Chip Ganassi Racing overcame an early race sensor-related infraction to take a dramatic victory in Saturday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans, while Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Felipe Nasr and Dane Cameron claimed the GTP drivers’ championship with a third place finish.
Renger van der Zande made a bold pass around the No. 6 Penske Porsche 963 of Nick Tandy into Turn 1 with 15 minutes remaining to take the lead in the ten-hour contest, which included a nearly five-hour run of green flag racing.
The No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac, which dropped off the lead lap in the opening hour due to a mechanical black flag for a sensor-related issue, came back into contention following a multi-car accident involving the then-second placed Ricky Taylor in the final hour.
It set up a 35-minute shootout to the finish that saw six GTP cars restart on the lead lap.
Van der Zande, who also overcame a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility with the No. 20 High Class Racing Oreca 07 Gibson in the third hour as well as a spin on his out-lap with two hours to go triggered by a GTD car, shared the win with Sebastien Bourdais and Scott Dixon in the team’s final WeatherTech Championship race with Cadillac.
Tandy recovered to finish second in the No. 6 Porsche, despite getting hit in the rear by the No. 24 Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 of Philipp Eng moments after losing the lead.
Eng, who pitted due to a tire puncture from the incident, was later assessed a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility, relegating the car to a fourth place result.
It promoted the No. 7 Porsche of GTP champions Nasr and Cameron to third at the checkered flag in the car they shared with third driver Matt Campbell.
Cameron became a four-time IMSA champion, with Nasr picking up his third WeatherTech Championship title, all in the top prototype class for the Brazilian.
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