The #31 Action Express Cadillac topped both Friday practice sessions in Detroit for the IMSA Detroit Sports Car Classic sprint race, with Jack Aitken fastest in practice 1 and teammate Earl Bamber fastest in practice 2.
Of the two, Bamber was the faster, setting a 1:06.412 to top the times. He was over 7 tenths faster than Aitken in the first session.
In fact, the first 9 GTP laps in practice 2 were quicker than Aitken’s fastest in practice 2, displaying the immense track evolution – Indycar is running at the same track this weekend – and the setup progress the teams made between the two sessions.
Second fastest in practice 2 was Sheldon van der Linde in the #24 BMW, 0.031 off Bamber. Third fastest was the sister car, driven by Marco Wittmann, 0.089 off his teammate.
Louis Deletraz was fourth-quickest in the #40 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac, while fifth was Tom Blomqvist in the #60 Meyer Shank Acura. The fastest Porsche was the #6, in the hands of Laurens Vanthoor.
In the earlier session, Aitken was fastest followed by van der Linde’s co-driver in the #24 BMW, Dries Vanthoor. Third fastest was Renger van der Zande in the #93 MSR Acura.
Corvette fastest in GTD Pro at Detroit
Over in GTD Pro, the only other class racing this weekend, the Corvettes were the class of the field in both sessions. Once again the gap was around 7 tenths, but this time two different cars was fastest. In the first session, Nicky Catsburg, in the #4 Pratt Miller Corvette, led with a 1:10.921, from Ben Barnicoat in the #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus and Fred Vervisch in the #65 Ford Mustang.
In the second session, the sister Corvette was quicker, with Alexander Sims in the #3 car setting a 1:10.109 to go quickest. Catsburg’s co-driver in the #4, Tommy Milner was second fastest, 2 tenths off, while Max Esterton was third fastest in the #59 RLL McLaren, a further 0.033 off.
Fourth was IMSA rookie Chaz Mostert in the one-off #15 Vasser Sullivan Lexus, while fifth went to Vervisch in the #65 Ford.
Qualifying for IMSA Detroit begins at 4:45pm local time in Detroit, or 9:45 in the UK. Session results for both sessions can be found on IMSA’s website: practice 1 results, and practice 2 results.
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