A race like the recent IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event at Road America can appear disorderly. With five caution periods and five restarts throughout the 2h40m race, the dynamics of the competition constantly change. This throws off carefully planned strategies, allows for fuel gambles to pay off, and brings competitors back into close proximity, resulting in more chaos. The pass-arounds and class divisions create a unique style of endurance racing. While one might assume that the competitors dislike the interruptions and prefer a more continuous race, it is actually part of the appeal. The chaos and the potential for a slower car to utilize smart pit calls to improve their position, as well as the possibility of bad luck not ruining a team’s day, are all seen as positives by the competitors.
“It can be challenging to constantly stop and start, but it does provide an opportunity for me to relax, take everything in, and reset,” explained Nick Tandy, who, along with Mathieu Jaminet, emerged victorious in the IMSA SportsCar Weekend driving the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsports 963. “One thing it does is create a lot of action. As racing drivers, we don’t want the race to be spread out with everyone on their own. Of course, we don’t want everything to be run under yellow either. But when there is an incident, safety comes first, the track needs to be cleared, and then we can all start and restart together again.”
“Honestly, many of us enjoy it. Obviously, the leader doesn’t want to see the yellow flag, but more than half the pack does want to see it. It’s part of the sport. It’s part of the racing. It’s the IMSA style, and it’s why we love racing – even the slowest car always has a chance. So, yes, it interrupts the flow, but you get used to it and accept that it gives you another chance to fight.”
The race on Sunday showcased two different approaches to winning. Porsche Penske Motorsports opted for a slow-and-steady strategy, conserving fuel to stay out longer in the second half of the race. The No. 6 car managed to go an hour-and-a-half in its final stint thanks to the extended yellow-flag running. On the other hand, the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06 driven by Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque took a more aggressive approach, fitting for a car and team that had demonstrated superior speed throughout the weekend. They pitted during the final yellow flag to refuel and get fresher tires, and while they managed to climb back to third place, they ran out of time to overtake the two PPM Porsches. The final laps were intense and chaotic, especially for Jaminet, who had to restart on colder tires due to fuel-saving during the last yellow flag.
“I wasn’t sure if I could maintain the lead in the last few laps because the tires and brakes were completely cold,” he admitted. “It felt like I was just surviving for the last couple of laps, and then we encountered traffic. There were a few contacts in the last lap. I think I brushed against a few cars, but that’s pure IMSA racing. That’s why we love it. That’s why we want to come back every time. You can be nowhere the day before, nowhere at the start of the race, and then come back later with a big trophy.”
If a team experiences some misfortune early in the race, such as a puncture or another driver’s error, the pass-arounds can help them stay in the fight. Many race winners have found themselves a lap or more behind at some point during the race. The class divisions also ensure that all competitors are close to the other cars they are actually racing against.
“With 12 cars, the full-course yellows as implemented by IMSA, and the class split, everybody is always right there,” said LMP2 racer Ben Keating, who, alongside Ben Hanley, emerged victorious on Sunday driving the No. 2 United Autosports ORECA.
The downside is that sometimes caution periods become longer while the cars are being rearranged. However, having all the cars that are competing against each other actually racing each other is what generates much of the excitement when the race is green-flagged. And yes, this excitement can lead to more yellow flags.
Nobody wants to witness wrecked cars or a team’s day being ruined due to circumstances beyond their control. However, this is racing, and it is bound to happen. The race will be interrupted, but how it resumes can make all the difference.
Photo from IMSA (X) account
