IMSA News: Action-Packed Opening Hours at IMSA Season Finale
In a thrilling start to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale, Action Express Racing’s Jack Aitken (pictured) seized the lead during the third hour, capping off intense early battles in the GTP class. However, the #6 Porsche was shown as the official leader at the 3-hour mark at the end of the lap.
Aitken masterfully navigated traffic to pass the pole-sitting No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 on Lap 85, stretching his advantage to over five seconds before the second cycle of scheduled pit stops at Road Atlanta.
The action was punctuated by multiple cautions. The first yellow flew for debris from the No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca 07 Gibson, dislodged after contact with PJ Hyett’s No. 99 AO Racing entry, sending driver James Rao off-course into an advertising banner in Turn 14.
A fourth caution followed when Lin Hodenius’ No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo shed its left-rear wheel and halted on track.
As the field bunched up again under the race’s fifth yellow near the three-hour mark, AJ Muss spun his No. 021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 in Turn 5, drawing in Sebastian Alvarez’s No. 8 Tower Motorsport Oreca.
Notably, the No. 93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura fell a lap down when Nick Yelloly pitted on Lap 64 to swap his steering wheel amid persistent shifting woes.
In LMP2, Mikkel Jensen’s No. 11 TDS Racing Oreca took command after co-driver Steven Thomas made contact with the class-leading No. 43 Inter Europol Competition entry of Jeremy Clarke—no penalty was issued by race control.
Meanwhile, Juan Manuel Correa’s No. 2 United Autosports Oreca veered off in Turn 7 on his out-lap, mangling the nose and forcing a limp back to the pits for repairs. The team also served a drive-through penalty for an earlier pit-lane violation.
Additional penalties dotted the field: Romain Grosjean’s No. 63 Lamborghini SC63 drew a black flag for blocking the No. 43 Inter Europol Oreca, while GTD pole-sitter Lorenzo Patrese earned one for impeding.
At the three-hour checkpoint, GTD Pro was topped by Connor de Phillippi’s No. 48 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 Evo, which capitalized on power gremlins plaguing the sister No. 47 entry then driven by Neil Verhagen.
The No. 023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari held firm at the head of the GTD class.