Cadillac V-Series.R GTP entries qualify second and third for six-hour race
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 22, 2024) – Renger van der Zande, who last drove a Cadillac Racing prototype in qualifications in 2022, will start on the outside of the front row for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.
Van der Zande, driving the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R, registered a best lap of 1 minute, 32.247 seconds in the 15-minute Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) session on the 3.4-mile, 11-turn Watkins Glen International road course to qualify second of the 10 cars that completed a timed lap.
The sister No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, with Jack Aitken driving in qualifications for the first time, qualified third with a best lap of 1:32.479.
Van der Zande’s best lap with 7:15 left was .038 of a second off the pole lap time set by the No. 40 Acura ARX-06. Aitken improved his time on the last of his nine laps to finish .270 of a second off the top spot.
The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R, co-driven by van der Zande and Sebastien Bourdais, has qualified no lower than third – including a pole at Laguna Seca – through six races. Aitken will share driving duties Sunday with Pipo Derani and Tom Blomqvist in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, which was the runner-up in the race at The Glen in 2023. Derani started the season with three consecutive poles.
Aitken holds the track GTP race record of 1:33.028 set last year as qualifications were rained out and the field lined up based on championship points.
The Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen is the third of five rounds of IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, which is paced in points by the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R. Cadillac, the reigning and five-time IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup champion, is tied for the top in the Manufacturer Cup.
Fifty-six cars are entered, with all four WeatherTech Championship classes in competition.
Peacock will provide flag-to-flag streaming of the race (11 a.m. Sunday) in the U.S., while IMSA.tv will stream to a global audience. USA Network will telecast the first half of the race starting at 11 a.m. imsaradio.com and RadioLeaMans.com will broadcast the race in its entirety, with a simulcast on SiriusXM Radio (XM 206, SiriusXM Web/App 996).
What they’re saying
No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R
Renger van der Zande: “I’m super excited to do this qualifying after basically three years not qualifying. I focused on a good lap, and I think I got one. The car was hooked up. When I gave it a little extra, the time didn’t come, and we started sliding around a little. Tire deg is going to be an issue on this track. I was really happy with my lap. (Qualifying) is low fuel, new tires and I never have that. The one who qualifies gets that, so I was happy to feel that and it feels fantastic.”
No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R
Jack Aitken: “It’s a really solid spot and nice to be on the inside for the start; a nice consolation for not being on the front row. I really enjoyed my first qualifying. It’s always fun to get to feel the car in those conditions, especially at a track like this which requires a bit of bravery. It’s fast and flowing. I just didn’t quite manage to break through. I did a lot of laps that were quite similar, just making small improvements. I couldn’t quite get it together before the tires started dropping off. There is room for improvement but a really solid start for the six-hour race tomorrow.”
