Laurin Heinrich rallied JDC-Miller MotorSports to a third-place end on the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen after dropping a lap down. Nevertheless, a victory by rival Jack Aitken meant the German misplaced floor within the GTP championship.
The #5 Porsche 963 began fifth at Watkins Glen Worldwide, however was hit with extreme adversity with three and a half hours remaining when co-driver Kaylen Frederick suffered a reduce left-rear tire following contact with a GTD automobile, leaving the tire carcass at Flip 9. Frederick managed to limp again to the pit lane, however the subsequent concern dropped the staff to a lap down. Regardless of the setback, the plethora of cautions within the chaotic race allowed the mixture of Frederick, Hienrich, and third co-driver Tijman van der Helm claw again on the lead lap.
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Heinrich took over for the ultimate two stints and pushed again into competition for the win. Whereas a gradual cease with roughly 55 minutes left supplied one other transient setback, he reduce a 13s deficit to the race chief down to six.5s, carving again as much as the rear wing of runner-up Nick Yelloly earlier than warning on the ultimate lap cemented a consequence on the ultimate step of the rostrum.
“Yeah, frantic to say the least,” stated Heinrich, 24. “It was a curler coaster, the race, on a curler coaster observe. Had an excellent begin. Yesterday was the primary time qualifying, so which means a really first time beginning in GTP in a prototype typically.
“In order that was a brand new expertise for me, which was nice to do. I knew it was a protracted race, so simply making an attempt to get settled, got here in in third. Then we hit some hassle, we had been a lap down, needed to take emergency service to refit a tire. And appeared like it’ll be tough, however what I actually appreciated was at present the staff did not surrender.”
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#5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963: Tijmen van der Helm, Laurin Heinrich, Kaylen Frederick
#5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963: Tijmen van der Helm, Laurin Heinrich, Kaylen Frederick
Heinrich got here into the weekend 144 factors behind Aitken within the GTP championship. With Aitken pushing his #31 Whelen Cadillac to the win, nonetheless, the hole widened, with Heinrich now 203 factors behind (2145-1942).
“I used to be clearly a bit dissatisfied, additionally trying on the championship as a result of I knew it’ll be tough,” Heinrich stated.
Heinrich additionally expressed the poise of the JDC-Miller squad, noting that after they obtained again on the lead lap, there was optimism because the automobile’s tempo on the long term was stout.
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“We by no means gave up, we saved our heads cool,” Heinrich stated. “And we knew we’re again within the lead lap, we’re final, however we’ve an excellent automobile beneath us on the long term, which takes excellent care of the tires. And I believe it was a key at present to make some good strikes on the finish of the race.
“I’ve to offer credit score additionally to my fellow opponents. There was some excellent racing on the market at present. I believe that is precisely what IMSA stands for and what the followers need to see. It was laborious however honest. Very thrilling, I hope. I am trying ahead to re-watch it tonight.
“And I’ve to say an enormous thanks to Porsche and to JDC and my teammates as a result of it was a very good day, and we made an excellent turnaround.”
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