#93: Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian, Acura ARX-06, GTP: Nick Yelloly, Motul Pole Award
Hot News IMSA

IMSA News: Acura Claims GTP Pole for Home Race as Robert Wickens Delivers Emotional GTD Pole

Posted by AR1 staff

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Acura will start from pole position in its own backyard race with a genuine shot at its first GTP-class victory on the streets of Long Beach, while Robert Wickens produced a storybook moment in his return to IMSA competition by claiming the GTD pole.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

In Friday’s qualifying for the 2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, Nick Yelloly blasted to the Motul Pole Award with a lap of 1:11.626 (98.913 mph) in the No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian ARX-06. He will share the front row with Renger van der Zande. Marco Wittmann was just 0.030 seconds back in the No. 25 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8, while Louis Deletraz and Jack Aitken completed the GTP front row for Cadillac.

Yelloly said: “We haven’t had the poles and the results that we needed so far this year, so to start on pole position here at our home Grand Prix is the most important thing and I’m just super proud. I was able to push, and inch closer to the wall each lap. The Michelin tires held up well… and I was just able to have fun.”

In GTD, Canadian driver Robert Wickens claimed his first IMSA pole in dramatic fashion. Wickens and co-driver Mason Filippi initially qualified second in the No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R (in striking new blue-and-gold Wealthspire livery).

#36: DXDT Racing, Corvette Z06 GT3.R, GTD: Robert Wickens. LAT Image for IMSA

Post-qualifying technical inspection revealed a ride-height violation on the No. 89 Lexus, which was sent to the rear of the GTD grid and promoted Wickens to pole. It marked Wickens’ seventh IMSA start and his first since last August in the adaptive hand-control Corvette setup.

“A bit of a redemption from last year… DXDT Racing and Corvette Racing are doing an amazing job. The car is so nice to drive,” Wickens said. “Going into this weekend, if you told me I’d be on the front row, I would have taken it.”

#36: DXDT Racing, Corvette Z06 GT3.R, GTD: Mason Filippi, Robert Wickens. LAT Image for IMSA

Full Provisional Race Grid – 2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

Pos Class No. Driver(s) Team Car Time
1 GTP 93 R. van der Zande / N. Yelloly Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06 1:11.626
2 GTP 25 P. Eng / M. Wittmann BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 1:11.656
3 GTP 40 J. Taylor / L. Deletraz Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Series.R 1:11.833
4 GTP 31 F. Vesti / J. Aitken Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R 1:11.844
5 GTP 7 F. Nasr / J. Andlauer Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 1:11.945
6 GTP 24 S. van der Linde / D. Vanthoor BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 1:11.995
7 GTP 23 R. Gunn / R. De Angelis ASTON MARTIN THOR Team Aston Martin Valkyrie 1:11.997
8 GTP 6 L. Vanthoor / K. Estre Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 1:12.014
9 GTP 10 R. Taylor / F. Albuquerque Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Series.R 1:12.101
10 GTP 5 T. van der Helm / L. Heinrich JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 1:12.564
11 GTP 60 T. Blomqvist / C. Braun Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06 —
12 GTD 36 M. Filippi / R. Wickens DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R 1:18.562
13 GTD 45 D. Formal / T. Hindman Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 1:18.626
14 GTD 27 D. Barrichello / S. Pumpelly Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo 1:18.704
15 GTD 57 R. Ward / P. Ellis WINWARD RACING Mercedes-AMG GT3 1:18.705
16 GTD 96 P. Gallagher / R. Foley Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO 1:18.723
17 GTD 12 A. Telitz / B. Pedersen Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 1:18.804
18 GTD 34 M. Franco / A. Costa Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO 1:18.865
19 GTD 46 A. Caldarelli / Z. Vanier Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Temerario GT3 1:19.271
20 GTD 177 H. King / M. Pedersen AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) 1:19.295
21 GTD 66 J. Walker / C. Lewis Gradient Racing Ford Mustang GT3 1:19.310
22 GTD 70 B. Iribe / F. Schandorff Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO 1:19.520
23 GTD 19 V. Hasse Clot / R. van der Steur van der Steur Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo 1:19.921
24 GTD 120 A. Adelson / C. Ilott Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) 1:20.071
25 GTD 16 S. Monk / F. Fraga Myers Riley Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3 1:20.578
26 GTD 81 H. Hedman / G. Altoè DragonSpeed Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R 1:21.995
27 GTD 13 O. Fidani / M. Bell 13 Autosport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R 1:22.471
28 GTD 89 J. Hawksworth / F. Montecalvo Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 —

Note: Car #89 had all qualifying lap times invalidated and was moved to the back of the GTD class per Penalty #IWSC TP 26-9.

The 100-minute sprint race gets underway Saturday, April 18 at 4 p.m. ET and will air live on NBC and Peacock, with international coverage on IMSA.TV and the IMSA YouTube channel. Acura is hunting its breakthrough GTP win on home soil, and Wickens starts from the front in GTD — setting the stage for a memorable afternoon on the streets of Long Beach.