The Glen Endures
An analytical breakdown of the 2021 Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen, the pivotal fifth round of the IMSA SportsCar Championship at Watkins Glen International.
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Event Overview
Race Context
The 2021 Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen was a premier endurance sports car race held on June 27, 2021, at the iconic Watkins Glen International circuit in New York. This event marked the fifth round of the 2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship and the third of four rounds in the prestigious Michelin Endurance Cup. The race signified IMSA's return to the 11-turn, 3.450-mile track after the 2020 event's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Balance of Performance
Prior to the event, IMSA issued technical bulletins to adjust the Balance of Performance (BoP), ensuring competitive parity. Key changes included:
- DPi: Fuel capacity reductions for Acura (-1L) and Cadillac (-2L), with a 3.6 kW power increase for Mazda.
- GTLM: A 10 kg weight reduction for the Porsche 911 RSR-19.
- GTD: A 7.1 kW power decrease and 2L fuel capacity reduction for the Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
Pre-Race Standings
Entering the event, the championship battles were tightly contested across all classes. Leaders included:
- DPi: Filipe Albuquerque & Ricky Taylor (Wayne Taylor Racing).
- LMP2: Scott Huffaker, Mikkel Jensen & Ben Keating (PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports).
- LMP3: Gar Robinson (Riley Motorsports).
- GTLM: Antonio Garcรญa & Jordan Taylor (Corvette Racing).
- GTD: Bill Auberlen & Robby Foley (Turner Motorsport).
The Competitive Field
Entry Breakdown
A robust field of 38 cars was entered for the six-hour endurance test, distributed across five distinct classes:
- Daytona Prototype International (DPi): 7 cars
- Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2): 5 cars
- Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3): 7 cars
- GT Le Mans (GTLM): 5 cars
- GT Daytona (GTD): 14 cars
The initial entry list featured 40 cars, but two LMP3 entries from Sean Creech Motorsport and Forty7 Motorsports were withdrawn before the weekend commenced.
Notable Participants
The event featured several high-profile additions and team returns. The DPi class saw the inclusion of the #48 Ally Cadillac Racing entry alongside the full-season competitors. In LMP3, Marco Andretti joined the Andretti Autosport lineup, while United Autosports made its IMSA LMP3 debut. The GTLM class was bolstered by the return of WeatherTech Racing and BMW Team RLL, both participating as part of their Michelin Endurance Cup campaigns.
Practice Sessions
Practice 1 Analysis
The first session was topped by Olivier Pla in the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura with a lap of 1:31.056. The session was interrupted by two red flags: one for a collision between the #18 Era Motorsport LMP2 and the #48 Cadillac DPi, and another for debris after the #79 WeatherTech Porsche went airborne at the Inner Loop.
Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | DPi | 60 | Meyer Shank Racing | 1:31.056 |
2 | DPi | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | 1:31.647 |
3 | DPi | 01 | Cadillac Chip Ganassi Racing | 1:31.949 |
Practice 2 Analysis
Meyer Shank Racing remained at the top in the second session, with Dane Cameron setting the fastest time of 1:30.451. This session also saw a stoppage when the #11 WIN Autosport LMP2 made contact with the wall and collected the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche. Connor De Phillippi was fastest in GTLM for BMW Team RLL.
Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | DPi | 60 | Meyer Shank Racing | 1:30.451 |
2 | DPi | 10 | WTR-Konica Minolta Acura | 1:30.682 |
3 | DPi | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | 1:30.893 |
Qualifying Breakdown
Pole Position Analysis
Ricky Taylor secured the overall pole position for Wayne Taylor Racing in the #10 Acura DPi, narrowly beating Dane Cameron's Meyer Shank Racing Acura by 0.119 seconds, locking out the front row for the manufacturer. Pole sitters in other classes were:
- LMP2: Steven Thomas (#11 WIN Autosport)
- LMP3: Austin McCusker (#2 United Autosports)
- GTLM: Antonio Garcรญa (#3 Corvette Racing)
- GTD: Kyle Kirkwood (#14 Vasser Sullivan Racing)
Detailed Qualifying Results
The qualifying sessions determined the starting grid for the six-hour race, with several teams facing post-session penalties that altered their starting positions.
Race Results
Final Classification
After six hours of intense competition, the #55 Mazda Motorsports DPi driven by Oliver Jarvis, Harry Tincknell, and Jonathan Bomarito emerged as the overall victor. The race saw battles throughout the field, with several teams suffering from accidents and mechanical failures.
Post-Race Analysis
Championship Implications
The results from Watkins Glen significantly impacted the championship standings. In DPi, leaders Albuquerque and Taylor maintained their advantage with a third-place finish, while the victory for Mazda's Jarvis and Tincknell solidified their second-place position. In GTD, a class victory for Auberlen and Foley extended their lead in the drivers' championship. The LMP2 victory for WIN Autosport propelled drivers Merrill, Nunez, and Thomas from fourth to second in their class standings.
Final Standings
The race reshuffled the points tables across multiple championships, setting the stage for the second half of the season. Explore the updated top-five standings for each class and manufacturer after the grueling six-hour event.
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References
References
- The #48 Ally Cadillac Racing entry received a 35-second time penalty for failing to serve a drive-through penalty. This demoted the entry from fourth to fifth in class.
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Disclaimer
Important Notice
This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date.
This is not professional advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional motorsport analysis, engineering consultation, or official race reporting. Always refer to official IMSA documentation and reports for definitive results and information.
The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.