Photo: HSR
Watkins Glen, NY — Four different Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) class winners took to the top step of victory lane after a packed B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge one-hour race Sunday morning in a featured HSR event of the July 9-11 Finger Lakes Invitational with Masters Historic Racing at Watkins Glen International.
The overall and Historic-class B.R.M. victory at The Glen went to Gray Gregory and co-driver Ethan Shippert in the Phil Reilly and Co. 1974 Chevron B26. The victory continues a winning run for Gregory and his teammates in HSR competition that includes late 2020 triumphs in both the HSR Classic Daytona presented by IMSA and the team’s third consecutive victory in the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour.
Photo: HSR
The B.R.M. GT Modern (GTM) class win was earned by Thomas Gruber in his TAG 2016 Porsche 991 GT3 prepared by Speed Syndicate. Crossing the finish line 2nd overall, Gruber started a streak of his own after capturing the B.R.M. GTM victory in his last HSR appearance at the season-opening Spring Fling at Sebring last March.
Eric Lux secured the B.R.M. GT Classic (GTC) victory with a 4th-place overall finish in his Goldcrest Motorsports 1973 Porsche 911 RSR. Lux also picked up a Saturday Group 5 WeatherTech Sprint win in the Porsche in addition to sweeping the Group 9 WeatherTech Sprints in his Goldcrest Motorsports 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3.
Photo: HSR
It was the second-straight HSR event in which Lux won races in both the Porsche and Mercedes-AMG, driving both cars to multiple race wins in his last HSR appearance at the 43rd Mitty at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in April.
Photo: HSR
The fourth and final B.R.M. class winner at The Glen was Craig Sutherland who took Vintage class honors in his 1973 Porsche 911 S/T prepared by Heritage Motorsports. The win was the first for Sutherland since he began driving in competition 16 years ago.
The new-for-2021 race weekend at The Glen, originally scheduled to debut in 2020, didn’t disappoint despite a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sunday’s HSR B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge, and a doubleheader schedule of HSR WeatherTech Sprint races Saturday and Sunday, shared the weekend’s card with a showcase slate of Masters Historic Racing and Masters Endurance Legends competition.
The Masters Historic Racing Weekend at The Glen continued a successful and ongoing relationship between HSR and Masters that has been in place the last few racing seasons. The annual “HSR Classics” at Daytona International Speedway and Sebring International Raceway both feature Masters entries competing for overall and series honors in several different run groups.
Photo: HSR
Next up for HSR is the Monterey Pre Reunion (Aug, 7-8) and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (Aug. 12-15). Then it’s a return guest appearance with the Vintage Sports Car Drivers Association (VSCDA) for the Sept. 17-19 Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival at Road America.
