IMSA Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen Sunday: How to watch, start times, schedule, entry list

By Jun 26, 2021, 5:00 AM EDT
IMSA Watkins Glen start TV schedule
IMSA
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Start times, TV schedule: The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will begin a two-week residency in upstate New York at Watkins Glen International, which will play host Sunday to the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.

The series will be staying at the historic 11-turn, 3.4-mile road course for a two-hour, 40-minute race July 2 that will replace the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park race that was canceled because of the pandemic.

There are 40 cars in the field for Sunday’s six-hour event that will include all five SportsCar Championship classes — DPi (seven entries), LMP2 (5), LMP3 (9), GTLM (5) and GTD (14).

The DPi division will include the return of the No. 48 Ally Cadillac from Action Express (with support from Hendrick Motorsports) that will make its third of four starts this season. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will be teamed with 2019 Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud and two-time Rolex 24 at Daytona winner Kamui Kobayashi.

QUALIFYING: Acuras sweep the front row at Watkins Glen

“I am looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the No. 48 Ally Cadillac,” Johnson, who will be starting a six-hour race at The Glen for a second time, said in a release. “I was able to run the six-hour event at The Glen a few years back, so I am looking forward to the challenge and getting back competing in the IMSA Series with Action Express.

“There is no question we have a strong team and showed some really good speed in the previous two Endurance Cup races. Simon and Kamui continue to show why they’re world-class drivers, and it’s great to be back working with Chad (Knaus) and the crews from Action Express and Hendrick Motorsports. Watkins Glen is an incredible racetrack and we’re looking forward to getting the No. 48 Ally Cadillac up front and competing for the win.”

In the LMP3 division, IndyCar veteran Marco Andretti will be making his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut, driving with his cousin, Jarett, and Oliver Askew.

Here are the start times, starting lineup, schedule and TV info for the IMSA Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (all times are ET):

IMSA Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International start times, schedule, TV info

When: Sunday, 10:40 a.m.

Race distance: Six hours on the 11-turn, 3.4-mile road course

Forecast: According to Wunderground.com, it’s expected to be 75 degrees with a 24% chance of rain at the green flag.

Starting lineup: Click here to see the results of Saturday qualifying at Watkins Glen

Entry list: Click here to see the field for the IMSA Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen

RACE BROADCAST IMSA WATKINS GLEN

TV:  10:35 a.m. ET, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports App and TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold; 7-10 p.m. ET (replay), NBCSN. Kevin Lee will be on play by play with analysts Calvin Fish and Townsend Bell. Parker Kligerman and Dillon Welch are the pit reporters.

TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold Coverage: Flag to flag beginning at 10:35 a.m.

Race streaming: NBC Sports App, NBCSports.com and TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold

IMSA Radio: All sessions live on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com; SiriusXM live race coverage will begin Sunday at 10 a.m. (XM392, Internet 992)

DAILY SCHEDULE IMSA WATKINS GLEN

Here’s a rundown of the IMSA Chevrolet Sports Car Classic at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park in Detroit:

Friday, June 25

8-9 a.m.: Michelin Pilot Challenge practice

9:15-9:45 a.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup qualifying

10-10:15 a.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo qualifying

11:35 a.m.-12:35 p.m.: Michelin Pilot Challenge practice

1-1:45 p.m.: Porsce Carrera Cup Race 1

2:10-3 p.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo Race 1

3:25-4 p.m.: Michelin Pilot Challenge qualifying

4:20-5:20 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship practice

Saturday, June 26

8-9:15 a.m.: IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship practice

9:35-10:20 a.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup Race 2

10:40-11:30 a.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo Race 2

11:50 a.m.-1:20 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship qualifying

2:35-6:35 p.m.: Tioga Downs Casino Resort 240

Sunday, June 27

8-8:20 a.m.: IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship warmup

10:40 a.m.-4:40 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen

Ford unveils a new Mustang for 2024 Le Mans in motorsports ‘lifestyle brand’ retooling

Associated PressJun 9, 2023, 7:00 PM EDT
Ford Mustang Le Mans
Ford Performance
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LE MANS, France — Ford has planned a return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its iconic Mustang muscle car next year under a massive rebranding of Ford Performance aimed at bringing the automotive manufacturer “into the racing business.”

The Friday unveil of the new Mustang Dark Horse-based race car follows Ford’s announcement in February (and a ballyhooed test at Sebring in March) that it will return to Formula One in 2026 in partnership with reigning world champion Red Bull.

The Mustang will enter the GT3 category next year with at least two cars in both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship, and is hopeful to earn an invitation to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. The IMSA entries will be a factory Ford Performance program run by Multimatic, and a customer program in WEC with Proton Competition.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, also an amateur sports car racer, told The Associated Press the Mustang will be available to compete in various GT3 series across the globe to customer teams. But more important, Farley said, is the overall rebranding of Ford Performance – done by renowned motorsports designer Troy Lee – that is aimed at making Ford a lifestyle brand with a sporting mindset.

“It’s kind of like the company finding its own, and rediscovering its icons, and doubling down on them,” Farley told the AP. “And then this motorsports activity is getting serious about connecting enthusiast customers with those rediscovered icons. It’s a big switch for the company – this is really about building strong, iconic vehicles with enthusiasts at the center of our marketing.”

Ford last competed in sports car racing in 2019 as part of a three-year program with Chip Ganassi Racing. The team scored the class win at Le Mans in 2016 in a targeted performance aimed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford snapping Ferrari’s six-year winning streak.

Ford on Friday displayed a Mustang with a Lee-designed livery that showcased the cleaner, simplified look that will soon be featured on all its racing vehicles. The traditional blue oval with Ford Performance in white lettering underneath will now be branded simply FP.

The new mark will be used across car liveries, merchandise and apparel, display assets, parts and accessories and in advertising.

Farley cited Porsche as an automaker that has successfully figured out how to sell cars to consumers and race cars in various series around the world while creating a culture of brand enthusiasts. He believes Ford’s new direction will help the company sell street cars, race cars, boost interest in driving schools, and create a merchandise line that convinces consumers that a stalwart of American automakers is a hip, cool brand.

“We’re going to build a global motorsports business off road and on road,” Farley told the AP, adding that the design of the Mustang is “unapologetically American.”

He lauded the work of Lee, who is considered the top helmet designer among race car drivers.

“We’re in the first inning of a nine inning game, and going to Le Mans is really important,” Farley said. “But for customer cars, getting the graphics right, designing race cars that win at all different levels, and then designing a racing brand for Ford Performance that gets rebranded and elevated is super important.”

He said he’s kept a close eye on how Porsche and Aston Martin have built their motorsports businesses and said Ford will be better.

“We’re going in the exact same direction. We just want to be better than them, that’s all,” Farley said. “Second is the first loser.”

Farley, an avid amateur racer himself, did not travel to Le Mans for the announcement. The race that begins Saturday features an entry from NASCAR, and Ford is the reigning Cup Series champion with Joey Logano and Team Penske.

The NASCAR “Garage 56” entry is a collaboration between Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, and is being widely celebrated throughout the industry. Farley did feel left out of the party in France – a sentiment NASCAR tried to avoid by inviting many of its partners to attend the race so that it wouldn’t seem like a Chevrolet-only celebration.

“They’re going right and I’m going left – that NASCAR thing is a one-year deal, right? It’s Garage 56 and they can have their NASCAR party, but that’s a one-year party,” Farley said. “We won Le Mans outright four times, we won in the GT class, and we’re coming back with Mustang and it’s not a one-year deal.

“So they can get all excited about Garage 56. I almost see that as a marketing exercise for NASCAR, but for me, that’s a science project,” Farley continued. “I don’t live in a world of science projects. I live in the world of building a vital company that everyone is excited about. To do that, we’re not going to do a Garage 56 – I’ve got to beat Porsche and Aston Martin and Ferrari year after year after year.”

Ford’s announcement comes on the heels of General Motors changing its GT3 strategy next season and ending its factory Corvette program. GM, which unlike Ford competes in the IMSA Grand Touring Prototype division (with its Cadillac brand), will shift fully to a customer model for Corvettes in 2024 (with some factory support in the IMSA GTD Pro category).