IMSA: 42-Car Entry List Revealed for Watkins Glen
The six-hour race will feature all three classes: Prototype, GT Le Mans, and GT Daytona.
The official entry list for July 1's Six Hours of the Glen has been released with 42 cars spanning three classes in IMSA's WeatherTech Sportscar series. The upcoming event marks the sixth contest of the 2018 season as well as the third round of the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup.
The Prototype field will be 16-cars deep with a mix of DPi and LMP2 machines fighting for the overall win. Noteworthy entries include the returning No. 38 Performance Tech Motorsports Oreca 07 Gibson, which missed the recent contest at Belle Isle in Detroit. Additionally, United Autosports has confirmed its continued NAEC campaign and will field its No. 32 Ligier JS P217 with Bruno Senna, Paul di Resta, and Phil Hanson behind in the wheel.
Other news regarding the Prototype class at next weekend's competition features Mustang Sampling Racing, which is currently tied for the championship points lead. The Team Action Express branch will be missing one of its veterans, Joao Barbosa, who was injured during a training incident earlier in June. He will be replaced by full-time IndyCar driver and experienced sportscar pilot Gabby Chaves.
IMSA's GT Le Mans category will feature two entries per manufacturer with BMW, Corvette, Ford, and Porsche aiming for class honors. Watkins Glen will be the first competition for the factory-backed GT cars since Mid-Ohio in May after missing Belle Isle due to teams preparing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Risi Competizione is absent from the GTLM entry list for the fourth consecutive race after the team announced it would not contest the full 2018 IMSA calendar in January. Original plans for the Ferrari-running squad included focusing solely on NAEC rounds, but as it shows, the Houston-based squad will not compete at the Six Hours of the Glen.
GT Daytona, the event's most populous class, will consist of 18 cars. Those returning to IMSA action at the race include Land Motorsport, CJ Wilson Racing's Acura NSX GT3, and a second Scuderia Corsa-entered Ferrari.
Drivers Ben Keating and Jeroen Bleekemolen will pilot the No. 33 Mercedes-AMG GT3 after nabbing a class podium at Le Mans. The duo currently sits third in the GTD standings and will be accompanied by Luca Stolz.
