Happy homecoming for Montreal Motorsports Group

The Montreal Motorsports Group roll continued into the team and drivers’ home country of Canada. Karl Wittmer and Louis Philippe Montour took their second straight win in the TCR class of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at Bowmanville’s Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Montour and his Honda Civic FL5 got to the lead on lap 5 past the polesitting #33 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N of Bryson Morris, although that lead was short-lived when another Canadian, Sam Baker overtook Montour for the top spot four laps later in his #52 Baker Racing Audi RS 3 LMS.

The Honda pitted earlier than the Audi and it appeared as though that would play to the Audi’s advantage once the first scheduled stop was complete. However, a drive-through penalty for a pit lane speeding violation delayed the Baker entry once James Vance took the wheel and began to catch up to the leaders.

The class’ race complexion changed with 40 minutes remaining as contact occurred between Vance’s Audi and Mark Wilkins in the #33 Hyundai. This produced a caution flag period of more than 20 minutes.

With two of the top challengers out of play, Wittmer was able to bring his car home to the win ahead of Tyler Gonzalez and Eric Powell in the #99 Victor González Racing Team Hyundai Elantra N, while the podium was completed by Ryan Eversley and Celso Neto in the #7 Audi RS 3 LMS of Precision Racing.

The top-finishing BHA Hyundai was the #76 of Denis Dupont and Preston Brown who had entered the weekend 30 points behind teammate Harry Gottsacker in the #98 Elantra, but late-race issues for Gottsacker’s co-driver Mason Filippi dropped their car down to eighth, creating a tie atop of the points standings.

The next round will be at Road America on August 1/2.

Race

1. K. Wittmer/L.P. Montour (Montreal Motorsport Group, Honda Civic FL5), 76 laps
2. T. Gonzalez/E. Powell (Victor González Racing, Hyundai Elantra N), 2.149
3. C. Neto/R. Eversley (Precision Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS), 3.544

Championship points

1. H. Gottsacker, 1780 pts; 2. D. Dupont/P. Brown 1780; 3. L.P. Montour/K. Wittmer, 1670

Picture: IMSA/Brandon Badraoui