Cooper MacNeil (Hinsdale, Ill.), Gunnar Jeannette (Salt Lake City, Ut.) and Daniel Serra (Brazil) won the GTD Class in today’s running of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.
Serra had the wheel of the No. 63 WeatherTech Racing Ferrari for the start of the 10-hour race. He was able to lead the race in the early going. As MacNeil and Jeannette cycled through the car the trio was able to keep the black and white Ferrari on the lead lap and in the top five throughout the race. The drivers and team executed a perfect race. With 35-minutes to go, Serra was running second, he was able to use traffic into Turn 7 to make the pass on the leading Acura and take the win for the Scuderia Corsa run team. The combination of perfect driving, strong strategy, and well executed pit stops brought the team their first win on the season.
“Honestly I couldn’t think of a better way to finish out the WeatherTech season than winning in the WeatherTech Ferrari,” MacNeil said. “Daniel, Gunnar and the whole Scuderia Corsa crew did a great job. The drivers never put a wheel off and the pit stops and strategy were spot on today. No mistakes on the track or in pit lane is what it takes to win in this competitive championship and we nailed it. We executed, hit our marks and Daniel did a great job at the end to bring it home. This race is tougher than Le Mans, which I have run five times. I have the Ferrari Challenge Championship to wrap up in two weeks and then get ready for 2019.”
“I am feeling awesome,” Serra said. “We did a perfect job. Perfect pit stops. Perfect driving on the track. We were really consistent which was the key to winning the race. It was a tough last stint, I was able to use traffic to get by the Acura at the end of the race and we got the win for WeatherTech Racing.”
“A great win for the WeatherTech Racing Ferrari and Scuderia Corsa,” Jeannette said. “This is a special win for me here at Petit and Road Atlanta with Don Panoz just passing away. As a 19-year old he hired me on as a factory driver to drive his LMP1 car. That was and still is super special for me. What he has created with Petit Le Mans and the American Le Mans Series and what it has become is very special. I am happy I am here. We are missing a special person in sports car racing. It is great that he and Jim France have created what we have now. Sports car racing is only growing and I am excited to be a part of it.”
The teams will head into the brief off-season and prepare for the Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway, January 4-6, 2019.
