Van der Zande Clinches Win at Chevrolet Sports Car Classic in Detroit
Renger van der Zande, driving the No. 93 Acura ARX-06 for Meyer Shank Racing, secured his 22nd career victory at the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic in Detroit, showcasing strategic prowess amidst fierce competition. Teaming with Nick Yelloly, van der Zande overcame an initial third-place position, overtaking both the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 and the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R in the final laps.
Despite not having the fastest car, van der Zande capitalized on key opportunities following a late-race restart. “I don’t think we had the fastest car, really,” he admitted, reflecting on how competitors gained ground on him in the latter stages. “At one point, I thought, well, maybe they’re gonna go at each other, and that’s what happened.”
Key moments unfolded with less than 30 minutes to go when Ricky Taylor executed a decisive maneuver past Felipe Nasr for the lead. Van der Zande noted, “I just wanted to make sure that I was right behind him.” After the restart, he struggled with tire grip but managed to maintain close proximity to Taylor, setting the stage for his eventual pass.
“I thought if I have a chance, it’s going to be Turn 1,” van der Zande stated, recalling the calculated risk as he strategized his overtaking maneuver. Leveraging his understanding of the Cadillac’s performance limitations, he timed his approach perfectly during a moment of traffic interference for Taylor.
Taylor, despite finishing second, expressed admiration for van der Zande’s ability to seize the moment. “At the end of the day, I think the best car won,” he said. He described the late battle with Nasr as pivotal, stating, “I knew Renger was kind of the car to beat and made an attempt to put Nasr between us.”
The race highlighted not just skillful driving but also teamwork, with Taylor acknowledging the strategic efforts that led to a podium finish alongside co-driver Filipe Albuquerque. “It took a whole team effort. Every single aspect was perfect—other than that little dive at the end from Renger, which he totally deserved,” Taylor concluded.
With this victory, van der Zande adds to his impressive resume, reinforcing his status as a formidable competitor in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
