Photo credit: www.motorsport.com
Porsche Penske Dominates at Long Beach, Securing Third Consecutive Win
During the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, Porsche Penske Motorsport continued its impressive streak, with the #7 car, driven by Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy, clinching a victory for the third consecutive race. Despite BMW capturing pole position, strategy and execution on the track ultimately favored Porsche.
This event marked the beginning of a slightly altered weekend format in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, featuring a compact 100-minute “sprint” race. This shift followed an extensive 36 hours of racing earlier in the season, encompassing both the Daytona and Sebring events. With limited tire availability—only four sets allotted for practice, qualifying, and the race—effective management of both fuel and tires became crucial, alongside navigating the required minimum driving times for the drivers.
Porsche seems to have crafted an effective strategy that suits various track conditions, which contributed to their ongoing success. Their formulation may also be pivotal in achieving a long-awaited Le Mans victory within the next couple of months.
Nasr, who played a key role in securing the win, emphasized the importance of consistency in his driving approach. “Finding the right pace and maintaining it was essential,” he said following the race. “I had a moment in Turn 8 where I almost lost control but managed to save it. Once I established my rhythm, I focused on keeping the car steady.”
The race commenced with BMW’s #24 M Team RLL leading, alongside its sister #25 car. However, the #6 Porsche encountered a minor incident involving the #93 Acura Meyer Shank w/Curb Agajanian, which did not invoke action from Race Control. Unfortunately, the #13 AWA Racing Corvette struck the wall at Turn 8 after a close encounter with the #78 Forte Racing Lamborghini, resulting in the first full course yellow.
Amid this caution, strategic decisions became vital. Most teams, aside from the #25 BMW and the #60 Acura, opted to pit, allowing both Porsche vehicles to surge ahead and maintain their lead for the rest of the race without challenges.
Remaining cars in the GTP category had a quieter outing. The #93 Acura, following its earlier collision, was sent to the pits for repairs and ultimately finished a lap down. The race took another turn on Lap 40 when the #85 JDC Miller Motorsports Porsche misjudged its line against the #27 Heart Of Racing Aston Martin. This incident culminated in a spin and further prompted the second full course yellow of the day.
GTD Class Triumph for AO Racing
In the GTD classification, the #177 AO Racing Porsche 911 “Rexy,” piloted by Jonny Edgar and Laurens Vanthoor, claimed victory. The GTD teams efficiently utilized the first full course caution for driver changes and fuel adjustments, positioning themselves for a strong finish without needing extra stops.
The positioning from the initial pit stop ultimately secured the podium for the race’s conclusion, with the #177 leading alongside both Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus entries (#12 and #89), finishing in that order.
Meanwhile, the AWA Corvette faced repair challenges during the same caution, putting it a lap down, though it managed to regain some standing after the second yellow. It ultimately concluded the race in 13th position within the GTD field.
A notable incident toward the race’s end featured the #36 DXDT Racing Corvette, driven by Tommy Milner, making contact with the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW, driven by Patrick Gallagher. Milner recounted that the collision was simply part of racing, noting, “I don’t think he did anything wrong. We just made side-to-side contact.” Following the incident, Race Control issued a “mechanical black flag” to the #36, necessitating an immediate pit stop for repairs. What began as a promising race for Milner and his teammate, Robert Wickens, ended with a disappointing 15th place finish in the class.
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will return with a more extended race format—a 2-hour and 40-minute event at Laguna Seca set for May 9-11.
Source
www.motorsport.com