New York State of Mind as Michael Marsal Heads to Watkins Glen for Sahlen’s 6 Hour

– Marsal and co-driver Palttala currently 7th in IMSA GTD Class championship
– 1st race outing at Watkins Glen with new Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3, team encouraged about testing
– Marsal/Palttala duo led late in the 2015 race before red flag and flat tire cost possible podium

Watkins Glen, NY  (30 June 2016) – Michael Marsal and his fellow Turner Motorsport co-driver Markus Palttala will be back in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship action this weekend as the duo are set for Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen International.

The track, based at the foot of the Seneca Lake in upstate New York, is one that drivers have long raved about with over three miles of diving turns, climbing high-speed essses, and high corner entry speeds. That enthusiasm has only grown with the newly laid layer of pavement on the track, which now adds “super smooth” to its list of positive adjectives along with fast and fun.

Marsal and Palttala, who led this race with less than two hours to go in 2015 before severe rain showers caused a red flag, will look to make the most of the performance on tap from the No. 97 Alvarez & Marsal/IHG Rewards Club BMW M6 GT3. The Glen weekend is the first official outing for the all-new specification GTD class entry.

With some testing already under the Turner squad’s belt ahead of the weekend, the team will look to get a fast start to the weekend.

The race is one that attracts a banner entry, so traffic management will once again be key. As the third of four rounds of Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup (TPNAEC), the team will look to move up from eighth in the TPNAEC, which will stage its closing race at Road Atlanta in the season finale event.

“I’m eager to get back to the Glen this year, especially after testing here last month,” said Michael Marsal. “The new surface is incredible and really suits our M6 GT3s very well. We always seem to have a strong package for this event so I’m cautiously optimistic that we can capture a strong result this weekend and walk away with some solid points.”

Sunday’s will go green at 10:10 AM ET, with FS1 bringing live flag to flag coverage of the race.