CarBahn with Peregrine Racing is headed to the Northeast for a ten-day event at Watkins Glen International Raceway.
To continue its debut streak, the No. 39 Audi R8 GT3 LMS will kick off the event with the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. This will be the teams’ first endurance event and will feature the full season pairing of Richard Heistand and Jeff Westphal joined by 2018 IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge Champion Tyler McQuarrie.
After two seasons spent racing the Audi R8 GT4, McQuarrie is ecstatic to experience the Audi R8 GT3 and join past co-driver Westphal.
“I’m so excited to be joining Jeff and Richard in the 39 Audi R8 GTD car for the Sahlen’s 6 Hours of the Glen,” McQuarrie said. “Moving up to GTD has been our team’s goal since day one, so I’ve been mentally preparing myself for this for almost three years. This will be my debut in the WeatherTech Series, but I’m no stranger to long races, and have competed in a dozen 24-hour races in my career. I’m also very excited to work with the 39 GTD crew since it is the same crew that was on our GT4 program, and our chemistry is very special. We simply know what each other needs without saying a word. It’s amazing! I don’t have a ton of time in the Audi R8 GTD car, so for me that will be a big focus as well as getting used to the traffic. My goal is simple, have a solid race stint and hand the car over clean. I love contributing to this team!”
Driver Heistand is eager to get back on track with the No. 39 to showcase the team and driver’s broad skillset that overshadowed at the previous event.
“We’ve done some impressive things and some not so impressive things,” Heistand said. “All you can do as a person and as a team is learn from the mistakes you’ve made and have the desire and ability to make the effort to fix them and continue to get better. The Glen will be a track that suits some other cars a bit more than ours, but I still expect us to be competitive if we can put in a disciplined six hours without mistakes and make good strategy calls.”
Past Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen podium-finisher Westphal looks forward to the added challenge as well as the opportunity to gain experience for future seasons.
“The addition of the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen made a lot of sense for us because the strategy and mentality are slightly different than a sprint race,” Westphal said. “Getting our feet wet in this format helps us to prepare for ‘the big one’ in the future. On top of that, the CTMP replacement is also at Watkins Glen the following week, so anyone who doesn’t run the six hour is essentially 3 days behind those who did.”
“I have raced the six hour quite a few times in the past, and done so with some podium success. It’s a track I love; fast, flowing, and high risk. Watkins usually provides high grip from the surface which translates to some great racing, and I am excited to see how our No. 39 Audi R8 GT3 LMS takes to it.”
The No. 93 Audi R8 GT4 LMS returns to battle this weekend shared for the first time by the father-son duo of Mark and Nolan Siegel. Driver and coach Tom Dyer will round out the trio as the black and green machine returns to Watkins Glen International Raceway after the series two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The event serves as the second endurance race of the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge season, clocking in at 240 minutes, double the normal race time.
“I’m feeling much more comfortable in the car and especially now that it’s not my first time at most of the tracks,” Mark Siegel said. “It would be great to put in a competitive effort this weekend. Nolan will be racing Watkins Glen for the very first time, but I still think we are capable of a top 10 finish. This is the first, but hopefully not the last race Nolan and I will do together in IMSA. It is super-special. Sharing our passion and love for racing is a great father/son experience, but we don’t often get to share a ride! It’s a first that I certainly won’t ever forget.”
The enthusiasm is shared by Mark Siegel’s 16-year old son, Nolan Siegel as they celebrate their first time sharing the No. 93 as well as Nolan’s first time at Watkins Glen International.
“I’m really excited to be back with the team at Watkins Glen,” Nolan Siegel said. “It’s been a while since I’ve driven the No. 93 Audi R8, but I feel like we will be able to build on the successful weekend we had at Daytona earlier in the year and roll off the trailer strong. It will also be my first-time co-driving with my dad in IMSA, which will definitely add to the fun of the weekend and be a cool experience for both of us.”
Driver Tom Dyer completes the lineup as the seasoned pro, ready to lead the No. 93 to success.
“I can’t to get back to the Glen and drive another iconic and amazing track,” Dyer said. “It’s such a fun and challenging layout that’s super rewarding to drive. That said we drove here last in 2019 so it will be important to get up to speed quickly and maximize the practice time we have. Mark has been driving well and I know he is looking forward to getting back there as well. The 4-hour races are always added fun because its more seat time for us all!”
The event kicks off Friday, June 25 for the No. 93 and No. 39 with a full day of practice sessions capped off by Qualifying for the No. 93 at 3:25 p.m. ET.
The team returns to the track Sunday, June 27, for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, 10:40 a.m. to 4:40 p.m.
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