Brothers have a unique relationship. One minute they might be slugging it out. The next, they can be hugging each other.
That must be what it’s like for the two Corvette Racing teams competing for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this season.
“I’d say it’s fun,” Jordan Taylor, co-driver of the No. 3 Corvette C8.R with Antonio Garcia, said of the in-house rivalry, “but it’s stressful at the same time.”
Taylor says there are no orders from the top on who will get to win the race. “They let us race on track, but obviously any contact will be frowned upon,” he said. “We had a head-to-head battle at Daytona, and the last couple of weekends have been head-to-head. The guys in the [No.] 4 car are professionals and two of the best in GT racing.”
He’s referring to fellow Corvette Racing team members Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy, who dropped 156 points behind Taylor/Garcia in the season standings after watching their in-house rivals claim consecutive pole positions and wins at Watkins Glen International.
“We’re doing everything right with the things we can control with the strategy,” Milner said after last week’s IMSA WeatherTech 240. “Nick did an awesome job at the start to get us out front. It’s just not going our way right now. It’s tough, but I’m proud of the guys. I know they’re bummed. We’ve been fast and done everything right that we can control. We haven’t had the luck.”
Nevertheless, Milner/Tandy were close behind the No. 3 car and will be hoping to see their fortunes change July 16-17 at the Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, where GTLM and GTD classes will both be competing.
“[It] is difficult because they have the same car and same tools as you,” Garcia said of the No. 4 car. “I’m very happy for Corvette to go 1-2. We’re looking forward to the next few races, and then Le Mans is coming closer (Aug. 21-22). We’re looking forward to that, too.”
Taylor likes the competitive rivalry but admits “it’s difficult when you’ve got such great drivers in both cars. You’re competing against the best in the same equipment. We’ve come out on top the last two races, but just as easily those guys could have won as well.”
Both Corvette teams will be hoping to maintain their lead over the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Porsche 911 RSR-19, with full-season driver Cooper MacNeil in third place only 39 points behind Milner/Tandy. After winning the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March, MacNeil and co-drivers Mat Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet were slowed down early by a fire in the car during the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.
The Corvettes will be back in action at the Northeast Grand Prix on Saturday, July 17th at 3:00 PM ET.
Source:
IMSA.com
Related:
Laura Klauser Offers Update On the Corvette C8.Rs Conversion to GT3 Specs for 2022
Corvette Racing at Watkins Glen: Garcia, Taylor Take Glen Sweep
[VIDEO] Mobil 1 The Grid Goes Inside the Headquarters of Corvette Racing
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At this weighting there is a strong chance for a 2021 ISMA Corvette Tear
Championship, an LeMans Win and a concession to let the C6R compete in the ISMA 2022 GTD Pro class with a 2 year waver when had looked as if no Manufactures Want to go Head to Head with C8Rs before they were reengineered to compete in a GT3 specification classes. Let’s go Racing!
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