Photo: Jonathan Grace
*** A total of 27 cars, divided between 11 GTP entries and 16 GTD tickets, are planned for the Acura Long Beach Grand Prix on Saturday, the first of the two street races on the ISA Weathertech sports championship of this year, for the Chevrolet Detroit entries, which is for the entries of the Chevrolet Detroit.
*** The network of this weekend does not represent a maximum capacity. While last year’s race also had 27 cars, the 2023 edition included 28 companies. Sportscar365 knows at least one GT3 team, which is not currently participating in the Weathertech championship, which has not been elected in the race due to costs linked to couple sensors mandated from the series.
*** A number of drivers are starting in the streets of Long Beach this weekend, including three-quarters of the Dries Virthoor, Sheldon Van der Linde and Marco Wittmann, Sheldon van der Linde, as well as Jenson Altzman and Jonny Edgar.
*** Heart of Racing finished more than 24 hours with her Valkyrie after her post-Twelve hours test of Sebring according to the director of the Ian James team. Ross Gunn, novel by Angelis and Alex Riberas were joined by the pilot of the World Endurance World Championship FIA full time of the Tom Gamble team for the more than 12 hours of additional racing.
*** James told Sportscar365: “We have finished our 24 -hour test, including Sebring time (race) and some. We just fed and continued. We are very satisfied with this. It was very encouraging.”
*** The general manager of Porsche Penske Motorsport, Jonathan Diuguid, who was one of the many members of the team to have stolen directly from Washington DC after the team’s champions ceremony at the White House, estimates that the GTP race strategy remains “not excluded” despite the winning car of the last two years after having finished the same set of Michelin Treees.
*** Diuguid told Sportscar365: “I don’t think we saw the tire strategy playing completely in 2024. I think the race distance was 68 laps in 2024 and 2023, it was 78. In ’23, we had the average tire there and it barely arrived at the end of the tire change.”
*** The sporting regulations of the event remain unchanged this year, with GTP teams authorized to use a total of four sets of soft Michelin compound tires for the entire event, and up to three of them for qualifications. The GTD teams, on the other hand, are able to use four sets of the compound of the Michelin Pilot Sport Pro GT H1.
*** The minimum training time in GTP remains at 5 minutes, with GTD paid at 35 minutes and a maximum of 65 minutes. There is no maximum driving time in GTP.
*** Parker Thompson paid tribute to Shigeaki Hattori, who died last weekend in a car accident at the age of 61. Thompson was part of the first victory of Toyota Michelin Pilot Challenge for the GR Supra GT4 Evo, who came to a Hattori Motorsport entrance to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2023.
*** Thompson said: “It’s a sad moment. Shige in the United States is an incredible story and I really want him to remember him. He was a large part of the Toyota family. He did a lot for the brand. I was lucky to have played a little role in Toyota’s Motors sport.”
*** The former president of the NASCAR, Steve Phelps, who played a newly created role as Commissioner Nascar, remained in his same quality with the IMSA according to a spokesperson for the series. IMSA CEO Ed Bennett continues to run for Phelps, John Doonan, remaining the president of the series.
*** The four racing pilots at Acura Meyer stem, including the new pilots Ranger Van der Zande and Nick Yelloly, made a trip to the headquarters of American Honda Corporation in Torrance, California, Wednesday to meet his associates before the home race of this weekend for the manufacturer. Honda Racing Corporation president in the United States, David Salters was also on site.
*** DXDT Racing has not yet announced Robert Wickens’ co -pilot for the rest of the Sprint racing season. The Corevtte factory driver Tommy Milner is in the car this weekend, but only because of the GTD Pro class in action this weekend. Sportscar365 estimates that Alec Udell is in the running for the headquarters for the five remaining events.
*** Milner was invited to the American Eagle Foundation in Sevierville, Tennessee. Last week to commemorate the nearly $ 15,000 collected on its sales of Rolex 24 t-shirts which went directly to the Foundation. “It was great to meet people who work with these incredible animals and hear some of their stories,” said Milner. “This money said directly to pay for the food updates and installations that were necessary as soon as possible for the Eagles.”
*** PFAFF MOTORSPORTS allows fans to decide which special MOTUL SA LAMBORGHINI HURACAN GT3 EVO2 DIRECTION will sport in the next round at Weathertech Raceway Laguna SECA, via an e-vote on social networks. Click here to vote, with the vote that ends on Friday.
*** The IMSA announced last week a multi -year agreement with Hagerty as an official partner, which will see the brand of automotive enthusiasts have a presence on track with engaging experiences on site and online.
*** Scott Dixon, Jim Michaelian, president and chief executive officer of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, as well as the former mayor of Long Beach, Beverly O’Neill, were inducted Thursday in Long Beach of renown for their achievements in the event, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and the first owner of Penske.
*** A number of Weathertech championship and drivers will participate Thursday at the Thunder in the outlet of long beach pike from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. this evening. Activities include stop competitions, pilot autograph sessions, live group performance and food.
*** The action of Friday track includes two training sessions and qualifications, which takes place for an hour at the start at 5:10 pm PST (8:10 p.m. HNE) with live coverage on Peacock and IMSA.TV.
