Post-COTA Notebook
And from racing against him, you definitely wouldn't know it. The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship racer drives the No. 01 Ford EcoBoost Riley Daytona Prototype for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, and he proved last Saturday that he can still get the job done, qualifying on the pole for the Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, then dominating as he won the race with his first-year co-driver, Joey Hand.
It was Pruett's 60th career win, the most of any driver in American sports car racing, an honor he already owned before this victory. "The good Lord has blessed me with this incredible career," Pruett said. "I've had the opportunity to work for an incredible team and team owner.
"It's just been awesome. The whole run I've had, through what started in the GRAND-AM series, then the TUDOR series, and all the way through, I've had successes. But you're only as good as your last race, and it's been a tough year.
"We came out with a good car the first time at Daytona and broke, we had a pretty strong car at Road America and had a mechanical issue. But I just can't say enough for the Ford Performance team and Ford EcoBoost and especially the Ganassi team," Pruett said. "It just resonates through the soul of everybody there. I'm proud to be part of it. I'm proud to get win No. 60. It's just been an incredible run."
One of the reasons Pruett said the team was so competitive is that they are too far back in the points to make a late-season run for the championship, "So it was all or nothing, going for the win." Though Pruett and Hand are now fourth in the points, expect an all-out effort from the team at the last race of the season, Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta October 1-3.
DOUBLING UP: TUDOR Championship GT Le Mans points leader Patrick Pilet drove his Porsche North America 911 RSR to a third-place finish in the TUDOR race, then drove the No. 92 911 RSR to a second-place result in the FIA WEC LMGTE Pro class. Fellow Porsche North America driver Earl Bamber finished fifth in the TUDOR Championship race and had a second-place finish in the No. 88 911 RSR in the LMGTE Am class, and Pierre Kaffer, after finishing second in the Risi Competizione No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia, moved to the CLM-AER LMP1 car for a fifth-place class result.
LAMBO JOINS THE PARTY: At the GT Daytona class moves to global GT3 specifications for the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship class next season, look for Lamborghini and its Huracán GT3, which the factory says will make its North American GT3 racing debut in the GTD class.
"The official debut will be in the 24 Hours At Daytona on Jan. 30-31 with multiple customer teams, continuing Lamborghini Squadra Corse's tradition of customer support," Lamborghini said. "There will be no factory entries, but all customer-racing teams will have factory support."
Lamborghini said Change Racing and O'Gara Motorsports both will add Lamborghini Huracán GT3 programs in addition to their existing Super Trofeo North America efforts in 2016. In addition Konrad Motorsport, a powerful Super Trofeo Europe team, has confirmed participation in the 24 Hours at Daytona with the Huracán GT3.
SCCA RUNOFFS AT DAYTONA: Many TUDOR Championship racers and mechanics came up through the amateur ranks of the Sports Car Club of America, which is having its 52nd Annual SCCA Runoffs Presented by Garmin VIRB at the TUDOR Championship's home track, Daytona International Speedway this week for the first time since 1969. IMSA regulars on the entry list include TUDOR Championship GT Daytona racer Cooper MacNeil and Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Street Tuner front runner Andrew Carbonell. The 28-race schedule starts Friday, ends Sunday.
MCMURRAY JOINS SHANK FOR PETIT: Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian will add Matt McMurry to its driver line-up for Petit Le Mans. McMurry is set to join full-season Michael Shank Racing drivers John Pew and Ozz Negri in the No. 60 Honda-powered Ligier JS P2. Seventeen-year-old McMurry, who is the youngest driver ever to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, was part of Michael Shank Racing's Rolex 24 driver roster when the team debuted its new Ligier machine at Daytona. The youngster competed in his 100th professional race last weekend at Circuit of The Americas.