The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) bore witness to a demanding competition at Road America for BMW enthusiasts. The BMW M Team RLL faced a series of challenges, with both of their BMW M Hybrid V8 cars retiring unexpectedly during the intense 2-hour and 40-minute-long event. As the third-to-last race of the season unfolded, the team was met with disappointment, while rivals reveled in their triumphs and alterations in the standings.
The unfolding drama began with an unfortunate incident for Connor De Phillippi (USA) behind the wheel of the #25 car. A collision with the wall early on forced him to make the difficult decision to retire. Simultaneously, Philipp Eng (AUT), piloting the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8, was compelled to exit the race after completing 55 laps due to technical maladies. These abrupt retirements dealt a severe blow to the team’s aspirations, thwarting their hopes for a resounding finish at the challenging Road America circuit.
Following these setbacks, the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8, steered by Eng and Augusto Farfus (BRA), along with the #25 car, under the command of De Phillippi and Nick Yelloly (GBR), found themselves positioned in ninth and tenth places, respectively, within the GTP class. As an outcome of these discouraging outcomes, De Phillippi and Yelloly witnessed their coveted second place in the overall standings slip through their fingers, despite a prior victory and three additional podium placements throughout the season.
Amidst the ups and downs of the competition, Paul Miller Racing emerged as the undoubted victors within the GTD class, capturing their fourth seasonal triumph and significantly widening the gap in the overall standings. In the GTD category, Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers (both USA) seized control of the race, delivering a commanding performance that secured them a dominant victory. Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull (both USA), competing with the #97 BMW M4 GT3 of Turner Motorsport, earned a commendable sixth position. However, their colleagues, Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher (both USA), faced a less fortunate fate, running out of fuel on the final lap and ultimately finishing in twelfth place.
Looking forward, the spotlight shifts to the upcoming GTP race scheduled for September 17th in Indianapolis (USA), marking the penultimate race of the season. In anticipation of that, the GTD class will engage in a showdown at the VIRginia International Raceway (USA) on August 27th.
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