Acura Ended BMW's Perfect IMSA Streak

Nick Yelloly needed five races to secure his first pole position in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, but he chose the perfect moment to do it. The British driver ended BMW's perfect pole position streak in 2025 by setting a time of 1:05.762 seconds on the slippery streets of Detroit in the #93 Acura ARX-06.

The street circuit surface had caused havoc throughout Friday. Multiple sessions were interrupted by red flags, including an incident where the #7 Porsche lost its rear engine cover after brushing against the concrete barriers. Both Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillacs also paid the price of the treacherous conditions during practice. Yelloly admitted his winning lap included several brushes with the walls.

I checked the bodywork and it's literally just a scratch, plus a little on the sidewall of the tire. That usually means you've done a decent lap, so I'm happy with my little paint transfer on the side of the car.

Tom Blomqvist Completes Acura's Party

Teammate Tom Blomqvist secured the 1-2 for Meyer Shank Racing with the second fastest time of 1:05.908 seconds in the #60 Acura. The last time the team had occupied both front row positions in the top class was at the 2008 24 Hours of Daytona, when they competed in the former Daytona Prototype category.

BMW M Team RLL maintained its presence at the front by occupying the entire second row. Sheldon van der Linde (#25) finally outperformed Dries Vanthoor (#24) in qualifying for the first time this season, though both drivers will make their Detroit street course debut on Saturday.

Yelloly's pole ended a 23-month drought for Meyer Shank Racing, whose last pole had come at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in July 2023. Interestingly, that was also the last time the polesitter won the race in GTP.

Priaulx Returns to Pole in Detroit

Sebastian Priaulx confirmed his familiarity with Detroit's streets by claiming his second consecutive pole at this circuit, now behind the wheel of the #64 Ford Mustang GT3. The British driver recorded 1:10.922 seconds to beat teammate Christopher Mies by 0.329 seconds.

The GTD PRO session lasted just 15 minutes according to regulations, but was cut short when Rasmus Lindh lost control of his #81 Ferrari at Turn 4. The impact against the barriers left the car stranded on track, forcing officials to display the red flag with just over six minutes remaining.

"This place doesn't forgive," warned Priaulx about the circuit. "You don't have much margin for error and the walls aren't like marshmallows. They might look like it, but they're actually concrete blocks."

Penalties

Incidents during practice had direct consequences on the starting grid. Nick Tandy and Felipe Nasr, current GTP championship leaders, lost their best qualifying time in the #7 Porsche after causing a red flag when they lost the engine cover.

Both Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillacs (#10 and #40) were also penalized for causing interruptions during practice sessions. In GTD PRO, Antonio Garcia (#3 Corvette) and Andrea Caldarelli (#9 Lamborghini) received the same penalty.

The #14 Lexus from Vasser Sullivan Racing faced a different penalty: it qualified third in GTD PRO but will be sent to the back of the grid after failing post-qualifying technical inspection for not meeting the car's minimum height requirement.

Challenging Conditions

Lack of grip has been the common denominator in Detroit. Every practice session and qualifying has seen multiple cars losing control in different sectors of the 1.654-mile circuit.

Additional Saturday sessions, including IndyCar and Indy NXT practice and qualifying, could deposit enough rubber on the asphalt to improve grip conditions during the 100-minute race.

The location of Ford's Flat Rock, Michigan plant adds a special element for the Mustang GT3s. "It feels like home," commented Priaulx about racing so close to where his race car is assembled.

Opportunity for Acura

Saturday's race presents a unique opportunity for Acura to interrupt Porsche Penske Motorsport's winning streak, having won the first four races of 2025. The penalty for the championship leaders and the unpredictable track conditions could favor those starting from the front positions.

The strategy will be relatively simple for the 100-minute race: a single stop for driver change and refueling. The decision to change tires will depend on each team's specific circumstances during the race.

Yelloly has a clear plan: "It will be important to build a gap, whether in traffic or simply through pace, and nail that driver change. Those starting further back will probably take more risks than those of us starting up front."

Detroit Sports Car Classic Starting Grid