A breathtaking clash of speed, skill, and strategy unfolded at Watkins Glen on Saturday, as the Virtual Sports Car Association (VSCA) hosted the 6 Hours of the Glen. The sixth round of the 2024 SportsCar Championship and the third round of the Endurance Cup, this race promised and delivered a spectacle with dramatic twists, intense competition, and historic incidents.
Historic Crash and Resilient Recovery
The race began with high expectations, and the early laps didn't disappoint. Selena Ward, driving the #19 Trading Paints Racing Porsche 963 GTP, secured pole position with a blistering lap of 1:28.050. However, the tranquility was shattered shortly after the first full-course yellow. As the race restarted, a colossal accident in the esses involving the #19 Trading Paints Racing GTP and the #14 Fischer Motorsport LMP2 car sparked a chain reaction. The incident, the largest in VSCA history, embroiled 24 cars, sidelining more than half the grid.
Despite the chaos, the race continued, marked by three full-course yellows, totaling 49 minutes under caution. The second yellow occurred just 52 minutes into the race, following a restart seven minutes later, and the third yellow emerged two hours and 25 minutes in, with the race resuming 21 minutes later.
Penalties and Strategic Maneuvers
Post-race penalties altered the final standings significantly. The #88 DS Racing eSports Team, which led the most laps and dominated the race, was penalized one lap and 30 seconds for an incident at the 3:18 minute mark with the #312 Real Pixel Motorsport GT AM Lamborghini. Similarly, the #51 World Of SimRacing Team received a similar penalty for an altercation with the #017 Vulture Motorsports GT AM Ferrari just after the four-hour mark.
In a display of remarkable resilience, the #88 DS Racing eSports Team Cadillac V-Series.R GTP, piloted by Pedro Espadinha and João Garrido, clinched victory with a margin of 16.261 seconds, despite their penalty.
Arriving to victory lane, DS Racing eSports team owner Marco Vilela said: "We attacked this race with the intention to win. I'd say we were pretty confident of at least being able to get a podium finish."
"We prepared well and analyzed last year's results, so we knew we had everything we needed to achieve a good result."
"We had a well-planned race strategy and we stuck with it throughout. I've got to compliment the whole team, especially Pedro and João and their excellent pace. That's what got us this win; hopefully the first of many. This victory, we felt like it's been coming for a long time. So this is a big deal for the whole team, to see all our work come to fruition. Winning is what we do this for."
"Also a big thank you to and all our sponsors for supporting us.", Vilela closed.
The #51 World Of SimRacing Team Cadillac V-Series.R GTP, driven by Álvaro Martínez and Dani Fonte, managed to secure second place, followed closely by the #15 Composite Performance Cadillac V-Series.R GTP, driven by Patrick Fogel and Nicholas Johnston, in third.
Top Ten Finishers Show Their Mettle
The #830 Team Heartcore Cadillac V-Series.R GTP, driven by Jakob Lehmann and Stefan Rossmann, finished in a commendable fourth place, while the #111 HAC Racing Cadillac V-Series.R GTP, driven by Daniel Keane and Cody Richardson, made a remarkable recovery from 12th on the grid to finish fifth. The #42 DS Racing eSports Team Cadillac V-Series.R GTP secured sixth place, followed by the championship leader, #3 Mayer Simspeed Performance Porsche 963 GTP, which finished seventh after a mishap in the bus stop chicane.
Rounding out the top ten were the #50 Bravo Snow Schatten Acura ARX-06 GTP in eighth, the #4 Fischer Motorsport Porsche 963 GTP in ninth, and the #1 Grizzly Motorsports Porsche 963 GTP, the defending champions, in tenth after an early exit from the race.
Championship and Endurance Cup Standings Shake-Up
The race significantly impacted the championship standings. Despite a challenging race, the #3 Mayer Simspeed Performance Porsche 963 GTP retained its lead in the SportsCar Championship with 2425 points. The #111 HAC Racing Cadillac V-Series.R GTP moved to second with 2329 points, and the #88 DS Racing eSports Team Cadillac V-Series.R GTP climbed to third with 2251 points. The #51 World Of SimRacing Team dropped to fourth with 2247 points, and the #15 Composite Performance Cadillac V-Series.R GTP surged to fifth with 1997 points.
In the Endurance Cup, the #51 World Of SimRacing Team now leads with 29 points, closely followed by the #15 Composite Performance Cadillac V-Series.R GTP and the #111 HAC Racing Cadillac V-Series.R GTP, both with 28 points. The #88 DS Racing eSports Team Cadillac V-Series.R GTP made a significant leap to fourth place with 27 points.
Looking Ahead to Road America
The excitement is far from over as the VSCA SportsCar Championship heads to Road America for the JRT Summer Sprint on June 29, 2024. This seventh round of the championship promises more high-speed action and intense competition. Fans can catch the race live on GreenFlag TV, from start to finish, and witness another thrilling chapter in this gripping motorsport series.
Related Links