Defeat snatched from the jaws of Victory at Long Beach

A victory for the # 3 C8.R seemed all but assured until a fluke accident resulted in a drive-thru penalty.

Jordan Taylor, coming off a victory at the 12 hours of Sebring won the pole, just as qualifying time ran out for IMSA’s Saturday’s 1 hour 40-minute sprint race (preceding Sunday’s INDY CAR’s 2-hour race).

Pole is considered a huge advantage on a street circuits like Long Beach where chances to pass can be few and far between.

Taylor controlled the lead with about 60 minutes to go before a scheduled pit stop for gas, tires and driver change.

Video https://youtu.be/tI5AVMjY-HU 

When the # 3 Corvette stopped to change tires, the center hex nut from the right front somehow escaped the gun socket spinning with such force (est 15,000 rpm) it flew over the roof of # 9 Pfaff Racing Porsche 911 RSR parked 2 stalls ahead, entered the intake and damaged the radiator core beyond repair.  (That was one “Magic Lugie”)

IMSA officials imposed a drive-thru penalty on Antonio Garcia that dropped the Corvette to fourth place.  While the mishap was unintentional, nobody disputes the blame falls on the Corvette team.

Caution flags allowed Garcia to take third for a podium finish and at least in the GTD PRO class.

Alex Riberas in the # 23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage won GTD PRO while the # 3 Corvette C8.R leads in points heading into Laguna Seca on April 30/May 1.

Following the win at Sebring, IMSA slapped the Corvette with 10 kg more weight, a 0.4 mm smaller air restrictor and a 4-liter reduction in fuel capacity.

Photos courtesy Richard Prince, Jake Galstadt, Joseph Kling and Mike Levitt.