The unique headline for Saturday’s IMSA race report learn one thing like “BOP be damned, Porsche Penske proves perfection once more in Detroit”…earlier than the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac and #93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing vehicles immediately modified it, not two-minutes later. The lesson right here is that endurance racing could be unpredictable, and by no means write a lede to a narrative earlier than you see the entire thing. You by no means know the way it’s going to finish, as IMSA’s Detroit Grand Prix proved. This weekend’s winners and losers actually assist the notion, as properly, that the grit of Detroit likes to maintain issues attention-grabbing, at all times.
Loser: The #81 Dragonspeed Ferrari by no means actually recovered
#81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3: Albert Costa, Giacomo Altoe
Picture by: Brett Farmer / Motorsport Photos through Getty Photos
A slip of the automobile on Detroit’s uneven streets led to contact with the wall and a damaged toe hyperlink that ended the #81 DragonSpeed’s (and virtually everybody else within the GTD Professional class’s) qualifying day, Friday. Saturday’s race, the lemonade-colored Anti Social Social Membership-wrapped automobile made its strategy to pit lane early within the race after operating off. It completed eighth within the GTD Professional class.
Winner: Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac might have discovered its type… at “residence”
The #10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing, Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque
Picture by: Lumen Digital Company
GM and Wayne Taylor reunited to run the Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac program this yr, however like all relationship, it takes a little bit bit to heat up and refamiliarize with each other once more. The primary half of the season has been a battle with some setbacks utterly out of their management, and a studying curve in adapting from the Acura to the Cadillac GTP automobile as properly. Put the 2 on residence soil for GM, at a spot the place WTR and Ricky Taylor have skilled appreciable success, the strain is likely to be on. However they met it, with smiles on the finish.
“I believe what we’re most happy with is, Filipe stated it proper as we left the rostrum, that we type of perceive our path, proper?,” Ricky Taylor advised Motorsport.com. “And the connection between us and GM is beginning to gel. We’re understanding why issues are taking place. It is wonderful with these vehicles, even over the previous three years, typically you are good and you do not know why you are good, typically you are dangerous, you do not know why you are dangerous. And I believe figuring that out shouldn’t be so simple as it sounds, and I believe understanding what we have to do, how this, you realize, see the see the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel.
“I believe one of many huge struggles within the group, I believe we have stated it many occasions, is that we glance dangerous the primary half of the yr with the outcomes. The tempo wasn’t there. And it is one factor to chop and paste and never perceive why you are doing issues, as a result of we now have a variety of nice sources with Cadillac and our teammates, however it’s one other factor to know why you are doing issues and to work methodically and to get there in your by yourself with that assist. And I really feel like this weekend, it was a mix of every part. It is WTR Cadillac doing issues the way in which that we have achieved issues prior to now, with the expertise of all of our companions, and that is what feels good.”
Loser: #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus’ incidents, accidents, and penalties
#14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3, GTD PRO, Aaron Telitz, Jack Hawksworth
Picture by: Lumen Digital Company
The #14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus was on a mission to tackle and get across the #77 AO Racing Porsche. However that mission got here with a price – an incident with the Porsche supplied the Lexus automobile with one in every of its two drive-through penalties for the race. The second drive by means of was as a result of a crew particular person went over the wall earlier than the automobile stopped for service in pit lane.
Winner: Ford will get its personal “residence” win
#64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3, GTD PRO, Mike Rockenfeller, celebrating his win
Picture by: Lumen Digital Company
It’s yr two for the Ford Multimatic Motorsports program operating its GT3 automobile within the IMSA program, and each vehicles have made their presence identified within the discipline in 2025 with the #65 automobile incomes a category win at Rolex this yr, and the #64 incomes its personal win on residence soil.
Loser: The #65 Ford Multimatic Mustang simply had a tough day on the workplace
#65 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3, GTD PRO, Christopher Mies, Frederic Vervisch, with a part of the rear finish hanging off after contact.
Picture by: Lumen Digital Company
The DragonSpeed Ferrari might not have been capable of catch a break this weekend, however the #65 Ford had a “no good very dangerous day” on Saturday. Earlier within the race it earned itself a Mechanical Black Flag.
Issues had been made worse when it discovered itself in a three-way tussle heading into Flip 3 with the Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini and the #48 Paul Miller Racing BMW. The BMW pushed by means of the #65, actually, inflicting first rate harm to its facet, spilling particles on monitor and leaving the #65 parked within the runoff, ending its race. The #48 was issued a drive by means of penalty for the incident.
Winner: The Detroit avenue circuit
#93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian, Acura ARX-06, GTP: Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly operating down part of the Detroit avenue circuit
Picture by: Lumen Digital Company
Detroit is not any Sebring, as Sebastian Priaulx made a degree to say Friday that you just nonetheless need to “respect the bumps” in Sebring, that are a bit extra unforgiving than Detroit. However this weekend’s avenue circuit made positive to proceed to current the identical bravado it supplies its residents, to the race’s speed-hungry challengers. It supplied many spins, whoopsies, and accentuated chaos because of its slim openings as properly. It made for a enjoyable run for drivers, and an much more entertaining look ahead to followers.
Loser: Porsche, for as soon as. Sorta
The Porsche group nonetheless on the rostrum…simply not the highest spot in Detroit. #93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian, Acura ARX-06, GTP: Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly, #10: Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing, Cadillac V-Collection.R, GTP: Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque,#6: Porsche Penske Motorsports, Porsche 963, GTP: Mathieu Jaminet, Matt Campbell
Picture by: Lumen Digital Company
It’s not that every one good issues should come to an finish, however for one weekend, there’s not a single Porsche both within the GTP or GTD Professional class that graced the highest spot of the rostrum. Porsche followers could also be upset, and the groups in each lessons could also be as properly. However they’re nonetheless using excessive with each the #6 and #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport vehicles main the GTP championship in factors after touchdown the third podium spot in Detroit, and AO Racing’s Rexy/Roxy duo main the way in which for the GTD Professional discipline.
The BOP adjustments heading into the weekend might have helped at the least carry the battle to them a little bit extra, and as followers, we’re grateful for that. The Porsche, and Penske magic isn’t over but. There’s nonetheless Le Mans, and half a season extra to go.
On this article
Lalita Chemello
IMSA
DragonSpeed
Wayne Taylor Racing
Ford Racing
Vasser Sullivan Racing
Porsche Penske Motorsport
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