It was a day of triumph for newcomers in GTD PRO and GTD. Conquest Racing, in their second GTD PRO race, emerged victorious with Daniel Serra and Giacomo Altoe at the helm. In the GTD category, Turner Motorsport claimed the top spot with the No. 96 BMW M4 GT3. While Turner and driver Robby Foley are familiar with victory lane, it was the first win for Patrick Gallagher, who joined the team at the start of 2023.
Conquest Racing returned to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this season with a GTD Ferrari 296 GT3 driven by Albert Costa Balboa and Manny Franco. The team added Daniel Serra to partner with Costa in GTD PRO at Detroit, marking the first time they ran two cars: the No. 35 Ferrari 296 and the No. 34 GTD entry.
Throughout the weekend, the team demonstrated impressive pace, but it was their strategic decisions that ultimately secured the win. By opting not to pit early like the rest of the field, the Ferrari was able to complete the race with just one stop. The frequent caution periods in the second half of the race ensured the car had enough fuel to reach the finish line. This victory marked Conquest Racing’s first since 2012 in the LMPC category.
“We didn’t expect to be in the fight for the win,” said Serra. “When you enter a race like GTD Pro, and we came just for this race, with all the mechanics and everyone working together for the first time… We weren’t expecting to be in contention, but the team did an exceptional job. We took a gamble with our strategy, staying out during the first yellow. We knew we had the speed, but we lacked straight-line speed compared to the other cars. So, we stayed out, gained track position, and were fortunate with the caution periods. In the end, it was a good call, and we finished with the fuel light on the last lap, pushing it to the limit. We are incredibly happy.”
Serra’s last victory in IMSA competition came in the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona with Risi Competizione. For Altoe, this win marked his first in just his third start.
“It feels absolutely amazing,” said Altoe. “IMSA is one of my favorite championships because it always delivers great shows, and the competition level is incredibly high. To achieve a win in such circumstances is never easy, especially for us. As Danny mentioned, everything was new for us – the first time sharing the car with Danny, the first time with the team for me. Despite that, we quickly formed a strong bond in just a few days, and to secure the victory today is a tremendous accomplishment. I’m truly grateful to the team for their exceptional strategy and hard work throughout the weekend.”
Serra faced a late charge from Bryan Sellers in Paul Miller Racing’s No. 1 BMW M4 GT3, but ultimately held on to win with a 1.873s margin over the BMW. Ross Gunn and Alex Riberas claimed third place for Heart of Racing in the No. 23 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo.
In the GTD category, Vasser Sullivan Racing pushed the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 to its limits on fuel. However, when Parker Thompson had to make a splash stop in the final minutes, Robby Foley inherited the lead and drove the No. 96 BMW to a 1.13s victory over the No. 70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3 Evo of Brendan Iribe and Frederik Schandorff.
“We thought we were in a good position with our strategy at one point. However, a couple of caution periods disrupted our plans, and then the next caution period gave us an advantage back,” explained Foley. “So, to be honest, until the last caution, I wasn’t confident about our fuel situation. We managed to save fuel quite well, so I was hoping that would work out and maybe be our path to victory today. The last caution period put us in a good position fuel-wise. I also believe that the McLaren and the cars behind the Lexus were still very close.”
This win marked the first victory for Gallagher and the first win for Turner in two years. Gallagher and Foley have been friends for a long time and their journey to victory together made the win even more special.
“It’s truly awesome to be here with Robby,” said Gallagher. “I’ve said this before, but he and I were living in a basement in Monticello, New York, working at a racing school seven or eight years ago. To achieve my first WeatherTech win with him and Turner, after going through all that together, is simply unbelievable. And yes, there will definitely be a celebration.”
Turner Motorsport is known for celebrating victories with tacos, as their pit sign features a light-up taco sign. However, Foley hinted in a post-race interview that a popular Wisconsin beer might also be involved in the celebration.
“It’s a bad day to be a Spotted Cow,” he jokingly told IMSA Radio’s Shea Adam.
Korthoff Preston Motorsports seemed poised for a strong performance and a potential first GTD victory with the No. 32 Mercedes AMG. However, a caution during a pit stop disrupted their lead. Despite this setback, Kenton Koch, in his first sprint race appearance for the team, was running in third place in the final minutes after taking over from polesitter Mikael Grenier. Unfortunately, contact with Philip Ellis in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes AMG sent Koch off track, resulting in a seventh-place finish for the team.
In contrast, it was a fantastic day for Sheena Monk and Stevan McAleer, who steadily climbed through the field and made a late surge from seventh to third in the chaotic closing laps. This secured the first podium finish for the No. 66 Gradient Racing Acura NSX Evo22, ahead of championship leaders Russell Ward and Winward Racing. Matt Bell and Orey Fidani claimed fifth place in the No. 13 AWA Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.
Despite their seventh-place finish, Ellis and Ward maintain their lead in the standings with 268 points over Gallagher and Foley. Thompson sits in third place, trailing the Turner pair by 258 points.
The GTD PRO and GTD teams will have the next race to themselves as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship features a GT-only weekend at VIRginia International Raceway in three weeks.
Photo from Daniel Serra Instagram
