Nasr quickest in opening IMSA Long Beach practice

Felipe Nasr posted the fastest lap during IMSA’s two-hour practice session to open the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. The Brazilian’s No. 31 Action Express Racing/Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R (1m28.259s) led Acura Team Penske’s Ricky Taylor in the No. 7 ARX-05 (+0.141s) and the second Acura, the No. 6 entry driven by Juan Montoya.

The sister No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac was fourth (+0.175s) as the two teams made quick work of the circuit during the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s primary practice outing ahead of this afternoon’s run for the pole. Two red flags slowed the action on the street course as both of JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillacs brought a halt to the session.

Misha Goikhberg went first in the No. 84 DPi-V.R when he went into the runoff area at Turn 2, followed 17 minutes later when Simon Trummer deposited the No. 85 into the Turn 1 tires.

Both cars were extracted quickly and returned to the team without losing much time.

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Where the DPi leaders ran within a tight margin on lap times, IMSA’s GT Le Mans category produced a wider gap as the Porsche GT Team’s 911 RSRs demonstrated an early advantage. Nick Tandy led GTLM in the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR (1m17.549s), with teammate Earl Bamber following in second with the No. 912 RSR (+0.244s).

The first non-Porsche driver was Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 Corvette C7.R (+0.542s).

UP NEXT: Practice 2/Qualifying, 4:45 p.m. PT

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