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Kohlbecker Tops Shortened First Practice at Road America

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Photo: Toyota Spike Kohlbecker led the way in an abbreviated opening practice for Toyota GR Cup North America competitors at Road America. The TechSport Racing driver recorded a best lap of 2:32.107 to edge out title rival Jeremy Fletcher in the No. 22 Copeland Motorsports Toyota GR86 Cup car by 0.335 seconds. Ethan Goulart was third quickest in his No. 72 BSI Racing entry, with RVA Graphics Motorsports by Speed Syndicate teammates Will Robusto and Max Schweid completing the top-five. Drivers only got between two and three laps of run time until the No. 5 Copeland Toyota of Beltre Curtis made contact with the Turn 8 tire barriers. The session did not restart after the accident, which came with only seven minutes completed in the 30-minute scheduled session. Practice 2 is scheduled for Friday at 2:15 p.m. CST. RESULTS: Practice 1 Source: Sports Car 365

Yardley Tops Thursday Practice; Points Leaders to Backup Car

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Photo: Fred Hardy/SRO Ryan Yardley led the way in Pirelli GT4 America practice ahead of this weekend’s pair of races at Road America, which saw drama for the Silver class points leader in the first session. The Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver reeled off a chart-topping 2:16.205 lap in his Pro-Am class No. 25 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport late in Thursday afternoon’s second session. It was 0.326 seconds quicker than Practice 1 pace-setter Austin Jurs in the No. 131 Advance Motorsports McLaren Artura GT4, who ended up second overall and quickest in the Silver class on the combined time sheets. Westin Workman was third quickest overall in the No. 68 RAFA Racing Team Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2, followed by Josh Green in the No. 98 Random Vandals Racing BMW, a time that was set in opening practice like Jurs. Yves Baltas completed the overall top-five in the No. 47 Nolasport Porsche. Michael Cooper, who is seeking to surpass Peter Cunnin...

McLaren Has “Great Buzz” After 30-Hour MCL-HY Test

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Photo: Nick Dungan/Drew Gibson Photography McLaren Endurance Racing team principal James Barclay has described a “great buzz” in the squad after it has already completed a successful 30-hour test of its new MCL-HY Hypercar at Motorland Aragon — an achievement Mikkel Jensen admitted was “more than we expected.” The new car was given an initial rollout at Varano in early May , but following just two subsequent tests at Imola and Magny-Cours — where the MCL-HY had already completed an entire six-hour FIA World Endurance Championship race distance — it went straight into the Aragon endurance test last month. Although there were some brief stoppages, mainly to check on potential problems suggested by sensors, there were no major halts as preparations intensify ahead of the car’s scheduled 2027 WEC debut. Compared to his time developing the initial Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar, Jensen said he was pleasantly surprised by how quickly McLaren had progressed to lengthy ...

Levi’s BMW E9 3.0 CSL-Inspired Livery for McIntosh COTA Entry

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Image: WRT The No. 69 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO will feature a livery in next weekend’s Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas that pays tribute to the 1970s-era BMW E9 3.0 CSL Levi’s car. Revealed on Wednesday, the Anthony McIntosh-led effort, which uniquely features a different design on his LMGT3 entry in each of the eight WEC races this season, will sport the white and red colors of the American clothing company that competed in the European Touring Car Championship and local German series. McIntosh will be joined at the wheel of the car by Parker Thompson and BMW factory driver Dan Harper, who currently sit fifth in the class standings but third in the team order behind the No. 33 TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R and No. 91 Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo. Image: WRT Source: Sports Car 365

TCR Europe Champion Brickley Joins Stallion for Rest of Season

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Photo: Jenson Brickley FB Reigning TCR Europe champion Jenson Brickley will join Stallion Motorsports for the remainder of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season, teaming up with Celso Neto in the No. 77 CUPRA Leon VZ TCR entry. The 22-year-old Englishman will make his IMSA debut following a personal invite from 2025-26 IMSA Diverse Driver Development Scholarship recipient Neto. Brickley will sub for team regular Raphael Reis, who is unable to contest the rounds at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta due to previously scheduled racing commitments. Both Brickley and Neto drove for the same team at the Interlagos Super Challenge round of TCR South America, in separate CUPRAs but will unite as co-drivers for the first time. “I have followed Jenson’s career and what he has accomplished in Europe, especially with the CUPRA, and I have a lot of respect for it,” said Neto. “He is a European champion at only 22 years old, and putting us togeth...

Porsche Unveils 911 Challenge as New Entry-Level Race Car

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Photo: Porsche Porsche has taken the wraps off its new entry-level race car, the 911 Challenge, which will provide a more accessible way to go racing in various sports car racing series globally. Unveiled on Wednesday, the 911 Challenge is largely based on the Porsche 911 GT3 road car, including sharing the same seven-speed PDK gearbox, the steering wheel from the GT3 RS with enhanced, racing-specific functions, and air conditioning. The car, powered by a 4.0-liter six-cylinder boxer engine capable of delivering 508 horsepower, features adjustable driver aid systems such as traction control, ABS and stability control, as well as a multi-stage adjustable Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus system. The 911 Challenge will be eligible to compete in Porsche Sprint and Endurance Challenge North America by Yokohama, Porsche Sprint Trophy Porsche Club of America by Yokohama, and the recently announced Porsche Sprint Trophy Porsche Owners Club, subject to applicable sporting and technical regula...

Watch the Full Length Replay of Virginia is for Racing Lovers GP

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Source: Sports Car 365