IMSA: Action Express Corvette DPs lead Detroit FP1

The Nos. 5 and 31 Action Express Racing Corvette Daytona Prototypes led the 90-minute opening practice session on the streets of Detroit’s Belle Isle.

Joao Barbosa pushed the No. 5 entry to P1 late in the session (1:24.239) to edge Dane Cameron in the No. 31 (1:24.962). Jordan Taylor completed a Corvette DP 1-2-3 with his No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing entry (1:25.131). The first non-DP belonged to Michael Shank Racing in fourth (1:25.249).

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The only major issue during practice belonged to the No. 70 Mazda Prototype. It recorded two laps before pitting with a fuel leak, according to driver Tom Long. The turbocharged four-cylinder-powered car spent most of the session behind the wall undergoing repairs, and once it returned with approximately 10 minutes on the clock, Long and co-driver Joel Miller were able to move from the bottom of the times to sixth overall. However, the car then caused a red flag in the final moments when a significant motor problem emerged on the front straight. Due to the timing of the red flag, the session ended as the No. 70 was retrieved.

PC was led by Renger van der Zande in the No. 8 Starworks Motorsport entry (1:27.030) who narrowly edged Colin Brain in the No. 54 CORE autosport PC (1:27.057).

GT Daytona, which has as many cars in the field as Prototype and PC combined, was headed by the Park Place Motorsports team. Jorg Bergmeister was fastest in the No. 73 Porsche 911 GT3 R (1:31.253) and had Jeroen Bleekemolen’s No. 33 Viper Exchange Dodge Viper (1:31.875) and Jens Klingmann’s No. 97 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 (1:31.977) in close proximity.

Up next is FP2 at 12:55 p.m. ET.