Derani secures first place in IMSA Long Beach in a damaged Cadillac.

Pipo Derani secured the top spot in the GTP category for the Long Beach Grand Prix, clocking a lap time of 1:11.388 in his slightly damaged #31 Wehlen Cadillac Racing V-Series.R. This marks his third consecutive pole position in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship 2024. The qualifying sessions leading up to the race were especially crucial due to the narrow and tight nature of the Long Beach Street Circuit. With two 15-minute sessions for each category, drivers had to navigate the evolving track conditions to set their fastest times. Derani faced competition from the Porsche Penskes and Jordan Taylor’s #40 WTRAndretti Acura. Despite a minor incident where he hit the tire barrier at Turn 9, Derani managed to hold onto his provisional pole position. Sebastien Bourdais also impressed by securing third place in his Cadillac. In the GTD category, the Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3s showed good pace, with Parker Thompson grabbing the pole position followed by Frankie Montecalvo. The full qualifying results can be found here.