Park Place Motorsports recovers from its 24 Hours of Le Mans victory and takes on one of America’s finest endurance races at Watkins Glen International for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The No. 73 de Boulle Porsche 911 GT3 R lineup returns to the trio of Porsche Works Driver Patrick Long, Team Principal Patrick Lindsey and Endurance Driver Nick Boulle. All three drivers took part in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans with varied results. Lindsey took home his first championship title with the conclusion of the FIA World Endurance Championship Super Season and was crowned victor of the GTE Am Class. Long was sent home early after a series of events following a crash in practice kept him from the race. Boulle finished just outside of points in 12thracing in the Le Mans Prototype 2 Class.
The drivers return to IMSA sitting third in the overall Championship Points Standings. This is the first race since Mid-Ohio that will affect the overall points standing being that Detroit was only part of the WeatherTech Sprint Championship.
Watkins Glen is Lindsey’s first race back in IMSA action since he pulled off double duty at Sebring, racing both the IMSA WeatherTech and FIA WEC races. As the endurance driver this is also Boulle’s first race back in the No. 73 de Boulle Porsche since Sebring. Long has competed in the entirety of the IMSA WeatherTech Championship season to this point. He is tied for third in the GT Daytona Drivers Points Championship.
Park Place Motorsports, while running a partial season in 2018, finished sixth in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen last year. Having fared better in the endurance rounds this year than in previous seasons, the team has high hopes for Watkins Glen. The Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, aside from the Petit Le Mans, is Park Place Motorsports statistical best endurance event.
Calendar
Park Place Motorsports and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship get started Friday, June 28 with two practice sessions. Saturday, June 29 ends with qualifying at 11:35 a.m. EDT, the GTD class will kick off qualifying. The Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen begins Sunday, June 30 at 9:45 a.m. with the checkered flag dropping at 3:45 p.m.
Driver Quotes
Patrick Lindsey, Team Principal and Driver of the No. 73
“It’s been a while sense I’ve participated in an IMSA event but I’m excited to chase another championship,” Lindsey said. “Pat Long and the team have done a great job keeping Park Place in the hunt since Sebring. The GTD class is very competitive this year so podium finishes, and wins don’t come easy but I’m hoping to grab the top spot at The Glen. They key will be to keep it clean and have the right strategy.”
Nick Boulle, Driver of the No. 73
“I’m really excited to get back in the No. 73 Park Place Porsche GT3R. It’s been a fun time over in Europe preparing for the 24 hours of Le Mans and once that race is complete, I think it will end up being great prep for an event like Watkins Glen. This is my first time at the Glen but hopefully all of the fast corners from Circuit de la Sarthe translate well and we can put together a great run at the six hour. Wishing the Patrick’s a strong run in France too and I’m pumped to share a car with them again And see the hard work the team has put in to developing the car over the last few months.
Patrick Long, Porsche Works Driver
“The Six Hours of The Glen is essentially a sprint race,” Long said. “The competition in modern day GT3 racing means it really comes down to survival, the final stint and a big push. The track is ultra-smooth, very quick, high load- you depend a lot on arrow dynamics but you have to be compliant and decent in your damping as well for places like the Bus Stop. They don’t make circuits like Watkins Glen anymore, there is a huge amount of heritage. That is what always makes it enjoyable to race there. We’ll hope to carry some momentum from Detroit and we’re happy to have Nick back behind the wheel with us.”
