WeatherTech Racing drivers Cooper MacNeil (Hinsdale, Ill.) and Toni Vilander (Kankaanpää, Finland) are ready for a street fight in the Motor City as they head to the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix to run May 31 – June 1.
MacNeil and Vilander have been busy since the Mid-Ohio round three weeks ago. MacNeil had to roll out the team’s Le Mans car in Italy on Tuesday and Vilander was winning a Blancpain GT World Challenge race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
The team will be looking for a strong weekend with the Scuderia Corsa prepared No. 63 WeatherTech Racing Ferrari around the 2.3 mile, 14-turn temporary island course. The unforgiving Belle Isle Circuit located in the middle of Detroit River favors a well handling car with torque to get off the tight turns. MacNeil and Vilander come into the race ninth in GTD points and will be looking for a podium run on Saturday.
“The Detroit street course is very tough,” MacNeil said. “There are some blind corners and it is tight racing. There are also some good passing zones, but qualifying, like on all street courses, will be a priority for us this weekend. Toni and I are ready to put a strong run together in the WeatherTech Racing Ferrari as we head into the Le Mans race this month.”
“Street courses are always a gamble,” Vilander said. “You have to have a great handling car to run close to your competitors so you can take advantage of the smallest mistake and get by. Strategy and a good qualifying effort are key to having a successful weekend on a street course.”
The duo will be leaving immediately after the checkered flag on Saturday to fly to Le Mans, France for the official practice day of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday. The Le Mans race will run June 15-16 at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Source. Kyle Chura/WeatherTech Racing
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