When the checkered flag fell after Saturday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Long Beach, Robert Wickens, Tommy Milner, and the No. 36 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R were classified 15th in the GTD class – by no means representative of the form that they showed leading up to the race.
But to merely get to this point in his second racing career was a significant milestone for Wickens, who still took away several positives from the weekend.
“I’m disappointed with the result, but I am proud of what we achieved,” Wickens said after the race on Saturday evening. “It definitely wasn’t the end to the weekend that we wanted. Qualifying dictated the weekend for us, unfortunately.”
Wickens had his fastest lap from Friday afternoon’s qualifying session deleted for bringing out a red flag in the preceding practice session. A collision with the No. 70 Inception Racing Ferrari during the 15-minute Qualifying session bent the right-rear suspension and limited Wickens’ potential to do better than eighth on the grid.
“We knew it was going to be a track-position race,” he said. “Qualifying was not what we deserved; we know we had more speed than that, but it is what it is. This is a competitive championship, and we did what we could in the race.
“I kept the car clean and gave it to Tommy, and he got out in P10. We lost some track position, but then Tommy drove his heart out. He got us up to P5 and was making things happen. It was awesome to see.”
In an unfortunate case of deja vu from Daytona, contact between Milner and a BMW M4 GT3 EVO while exiting a hairpin corner caused damage to the rear bodywork of the No. 36 DXDT Corvette.
And just like the Daytona incident between Milner and Paul Miller Racing’s BMW in GTD PRO, this accidental clash between Milner and the Turner Motorsport BMW of Robby Foley resulted in IMSA ordering the No. 36 Corvette to pit for repairs.
“I think that was a little harsh, but there is nothing you can do when race control gives you a black flag for repairs,” Wickens said of the decision from race control.
Before the incident, Wickens spent his 35-minute opening stint running seventh after the No. 34 Conquest Racing Ferrari went off course and later retired from the race. During the team’s scheduled pit stop, it took less than 19 seconds for DXDT Racing’s crew to assist Wickens out of the Corvette and for Milner to jump into the car.
Wickens’ excitement upon completing his first race stint was clear to see and hear.
“It was good, he said after getting out of the car. “We stayed clean, which is the most important thing. I feel like we had more pace than what we showed in qualifying and unfortunately we kind of paid the price. I feel like if we had clear track, I had more in it. But I just made sure we kept the car in one piece so Tommy could have a go.