Acura Ends Long Beach Drought in Style
Renger van der Zande produced a composed and measured drive under relentless late pressure to secure Acura Meyer Shank Racing’s long-awaited victory at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, ending a 17-year winless run at the Californian street circuit.
The Dutchman, at the wheel of the #93 Acura ARX-06, resisted repeated attacks from Frederick Vesti in the #31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R through a frenetic closing phase punctuated by multiple cautions and restarts. Van der Zande ultimately crossed the line 0.818 seconds ahead, sealing Acura’s first Long Beach triumph since its 2009 American Le Mans Series success.
The result also extended van der Zande’s personal mastery of the venue, marking his third IMSA victory at Long Beach following wins in 2022 and 2024—albeit previously with Cadillac machinery.
Behind the leading duo, Porsche Penske Motorsport completed a solid double points finish, with Laurens Vanthoor taking third in the #6 Porsche 963 ahead of teammate Felipe Nasr in the sister #7 entry. BMW M Team WRT’s Sheldon van der Linde rounded out the top five.
In GTD, Vasser Sullivan secured victory for Lexus with the #12 RC F GT3 of Aaron Telitz and Benjamin Pedersen, ahead of Turner Motorsport’s BMW pairing of Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher. Conquest Racing completed the podium in third.
Race Summary
The race began under a split-class start, with Nick Yelloly leading the GTP field from pole while Robert Wickens headed the GTD pack for DXDT Racing. Early drama arrived when debris brought out a caution after Henrik Hedman’s Corvette struck the Turn 6 barriers.
Strategy quickly came into play once racing resumed. Aitken moved the #31 Cadillac into contention, eventually passing Yelloly for the lead once GTD traffic came into play. The opening hour remained tightly packed, with traffic management proving decisive across both classes.
A major turning point came when BMW’s Philipp Eng made contact with Porsche’s Laurens Heinrich, scattering debris and triggering a pivotal caution that reshuffled the order. Van der Zande inherited the lead following a perfectly timed pit sequence.
The final hour featured repeated restarts, each time van der Zande maintaining control at the front while Vesti shadowed him closely. Late incidents—including Ricky Taylor’s barrier impact and Corey Lewis’s heavy crash—ensured the race never settled into rhythm.
Key Race Results (Top Finishers)
| Position | Class | Driver(s) | Car | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GTP | R. van der Zande | Acura ARX-06 | — |
| 2 | GTP | F. Vesti | Cadillac V-Series.R | +0.818s |
| 3 | GTP | L. Vanthoor | Porsche 963 | +— |
| 4 | GTP | F. Nasr | Porsche 963 | — |
| 5 | GTP | S. van der Linde | BMW M Hybrid V8 | — |
| 1 | GTD | A. Telitz / B. Pedersen | Lexus RC F GT3 | — |
Van der Zande, however, remained calm throughout the chaos, managing traffic and restarts with precision to deliver Acura a landmark home victory in one of IMSA’s most iconic events.
