Race Recap IMSA AAES Weathertech Sportscar Championship
Suzuka International Racing Course
Sun, Aug 23, 2026Round 6
Blommel Dominates Suzuka International Racing Course: Leads from Pole to Victory
Race at a Glance
Field Size
17
Laps
33
Avg Lap Time
1:50.795
Clean Runners
1
Lead Lap Finishers
4
Margin
+32.479s
Winner Spotlight
Joseph Blommel
P1 Finish
Round 6 of the AAES Weathertech Sportscar Championship at Suzuka International Racing Course belonged entirely to #87 Joseph Blommel, who converted his pole position into a clean sweep of the 33-lap race. Blommel led all 33 laps — the data confirms zero lead changes across the full race distance — earning 200 points in a performance that brooked no challenge from the field. It was Blommel's second win of the season in the series, and he crossed the line ahead of #46 Graham Van Ewyk, who charged from his fourth starting position to claim the runner-up spot. #06 Justin Landry, who had lined up on the front row in P2, slipped one position across the 33 laps to complete the podium in third, with #025 Logan Gensel rounding out the top four after also dropping a spot from his third starting berth.
The race was run without a single caution period, placing all the pressure on driver pace and racecraft across Suzuka's demanding layout. In that context, the incident sheets told an important story: Blommel carried 8 incidents across 33 laps in victory, while Van Ewyk's second-place run came at the cost of 10 incidents. Notably, #888 Andrew Scherf was the race's lone clean driver, completing all 33 laps with zero incidents on his way to a P5 finish that matched his starting position. #54 Maxwell Waite, meanwhile, was one of the day's difficult stories, falling two positions from sixth on the grid to eighth at the flag while collecting 10 incidents — a result that, while not catastrophic, opened the door for rivals below him in the standings.
The hard charger award went to #33 Nathan Blatchford aboard the #33 entry, who gained four positions from his 17th starting spot to finish 13th. Starting at the back of the 17-car field and threading through traffic on a track offering no easy passes, Blatchford's +4 net gain was the largest position swing in the race, achieved despite accumulating 14 incidents along the way.
In the standings, #54 Maxwell Waite remains firmly at the top with 1,075 points after six rounds, but Sunday's result tightened things behind him. Logan Gensel sits second at 925 points, with Steve Pierson just 20 points back in third at 905. Justin Landry's podium moved him to fourth at 870 points, and Blommel's victory vaults him to fifth at 800 points — putting the race winner within striking distance of the top half of the standings. With Waite's points lead sitting at 150 over Gensel, the fight behind the points leader remains very much alive heading into the second half of the season.
Top Movers
Nathan Blatchford33
▲ +4Graham Van Ewyk46
▲ +2Marcus Taylor101
▲ +2Finishing Order
| Finish | Start | +/- | Car # | Driver | Inc | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 87 | Joseph Blommel | 8x | 200 |
| 2 | 4 | +2 | 46 | Graham Van Ewyk | 10x | 175 |
| 3 | 2 | -1 | 06 | Justin Landry | 3x | 150 |
| 4 | 3 | -1 | 025 | Logan Gensel | 3x | 120 |
| 5 | 5 | 0 | 888 | Andrew Scherf | 0x | 200 |
| 6 | 7 | +1 | 23 | Steve Pierson | 6x | 200 |
| 7 | 9 | +2 | 101 | Marcus Taylor | 13x | 175 |
| 8 | 6 | -2 | 54 | Maxwell Waite | 10x | 150 |
| 9 | 8 | -1 | 64 | Dan Kopinski | 16x | 120 |
| 10 | 10 | 0 | 90 | Zack Yordy | 1x | 105 |
| 11 | 11 | 0 | 077 | Jacob Brownell | 7x | 90 |
| 12 | 12 | 0 | 157 | Robert Davis | 5x | 80 |
| 13 | 17 | +4 | 33 | Nathan Blatchford | 14x | 70 |
| 14 | 13 | -1 | 902 | Bradford Rineer | 5x | 60 |
| 15 | 14 | -1 | 469 | Brian Bell | 10x | 50 |
| 16 | 15 | -1 | 440 | Ross Boudreau | 10x | 40 |
| 17 | 16 | -1 | 097 | Anthony Raso | 12x | 30 |
