Baltas Captures Race 1 Win in Miami

Photo: Jessica Johnk/Porsche

Yves Baltas scored his second career Porsche Carrera Cup North America victory in the opening race of the weekend at the Miami International Autodrome.

Baltas took advantage of the pole-sitting No. 2 ACI Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car of Jimmy Llibre running wide on the race’s final restart to take the lead and eventual win in his No. 15 ACI Porsche.

Baltas’ only other series win came at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve last year.

He briefly took the lead from third on the grid before Llibre got around the ACI Motorsports driver later in the opening lap.

A safety car on the second lap came out for the No. 84 ACI Porsche of Marco Cirone, which stopped on track after sustaining damage due to contact with the No. 45 Ruckus Racing entry of Scott Blind.

Both cars’ races were over, handing the Masters class win to Todd Parriott in the No. 13 Kellymoss Porsche, which started from the rear of the 28-car field due to a ride height infringement found post-qualifying.

The safety car was back out six laps later for debris, leading to a 16-minute shootout.

Ryan Yardley was spun around by Llibre while fighting for second with 14 minutes to go, resulting in a late-race drive-through penalty for Llibre.

It promoted Michael de Quesada to second and series rookie Tyler Maxson to the third and final podium position.

Riley Dickinson, who had the quickest lap in qualifying, was fourth in a come-from-behind charge after starting 27th due to his car not being in technical compliance in post-qualifying technical inspection.

Aaron Jeansonne completed the top-five in the sister Kellymoss Porsche.

Pro-Am class honors went to James Sofronas in the No. 14 GMG Racing Porsche after JP Martinez’s No. 4 ACI Porsche pitted in the second half of the race with an undisclosed mechanical issue.

JDX teammates Sabre Cook and Paul Bocuse also failed to finish the race.

Championship contender Zachary Vanier’s gearbox broke while arriving on the grid, resulting in a retirement before the drop of the green flag.

Race 2 gets underway Sunday at 10:15 a.m. EST with live coverage on Peacock as well as IMSA and Porsche Motorsport North America’s YouTube channels.