Pirelli World Challenge: The Finale
A little over a week ago, TLP headed out to see the last race of the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC)season. For the second straight year Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca hosted the championship deciding round PWC. The PWC is multi-class, multi-race weekend that provides on-track action from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon. It would also the be the last major racing event of the year at Laguna Seca providing the perfect final lap to the racing season.
O'Connell leads Long into Turn 5, which later in the race would be a deciding corner for the season.
The GT championship was down to 2011 GT Champion Patrick Long in the No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R and Alvaro Parente in the No. 9 K_PAX Racing McLaren 650S. To get the championship both drivers would have to contend with Cadillac Racing’s Johnny O’Connell who qualified on pole for Sunday’s final event. O’Connell, a four-time GT champion, was looking for a win though he was out of the hunt of the season title.
The 50-minute race would start at a frenetic pace as car dived and dodged for position, often pushing so hard that real wheels were sliding out on the dirt kicking up dust in several corners.
After 49 minutes Long was in second place behind O’Connell, but in front of Parente, a position that would have secured the championship. With a minute left, the race was restarted after an earlier incident. The top three runners were inches apart leading into the first turn as everyone held their breath believing that the tight confines of the turn 1 Andretti Hairpin might pick the winner. It wasn’t to be as everything came together cleanly, only to be undone a few corners later.
O’Connell went wide at turn 4 creating an opportunity for Long to make a move in turn 5. Long made the move on O’Connell, known for offering no quarter to attacking drivers, but Long would receive the short end of the battle as he was bounced to the outside corner dirt on the exit. Parente would pass by taking second place with the championship over for Long. O’Connell would finish on track with the win, but later would be stripped of his win and demoted to 5th place.
Alvaro Parente in the No. 9 K_PAX Racing McLaren 650S and 2016 PWC Series Champion
Finally, this was the last event of the season at Laguna Seca. The future of the track as been the subject of numerous rumors and speculation as various groups vie for control of the track. At some point in the future things will change. Either way, no matter the outcome we have to give a big thank you to the full time staff and support staff at the track. A race weekend is controlled chaos at best, and the staff at Laguna Seca make it happen with precision and courtesy. We also have to single out the media relations department for their efforts to always get us everything we need and more.
Final Race Results
Pos. PIC, Class, Name, Hometown, Car, Laps, Status
1. 1, GT, Johnny O’Connell, Flowery Branch GA, Cadillac ATS-V.R. GT3, 27, Running
2. 2, GT, Alvaro Parente, Porto Portugal, McLaren 650S GT3, 27, Running
3. 3, GT, Michael Cooper, Syosset NY, Cadillac ATS-V.R. GT3, 27, Running
4. 4, GT, Bryan Heitkotter, Fresno CA, Nissan GTR GT3, 27, Running
5. 5, GT, Patrick Long, Manhattan Beach CA, Porsche 911 GT3 R, 27, Running
6. 6, GT, Jon Fogarty, Bend OR, McLaren 650S GT3, 27, Running
7. 7, GT, J.D. Davison, Denver CO, Nissan GTR GT3, 27, Running
8. 8, GT, Gunner Jeannette, Salt Lake City UT, Porsche 991 GT3 R, 27, Running
9. 9, GT, Spencer Pumpelly, Atlanta GA, Acura TLX-GT, 27, Running
10. 10, GT, Ryan Eversley, Atlanta GA, Acura TLX-GT, 27, Running
11. 11, GT, Michael Lewis, Laguna Beach CA, Porsche 911 GT3 R, 27, Running
12. 1, GTA, Cooper MacNeil, Hinsdale IL, Porsche 991 GT3 R, 27, Running
13. 2, GTA, Tim Pappas, Boston MA, Porsche 911 GT3 R, 27, Running
14. 3, GTA, Andrew Kim, Seoul South Korea, Bentley Continental GT3, 27, Running
15. 4, GTA, Andy Wilzoch, Aurora CO, Porsche GT3R, 27, Running
16. 5, GTA, Brent Holden, Newport CA, Porsche 911 GT3 R, 27, Running
17. 1, GT Cup, Corey Fergus, Columbus OH, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 27, Running
18. 2, GT Cup, Sloan Urry, Park City UT, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 27, Running
19. 6, GTA, Michael Schein, Glen Cove NY, Porsche 911 GT3 R, 27, Running
20. 18, GT, Austin Cindric, Charlotte NC, McLaren 650S GT3, 27, Running
21. 19, GT, Colin Thompson, Doylestown PA, McLaren 650S GT3, 26, Not Running
22. 3, GT Cup, Chris Thompson, San Clemente CA, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 26, Running
23. 7, GTA, Jorge De La Torre, Mexico City, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, 25, Running
24. 8, GTA, Drew Regitz, Denver CO, Audi R8 LMS GT3, 21, Not Running
25. 25, GT, Fabian Hamprecht, Beckenried Switzerland, Bentley Continental GT3, 9, DNF
26. 26, GT, Kyle Marcelli, Barrie ON, Audi R8 LMS GT3, 1, DNF
27. 27, GT, Mike Skeen, Charlotte NC, Dodge Viper GT3-R, 0, DNF
28. 28, GTA, Martin Fuentes, Mexico City Mexico, Ferrari 458 Italia GT3, 0, DNF
29. 29, GT, Jonathan Summerton, Redwood City CA, Mercedes AMG SLS GT3, 0, DNS
30. 30, GT Cup, Alex Welch, Englewood CO, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 0, DNS
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