DPi
Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque dominated the Laguna Seca event in the DPi, taking their first win in the IMSA SportsCar Championship 2022.
The victory, however, was anything but simple and smooth, with the Portuguese author of a triple stint in the two hours and 40 minutes of racing with the Acura # 10.
The Wayne Taylor Racing driver withstood intense pressure from the # 60 lined up by Meyer Shank Racing / Curb-Agajanian and driven by Tom Blomqvist for more than two hours.
The race was characterized by a single initial neutralization, so the result was determined by which driver handled the traffic best.
Blomqvist took the lead for about 10 minutes, but Albuquerque regained him for the last time with just over an hour left, managing to build a small lead in the final minutes that allowed him to beat his rival, in paired with Oliver Jarvis.
The Acura # 10 practically led for 111 of the 117 laps completed, with Albuquerque at the wheel in the last 90.
Third is the Cadillac DPi-VR # 31 of Action Express Racing with Tristan Nunez / Pipo Derani on top, followed by Tristan Vautier / Richard Westbrook with the # 5 of JDC Miller Motorsports.
Tail light of the category, the Cadillac # 02 of Earl Bamber / Alex Lynn (Chip Ganassi Racing), outside the little sister # 01 of Renger Van Der Zande / Sébastien Bourdais.
# 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-05 Acura DPi: Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque
Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
LMP2
In the Le Mans Prototype 2 class, 25-year-old Swiss driver Louis Delétraz and John Farano clinch a lavish victory. Five of the six Orecas entered led the race for some situations, but Tower Motorsport’s # 8 ran away with Delétraz in the second half, triumphing with a 23.211 margin.
In second place is the # 18 of Era Motorsport with the duo Dwight Merriman / Ryan Dalziel, who are now at the top of the LMP2 drivers standings with 33 points ahead of Farano / Déletraz after two rounds.
Henrik Hedman / Juan Pablo Montoya completed the podium with the # 81 of DragonSpeed USA, in the Top5 there are also the cars of PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports, followed by that of High Class Racing.
# 8 Tower Motorsport Oreca LMP2 07: John Farano, Louis Deletraz
Photo by: Brett Farmer / Motorsport Images
GTD PRO
Mathieu Jaminet / Matt Campbell put together a capital performance in the GTD PRO Class triumphing with a whopping 31 “896 over their rivals.
Jaminet started from pole position and sold the Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3-R # 9 to Campbell with just over an hour to go for an easy win and a return to the lead.
Great tussle instead for the remaining positions of the podium. Three cars – Vasser Sullivan Racing’s Lexus RC F GT3 # 14, RLL’s BMW M4 # 25 and Pratt & Miller’s Corvette C8.R # 3 – battled for second and third place in the closing laps, with Ben Barnicoat prevailed over Connor De Phillippi.
Barnicoat, who was paired with Jack Hawksworth in the Lexus, finished with just 1 “221 ahead of De Phillippi and John Edwards’ BMW. Antonio Garcia / Jordan Taylor therefore remain off the podium with the Corvette.
Far behind are the Aston Martin # 23 of Heart of Racing and the Porsche # 79 of WeatherTech Racing.
# 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R: Matt Campbell, Mathieu Jaminet
Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
GTD
Ryan Hardwick and Jan Heylen are the stars of the GTD category. with the Porsche # 16.
The Wright Motorsports duo benefited from an excellent finish, recovering from eighth place, crossing the finish line first with 5 “517 in the Lamborghini Huracán # 39 of CarBahn with Peregrine Racing.
Heylen was particularly impressive with 13 minutes remaining as he passed three cars to take the lead. The # 16 Porsche only drove the final 11 laps, but it was enough to secure the second win of the season to make it to the top of the standings.
Jeff Westphal / Robert Megennis then finished in place of honor with the Lamborghini, passing the BMW of Bill Auberlen / Robby Foley (# 96 Turner Motorsport) sprinting to the finish line for 0 “037.
# 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R: Ryan Hardwick, Jan Heylen
Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
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