Champions of the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 6 Hours of Sebring this year, Pipo Derani and teammates Scott Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek returned to the United States this weekend (3rd of July) to challenge for another victory in the sixth round of the IMSA WeatherTech® SportsCar Championship, and the third round for the Tequila Patrón North America Endurance Cup.

The 6 Hours of Watkins Glen started well with pole position set by van Overbeek in the # 2 Tequila Patrón Extreme Speed ​​Motorsport Honda Ligier JS P2. During the race, the team also showed strong pace and were fighting for victory with Derani at the wheel.

Ultimately though they were forced to retire with an engine problem, when they were in fourth place.

Derani had earlier made what the media described as ‘a daring move on Joao Barbosa to take the lead of the event. The fact that Derani led the race at the halfway stage ensured that bonus points were captured to keep the Tequila Patrón Extreme Speed ​​Motorsport car in the hunt for the Tequila Patrón North America Endurance Cup title.

The trio of Derani, van Overbeek and Sharp are in second position with 33 points, just two points behind Christian Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa, who won the race.

“Sometimes these setbacks are part of the game in racing,” said Derani after the race. “But I am very thankful to the Tequila Patrón Extreme Speed ​​Motorsport team and to Honda for the commitment and support over the weekend, they were phenomenal once again.

“We were in the hunt for the win but it wasn’t to be this time. But we are still in touch for the championship and we will keep on pushing at Petit Le Mans later in the year.”

Derani now heads back across the Atlantic to Europe, where he will prepare for the 6 Hours of the Nurburgring later this month with the Tequila Patrón Extreme Speed ​​Motorsport squad.