It’s another chance for IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge drivers and team members to “kiss the bricks” this week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when the series returns to the historic track. Saturday’s race will also prove pivotal in determining the 2024 class champions.
Thirty-three cars – 20 in the Grand Sport (GS) class and 13 in Touring Car (TCR) – are on the pre-event entry list. The championship frontrunners hold leads of 50 (GS) and 170 points (TCR) heading to Indy, the ninth of 10 races on the schedule.
Matt Plumb and the No. 46 Team TGM Aston Martin Vantage GT4 have seen their GS lead shrink to 50 points over the red-hot Stevan McAleer, Trent Hindman and the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport. Meanwhile, Chris Miller, Mikey Taylor and the No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCR hold a slightly more comfortable 170-point edge over the 2023 TCR champions, Robert Wickens, Harry Gottsacker and the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR.
Here’s what else you need to know about Saturday’s two-hour race:
Fast Facts
Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120
Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Indianapolis, Indiana
Sept. 20-21, 2024
Race Day/Time: Saturday, Sept. 21, 1:05 p.m. ET
Peacock Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 1 p.m. (available outside the U.S. on IMSA.tv and YouTube.com/IMSAOfficial)
CNBC Encore Telecast: 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 29
IMSA Radio Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 1 p.m. on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com
Circuit Type: 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course
Classes Competing: Grand Sport (GS), Touring Car (TCR)
Race Length: Two hoursMichelin Pilot Challenge Track Records
GS: Jesse Lazare, McLaren Artura GT4, 1:28.490 / 99.224 mph, September 2023 (qualifying)
TCR: Chris Miller, Audi RS3 LMS TCR, 1:31.076 / 96.407 mph, September 2023 (qualifying)2023 Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winners
GS: Bryce Ward/Daniel Morad, No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT GT4
TCR: Chris Miller/Mikey Taylor, No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCRStorylines
Condensed Race: Last year’s Indianapolis Motor Speedway race was one of two on the 2023 schedule that were four hours in duration. This year’s event is the standard two hours.
GS Title Battle Tightens: Matt Plumb and the No. 46 Team TGM Aston Martin have seen their class lead shaved by nearly 200 points over the past three races. Can they regain their championship form at Indy or will Steven McAleer, Trent Hindman and the No. 28 RS1 Porsche continue clawing their way back?
JDC-Miller Audi Look to Defend 2023 Win, Sew up TCR Title: The No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCR shared by Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor won last year’s TCR race at Indianapolis. If they repeat that achievement this weekend, it will all but wrap up the 2024 class championship as well.Who’s Hot?
No. 28 RS1 Porsche: With two wins and a second-place finish in their last three races, Hindman and McAleer have been sizzling in the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport. The hot streak has put them back in the middle of the GS championship conversation.
No. 93 Montreal Motorsport Group Honda: Dai Yoshihara and Karl Wittmer have reeled off three straight podium finishes in the No. 93 Honda Civic FL5 TCR, including a TCR win last time out at VIRginia International Raceway.Who’s Good Here?
Defending Winners: With little recent Michelin Pilot Challenge history to go on, the reigning race winners get the nod here. Bryce Ward is back in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT GT4 but has a new co-driver in Philip Ellis – one of Winward’s full-season drivers in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – since Ward’s normal co-driver, Daniel Morad, has other racing commitments. Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor are back to defend their TCR Indy win in the No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCR. Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winners in 2024 Field (4)
Robin Liddell (1): GS – 2014
Chris Miller (1): TCR – 2023
Mikey Taylor (1): TCR – 2023
Bryce Ward (1): GS – 2023Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Pole Winners in 2024 Field (3)
Chad Gilsinger (1): ST – 2012
Jesse Lazare (1): GS – 2023
Chris Miller (1): TCR – 2023Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winning Teams in 2024 Field (2)
JDC-Miller MotorSports (1): TCR – 2023
Winward Racing (1): GS – 2023Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winning Manufacturers in 2024 Field (5)
BMW – 3
Chevrolet – 2
Audi – 1
Mercedes-AMG – 1
Porsche – 1
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