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 automotive, leaving the tire carcass at Flip 9. Frederick managed to limp again to the pit lane, however the subsequent problem dropped the workforce to a lap down. Regardless of the setback, the plethora of cautions within the chaotic race allowed the mix of Frederick, Hienrich, and third co-driver Tijman van der Helm claw again on the lead lap.
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 offered 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 outcome on the ultimate step of the rostrum.
“Yeah, frantic to say the least,” mentioned Heinrich, 24. “It was a curler coaster, the race, on a curler coaster monitor. Had a great begin. Yesterday was the primary time qualifying, so which means a really first time beginning in GTP in a prototype usually.
“In order that was a brand new expertise for me, which was nice to do. I knew it was an extended race, so simply making an attempt to get settled, got here in in third. Then we hit some bother, we have been a lap down, needed to take emergency service to refit a tire. And appeared like it’ll be troublesome, however what I actually appreciated was at this time the workforce did not surrender.”
#5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963: Tijmen van der Helm, Laurin Heinrich, Kaylen Frederick
Picture by: Jake Galstad / Lumen through Getty Pictures
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 disenchanted, additionally trying on the championship as a result of I knew it’ll be troublesome,” Heinrich mentioned.
Heinrich additionally expressed the poise of the JDC-Miller squad, noting that when they acquired again on the lead lap, there was optimism because the automotive’s tempo on the long term was stout.
“We by no means gave up, we stored our heads cool,” Heinrich mentioned. “And we knew we’re again within the lead lap, we’re final, however we’ve a great automotive beneath us on the long term, which takes excellent care of the tires. And I believe it was a key at this time 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 this time. I believe that is precisely what IMSA stands for and what the followers wish to see. It was laborious however truthful. Very thrilling, I hope. I am trying ahead to re-watch it tonight.
“And I’ve to say a giant thanks to Porsche and to JDC and my teammates as a result of it was a very good day, and we made a great turnaround.”
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