Laurin Heinrich and his #77 AO Racing teammate Seb Priaulx secured GTD Pro victory at the IMSA Detroit Sports Car Classic after surviving an incident-filled sprint affair.
The fifth round of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship hosted a thrilling 1-hour and 40-minute sprint race around the streets of Detroit.
With the circuit characteristically narrow, overtaking opportunities were limited though that did not prevent drivers trying their chances throughout, as some succeeded in their moves as others did not.
Dry conditions combined with the shortest race duration seen on the IMSA WeatherTech calendar meant that both GTP and GTD Pro drivers were set on managing fuel and tyres in order to make the most of strategic gains.
The qualifying/starting drivers had done most of their work already yesterday, so after the 10-minute minimum drive-time, it was down to their teammates to make their mark in the race.
As the green flag dropped, it was an untidy start with the GTD Pro field however most dramatically, the #3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R pole-sitter of Antonio Garcia pitted after the first lap after he suffered an alternator failure, and so his #4 teammate Tommy Milner inherited the lead.
It was also heartbreak for the #64 Ford Multimatic Mustang of Harry Tincknell who grinded to a halt on the circuit which triggered a brief full-course-yellow (FCY) period to tow back the stranded car.
On return to green flag racing, Milner retained his lead in front of #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F driver Jack Hawksworth who kept him company, but began to fall back to over two seconds as Seb Priaulx in the #77 AO Racing ‘Rexy’ Porsche 911 ran in third.
Daniel Serra of the #35 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 was hit into the wall at Turn 3 by the race leader Nick Tandy of the #6 Porsche Penske, who was subsequently awarded a drive-through penalty as the Ferrari fell from their fourth place running.
In the pursuit of scoring points, the #3 and the #64 later returned to the circuit with the Mustang’s initial problem not yet fully diagnosed.
The P2 fight stood with Ben Barnicoat, who took over the #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus, fending off Heinrich in the #77 ‘Rexy’ Porsche keeping him company.
After a second FCY, Milner lost his lead as a result of a clash with the #14 Lexus of Barnicoat. The broadcast replay package showed the #14 attempting an ambitious move on the inside of the #4 into the Turn 3 hairpin, inflicting damage to both cars as the #4 found itself spun and facing the other way.
Heinrich, shortly after a brief traffic jam caused by contact between GTP drivers Jack Aitken (#31 Cadillac) and Richard Westbrook (#85 Porsche), the GTD Pro field was blocked though their race quickly resumed, as Heinrich took the lead following the #4 Corvette and the #14 Lexus’ dramas.
Whilst the #4 fell down the order, the #14 continued the fight in second with Barnicoat at the wheel behind Heinrich’s #77 Porsche.
There was, however, significant bodywork damage at the front of the #14 Lexus which shed carbon fibre on the circuit.
Given that the #14 Lexus was suffering, yet persevering, with damage, this gave Heinrich to build up the lead gap.
Soon enough, a FCY was declared in order to clear some of the stranded debris situated around the circuit, notably reducing Heinrich’s prominent lead gap down.
Before a [fifth] FCY was called when two GTPs came together, seven minutes hosted the final stretch to the finish.
The #9 Pfaff Motorsports McLaren 720S GT3 EVO ran marvellously in third position, but came into misfortune during contact made with the #23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR of Alex Riberas into Turn 3.
Furthermore, the #23 Aston Martin had made its intentions clear with their positioning onto the inside heading into the Turn 3 braking zone, though the McLaren equally closed the door.
Regardless of responsibility, the #9 McLaren was in the wall and out of the race just two laps before the end.
The beloved fan-favourite ‘Rexy’ – the green Tyrannosaurus rex – claimed victory in the end with credit to #77 AO Racing Porsche 911 drivers Laurin Heinrich and Seb Priaulx.
It was their second win after the previous round at Laguna Seca.
Reigning GTD Pro champions Ben Barnicoat and Jack Hawksworth took second place in the #14 Lexus RC F.
Third position was taken by Alex Riberas and his teammate Ross Gunn in the #23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR, followed by the other Vasser Sullivan Lexus – the #15 – driven by Parker Thompson and started by Frankie Montecalvo.
Bryan Sellers rounded off the top-five cars in the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 entrant with his teammate Madison Snow.
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