Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Vilander & Serra Double Up In Watkins Glen

Written by 
Published in Racing
Sunday, 01 September 2019 16:53

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Blancpain GT World Challenge America Ferrari drivers Toni Vilander and Daniel Serra were victorious for the second-straight day Sunday at Watkins Glen Int’l.

Sunday’s race also saw repeat wins from Acura team drivers Dane Cameron and Mike Hedlund in Pro/Am and Ferrari drivers Martin Fuentes and Mark Issa in the Am class.

Championship leader and pole sitter Vilander led the field to the green in his No. 61 R. Ferri Motorsport Ferrari 488 GT3 and drag raced down the front straight with Maxime Soulet. Soulet was able to nose ahead and take the lead through turn one. Cameron slotted in behind Vilander in third.

Drama ensued as the leaders headed to turn eight on the first lap. Vilander was able to get underneath Soulet as the two entered the right hander and the two contacted with Soulet’s Bentley spinning and Vilander continuing through into the lead. Soulet gathered his No. 3 machine and re-entered the track but not before a substantial number of competitors had passed.

At the completion of lap one, Vilander led Cameron and Pro/Am driver Kyle Marcelli. Fuentes slotted in 12th overall and tops in the Am division. By lap three, Pro division pilot Scott Hargrove was on a charge moving up four positions to slot into fourth overall behind Marcelli.

Through lap 20 the leaders in all categories held their positions with Vilander growing his overall lead over Cameron by over two seconds.

At the 50-minute mark of the race the pit lane opened for driver changes and Soulet brought his No. 3 machine in first to change over to partner Rodrigo Baptista. K-PAX Racing’s second entry, with Andy Soucek behind the wheel of the No. 9 Bentley Continental GT3, came in shortly after for Alvaro Parente to assume the reins.

Vilander and Hargrove brought their cars in a lap later to change over to Serra and Patrick Long, respectively. Cameron and Marcelli stayed out on track until near the close of the pit window when both came in to change over to partners Hedlund and Martin Barkey, respectively.

By lap 30 with the pit window closed, and driver changes completed, Hedlund held the overall lead and top spot in the Pro/Am division with Serra, Parente and Long in pursuit. Issa who had taken over for Fuentes slotted into 13th overall maintaining the lead in Am.

By lap 31, the top three dueled for position with Hedlund defending the lead over Serra and Parente looking for a way around the Ferrari driver for second. Then on lap 33, Serra squeezed by Hedlund for the lead through turns 8 and 9 with Parente following into second.

That set up a 28-minute duel to the checkered between the Ferrari and Bentley drivers. Long then made it a Ferrari, Bentley and Porsche duel passing Hedlund on lap 34. By lap 39 the leaders began to encounter lap traffic closing the gap between the top three and bringing Baptista, who had passed Hedlund, into the picture in fourth.

Serra effectively managed lap traffic and was able to hold off any challenges from Parente extending his gap in front, while on lap 41 Baptista passed Long through the bus stop complex moving into third overall. Hedlund remained in fifth overall leading in Pro/Am, while Issa maintained his 13th overall position leading in Am.

By lap 42, Serra had cleared lap traffic and increased his gap over Parente to .800 seconds. Parente was unable to close the gap back up and at the checkered, the Ferrari driver crossed the line ahead of the Bentley driver by 3.99 seconds, with Baptista, Long and Hedlund closing out the top five.

“What was supposed to be an easy stint for me became like qualifying every lap,” said Serra. “We lost a bit of time on the pit stop and when I got back out, I was behind Hedlund. It was difficult to overtake him because he had much more speed than us on the straight, even when I was in the draft. I had to wait for a mistake or something like that and in turn 8 he went wide and I was able to overtake him. I was pushing and couldn’t put a gap to Parente. It was a nice stint, it’s good to come here and help the team and Toni (Vilander) extend the lead so I’m satisfied.”

With the win, Vilander leaves Watkins Glen with a 21-point lead over Parente and Soucek in the driver’s championship. K-PAX Racing leads R. Ferri Motorsport in the push for the team championship by nine points. Bentley leads Ferrari by six points in the manufacturer’s championships.

Barkey and Marcelli lead the Pro/Am driver’s championship with 143 points each, while Fuentes has a dominating lead in the Am category driver’s championship with 175 points.

Read 4183 times

Soccer

USWNT's Albert apologizes after Rapinoe criticism

USWNT's Albert apologizes after Rapinoe criticism

EmailPrintUnited States women's national team midfielder Korbin Albert apologized on Thursday for pr...

Leicester sack women's boss for breach of conduct

Leicester sack women's boss for breach of conduct

EmailPrintLeicester City manager Willie Kirk has been dismissed from his position after an internal...

Davies' agent blasts Bayern's contract 'ultimatum'

Davies' agent blasts Bayern's contract 'ultimatum'

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe agent of Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies has criticised the...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

Basketball

Hornets shut down LaMelo (ankle) for season

Hornets shut down LaMelo (ankle) for season

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCharlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball will not play again this season...

Lawyer: Ex-G Leaguer won't face death penalty

Lawyer: Ex-G Leaguer won't face death penalty

EmailPrintFormer G League player Chance Comanche, who was charged with the murder of a woman whose b...

Baseball

Heroic debut: Soto's throw saves Yankees in 9th

Heroic debut: Soto's throw saves Yankees in 9th

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsHOUSTON -- That Juan Soto's first signature Yankee moment happened...

Ohtani welcomed, helps Betts, Freeman drive win

Ohtani welcomed, helps Betts, Freeman drive win

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLOS ANGELES -- Shohei Ohtani was pleased with the quality of his at...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated