Michelin Delights Teams with Performance and Engages Fans with Activation at IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America

• Whelen Cadillac, WeatherTech Porsche, Pfaff Porsche Take Big Wins
• Fans See the Breadth of Michelin On and Off Track
• KMW Alfa Romeo Takes First Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR Win

ELKHART LAKE, WI, August 8, 2021— Michelin delivered the exceptional on track performance that its race teams expect and added a new dimension for fans this weekend at Road America.

“Michelin prides itself on the tremendous performance of our tires,” said Amanda Teder, vice president, marketing for Michelin North America. “That performance stems from a mindset of constant tire innovation across a wide range of platforms.”

“We were excited to demonstrate our tire performance on the racetrack at Road America and to showcase our tires for airplanes, tractors, all-terrain vehicles, bikes and motorcycles, all on display this weekend. Through great conversations with IMSA fans, we let people know that Michelin is there to deliver awesome tire performance on and off the track. I am very proud of our teams that worked to support the race.”

On Track

“Road America is a very big, fast, and technically challenging circuit and we are pleased that our tires provided excellent performance in a wide range of conditions, including wet, hot, dry, and mixed weather conditions,” said Tony Ménard, director of motorsports, Michelin North America.

The 130 cars entered included 17 of the 18 IMSA partner car manufacturer brands, providing Michelin engineers with an extraordinary range of different chassis, powertrains and aerodynamics.

Cadillac Whelen Engineering Racing wins back-to-back races 

Felipe Nasr and Pipo Derani won their second consecutive race of the 2021 IMSA series in the Cadillac DPi-V. R.

“It was a perfect weekend for us and it’s great to have back-to-back wins.  We sat out the first practice on Friday, so we went into qualifying on a wet track without testing in the rain and still won the pole,” said Nasr.

The Whelen Engineering Racing team took control of the race with just a few minutes left after the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-05 DPi driven by Olivier Pla and Dane Cameron had to pit for fuel. Mazda Motorsports finished runner-up with drivers Oliver Jarvis and Harry Tincknell in the No. 55. Finishing out the podium in third were Renger van der Zande and Kevin Magnussen with Cadillac Chip Ganassi Racing.

Porsche triumphs in GTLM and GTD classes

Porsche WeatherTech Racing ended Corvette Racing’s four race win streak in GTLM. The No. 79 Porsche 911 RSR-19 piloted by Cooper MacNeil and Matt Campbell took the victory by 15.855 seconds over the No. 3 Corvette C8.R driven by Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor. Taking third was the No. 4 Corvette C8.R raced by Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy.

Porsche Pfaff Motorsports took a trip to victory lane in GTD. The Porsche 911 GT3.R controlled by Zacharie Robichon and Laurens Vanthoor won their second race of the season holding off the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 driven by Bill Auberlen and Robby Foley by 11.876 seconds. Patrick Long and Trent Hindman with Wright Motorsports crossed the finish line third in a Porsche 911 GT3.R.

Era Motorsport and Core Autosport victorious in LMP2 and LMP3

Ryan Dalziel and Dwight Merriman led Era Motorsport to a win in LMP2. The No. 18 car won by 5.641 seconds over Tower Motorsports’ Gabriel Aubry and John Farano. Completing the podium in third was Ben Keating and Mikkel Jensen with PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports.

In LMP3, Core Autosport driven by Jonathan Bennett and Colin Braun put on a dominating performance winning by 22.243 seconds over Performance Tech Motorsports’ Rasmus Lindh and Dan Goldburg. Taking third was Riley Motorsports driven by Gar Robinson and Felipe Farge.

Michelin technology a great match for the hobbies of IMSA drivers off the track

IMSA drivers are known for their elite racing and passion found on the track. But their passions and hobbies can also be seen off the track – whether it’s cycling, flying, off-roading, riding on a motorcycle, or farming. This weekend at Road America, Michelin’s fan activation showcased how its tire performance is a good match for the driver’s wide range of hobbies. The drivers learned that Michelin technology not only goes from track to street, but from track to runway, to farm, quarry, interstate, trail, yard, and more. Watch our video piece here.

Michelin Post-Race Notes

• The NBC Sports Network Michelin Tech Minute showed how the key to going fast is braking and having tires to handle the load to stop the car. Watch here.
• A new race lap record was set in the GTLM class. Nick Tandy in the No. 4 Corvette set the mark at 2:02.281.
• The IMSA MICHELIN® Pilot Challenge Road America 120 was won by the BMW M4 GT4 driven by Bill Auberlen and David Machavern with Turner Motorsport. Auberlen’s ability to save fuel in the last stint propelled the team to victory and also earned the IMSA Radio Michelin Moment of the Race in GS.
• Alfa Romeo earned its first victory in the TCR class with drivers Roy Block and Tim Lewis Jr. and KMW Motorsport with TMR Engineering. The team earned the Michelin Moment of the race in TCR by holding the lead and earning its first victory.
• The Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by The Cayman Islands is seeing a star develop. Dutchman Kay Van Berlo won his fourth consecutive race and fifth of the 2021 season at Road America. Parker Thompson scored the victory in race two.

Next Up:

The 2021 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship heads to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey County, California. The race starts at 4:10 pm ET on Sunday, September 12. The event can be seen live on NBCSN or on Track Pass on NBC Sports Gold.