WeatherTech Championship Race at Road America a Favorite For Drivers

Last year's winners – #31 Action Express driven by Eric Curran and Dane Cameron

With only two races left for the Prototype cars after this weekend's Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America — the event following this one, the Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway, is GT only – there's no question that the Prototype teams will be primed and pumped up for their first race since July 10, and their last until September 17.

At 4.048 miles, the 14-turn track is beloved by most all the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competitors, and it's one of the tracks where Prototype cars can really stretch their legs.

"It's a driver's track," said Joel Miller, co-pilot of the No. 70 Mazda Prototype. "You can really push the car to the limits. It encompasses what a race track should be — a natural-terrain circuit that still has that old-school feel. Any day you drive at Road America is a joyous day."

"All in all, in my opinion, Road America is one of the top three or four tracks in the country," said Christian Fittipaldi, who finished second at Road America last year with co-driver Joao Barbosa in the No. 5 Action Express Chevrolet Corvette DP. The winner in Prototype in the 2015 race was the team Action Express car, the No. 31 of Eric Curran and Dane Cameron.

In the driver points battle, Fittipaldi and Barbosa are first with 220 points, followed oh-so-closely by Curran and Cameron with 216 points. Third are brothers Jordan and Ricky Taylor in the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Konica Minolta Corvette DP with 211 points.

In Prototype Challenge, which also has two points races to go after Road America, Renger van der Zande and Alex Popow have 267 points, 17 ahead of Tom Kimber-Smith and Robert Alon in second.

GT Le Mans points are tight as well with Chevrolet Corvette C7.R drivers Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner on top with 228 points, 10 ahead of Ford GT drivers Richard Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe.

And in GT Daytona, Ferrari racers Christina Nielsen and Alessandro Balzan lead with 212 points, followed by Audi drivers Andy Lally and John Potter with 199.

GT Daytona driver Ben Keating, who won the class at Road America in the No. 33 Dodge Viper GT3-R with co-driver Jeroen Bleekemolen last year, can't wait for this weekend.

"Road America is a track that has it all," Keating said. "It rewards bravery. So many fast corners, so many risks and heavy brake zones. It is a place that is great as long as everything is going well, but it can all go bad quickly."

The Continental Tire Road Race Showcase is Friday through Sunday, and includes not only the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, but the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, the Porsche GT3 Cup USA and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series.

The WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race airs live on FS1 at 4 p.m. ET Sunday, as well as via the FOX Sports GO app. For more information on the weekend, log onto RoadAmerica.com and IMSA.com. Steven Cole Smith