After a nearly two-month break, Moorespeed is ready to put the No. 19 Bardahl/CAG Audi R8 LMS GT3 back on track at Watkins Glen International for this weekend’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, the fourth IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race of the 2019 calendar. Drivers Will Hardeman and Alex Riberas will be joined again by Andrew Davis for the race, which is a part of the Michelin Endurance Cup.
The race weekend begins with a one-hour practice for GT Daytona (GTD) cars at 10:40 a.m. EDT on Friday with an hour-long practice session, and another hour-long session on Friday afternoon at 3:05 p.m. EDT. Qualifying is at 11:35 a.m. EDT on Saturday, with the Six Hours of The Glen taking the green flat at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday.
The Watkins Glen round follows the best finish of the season for the Moorespeed team, a sixth at Mid-Ohio in May.
“We had a great test here at Watkins Glen a few weeks ago, and we can’t wait to get back and compete at one of our favorite tracks,” Moorespeed President David Moore said. “All of our drivers love Watkins Glen, but they also respect it. We have prepared well for this event and nothing else is on our mind but executing what we were able to learn and practice in testing.”
Hardeman ran as high as second to start the previous round at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after qualifying a season-best fourth. He has previously scored a podium finish at Watkins Glen running for Moorespeed in the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA.
“Watkins Glen is well suited to the Audi and my driving style,” Hardeman said. “I have always done well at Watkins Glen in Porsche Cup cars, and I feel good about our prospects for GTD this weekend.”
Riberas has been on the podium at the six-hour classic before, finishing third with Alex Job Racing in 2016.
“Watkins Glen is a very special track,” Riberas said. “It is challenging, fast and one of those circuits were you pay for every single mistake. We are aiming for success at the Glen. I believe we have a winning package and we are more than ready to challenge the opposition.”
Davis is a winner in the six-hour race, taking the GT-class win in 2011. Davis joins season-long drivers Hardeman and Riberas for the endurance races in 2019, and was with the team in Daytona and Sebring to open the season.
“Watkins Glen International Raceway is a world-renowned racing circuit, and the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen is an event that holds historical significance across all genres of our sport,” Davis said. “Winning the race in 2011 remains one of the highlights of my career! So, it’s a place that holds a lot of positive emotions for me personally. The circuit itself is certainly one of my favorites to drive, and the fast and flowing nature of the track plays right into the strong points of our No. 19 Moorespeed Audi R8 GT3 LMS.”
The Moorespeed Audi teams is running the 2019 season with support from Bardahl, Audi Genuine Parts and Continental Automotive Group.
Saturday’s 15-minute qualifying session, at 11:25 a.m. EDT on Saturday, can be seen live on IMSA.tv. Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen can be seen on the NBC Sports Network app or IMSA.tv beginning at 9:30 a.m. EDT. The race will be tape delayed and shown on NBCSN from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday evening.
Noteworthy:
– The Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen weekend is a busy one for the Moorespeed team. In addition to Sunday’s endurance race, two Moorespeed drivers are competing in the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA doubleheader at Watkins Glen. Riley Dickinson, at 16-years-old, sits third in the Platinum Cup standings. Rob Ferriol sits third in the Gold Cup championship. Both are podium contenders at Watkins Glen.
