Bolingbrook, Ill, (September 19, 2017) - WeatherTech Racing drivers Cooper MacNeil (Hinsdale, Ill.) and Gunnar Jeannette (Salt Lake City, Utah) are heading west to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Continental Monterey Grand Prix to run September 22-24.
Both MacNeil and Jeannette were at the track last month turning laps in historic Porsches at the Monterey Historic Grand Prix. MacNeil also spent a weekend at the 2.2-mile, 11-turn track known for its signature Corkscrew turn in the spring, running in the Ferrari Challenge Series. With a lot of Laguna miles under their belt already in 2017 they are ready to get the No. 50 Porsche 911 GT3R on the track this weekend.
"We have a lot of miles at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca already this year," Cooper MacNeil said. "I raced the Ferrari 488 there in May and we ran our vintage Porsche race cars there as well. How much of that experience will translate to the IMSA weekend is hard to say, but it won't take long to get acclimated when the green flag drops on the first practice session."
Jeannette is looking for another good run, finished sixth in the last race at Virginia International Raceway, prior to the season-ending Petit Le Mans next month.
"Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will be a good challenge for the team," Jeannette said. "It will be up to us to get the Porsche to handle around Laguna. Tire wear, in the past, has been an issue for Porsche race cars there. We will have to get the balance just right, so hopefully it won't be a problem. We need a good run this weekend to set us up for the season-ending Petit Le Mans."
The IMSA WeatherTech Championship Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix will run this weekend Sept. 22-24. Qualifying will take the green on Saturday at 12:20 p.m. PT. The race will start at 2 p.m. PT on Sunday and will be broadcast Sunday starting at 3 p.m. ET on the CBS Sports Network.