IMSA Petit Le Mans Highlights: Action Express Wins, Porsche Claims Titles
In a thrilling conclusion to the IMSA SportsCar Championship at Road Atlanta, Action Express Racing’s #31 Cadillac V-Series.R secured back-to-back victories at the Petit Le Mans, finishing with a 5.1-second margin over The Heart of Racing’s #23 Aston Martin Valkyrie, driven by Ross Gunn, Roman De Angelis, and Alex Riberas. The event culminated with Porsche’s Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet clinching the drivers’ championship in the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 LMDh despite finishing third.
The 10-hour endurance race featured critical strategies and multiple safety car periods, which shaped the final results. Action Express showcased dominance throughout, recovering from an early setback after Jack Aitken, who started second, took the lead by shadowing Tom Blomqvist in the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 during the early stages. Aitken extended the lead to nearly 10 seconds before handing the car over to Earl Bamber, who faced a puncture that briefly hindered their charge.
Bamber later recovered to reclaim second, overtaking the sister Porsche driven by Laurens Vanthoor. The pivotal moment arose during the final safety car with four hours remaining, allowing Action Express to leap ahead in the pits. Ultimately, Vesti took the wheel and secured the lead before revealing his prowess in the closing stages.
Porsche’s success was underscored not only by the drivers’ title but also by clinching manufacturers’ and teams’ championships, alongside victories in the IMSA Endurance Cup. The win marked a clean sweep for Porsche in the GTP class.
Notably, the fight for positions continued to be fierce with the sister BMW M Hybrid V8 finishing fourth, and the Lamborghini SC63, piloted by Romain Grosjean, Edoardo Mortara, and Daniil Kvyat, closing in the top five.
Class Results
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GTP Class:
- 1st: #31 Action Express Racing Cadillac V-Series.R
- 2nd: #23 The Heart of Racing Aston Martin Valkyrie
- 3rd: #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963
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LMP2 Class:
- Winner: #11 TDS Racing ORECA-Gibson 07
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GTD Pro Class:
- Winner: Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO
The Petit Le Mans remains a testament to strategic excellence and competitive spirit within IMSA, setting the stage for the upcoming season.
