2015 Watkins Glen International

In 2006, the International Motor Sport Association (IMSA) introduced IMSA Lites. The series was created to provide an opportunity for drivers competing at the amateur level to advance to a professional series or to prepare for a category such as the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). The mission is to develop future drivers and teams for the ALMS, now called the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda.

Initially, the series featured three classes of purpose-built sports racing prototypes – Lites 1, Lites 2 and Lites 3. However, Lites 3 entries were declining each year and the 2010 championship was conducted for the Lites 1 and 2 categories.

Lites 1 (L1) – This is the fastest category and is comprised exclusively of the Elan DP-02 manufactured by Elan Van Diemen. The DP-02 features a carbon fiber monocoque fitted with an aerodynamic package that includes a front splitter, diffuser and rear wing. The car is powered by a 230-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder Mazda MZR motor mounted to a six-speed sequential transmission.
Lites 2 (L2) – The L2 category was changed in 2013 to adopt the Elan DP-02. This class uses the 2.3-liter four-cylinder Mazda engine, which produces 200-horsepower.

The 2015 IMSA Prototype Lites Championship consisted of seven race weekends, with doubleheaders at each event.

March 18-20 – Sebring International Raceway
April 10-12 – NOLA Motorsports Park
June 25-27 – Watkins Glen International
July 9-12 – Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
August -7-9 – Road America
August 28-29 – Virginia International Raceway
September 30 - October 2 - Road Atlanta

Rounds five and six of the 2015 Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda were held during the Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen TUDOR United SportsCar Championship event at Watkins Glen International. Drivers would compete in two races around the eleven turn 3.337-mile road course.

On the first lap of round six, nineteen competitors enter Watkin Glen International's corner two. Leading the field is the pole-sitter and points leader, Kenton Koch, in the No. 60 JDC Motorsports Elan DP-02. Trialing Koch and making a fantastic start is the third-fastest qualifier, Austin Versteeg, driving the No. 16 Performance Tech Motors Elan DP-02. In the third spot is the other front-row qualifier, Matt McMurry.

Kenton Koch entered the Watkins Glen International weekend with three victories in four starts and the championship lead. Koch qualified on the pole for Friday's contest driving the No. 60 JDC Motorsports Elan DP-02. He led from flag to flag but not before coming under pressure from Robert Alon. The following day, Koch started in the top spot and collected win number five in challenging weather conditions.

Robert Alon qualified fourth fastest in L1 for the weekend's first race at Watkins Glen International. However, the driver of the No. 00 Performance Tech Motors Elan DP-02 wasted little time moving to the second position. Alon would finish 0.396-seconds behind the winner, Kenton Koch. This equaled his best result from June of last year. On Saturday, Alon was gridded fourth but finished in the fifth position.

Like his L1 counterpart, Kenton Koch, Todd Slusher had three L2 wins in the first four races of the 2015 season. On Friday at Watkins Glen International, Slusher earned his fourth victory of the season after qualifying second in class. He started the finale in a distant second to Brian Alder. Driving the No. 62 ONE Motorsports Elan DP-02, Slusher finished in the runner-up position and still led the title chase.

The third member of the JDC Motorsports team was Clark Toppe, who drove the No. 10 Elan DP-02. Toppe was second in the standings and trailed his teammate Kenton Koch by twenty-two markers. On Friday at Watkins Glen International, he qualified third but finished fourth. Toppe started fifth on the grid the next day but charged to a runner-up result and maintained his place in the standings.

The No. 22 Bar1 Motorsports prepared Elan DP-02 was driven by Brian Alder. Alder was the 2013 and 2014 L2 category champion, but he was having a challenging season in 2015. He had one victory, while the points leader, Todd Slusher, had three. Alder lost more ground to Slusher when he finished second in race one at Watkins Glen International. However, Alder redeemed himself on Saturday with a convincing win.

POS.	CLASS	DRIVER	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	L1	Kenton Koch	Elan DP-02	14	-
2	L1	Robert Alon	Elan DP-02	14	-
3	L1	Austin Versteeg	Elan DP-02	14	-
4	L1	Clark Toppe	Elan DP-02	14	-
5	L1	Matt McMurry	Elan DP-02	14	-
6	L1	John Falb	Elan DP-02	14	-
7	L1	McKay Snow	Elan DP-02	14	-
8	L1	Don Yount	Elan DP-02	14	-
9	L1	Dave House	Elan DP-02	14	-
10	L2	Todd Slusher	Elan DP-02	14	-
11	L2	Brian Alder	Elan DP-02	14	-
12	L1	Lee Alexander	Elan DP-02	14	-
13	L1	Stuart Rettie	Elan DP-02	14	-
14	L2	John Salmon	Elan DP-02	14	-
15	L1	Alastair McEwan	Elan DP-02	14	-
16	L2	Gerhard Watzinger	Elan DP-02	13	-
17	L1	Michal Chlumecky	Elan DP-02	13	-
18	L1	Tony Bullock	Elan DP-02	4	Did Not Finish
19	L1	Joel Janco	Elan DP-02	0	Did Not Finish
20	L2	Naj Husain	Elan DP-02	0	Did Not Start

POS.	CLASS	DRIVER	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	L1	Kenton Koch	Elan DP-02	11	-
2	L1	Clark Toppe	Elan DP-02	11	-
3	L1	McKay Snow	Elan DP-02	11	-
4	L1	John Falb	Elan DP-02	11	-
5	L1	Robert Alon	Elan DP-02	11	-
6	L1	Austin Versteeg	Elan DP-02	11	-
7	L1	Don Yount	Elan DP-02	11	-
8	L1	Michal Chlumecky	Elan DP-02	11	-
9	L1	Stuart Rettie	Elan DP-02	11	-
10	L2	Brian Alder	Elan DP-02	11	-
11	L2	Gerhard Watzinger	Elan DP-02	11	-
12	L1	Lee Alexander	Elan DP-02	11	-
13	L2	Todd Slusher	Elan DP-02	11	-
14	L1	Matt McMurry	Elan DP-02	11	-
15	L1	Tony Bullock	Elan DP-02	10	-
16	L1	Dave House	Elan DP-02	9	-
17	L2	John Salmon	Elan DP-02	8	Did Not Finish
18	L1	Alastair McEwan	Elan DP-02	2	Did Not Finish
19	L1	Joel Janco	Elan DP-02	2	Did Not Finish
20	L2	Naj Husain	Elan DP-02	0	Did Not Start

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