Pipo Derani set the first time in opening practice for IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, with the #31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi driver setting a 1:12.387 to go fastest.
Another Cadillac was second, this time the #5 JDC Miller Motorsports Cadillac DPi of Richard Westbrook. However, the Brit was almost a second off Derani’s leading time, with a 1:13.329 0.942 slower than what the Brazilian managed on the twisty streets.
Fellow Brit Tom Blomqvist was third in the #60 Meyer Shank Acura DPi, only a few hundredths slower than Blomqvist.
In the two GT classes, the GTD class came out on top. Bill Auberlen, behind the wheel of the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3, set the fastest time of 1:19.891. Behind him was Marc Miller for #66 Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3, with Frankie Montecalvo in the #12 VasserSullivan Lexus RC F GT3 third.
In GTD Pro, Ross Gunn set the opening pace, fastest in the #23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with a 1:20.401. Raffaele Marciello was next up for #79 WeatherTech Racing Mercesdes-AMG GT3, while Nathieu Jaminet was third, driving the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R.
