Long Beach Thursday Notebook

Photo: Jonathan Grace

***A total of 27 cars, split between 11 GTP entries and 16 GTD entries, are set for Saturday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, the first of two street races on this year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship schedule, the other being the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, which is for GTP and GTD Pro entries only.

***This weekend’s grid does not represent maximum capacity. While last year’s race also had 27 cars, the 2023 edition featured 28 entires. Sportscar365 knows of at least one GT3 team, which does not currently compete in the WeatherTech Championship, that elected not enter the race due to the costs related to the series’ mandated torque sensors.

***A number of drivers are making their debuts on the streets of Long Beach this weekend including three-fourths of BMW M Team RLL’s lineup of Dries Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde and Marco Wittmann, Heart of Racing’s Tom Gamble and Casper Stevenson, as well as Jenson Altzman and Jonny Edgar.

***Heart of Racing completed more than 24 hours with its Valkyrie following its post-Twelve Hours of Sebring test according to team principal Ian James. Ross Gunn, Roman De Angelis and Alex Riberas were joined by the team’s full-time FIA World Endurance Championship driver Tom Gamble for the 12-plus hours of additional running.

***James told Sportscar365: “We completed our 24-hour test, including the Sebring [race] time and some. We just fueled it and continued. W’re very happy with that. It was very encouraging.”

***Porsche Penske Motorsport managing director Jonathan Diuguid, who was one of several team members to have flown directly from Washington DC following Wednesday’s Team Penske champion ceremony at the White House, believes that the race-winning strategy in GTP remains “undecided” despite the winning car for the last two years having completed the race on the same set of Michelin tires.

***Diuguid told Sportscar365: “I don’t think we saw the tire strategy fully play out in 2024. I think the race distance was 68 laps in 2024 and in 2023 it was 78. In ’23 we had the Medium tire there and it barely made it to the end of the race with no tire change.”

***The event’s sporting regulations remain unchanged this year, with GTP teams allowed to use a total of four sets of Michelin Soft compound tires for the entire event, and up to three of them for qualifying. GTD teams, meanwhile, are able to utilize four sets of the Michelin Pilot Sport Pro GT H1 compound.’

***The minimum drive time in GTP remains at 5 minutes, with GTD set at 35 minutes and a maximum of 65 minutes. There is no maximum drive time in GTP.

***Parker Thompson has paid tribute to Shigeaki Hattori, who died last weekend in a road car accident at the age of 61. Thompson was part of Toyota’s first Michelin Pilot Challenge victory for the GR Supra GT4 EVO, which came in a Hattori Motorsports entry at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2023.

***Thompson said: “It’s a sad time. Shige in the U.S. is an amazing story and I definitely want him to be remembered for it. He was a huge part of the Toyota family. He did a lot for the brand. I was lucky enough to have played a small role in that, getting Toyota’s first Michelin Pilot Challenge win on debut with Hattori Motorsports. It’s pretty incredible.”

***Former NASCAR President Steve Phelps, who has taken a newly created role as NASCAR Commissioner, has remained in his same capacity to IMSA according to a series spokesperson. IMSA CEO Ed Bennett continues to report to Phelps, with John Doonan remaining the series president.

***All four Acura Meyer Shank Racing drivers, including new drivers Renger van der Zande and Nick Yelloly, made a trip to American Honda Corporation’s headquarters in nearby Torrance, Calif. on Wednesday to meet its associates ahead of this weekend’s home race for the manufacturer. Honda Racing Corporation USA President David Salters was also on hand.

***DXDT Racing has yet to announce Robert Wickens’ co-driver for the remainder of the sprint race season. Corevtte factory driver Tommy Milner is in the car this weekend but only because of there being no GTD Pro class in action this weekend. Sportscar365 believes that Alec Udell is in the running for the seat for the five remaining events.

***Milner was invited to the American Eagle Foundation in Sevierville, Tenn. last week to commemorate the nearly $15,000 raised on his Rolex 24 t-shirt sales that has gone directly to the foundation. “It was great to meet the people who work with these amazing animals and to hear some of their stories,” said Milner. “That money went straight to paying for food and facility updates that were needed ASAP for the eagles.”

***Pfaff Motorsports is letting fans decide which special Motul livery its Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 will be sporting in the next round at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, via an e-vote on social media. Click Here to vote, with voting set to end on Friday.

***IMSA announced last week a multi-year agreement with Hagerty as an Official Partner, which will see the automotive enthusiast brand have a trackside presence with engaging experiences both on-site and online.

***Scott Dixon, Jim Michaelian, the President and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, as well as former Long Beach mayor Beverly O’Neill were inducted into the Long Beach Walk of Fame on Thursday for their achievements in the event, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and first under new ownership from Penske Entertainment.

***A number of WeatherTech Championship cars and drivers will be taking part in Thunder Thursday at the Long Beach Pike Outlets from 6-9 p.m. tonight. Activities include pit stop competitions, driver autograph sessions, live band performances and food.

***Friday’s track action includes two practice sessions and qualifying, which is set for a 5:10 p.m. PST (8:10 p.m. EST) start time with live coverage on Peacock and IMSA.tv.