WATKINS GLEN, N.Y., June 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The No. 55 Mazda Motorsports Mazda DPi RT24-P trio of Harry Tincknell, Oliver Jarvis and Jonathan Bomarito turned back a stout DPi field to win the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen on Sunday. The six-hour endurance race was the fifth round of the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The Sahlen’s Six Hours is also the third of four WeatherTech Championship races that count toward the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.
The six-hour endurance race win came during a Mazda 30th Anniversary celebration for its historic win at the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans, becoming the first and only rotary engine manufacturer and first Japanese manufacturer to take overall victory at Le Mans. “Thirty years ago from this week for the Le Mans win,” said a beaming Harry Tincknell after the race. “That (win) is an incredible way to celebrate an anniversary.”
After qualifying P6, and starting P7 due to a pre-race engine change, the Idemitsu No. 55 Mazda battled at the front of the field for the full six hours, with Tincknell taking the lead for the last time with just over 45 minutes remaining in the race. A pit strategy decision to only take fuel when everyone else took fuel and tires, gave Tincknell the lead he would not give up.
During the final 10 minutes of the race, a win would come down to Tincknell, the performance of the Mazda, and whether the car would have enough fuel to finish. Tincknell left it all on the track, literally, as he won the race and then ran out of fuel during the cool-down lap.
“Fantastic! Here we are again, two years on, back-to-back wins,” said Tincknell. “Unbelievable job by everyone at Mazda Motorsports and Multimatic . . . a proper team effort. We improved every single session. At the end of the race there I was getting some numbers there to save fuel. But the calculations were spot on. It was amazing that we came back for the win.”
About Idemitsu and Contact info:
Idemitsu Lubricants America is the Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) official factory-fill lubricants partner and the bulk oil program supplier for the Genuine Mazda Premium Oil Program, as well as a primary Mazda Motorsports USA sponsor.
About Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. Founded in 1911, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (IKC) is a Japanese petroleum company and the second-largest refiner and lubricants supplier in Japan. In order to evolve into a resilient business entity, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. will continue to, both domestically and abroad, operate and expand in the following five business segments: Petroleum Products, Basic Chemicals, Functional Materials, Electricity & Renewable Energy, and Resources. The company’s Functional Materials segment covers the production and sale of fuel oil and lubricants.
About Idemitsu Lubricants America Corporation Idemitsu Lubricants America Corporation (ILAC) is a premier lubricants manufacturer and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., committed to providing quality, innovation, and service to customers across North America. ILAC offers unmatched production quality, ensuring peak operating performance from a full range of lubricants for the automotive and industrial sectors. Idemitsu Lubricants America Corporation provides environmentally-friendly, cost-effective lubricant solutions that help maximize performance efficiencies and minimize cost.
About Mazda North American Operations Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees Mazda vehicles’ sales, marketing, parts, and customer service support in the United States and Mexico through approximately 620 dealers. Mazda Motor de Mexico manages operations in Mexico in Mexico City.
