Milner, Tandy hope for change of luck at “intense” Lime Rock

Although the #4 car won the qualifying race at Daytona and the non-championship duel with its sister car in Belle Isle, Detroit, Tandy and Milner have yet to capitalize on the pace they’ve shown in points scoring rounds.

While teammates Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor have won the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, the Six Hours at The Glen and the 2hr40min race at Watkins Glen, the #4 car’s best results have been a pair of runner-up finishes.

“We're doing everything right with the things we can control, with the strategy,” Milner said after last week’s IMSA WeatherTech 240 at Watkins Glen. “Nick did an awesome job at the start to get us out front. It's just not going our way right now. It's tough, but I'm proud of the guys. I know they're bummed. We've been fast and done everything right that we can control. We haven't had the luck.”

However, the 35-year-old who is now in his 11^th season with Corvette Racing, is looking forward to this weekend’s Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park.

“I have really great memories from Lime Rock in 2016, and getting the 100th win for Corvette Racing with Oliver Gavin,” he said. “It obviously was a special day for me and the team.

“Lime Rock will be a good challenge to go there with the C8.R for the first time. It’s a pretty unique racetrack, all things considered. In a lot of ways, it’s an oval so you set the car up to pretty much only turn right. We’ll have our work cut out to figure that out with a new car.

“Based on all the work we’ve done so far and all the results we’ve had, I don’t see there any real major hurdles to getting to a good spot.”

Tandy described the 1.5-mile course in Connecticut as demanding on both body and brain.

“I really like Lime Rock,” said the former Porsche ace, in his first year as a Corvette driver. “The track is quick but it’s so intense. It reminds me a little bit of my short-oval background in that you’re always in the corners, you’re always in traffic.

“The car, the tire and the driver never get a break. You’re in traffic pretty much all the time. A stint at Le Mans is around 14 laps, and you get time to relax. A stint at Lime Rock is like 60 laps and there is constantly something going on.

“You feel it physically as a driver because it’s usually super-hot. It’s intense on the physical and mental sides. The GTLM cars being as fast as they are, it’s a good workout and good fun.”

The Corvette drivers’ only external rival this weekend will be the WeatherTech Racing Proton Porsche 911 of Cooper MacNeil and Mathieu Jaminet – the entry that scooped victory in the Twelve Hours of Sebring after the #3 Corvette was taken out in a collision with an enduro-only BMW M8.

Aside from the three GTLM cars, there will be 14 GT Daytona entries for Saturday’s race.