Thursday With IMSA At Petit Le Mans

IMSA wraps up the 2017 season this weekend with the Petit Le Mans outside of Atlanta. We're here, cameras in hand.

By Rip Shaub
© Rip Shaub. All Rights reserved

IMSA's Petit Le Mans, the end of season race for the championship, is running this weekend in Braselton, Georgia at Road Atlanta. Caleb Jacobs will be bringing the stories from the track while I bring you the sights. 

Thursday brought practice for the two top series and support races for the Prototype Challenge and Porsche GT3 Cup. 

Colin Thompson drives Kelly Moss Racing's Norma M30 during morning practice. Thompson would end his day on the podium after taking third in both Prototype Challenge races. © Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Michael Watt of ASC Mtorsports also catches some morning light in the Ligier JS P3.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Mark Kvamme of JDX Racing in a Porsche GT3 Cup car. © Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Corey Fergus of Moorespeed Racing finished 4th on Thursday and ended up on the podium in third on Friday morning.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Fred Kaimer of NGT Motorsport in his Cup Car Thursday morning.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Fergus again, getting two wheel off the ground in Road Atlanta's lively Turn 3.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Roman De Angelis of Mark Motors Racing shows what happens when you go too far on the apron of Turn 3. © Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
The other NGT entry, with Victor Gomez IV, heads for the esses.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
C360 Racing's McLaren 570S GT4 in practice for the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. © Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Motorsports In Action's McLaren during the practice session.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
KohR Motorsports' Ford Mustang GT4 throws a long shadow.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Michael Shank Racing has their pair of Acura NSX GT3s here for the 10 hour feature race.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Ford Performance Chip Ganassi Racing and the Ford GTs ended up qualifying 2-4 for the main race.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
One of the big story lines is Team Penske's entry into the race. It's a trial run for a possible IMSA team next year in an Acura prototype. Driving are three IndyCar veterans. Juan Pablo Montoya, Simon Pagenaud and Helio Castroneves.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
The Penske Oreca exits the pits during afternoon practice.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Bar1 motorsports exits the pits in their Oreca FLM09. © Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Another look at the Penske Oreca during some adjustments mid-practice. © Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
Night practice gives time to acclimate to the track in the dark. The white headlights of a prototype illuminate the #66 Ford GT.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
The flickering LEDs of the lights and position indicators paint patterns down the track.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
A detail of a 3GT Racing Lexus RCF GT3 during night practice.© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
© Rip Shaub - All Rights Reserved
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