New protocols, hot weather and long races provided a great test and learning opportunity for Michelin during the unexpected bonus weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

The Michelin Endurance Challenge comprised Sunday’s four-hour MICHELIN Pilot Challenge race and the six-hour WeatherTech SportsCar Championship TireRack.com Grand Prix run on Saturday.

Acura, BMW, Chevrolet and Hyundai emerged as class or overall winners. A total of 10 (the four winners plus Mazda, Cadillac, Lamborghini, Porsche, Honda and Ford) of the 17 automotive brands entered in IMSA scored at least one podium finish at the Michelin Endurance Challenge weekend.

“This was the first IMSA endurance racing weekend under the pandemic protocols,” said Tony Ménard, director of motorsport, Michelin North America.

“With this opportunity, our engineers worked to support the manufacturers, teams and drivers we serve in the 10 full hours of endurance racing here at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. This preparation will help us for Motul Petit Le Mans, the next round of the Michelin Endurance Cup.”

With track temperatures up to 116 degrees, the high speed, high load, 2.54-mile circuit provides a great test of speed, endurance and strategies.

For a look at Saturday’s TireRack.com Grand Prix at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, please click here.

VP Racing Stay Frosty 240 Post-Race Notes Package

Photo: Michelin North America

• GS Notes: The top seven finishers in class represented seven different automotive brands: Chevrolet, Ford, Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-AMG and Aston Martin. Chevrolet’s pair of Robin Liddell and Frank DePew also won twice in 2019, at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Road America.
• TCR Notes: Bryan Herta Autosport and Hyundai continued their successful streaks. The team scored its fourth straight win and fourth straight 1-2 finish. Gabby Chaves and Ryan Norman became the first pair to win their second race, driving the No. 33 Hyundai Veloster N TCR. Honda enjoyed its best race of the season with the two L.A. Honda World Racing Honda Civic Type Rs finishing in third and fourth.

Race Winners: Michelin Endurance Challenge

Photo: Michelin North America

Michelin congratulates the race winners of the Michelin Endurance Challenge weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

WeatherTech Championship

• DPi: Helio Castroneves, Ricky Taylor, No. 7 Acura Team Penske ARX-05
• LMP2: Patrick Kelly, Simon Trummer, Scott Huffaker, No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen ORECA 07
• GTLM: Connor De Phillippi, Bruno Spengler, No. 25 BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE
• GTD: Mario Farnbacher, Matt McMurry, Shinya Michimi, No. 86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3

MICHELIN Pilot Challenge

• GS: Robin Liddell, Frank DePew, Andrew Davis, No. 71 Rebel Rock Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R
• TCR: Gabby Chaves, Ryan Norman, No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Veloster N TCR

Michelin Endurance Cup Update

The four class winners in Saturday’s TireRack.com Grand Prix were also the four top scorers in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, which awarded points at the 3-and 6-hour marks.

Provisional season leaders after Round 2 of 4 in the Michelin Endurance Cup standings are below.

• DPi: Renger van der Zande, Ryan Briscoe, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R
• LMP2: Simon Trummer, No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen ORECA 07
• GTLM: Jesse Krohn, John Edwards, No. 24 BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE
• GTD: Bryan Sellers, Madison Snow, Corey Lewis, No. 48 Paul Miller Lamborghini Huracan GT3

Next Up:

After the weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, IMSA heads next to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, September 25-27, 2020. The WeatherTech Championship, MICHELIN Pilot Challenge and Prototype Challenge series will race there, with MICHELIN Pilot Challenge scheduled to race twice. All IMSA races air on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold. IMSA Radio carries all qualifying and races live, flag-to-flag and commercial free.