For the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s third Michelin Endurance Cup race of the year this Sunday (June 25), there are 57 teams entered. This is the most cars for a Watkins Glen race since at least 1998.
It also has required special dispensation from IMSA. Supplemental regulations for each race attached to the official schedule list the maximum allowed field size. That maximum size is 55.
In the GTP class, there are nine teams entered. There are no major changes from the last race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, but a couple of teams have third drivers. For example, Louis Deletraz, who raced for Tower Motorsports in LMP2 at Laguna Seca, moves back into the Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport Acura. Jack Aitken is also back with Action Express Racing.
The LMP2 class has nine cars entered. Multiple changes are in store for Tower Motorsports. Will Stevens has been tapped to replace Deletraz for the race. John Farano was originally supposed to be back in the car, but the team announced Monday (June 19) that he is still not good to go after his crash at Laguna Seca. Salih Yoluc will drive in his place.
AF Corse has entered their No. 88 ORECA 07-Gibson for the second time this year. Luis Perez Companc and Lilou Wadoux, teammates in a Ferrari 488 GTE in the FIA World Endurance Championship, will be joined by Nicklas Nielsen. Wadoux will be making her IMSA debut.
There is also an unknown driver with TDS Racing in their No. 35. That is the slot normally held by Francois Heriau. More to come later this week.
There are 10 LMP3 teams entered for their first race since Sebring in March. At JDC-Miller MotorSports, Rasmus Lindh is back in the No. 85 in place of Tijmen van der Helm. Van der Helm is now full-time in the team’s customer Porsche 963 in the GTP class.
The part-time MLT Motorsports is back on the grid with their Ligier JS P320-Nissan. Stevan McAleer, Andrew Pinkerton and Jason Rabe will drive.
Ave Motorsports only has two drivers listed (Tonis Kasemets and Seth Lucas). A third driver for Watkins Glen is required in LMP2, LMP3 and GTD, so they will have to name someone in the coming days.
At Performance Tech Motorsports, Robert Mau is out of the car after his crash under yellow at Sebring. His Pirelli GT4 America SprintX teammate is still in the car with Connor Bloum returning. It is currently unclear who the third driver will be.
GTD Pro has nine entries, up from five at Laguna Seca. Iron Lynx is back with their factory Lamborghini, while a couple of Ferraris join the grid.
Risi Competizione is back with Davide Rigon and Daniel Serra, who finished second in class last year. AF Corse has an entry for Simon Mann, Miguel Molina and Ulysse de Pauw.
Finally, there 20 entries in the GTD class. NTe Sport returns for the first time since Daytona. Jaden Conwright teams up with newcomer Luke Berkeley from Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America and an unknown third driver.
At USRaceTronics, another Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America veteran, Patrick Liddy, will make his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut this weekend in the No. 78 Lamborghini. He will replace Benjamin Hites.
Finally, there is an unknown driver in the Racers Edge Motorsports Acura alongside Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal. Normally, that is the spot that Ashton Harrison has held.
IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP SAHLEN’S SIX HOURS AT THE GLEN ENTRY LIST
The Sahlen’s Six Hours at the Glen is scheduled to go green at 10:40 a.m. ET Sunday morning. Coverage will start off exclusive to Peacock at 10:30 a.m. ET. The race will be joined in progress on USA Network at 2 p.m. ET.
Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the site's FREE e-mail newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the site's Sports Car racing editor.
Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.