandy / Vanthoor in #7), the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport team now takes a serious option for the IMSA Michelin Endurance Drivers and Teams Cups with 44 points ahead of Blomqvist / Braun in #60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing (42 points), Jaminet / Campbell in #6 Porsche (41 points) and #31 Cadillac Whelen driven by Bamber / Aitken / Vesti (40 points).