CarBahn with Peregrine Racing celebrates a successful first IMSA MICHELIN Endurance Cup event filled with erudition.
The team opted to make its endurance racing debut this weekend with the No. 39 Audi R8 GT3 LMS at Watkins Glen International during the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. Watkins Glen International features turn sequences that complement the Audi R8 GT3 LMS, however the hot weather played more to its turbo powered competitor’s benefit. With a lack of straight-line power, the outcome of the race relied solely on the driver’s technique and the crew’s execution.
Tyler McQuarrie took the honours of starting the No. 39 for his first ever IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship race. The 2018 IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge Champion was cool and collected as he embraced this monumental moment in his career, emitting a persona that rivals those of the seasoned pros. He charged through the field and competitors breaking into sixth place before handing the reins to co-driver Richard Heistand.
Driver Heistand took control of the Audi R8 GT3 LMS as things heated up across the board. With ambient and track temperatures increasing and battles forming he had to gracefully maneuver traffic whilst preserving the tires and car. He kept the nose clean and delivered beneficial feedback before placing the No. 39 in Jeff Westphal’s very capable hands.
Driver Westphal settled in with just over two hours remaining. With the clock ticking down the track transformed into a blood bath as drivers battled for a podium position. Through the constant stream of debris and traffic Westphal kept his head down and eyes forward bringing the No. 39 home in ninth place.
Next up for the No. 39 is the WeatherTech 240, July 1-2, at Watkins Glen International. The No. 39 will be joined by the No. 93 as it takes to the track for IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge Round 5, The Sahlen’s 120.
QUOTE BOARD
Tyler McQuarrie, Driver of the No. 39 Audi R8 GT3 LMS
“I think the weekend overall went well,” McQuarrie said. “I think a lot of my success come from the fact that I’ve spent four years driving the GT4 car which have a lot of similarities. The cars are different to drive but the ergonomics and cockpit are similar. They definitely are the same platform which is useful. Going into qualifying I only had 15 laps here, so I wasn’t overly happy with my finish. There was 3/10’s separating us from second though, so it was super close. My goal when I got asked to come drive the 6 Hour was to hand off the car clean to Richard. I was able to run some cleans laps and push up to sixth so all and all I was super happy with my stint.”
Richard Heistand, Driver of the No. 39 Audi R8 GT3 LMS
“I think we learned a lot this weekend, so it was overall beneficial,” Heistand said. “I think it’s one of the great endurance races so it’s always nice to be able to participate in it. I’m a competitor so I don’t like mistakes or not being up front which I think is natural for all of us. I think we found a few things in the race in traffic that we wouldn’t know had we not run the race. We can take the time to apply the learnings for next weekend and just get better here.”
Jeff Westphal, Driver of the No. 39 Audi R8 GT3 LMS
“Today was our first endurance race as a team,” Westphal said. “We came in thinking the car was pretty good but it would be a challenge. Sprint racing is very different than endurance racing so there was a lot to learn. We had some good moments and a few ones we might want to revisit. It’s so hard to pass hear especially if you lose position on track but I think we gave it our all and left it out there.”
Steve Dinan, Engineer and Strategist for the No. 39 Audi R8 GT3 LMS
“We got a penalty on a restart which set us back,” Dinan said. “The car was fast, and I think we could have been top three. We have great data for next weekend and the car is clean, so we’ll just move forward.”
Source. CarBahn Motorsports with Peregrine Racing
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