Earl Bamber has claimed another major IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship victory after helping Cadillac Whelen win the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International.
The Kiwi shared the No. 31 Cadillac V-Series.R with Jack Aitken and Frederik Vesti, with the trio controlling much of the race on their way to victory in the six-hour endurance event.
Starting from pole position after Aitken’s record-setting lap in qualifying, the Cadillac quickly established itself at the front of the field. Aitken led the opening stages before handing over to Vesti, with Bamber taking over as the race approached halfway.
At the three-hour mark, the No. 31 Cadillac was leading after spending most of the race at the front. Bamber continued that form during his stints, helping the team maintain control despite a race interrupted by numerous caution periods.
The event featured several incidents across the four classes, resulting in a series of safety cars that repeatedly shook up the order.
Bamber’s afternoon was not entirely trouble-free. During the final stages, he made contact with the No. 21 Ferrari GTD entry while working through traffic. The Ferrari suffered significant damage and was forced off the circuit, while the Cadillac continued without any major issues.
The race tightened in the closing stages when the No. 24 BMW briefly took the overall lead with around 80 minutes remaining. However, another caution soon brought the field back together and opened the door for Cadillac Whelen to regain track position through strategy and pit stops.
Aitken returned to the car for the run to the finish and moved back into the lead during the final round of pit stops. From there, the team remained in control.
The race ended under caution after a heavy crash involving the No. 65 Ford Mustang GT3 on the final lap. The yellow flag secured victory for Bamber, Aitken and Vesti, with the No. 93 Acura finishing second and the No. 5 Porsche taking third.
The win was Cadillac’s first at Watkins Glen since 2017 and continued a strong run of form for Bamber and Aitken, who have now recorded eight consecutive IMSA podium finishes dating back to last season.
It was a much tougher day for fellow New Zealanders Hunter McElrea and Jaxon Evans.
McElrea, driving the No. 2 United Autosports USA ORECA alongside Phil Fayer and Mikkel Jensen in the LMP2 class, endured a difficult race. The crew finished last in class and was classified 18th overall.
Evans’ race ended early after a major accident with around two-and-a-half hours remaining. Sharing the No. 70 Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO with Brendan Iribe and Ollie Millroy, the team completed 94 laps before being forced to retire.
While it was a frustrating day for McElrea and Evans, Bamber’s victory continued an impressive season for the Kiwi, who remains firmly in the fight for IMSA’s top honours.
Header Image: IMSA/Cadillac Whelen
