It was a day for first-time winners in GTD PRO and GTD. Conquest Racing, in only its second GTD PRO outing, took victory with Daniel Serra and Giacomo Altoe. In GTD, it was Turner Motorsport with the No. 96 BMW M4 GT3 finishing on top. While Turner and driver Robby Foley are no strangers to victory lane – although it had been since Mid-Ohio in 2022 – it was the first victory for Patrick Gallagher, who joined the team at the beginning of 2023.
Conquest Racing came back into IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition this season with a GTD Ferrari 296 GT3 for Albert Costa Balboa and Manny Franco. The team added Daniel Serra for a run with Costa in GTD PRO at Detroit, but this was the first time the team had run two cars, the No. 35 Ferrari 296 in addition to the No. 34 GTD entry.
The team had had pace all weekend, but it was strategy that delivered the win. The Ferrari made it to the end on a single stop thanks to the team taking a risk not to pit early when everyone else did, and the frequent yellows in the second half kept the car with sufficient fuel to make it to the end. It was the first victory for Conquest s ince 2012 in the LMPC category.
“I think, honestly, we were not expecting to fight for the win,” said Serra. “When you enter a like this, GTD Pro — and we came just for these race — all the mechanics, everyone working for the first time…. We were not expecting to fight for it, but in the end, the team did a super job. We gambled a bit with the strategy, we stayed out on the first yellow. We knew we had the speed, but we don’t have really the straight-line speed to fight the other cars, so we stayed out, got track position and were lucky with the yellows. In the end it was a good call, and we finished with the fuel light on the last lap, so it was on the limit. We are super happy.”
Serra last won in IMSA competition in the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona with Risi Competizione, but it was Altoe’s first win in his third start.
“It feels absolutely amazing, I have to say, because IMSA is one of my favorite championships because it delivers some really good shows, and the level is crazy high,” Altoe said. “To deliver and to bring home the result is never easy, for sure, especially for us. As Danny said, the whole package was new for us – the first time sharing the car with Danny, first time with the team for me. Everything was new, but I think we get along very well in just a few days, and to bring home the victory today, it’s a great achievement. I’m really thankful to the team. They did an amazing strategy and work, all weekend long.”
Serra had to fend off a late charge by Bryan Sellers in Paul Miller Racing’s No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 as he and Madison Snow are seeking their first win since moving to GTD PRO, but in the end had a 1.873s margin over the BMW. Ross Gunn and Alex Riberas finished third for Heart of Racing in the No. 23 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo.
Laurin Heinrich, now partnered with Julian Andlauer in the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, keeps the GTD PRO points lead at 2256 points on the strength of a fourth-place finish for the pair, although Gunn closed the gap to 76 points. Ben Barnicoat and Jack Hawksworth are third in the standings at 2083 points. On a day that Corvette Racing celebrated its 300th event start and started both its cars at the front, fifth place for Alexander Sims and Antonio Garcia was the best they could salvage, but it keeps them fourth in the points ahead of Sellers and Snow. That fifth-place finish is somewhat remarkable giving that Sims was beached in the Turn 5 gravel on the first lap after Mike Rockenfeller in the No. 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3 made a late dive inside.