Acura Can Catch Porsche in IMSA WeatherTech Manufacturer's Chase
It remains to be seen if IMSA officials have in fact balanced the performance.
Hopefully, there will be a straight fight for the manufacturer title between Porsche and Acura, which trails by 90 points.
After two straight victories by the Acura MSR team in the WeatherTech Championship, the interregnum is over for the Porsche Penske Motorsport team.
Having been hobbled by the Balance of Performance (BoP), the Porsche team will have a chance to stand atop the podium again on Sunday after the sprint race at Road America. Urs Keratle, the director for Porsche's 963 program, said that simulations have shown the team will 'be able to compete with the others. The reality we will see in qualifying and the race.'
The subtraction of weight (nine kilograms) and a 5.2% increase in Stage 2 power for the Porsches in the BoP prior to Road America reflects the current sports car racing season's pattern in both the World Endurance Championship and IMSA. The best performing cars and their teams have been heavily penalized midway in the season by BoP to open the door to other manufacturers.
Now that the others have won, look for a return to a less draconian BoP for the Ferrari 499P in the WEC and Porsche in IMSA.
Cadillac and its Jota team won its first WEC race in Round 5 in Brazil, where officials made it very unlikely for the Ferraris, winners of four straight races, to compete for victory.
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
Porsche 2,182
Acura 2,092
Cadillac 1,974
BMW 1,962
Aston Martin 1,439
In IMSA, each of the two Acuras entered by Jim Meyers and Michael Shank won in Detroit and Watkins Glen in part because of the BoP hampering the Porsches. Cadillac scored three podiums in those two events. Keratle suggested Porsche Penske was unable to control its own destiny. 'We are prepared to be competitive in the races if it's very well in our hands,' he said.
Who stands atop the podium at Wisconsin's picturesque Elkhart Lake circuit and then celebrates at the Siebkens resort will have a significant impact on the driver and manufacturer championships for the IMSA GTP season, which has two endurance races remaining after the Motul SportsCar Grand Prix.
It remains to be seen if IMSA officials have in fact balanced the performance and a straight fight for the manufacturer title will evolve between Porsche and Acura, which trails by 90 points. On the driver side, the four straight victories by Porsche Penske to open the season put its drivers in an almost unassailable position. Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet, drivers of the No. 6 Porsche 963, lead teammates Nick Tandy and Felipe Nasr by 12 points after the latter two's poor result at the Glen.
Acura MSR drivers Renger van der Zande and Nick Yelloly, winners in Detroit, trail the Porsche drivers by 262 points in third place.
There's more to come in the manufacturers' contest after the Glen victory, said David Salters, president of Honda Racing Corporation USA. The combination of the Meyers-Shank team and engineers from the HRC factory is beginning to pay dividends. Along with driver Tom Blomqvist, they successfully executed a challenging fuel strategy to grab the victory at the Glen from the Cadillac of Action Express Racing before celebrating at the Seneca Lodge.
'We are six races into the season and we're starting to show what we're made of,' said Salters. 'It was a great weekend, but we must keep pushing.'
The Acura MSR squad gained 112 points in the factory title chase with its victories. The team likely needs to win at least two of the three remaining races to overcome the 90-point gap to Porsche Penske. Where Porsche Penske has no team orders, Acura MSR can employ split strategies and concentrate on just getting one car into Victory Lane.
Blomqvist, who co-drove with Colin Braun on board the No. 60 ARX-06 at the Glen, is reconciled to his team now concentrating on the manufacturers title.
'We still stand a chance in the manufacturers, which is definitely a big goal of Acura's,' said Blomqvist. 'So, we haven't given up there, having won the last two events. Obviously, only one of the team's cars gets points for that. I think ultimately that's probably what we're going to focus on more than the drivers' title. Let's see.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Should Jaxson Dart be the Giants QB1 from Week 1?
Yahoo Sports' Jason Fitz and Caroline Fenton discuss if New York's rookie quarterback should get the keys to the franchise right from the start of the 2025 season. View more Video Transcript Your thoughts on Jackson Dart, just the way that the Giants are approaching. His install, so to speak. Yeah, well, number one, I'd be playing Jackson Dart right away. Like, he is one of the guys that I would start day one. I'd put him on the field from day one. And look, when you talk about what Jackson was coming out of college, I think one of the knocks we always give is any quarterback that comes out of a Lane Kiffin offense is asked to do a very particular set of things, right? Like that's the way Lane works everything. So the question is how much offense can he really handle mentally? How much can he go through it? I don't think it's an accident that the Giants, put all of that footage out of Jackson Dart being tested by Dabo and his processing speed at the blackboard. Why? Because they want to show everybody, hey, this isn't a normal Lane Kiffin quarterback. They want to show everybody that he can handle it. The problem here is that I just, I feel like I'm watching the Bears all over again, right? Like Eberflor and a bad offensive coordinator, just run Caleb Williams into the ground for a year and then they make an inevitable change. Well, I don't think Brian Daboll can win enough games to save his job as the coach of the New York Giants this year. So the only way he saves his job is if he shows tremendous development and growth with Jackson Dart. In order to show that growth, I think not only does Jackson have to be successful, but you have to see some growth on the field from week 1 to week 18, right? So that's part of why I would play him right away is because while I understand it's growing pains, I don't think the Giants win a lot of games either way. So why waste the time with Russ, and at least you give ownership sort of a pause. Wait, we don't want to make a change. Look at how much better Jackson Dart has gotten in this offense. Look at how comfortable he is. That's the sales pitch for Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll to keep their jobs. So I would play Jackson Dart out of the gates week one and just let him go through those lumps. But in that same breath though, don't, when you're talking about developing Jackson Dart and showing promise for Jackson Dart, you don't necessarily need to play him from week 1 to week 18 to show that kind of growth, because there's a classic old debate in football. It is sit versus start. Do you let the quarterback learn or do you throw the quarterback to the wolves? There are plenty of examples on both sides of the aisle to prove that they're both logical and reasonable philosophies with developing a young quarterback. But looking at the Giants' schedule, week one at the Commanders, and you're at the Cowboys, and you take on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, and then you play the Chargers at home. That's not an easy schedule in the slightest. It would be, in my opinion, throwing Jackson Dart to the wolves in the first four to five weeks of the season. What's the harm in letting Jackson Dart sit and learn, at least for a couple of weeks? And then whenever you get the New Orleans Saints, you know, you let, you let Jackson Dart maybe take the reins a little bit more. I am more so on the aisle of let the quarterback sit. Close
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NFL training camp live updates: Shedeur Sanders set for first start, while Patriots, Falcons offer intrigue Friday night
[NFL preseason Week 1 schedule | Top camp stories | NFL team feeds | NFL training camp/preseason live blog] It's time for the NFL to kick off its full preseason slate. Here is this weekend's schedule, with games airing live on NFL Network noted. Those games will also be available to watch live on NFL+. Plus: Players and coaches to watch from all 16 preseason Week 1 games, courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Nate Tice, and more key storylines from Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald. That includes Shedeur Sanders' first start, the Patriots' rookies on offense, the Falcons' first-year pass rushers, and so much more. (All times ET) NFL preseason Week 1 schedule Friday [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Saturday Giants at Bills, 1 p.m. (NFL Network)Texans at Vikings, 4 p.m. (NFL Network)Steelers at Jaguars, 7 p.m. Cowboys at Rams, 7 p.m. Titans at Buccaneers, 7:30 p.m. Jets at Packers, 8 p.m. (NFL Network)Chiefs at Cardinals 8 p.m. Broncos at 49ers, 8:30 p.m. Sunday Dolphins at Bears, 1 p.m. (NFL Network)Saints at Chargers, 4:05 p.m. (NFL Network) Top NFL training camp stories Anthony Richardson "day to day" after dislocated finger: Richardson was knocked out of Thursday's preseason opener vs. the Ravens early when a free blitzer hit him hard, but head coach Shane Steichen said he's "day to day" with the pinkie finger dislocation he suffered. Good news for the Colts' third-year quarterback, who's in a competition with Daniel Jones for the starting job. Richardson was scheduled to play a quarter and a half Thursday with Jones taking the rest of the second quarter, before that playing time was flip flopped in the second preseason game. We'll see how this injury impacts that, and the competition as a whole. Bengals defense, still an issue: Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase looked like they were in regular season form already. The Bengals' defense? Not so much. The Eagles' backups moved the ball easily against Cincinnati's starters, which does not bode well for a team that has a Super Bowl-caliber offense. Perhaps this prompts momentum toward getting a deal done with Trey Hendrickson, the NFL's reigning sack king who's been holding in since July 30 while seeking a big contract extension. Chargers lose star OL Rashawn Slater for season: He suffered a torn patellar tendon after being carted off the field in training camp on Thursday, the team announced. He will undergo season-ending surgery, and will be placed on injured reserve for the rest of the year. NFL team feeds AFC East: Buffalo Bills | Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots | New York Jets AFC North: Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | Pittsburgh Steelers AFC South: Houston Texans | Indianapolis Colts | Jacksonville Jaguars | Tennessee Titans AFC West: Denver Broncos | Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders | Los Angeles Chargers NFC East: Dallas Cowboys | New York Giants | Philadelphia Eagles | Washington Commanders NFC North: Chicago Bears | Detroit Lions | Green Bay Packers | Minnesota Vikings NFC South: Atlanta Falcons | Carolina Panthers | New Orleans Saints | Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFC West: Arizona Cardinals | Los Angeles Rams | San Francisco 49ers | Seattle Seahawks NFL training camp/preseason live blog Follow along below as Yahoo Sports tracks all the news, rumors and updates from NFL training camps:
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football NFL Training Camp Roundup: Keenan Allen returns for Chargers, Ashton Jeanty has quiet debut
Depth charts are dumb. We go into NFL training camps every August before fantasy football draft season and we overreact to players being buried down a depth chart that isn't anywhere near finite. For example, we were all jacked up for rookie RB RJ Harvey to take over the backfield in Denver. Instead, the Broncos' depth chart has him as the 5th-string back despite being a clear No. 2 behind veteran JK Dobbins. We all knew that situation would be a bit murky and that talent overcomes at the end of the day. With that bit of info, we can at least gain an advantage in drafts later in the month if this trend continues and people get scared off Harvey. What we're getting at here is 1) don't overreact to depth chart news and 2) use that patience to gain an advantage in your draft. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Below we're going to go over the latest news from this week coming out of training camps and from around the league. News that could have a fantasy football impact as we approach draft SZN. Fantasy Football NFL Training Camp Roundup Anthony Richardson injured in Colts' preseason opener The Indianapolis Colts opened the preseason against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, losing 24-16. Richardson dislocated his pinky finger in the first quarter after being sacked. Daniel Jones replaced Richardson at QB. After the game, Richardson said he was fine and is considered day-to-day. He was able to throw on the sideline, which is a good sign. Jones would go on to throw for 144 yards on 10-of-21 attempts for a 70.3 passer rating — nothing spectacular. So, for now, as long as Richardson is OK, there's no reason for this to sway the Colts' QB battle in one direction or the other. We'll see how Richardson does at practice and if he plays extensively in the second preseason game vs. the Packers next week. Other notes from Thursday's preseason action Seahawks vs. Raiders: This game gave us a few notable rookie performances. RB Ashton Jeanty took his first carries in the NFL — three to be exact. He totaled -1 yard and that was it for him. Not much we can gather there. For Seattle, however, rookie WR Tory Horton had three catches for 31 yards and a TD from Drew Lock in the second quarter. Horton has been getting praise in camp and the rookie could jump Marquez Valdes-Scantling as the WR3 on the depth chart behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp. Horton is looking like a great late-round, upside pick in fantasy. Bengals vs. Eagles: Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase started where they left off last season. No surprise there. The big surprise, however, was from TE Tanner Hudson, who caught six passes for 62 yards and two TDs in the loss to Philly. Back in 2023, Hudson was used more extensively in the offense, so maybe we see more targets go his way in 2025? People will likely overreact to this game, so we'll see how much Hudson is involved the rest of preseason. Still, he's not a bad name to note as a potential TE streamer during the season. Bengals rookie RB Tahj Brooks is also worth noting with 10 carries and one catch for a total of 29 yards. The production is modest but the usage is there. Brooks has a path to being the RB2 behind Chase Brown, making him a potentially appealing backup. Keenan Allen returns to Chargers We love a good reunion but some dynasty managers who drafted Tre Harris (me) can't be too happy about this news. The Los Angeles Chargers have brought back the veteran wideout to add depth at the position heading into 2025. If all goes well, Allen should line up opposite Ladd McConkey as the starting WRs for Los Angeles. Quentin Johnston and Harris should be in the mix for the WR3. Derius Davis, Jalen Raegor and rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith will all be competing for a roster spot. In terms of fantasy, Johnston and Harris take a slight hit with Allen in town. He finished his lone season in Chicago last year with 70 catches on 121 targets for 744 yards and seven touchdowns. That landed him as the WR35, producing OK numbers in what was a miserable situation on the Bears. If Allen is healthy and gets the snaps, he could become a reliable target for QB Justin Herbert again. Allen is only a few years removed from having arguably his best NFL season with Herbert back in 2023 (108-1,243-7). Side note: The Chargers also lost LT Rashawn Slater for the season due to a ruptured patella tendon he suffered at practice on Thursday. This could have a big impact on both the rushing and passing games. Monitor practice reports on how the line replaces Slater. This is something we may not be able to get a gauge on until Week 1. Josh Allen sounds off on James Cook situation It seems like every training camp we've got multiple top backs seeking a new contract. We recently saw the Rams give Kyren Williams a three-year, $33 million extension before this season. Might we see the Bills give Cook a similar deal? It seems the back wants more than what Williams got, though Cook doesn't have as much leverage. He's posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and led the NFL in rushing TDs last year with 16. Other than the TDs, while Cook has been a productive back, he doesn't have earth-shattering numbers. Allen was lobbying a bit for the two sides to get a deal done this week, per We'll see if a deal gets done but the longer this drags out, the worse it becomes for fantasy managers looking to draft Cook. He could continue to hold-in and that could mean he's not in the best shape at the start of the season. Ray Davis feels like a running back to mark down going into any draft if this situation drags into the end of the month and draft season. For now, just continue to monitor the two sides for updates.
