Robert Wickens is taking a whirlwind flip of occasions in stride. Armed with brief discover and excessive confidence, the Canadian driver is getting into the highlight this weekend to make his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD class endurance debut at Street America.
Wickens obtained the decision on Wednesday afternoon to drive DXDT Racing’s No. 36 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R rather than Salih Yoluc. He’ll share the automotive with fellow dash co-driver Mason Filippi, together with Charlie Eastwood on the grueling 4.048-mile, 14-turn pure terrain highway course.
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Minimal Prep, Most Dedication#36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Mason Filippi, Robert Wickens at CTMP this season.
#36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Mason Filippi, Robert Wickens at CTMP this season.
A late call-up usually means scrambling for video footage and telemetry, however Wickens is holding his focus completely ahead.
“I do not know the precise particulars of why Salih could not make it… however for me, it was an incredible alternative,” Wickens instructed Motorsport.com. “I came upon Wednesday afternoon that it was official that I used to be doing it. So, I wasn’t in a position to watch the race tapes, onboards to type of get into the swing of it as a lot. However we’re right here, the automotive’s quick, the staff’s doing an incredible job. We’re wanting ahead to it.”
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This weekend marks Wickens’ first IMSA endurance begin for the reason that 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona, the place he competed in LMP2.
Whereas Wickens had hoped to safe a full-season WeatherTech marketing campaign together with endurance races this 12 months, funding constraints initially saved these plans at bay. Moreover, his dash marketing campaign was interrupted when DXDT suffered a transporter hearth en path to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and was compelled to withdraw. The staff returned for the Six Hours of The Glen in late June, with Wickens returning to his dash function final month at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP).
Nonetheless, this sudden opening affords a significant stepping stone towards his long-term objectives.
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Prepared for the Endurance Problem#36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Mason Filippi, Robert Wickens, Charlie Eastwood
#36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Mason Filippi, Robert Wickens, Charlie Eastwood
Regardless of the truncated preparation, Wickens refuses to view the endurance format as an insurmountable impediment.
Wickens brings strong credentials to the cockpit regardless of the last-minute nature of the drive. Throughout a dash race at CTMP final 12 months, he spent 1 hour and 58 minutes behind the wheel, demonstrating his capabilities throughout prolonged stints. Moreover, his long-distance pedigree consists of tackling the grueling 24 Hours of Nürburgring and finishing 4 six-hour NLS races in a TCR automotive final season. In GTD motion this 12 months, he holds a greatest results of sixth in school throughout two earlier outings, constructing on a high-water mark of fourth at CTMP final season.
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“Everybody places a lot consideration on the endurance facet of it… however though it is a dash, the stints aren’t that completely different,” Wickens defined. “A two-hour and 40-minute race is not even half of what a six-hour race is. Methods are somewhat extra open—extra alternative to achieve, extra alternative to lose.
“I am not overseas to endurance racing… Clearly, placing it into real-life observe in a GT3 automotive at a excessive degree just like the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship goes to be fascinating, however I am wanting ahead to the problem.”
Chasing the Prime Step#36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Mason Filippi, Robert Wickens at CTMP.
#36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Mason Filippi, Robert Wickens at CTMP.
Filippi set the muse for Sunday’s race by qualifying the #36 Corvette ninth in school on Saturday. With Corvette manufacturing facility Charlie Eastwood finishing the lineup, Wickens believes the staff has all of the elements to combat on the entrance.
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“The purpose is all the time the identical: this staff needs to win,” mentioned Wickens. “We have been so shut so many instances. Mason and I’ve confirmed in dash races that we’re very aggressive… Charlie is a professional by means of and thru, so I really feel like within the GTD class, our driver lineup’s very robust. We have now each alternative to have success this weekend.”
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#12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3: Aaron Telitz, Benjamin Pedersen, Frankie Montecalvo
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#14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3: Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat, James Calado
#14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3: Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat, James Calado
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#11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07: Tobi Lutke, Mathias Beche, David Heinemeier Hansson
Brandon Badraoui / Lumen through Getty Photographs
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#3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Tommy Milner
#3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Tommy Milner
Brandon Badraoui / Lumen through Getty Photographs
#96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Patrick Gallagher, Robby Foley, Francis Selldorff
#96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Patrick Gallagher, Robby Foley, Francis Selldorff
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#65 Ford Racing Ford Mustang GT3: Christopher Mies, Frederic Vervisch, Nick Tandy
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#7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Felipe Nasr, Julien Andlauer, Ricky Taylor
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#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, Felipe Nasr
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#40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Sequence.R: Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, Tom Blomqvist
#40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Sequence.R: Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, Tom Blomqvist
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#81 DragonSpeed Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Giacomo Altoè, Casper Stevenson, Alec Udell
#81 DragonSpeed Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Giacomo Altoè, Casper Stevenson, Alec Udell
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#93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly, Phil Fayer
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#911 Manthey Porsche 911: Klaus Bachler, Thomas Preining, Aaron Telitz
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#62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO: Daniel Serra, Davide Rigon, Ben Barker
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#64 Ford Racing Ford Mustang GT3: Ben Barker, Dennis Olsen, Christopher Mies
#64 Ford Racing Ford Mustang GT3: Ben Barker, Dennis Olsen, Christopher Mies
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#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, Felipe Nasr
#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, Felipe Nasr
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#52 Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen ORECA LMP2 07: Misha Goikhberg, Parker Thompson, Harry Tincknell
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#068 White Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo: Marius Fossard, Valentin Hasse Clot, Trenton Estep
#068 White Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo: Marius Fossard, Valentin Hasse Clot, Trenton Estep
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#65 Ford Racing Ford Mustang GT3: Christopher Mies, Frederic Vervisch, Nick Tandy
#65 Ford Racing Ford Mustang GT3: Christopher Mies, Frederic Vervisch, Nick Tandy
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#912 Manthey 1St Phorm Porsche 911: Ryan Hardwick, Riccardo Pera, Morris Schuring
#912 Manthey 1St Phorm Porsche 911: Ryan Hardwick, Riccardo Pera, Morris Schuring
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#3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Tommy Milner
Brandon Badraoui / Lumen through Getty Photographs
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#66 Gradient Racing Ford Mustang GT3: Jake Walker, Until Bechtolsheimer, Joey Hand
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#24 BMW M Workforce WRT BMW M Hybrid V8: Dries Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde, Philipp Eng
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#4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Andrea Caldarelli
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#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, Felipe Nasr
#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, Felipe Nasr
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#40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Sequence.R: Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, Tom Blomqvist
#40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Sequence.R: Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, Tom Blomqvist
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#24 BMW M Workforce WRT BMW M Hybrid V8: Dries Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde, Philipp Eng
#24 BMW M Workforce WRT BMW M Hybrid V8: Dries Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde, Philipp Eng
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#13 13 Autosport Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Orey Fidani, Matthew Bell, Lars Kern
#13 13 Autosport Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Orey Fidani, Matthew Bell, Lars Kern
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#911 Manthey Porsche 911: Klaus Bachler, Thomas Preining, Aaron Telitz
#911 Manthey Porsche 911: Klaus Bachler, Thomas Preining, Aaron Telitz
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#57 WINWARD RACING Mercedes-AMG GT3: Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, Indy Dontje
#57 WINWARD RACING Mercedes-AMG GT3: Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, Indy Dontje
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#120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911: Adam Adelson, Callum Ilott, Tom Sargent
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#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, Felipe Nasr
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#7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Felipe Nasr, Julien Andlauer, Ricky Taylor
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#18 Period Motorsport ORECA LMP2 07: Naveen Rao, Ferdinand Habsburg, Jacob Abel
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#14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3: Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat, James Calado
#14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3: Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat, James Calado
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#04 Crowdstrike Racing by APR ORECA LMP2 07: George Kurtz, Alex Quinn, Toby Sowery
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#4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Andrea Caldarelli
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#77 AO Racing Porsche 911: Nick Tandy, Harry King, Klaus Bachler
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#40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Sequence.R: Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, Tom Blomqvist
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#068 White Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo: Marius Fossard, Valentin Hasse Clot, Trenton Estep
#068 White Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo: Marius Fossard, Valentin Hasse Clot, Trenton Estep
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#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, Felipe Nasr
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#93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly, Phil Fayer
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#22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07: Daniel Goldburg, Paul Di Resta, Rasmus Lindh
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#21 Af Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO: Simon Mann, Lilou Wadoux Ducellier, Antonio Fuoco
#21 Af Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO: Simon Mann, Lilou Wadoux Ducellier, Antonio Fuoco
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#22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07: Daniel Goldburg, Paul Di Resta, Rasmus Lindh
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#21 Af Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO: Simon Mann, Lilou Wadoux Ducellier, Antonio Fuoco
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#22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07: Daniel Goldburg, Paul Di Resta, Rasmus Lindh
#22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07: Daniel Goldburg, Paul Di Resta, Rasmus Lindh
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#22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07: Daniel Goldburg, Paul Di Resta, Rasmus Lindh
#22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07: Daniel Goldburg, Paul Di Resta, Rasmus Lindh
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#21 Af Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO: Simon Mann, Lilou Wadoux Ducellier, Antonio Fuoco
#21 Af Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO: Simon Mann, Lilou Wadoux Ducellier, Antonio Fuoco
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#77 AO Racing Porsche 911: Nick Tandy, Harry King, Klaus Bachler
#77 AO Racing Porsche 911: Nick Tandy, Harry King, Klaus Bachler
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