Watkins Glen Qualifying Delayed After Bus Stop Kerb Failure
Track crews removed damaged kerbing at the Inner Loop to allow repairs, creating a temporary curbless Turn 5 that changed lap speeds during qualifying.
Overview
- Loose kerbing at the Inner Loop/Bus Stop broke free late in the Michelin Pilot Challenge race and damaged a front-running GT4 car, prompting immediate repairs by track officials.
- IMSA postponed Sahlen’s Six Hours qualifying and ran it after Lamborghini Super Trofeo Race 2, delaying the session by nearly two hours and shifting team preparation windows.
- Officials removed a large portion of the curbing on the entrance to the Inner Loop and circulated photos of the revised Turn 5 to competitors ahead of qualifying.
- Qualifying under the temporary curbless configuration produced record lap times in GTP and GTD Pro, with Jack Aitken taking overall pole and Jack Hawksworth extending his class pole record.
- Watkins Glen will paint the curbless section overnight to aid visibility and IMSA has not yet announced how it will enforce track limits there, a decision that could affect race strategy and fairness.