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Winward Racing's No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Achieves Second Place At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
The Winward Racing team, part of the Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing program, achieved a second-place finish at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. This result helped them regain their lead in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona (GTD) points standings. Despite a late caution flag that prevented a potential win, drivers Russell Ward and Philip Ellis managed to secure valuable points.
Ellis was on the verge of overtaking the race leader when a full-course yellow flag halted his progress. The race concluded under caution with less than 15 minutes remaining. Nevertheless, this performance allowed Winward Racing to recover some points lost in a previous race at Watkins Glen International due to an early incident.
Winward Racing's success at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park was built on strong performances from both drivers. Ward's impressive qualifying run secured second place on the grid, setting the stage for a competitive race. He maintained this position during his stint before handing over to Ellis, who continued to push forward.
Ellis took control of the No. 57 car during the first pit stop and maintained a strong pace throughout his stint. He briefly led for 14 laps mid-race and returned to second place after another efficient pit stop by the team with an hour left in the race.
The team's strategic decisions and quick pit stops were crucial in maintaining their competitive edge. A restart with 17 minutes left provided Ellis an opportunity to challenge for the lead again. However, another yellow flag ended those hopes just as he attempted an overtaking move.
Despite not securing victory, Winward Racing extended their championship lead significantly. They arrived at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park with a 60-point advantage and left with a 93-point lead over their nearest rivals.
Looking Ahead to Road America
The next event for the GTD class is scheduled for August 1-3 at Road America during the IMSA SportsCar Weekend. Mercedes-AMG continues its defense of last year's GTD manufacturer championship title, now leading by 174 points over its closest competitor.
"I really can't give the guys enough accolades," said Russell Ward. "We just seem to be in incredible form, the motivation is high, and everybody is just excited to be there, and the results are coming as a consequence."
Philip Ellis echoed these sentiments: "All in all we had a really strong weekend, starting off with great qualifying by Russell... We were a little bit unlucky on the strategy side... but we had great pit stops again with the crew."
The team's focus remains on maintaining their momentum through consistent performances in upcoming races. Their efforts at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park have set them up well for future challenges as they aim to secure more victories and strengthen their championship position further.
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