They can not all be winners and losers at IMSA’s Lengthy Seaside GP

It has been zero days with out an incident between a Corvette pushed by Tommy Milner and a BMW. And whereas some followers could also be upset that Saturday’s story did not finish with the now notorious Milner chook from the Rolex 24, the remainder of the sphere managed just a few candy victories price noting and losses that had been actually extra simply disappointments. All of it taking place in a really fast 100 minutes of racing.

So, with out additional adieu, the winners and losers of IMSA on the Acura Grand Prix of Lengthy Seaside:

Loser: The #60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing… and nicely each Acura GTPs

What you may need missed, simply seconds after the waving of the checkered flag and as groups had been placing in a cool-down lap earlier than pitting, the #60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian misplaced one in all its wheels. The way it managed to run the vast majority of the race — over 25 laps for the reason that final (second) full course yellow — with out shedding the wheel is considerably dumbfounding. (MSR did handle to tweet that the #60 did have a “robust pit cease” for that spherical, which could clarify the tip consequence).

The #60 was additionally one of many two vehicles to say out on the preliminary pitstops of the primary full-course yellow. They did find yourself pitting two laps later (nonetheless beneath warning), and regardless of no different actual points, managed to complete 9, behind the #23 Aston Martin THOR Valkyrie automobile. It wasn’t an ideal day for Acura as a complete. Additional salt within the wound is the truth that this was the “Acura Grand Prix of Lengthy Seaside.” 

Winner: Vasser Sullivan Racing 

Each Vasser Sullivan Racing driver (Jack Hawksworth, Parker Thompson, Aaron Telitz and Frankie Montecalvo) on the rostrum with AO Racing’s GTD-winning crew.

Photograph by: LAT Photos

Redemption could be sweeter than revenge? The weekend began with the Parker Thompson crusing a quick #12 Lexus to pole at Lengthy Seaside for the second time in a row for the GTD class. However one other near-deja vu second in Saturday’s race noticed the Vasser Sullivan Racing vehicles adopted by Winward Racing’s #57 Mercedes-AMG. In the event you’ve forgotten the place this occurred earlier than, Jack Hawksworth and his crew actually did not — it was the same begin to a disappointing night for Vasser Sullivan at Sebring final month, as a transfer within the final lap of the race ended with the #12 relinquishing his lead for the second spot within the class end. This weekend, the #12 completed second once more, however two spots forward of Winward. Not solely that, however the second Vasser Sullivan Racing entry for the weekend, the #89, was proper behind to offer the crew a 2-3 end for GTD. Cheers!

Loser: Conquest Racing 

The #34 Conquest Racing Ferrari, on monitor Friday throughout the Lengthy Seaside GP weekend

Photograph by: Brandon Badraoui

The true winner of this story could be the wall round Flip 1, sadly. It was an extremely quick run for the #34 Conquest Racing Ferrari as driver Manny Franco discovered himself within the runoff at Flip 1, having made contact with the wall. Whereas he tried to push on, no matter occurred within the crash did sufficient harm that the crew tried fixing it, however retired the automobile a minimum of 20 laps down, having solely accomplished 15 laps. 

Winner: Robert Wickens’ return to a top-tier sequence with DXDT Racing

The #36 DXDT Racing Corvette pushed by Robert Wickens and Tommy Milner, sporting its busted rear finish

Photograph by: LAT Photos

It has been a protracted and painful highway for Robert Wickens for the reason that 2018 Indycar at Pocono crash that modified his life, leaving him partially paralyzed from the waist-down. And whereas that story has been instructed a number of hundred occasions this weekend, for good purpose, the most important story of the Lengthy Seaside race surrounded the 36-year-old driver, how he pushed himself and impressed the folks round him to assist him proceed racing. Wickens has most just lately skilled success in IMSA’s Michelin Pilot Problem sequence, however lastly made the step again as much as the elite, top-tier portion of IMSA this weekend — along with his first outing within the GTD class. All of it made doable with a hand management gadget developed by Bosch. And it wasn’t a race weekend with out its personal setbacks, which you’ll be able to learn just a little extra about within the subsequent part. However Wickens is again on the prime, and DXDT Racing was one other essential half to this comeback story.

Loser: But additionally the #36 DXDT Racing Corvette

Sure, the DXDT Racing Corvette is on right here twice, purposely. The crew is just not an outright loser this weekend. However it’s not an outright winner both. The #36 had an understandably tough weekend. From points in observe, to contact with a Ferrari that tousled the suspension to the BMW dance that resulted in a mechanical black flag waved that basically resulted in a last-place operating end (a minimum of forward of Conquest Racing), was onerous to look at. 

Winner: Wayne Taylor Racing

#45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracan of Danny Formal and Trent Hindman on the Lengthy Seaside GP

Photograph by: LAT Photos

The Cadillac squad on the GTP aspect of issues did not have a exceptional weekend in any method. Nor did Wayne Taylor Racing’s #45 GTD Lamborghini. However, none of WTR’s vehicles suffered any main position-altering harm, together with the Lamborghini, which managed to simply miss operating over the #85 JDC Miller Motorsports Porsche’s wing after its incident. A detailed name for positive, however once more, Wayne Taylor Racing vehicles throughout each lessons got here out unscathed. Everybody within the WTR garages should be relieved. 

Loser: BMW with three for 3 IMSA poles, and no wins

The #24 BMW M Workforce RLL of Phillipp Eng and Dries Vanthoor on monitor throughout the Lengthy Seaside GP

Photograph by: LAT Photos

Anybody who watches endurance racing understands {that a} pole place does not actually matter within the grand scheme of a protracted race. However including 35 factors to your championship factors whole is nothing to bat your lashes at both. It is not anticipated that the pole-sitter will even stand atop the endurance podium. It is actually not been anticipated for BMW this season. Effectively, the #24 BMW M Workforce RLL did a minimum of earn a podium spot this week — it simply wasn’t the “prime” spot.