D. Vanthoor puts BMW ahead in second Long Beach IMSA practice

BMW M Team WRT’s Dries Vanthoor set the top time in second practice for the IMSA Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Early on in the afternoon’s 90-minute practice session, Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Kévin Estre set the first lap of the weekend under 1m13s, at 1m12.742s. Seconds later, Rory van der Steur clipped the wall at Turn 1 and dropped a wing mirror on the track. The incident caused a red flag, and it also means the No. 19 Van der Steur Racing Vantage will lose its fastest lap in qualifying this afternoon.

The top time in GTD changed hands several times once green flag running resumed, ultimately landing back with Estre with a 1m12.568s.

Just before the halfway mark, Colin Braun went off into the tire barrier down at Turn 8, bringing out the second red flag of the session. The No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 suffered moderate left-front damage, and will also lose its fastest lap in qualifying.

With less than 20 minutes to go, the younger of the Vanthoor brothers turned in a 1m12.284s in the No. 24 WRT BMW M Hybrid V8, to go fastest ahead of the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R of Jack Aitken in second.

And with less than seven minutes on the clock, Harry King in the No. 177 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R crashed at turn one, bringing out the third and final red flag to bring the second practice to a conclusion.

Before that, Nick Yelloly improved to third fastest in the No. 93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura, followed by Estre, and the No. 25 WRT BMW of Marco Wittmann in fifth place.

Over in GTD, the two Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3s finished 1-2; Frankie Montecalvo actually set the quickest time in the No. 89 Lexus, turning a 1m18.654s. Aaron Telitz was second fastest in the No. 12 Lexus.

Danny Formal was third in the No. 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, and Robert Wickens, running in his hand-controlled No. 36 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, put his team fourth on the running order.

Qualifying starts this afternoon at 5:20pm PT.

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