MONTEREY, CA, Sept. 7, 2018–Two races remain in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season and both Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GTs remain in the fight for the title.

Next up is Laguna Seca, the Central California track where the No. 67 Ford GT and drivers Richard Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe earned a monumental first win for the supercar in 2016. It’s also the hometown track for driver Joey Hand, who shares the No. 66 Ford GT with Dirk Müller.

“For me, it’s a big one because not only is it two races to go, but it’s also my home race,” Hand said. “I have a lot of family and friends that come to the race. We even camp at the track, so it’s an exciting one for me.”

Hand’s wife Natalie, son, daughter and friends will attend the race.

“There’s always the hope that the home track advantage might come into play,” Hand said. “I’ve driven this track a lot, so I know it well. Dirk likes the track. We’ve got all the right things going for us; we just have to put it all together. It’s also really cool to see the fan engagement. People can see from the hill at the top of the Corkscrew and get up close in the paddock and see the cars. It’s a fun one for me.”

Ford CGR has had an astounding 2018 season. The No. 67 Ford GT is just four points behind the leader in the point standings, while the No. 66 Ford GT is nine points out.

“I love this track,” Westbrook said. “It’s a real highlight of the season. Strategy is really important here as it is difficult to overtake, but with all three classes racing here there are some opportunities that arise in traffic. History points to having a few yellows so fuel management can be a real key if the safety car comes out at a certain time, as myself and Ryan found out when we won in 2016.”

Ford maintains its lead in the manufacturers’ standings by 12 points and can all but secure the title at Laguna Seca.
The race will air from 5-8 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 on Sept. 9, 2018. Outside the U.S., tune in at IMSA.tv.

*Courtesy Ford Performance