I love meeting members and discovering all the interesting ways they interface with this great hobby of ours. As I’m learning from planning our Lime Rock Track Day, we have a surprisingly equal proportion of track rats and very large van owners. In the former camp is member Daniel Morillo and his son Joaquin, who are racing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Series at Watkins Glen during next weekend’s big IMSA event. If you’re at the race next weekend, or nearby, we’d love to have you join me, Thomas, Mercedes, and Jason in supporting them.
It’s hard to pick a favorite IMSA race or IMSA track (and I’ve been to a lot of both), but there’s always something special about Watkins Glen. It’s a decidedly old school layout with fast corners and nearly unlimited great views. The vibes are good, the weather is usually nice, and hot dog accessibility is through the roof. IMSA has also added a ton of manufacturers and support series, so there’s always something going on and nearly every marque with even a minimum of sporting pretense is there.
The Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series is running on Friday and Saturday night, and our plan is to get together Saturday before the race, hang out in the paddock, and then go cheer Daniel and Joaquin on during the race. Joaquin is running in the PRO class with Jaden Conwright in the #27 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo Evo2 and Daniel is racing with Paul Whiting in the #74. Both cars are being run by SP Motorsports.
According to the schedule, Race #2 is taking place at 5:15 pm, following qualifying for the Sunday Six-Hour race. We’ll probably meet at the trailer before the race to get ready, but we haven’t worked out all the details yet. This does create a few questions that I’d like to get answers to before we put out a full schedule. How many readers are at the track that weekend? Is there anyone in the Watkins area who isn’t going to the race but wants to hang out?
Drop me an email if you’re going to be at the race. Also, answer the poll if you think you might be at the race or in the area.
I can’t wait to see everyone and support our community! It’s always cool when we can get together, and being able to do two events on the East Coast after having so many events on the West Coast is exciting. We’ll be looking to do more stuff in the Southeast, Midwest, and elsewhere this year and next.
Top photo: Lamborghini, these photo are from the race at Laguna Seca this year. I don’t have photos of this year’s race because it hasn’t happened yet.
Finally, a chance to meet some of my favorite automotive writers, AND see a 2CV up close.
Watkins Glen is a lovely track. I was there awhile back for a MINI event back when I had one. I wish I could go this time but I live much much farther away now.
I live 40 minutes north of there. Can’t come down sadly, but reach out if I can be of logistical help.
But I was going to support Nick at the Oppo Rally in Scranton that weekend
It’s rough timing!
I hope we can get a story about the race (and the series for that matter; very underappreciated…I mean, come on, Lamborghinis!). As someone who dabbled a bit in lower-level SCCA stuff, I’d love to hear more from Daniel and Joaquin about the big leagues!
Absolutely!
I didn’t think people actually drove Lamborghinis. I thought that they just sat in garages holding value for rich people, or were crashed on the street in Miami when said rich person finally tries to drive it like a moron on 15 year old tires.
Next thing you’re going to tell me is that there’s a Ferrari racing series out there somewhere where they actually get driven?!
Basically, I love to hear about series where people actually drive these cars as intended!!
It’s a pretty competitive series. Typically get 40 cars or so and they are fast. At Watkins Glen pole times for GTD/GT3 cars are within half a second of super trofeo (For comparison GT4-spec racecars qualifying times are 7-8 seconds slower at Watkins Glen). The cars make those lap times very differently though. ST has more power but also less downforce, so it’s faster into braking zones. At Watkins Glen we’ll be doing 170mph (with about 1800 pounds of downforce) and brake at the 400 board into the bus stop whereas a GTD/3 car will be doing 155mph (with about 2500 pounds of downforce) but brake closer to the 200 board and carry more speed through the Chicane. Some of the difference is tires too, GTD runs stickier tires and they are wider (325/345mm front/rear on GTD, whereas ST is 305mm all around). I’d guess ST would be a bit faster than GT3 on same tires. The cars are a bit of a handful to drive, but fun.
Hey thanks for taking the time to provide such fascinating detail – I’m sure you have a lot going on between now and this coming weekend. Sounds like amazing fun, and I had no idea how close things were to the IMSA weathertech series cars. Seems like a very viseral experience, which to me is the coolest thing.
But damnit, now I have another series to follow b/c I now have drivers to root for. Shiny side up!
I’d love to see more IMSA/sportscar coverage. I can only assume it’s a pain in the ass to get credentials.
Same! But I console myself with the fact that it’s at least way more accessible for viewing at least; network tv actually regularly televises the marquee weather tech series now. If you’d told me a decade ago that you’d be able to watch sports car racing on tv, I’d have laughed. I’d also not have believed that NASCAR would have street courses!
I remember going to Lime Rock with my dad in 2011 for the final Grand-Am sanctioned race and having quite the discussion on if unification of it and ALMS was going to help or kill sports car racing in the US.
15 years later, I’d be willing to say it helped.
Oh man. I wasn’t planning on going to the race but this opportunity makes getting a ticket awfully tempting. Even if I don’t get to see a Murano CrossCab
We’re going to try and have the CC and the 2CV out there.
If we can get something for Waterford Hills next year I’d bring both my Civics, and my Girlfriends Pacifica! I don’t know how two of us will drive three cars’ but we’ll figure it out.
Can you weld/bolt all three cars together with a giant metal bar to the frames. One person in the front and one in the rear, that way you have 4 wheel steering.
I’d like to keep them functional for normal use 😀
I’ve been to Lime Rock many times and those are not pictures of Lime Rock.
Laguna seca
Yeah , they are kinda Corkscrewey.
Oh man. I am nearby but have family obligations that will prevent making it
That’s regional to me and would be lots of fun! But immediate family must come first. Even before all of you Autopian family. I’d love to go after having driven paced laps and been for a ride in one of the pace Camrys. Which, darn, those things give Altimas a run for their money in the hands of a pro driver…..
Great idea! I was at wgi last weekend driving. The best track!
I love the pictures of Laguna Seca! 🙂
(Daniel the dad driver) Laguna seca is both the best and most frustrating track. But there is nothing like the pictures you can get as you come down the corkscrew…
That sounds like jolly good fun. Shame I am in the wrong continent… 🙁