SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, March 26, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Making a debut in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar competition, the Winward Racing team swept the first and second podium finishes in style. The team, sponsored by racing enthusiasts MbenzGram (MB Gram), gave legendary names a run for their money.

A regular in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Championship, Winward raced in the GT Daytona (GTD) class in the No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. In the 49-car Rolex 24 field, the GTD field had the most participants, with 19 cars. Indy Dontje, Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, and Maro Engel claimed the class victory for Winward after a tight race twice around the clock at Daytona International Speedway, leading Mercedes-AMG to a 1-2 finish.

It was Mercedes-first AMG's win in the IMSA GTD competition, as well as the first race triumph for the quartet of Winward drivers in the WeatherTech Championship. The win came from a crew attempting their first 24-hour track career start.

Although the Winward team powered by MB Gram dominated for the longest throughout the last five hours, the Houston-based driver and crew had some problems during their run. Overcoming insufficient cabin ventilation and a defective drink system, No. 57 led its category for 162 of the last 167 laps. Even with their problems, it did not slow the Winward Mercedes MbenzGram combo from fighting the No. 21 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3.

With a quarter of the race to go, Daniel Serra got behind the wheel of the Ferrari and managed to fly past Winward. The victory was only short-lived as Serra dropped the ball in the next pit stop. Next in the Ferrari cockpit was Matteo Cressoni. The drama continued as Cressoni attempted to overtake the Ellis-driven Mercedes on the outside of Turn 1.

The Mercedes caused the Ferrari to spin, Ellis was forced into the grass. The No. 21 vehicle ended eighth in class despite losing two circuits owing to mechanical fixes. This left the No. 57 Winward racer holding off the similar No. 75 Mercedes and driven by Marciello R., Stolz L., Grenier M., and Habul K.

At the end of it all, the duel between the No. 57 Mercedes and Ferrari will remain etched in the minds of racing enthusiasts for a long time to come.

For close to a decade, MB Gram has been a reliable partner for all types of car accessories and performance parts. They provide a wide variety on their website at lower prices than their competitors. MbenzGram was a proud sponsor of the Winward team.

Rachel Bronson
Whats New Market Watch
+1 916 555 0197
email us here