Richard Westbrook, driver of #85 JDC Miller MotorSports Porsche 963, expressed his frustration about races in downtown Detroit after the sprint event was marred by numerous accidents.
For the first time, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship hosted a new circuit in Detroit, located in the city center, instead of the usual location at Belle Isle.
Both the IMSA and IndyCar events were marked by collisions and contacts, with the former having five caution periods during the 100-minute race, including an incident where Cadillac #31 driver Jack Aitken hit Westbrook, causing him to spin halfway.
This maneuver resulted in Westbrook temporarily blocking the width of the track before completing a multi-point turn to continue the race. Aitken was subsequently penalized with a drive-through penalty.
“It’s hard for me to find anything positive,” he said honestly.
“To be frank, the track is not suitable for races with prototypes in the top GTP class.
“It felt like being in a bumper car. The vehicle damage worsened with each lap. It was unacceptable – completely unacceptable.
“I found it frustrating. I have great memories of the times we raced at the beautiful Belle Isle in Detroit.
“I’m looking forward to Watkins Glen – now that’s a great circuit.”
His teammate, Tijmen van der Helm, qualified the #85 Porsche in ninth place and completed a 30-minute opening stint before Westbrook finished the rest of the race.
The duo struggled to find competitive speed with their #85 Porsche, and the circuit’s 90-degree turns offered few opportunities for overtaking and avoiding incidents.
Despite the potential of two professional categories of IMSA – GTP and GTD Pro – competing on the same track, many cars in both classes suffered damage of varying degrees due to the contacts that occurred throughout the race.
IMSA will turn its attention to the 6 Hours of Glen, which will take place one week after the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as the next endurance race on the WeatherTech 2024 season calendar.
