Van der Zande Breaks Porsche's Perfect Streak in Detroit

Renger van der Zande needed an opportunity and found it three minutes from the end. The Dutch driver of the Acura ARX-06 #93 from Meyer Shank Racing saw the gap on the inside of Turn 1 and didn't hesitate to attack the Cadillac V-Series.R #10 of Ricky Taylor.

That move gave him the victory in Detroit and ended Porsche Penske Motorsport's unbeaten streak in 2025. Four perfect races for the Germans came to an end on the streets of downtown Detroit.

Photo By IMSA

Lead changes define the race

The 100-minute event saw constant lead changes between three manufacturers. Felipe Nasr was leading in the Porsche 963 #7 when Ricky Taylor passed him with a move in Turn 4.

The Brazilian lost momentum, allowing van der Zande and Mathieu Jaminet (#6 Porsche) to also get by. Nasr dropped from first to fourth place in just a few minutes.

"I saw them battling each other and the leading Porsche had some problem or burned through its tires too much," explained van der Zande after the race. "Ricky goes all out, he's the nicest guy outside the car, but inside you have to watch out for him."

Ford vs. Chevrolet duel in GTD PRO

Seb Priaulx and Mike Rockenfeller dominated the Grand Touring Daytona Pro category with the #64 Ford Mustang GT3 from Ford Multimatic Motorsports. The duo controlled 55 of the 81 completed laps, withstanding constant pressure from the #3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R.

Antonio García and Alexander Sims tried a different strategy with their Chevrolet, extending their initial stint to gain time in the pits. The move wasn't enough to catch the Ford, finishing 1.623 seconds behind the winner.

The podium was completed by the #9 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 from Pfaff Motorsports, with Andrea Caldarelli and Marco Mapelli scoring their first podium of 2025 with the new Italian machine.

Photo By IMSA

Rockenfeller celebrates in Ford territory

The German driver didn't miss the chance to joke about winning in Detroit: "I have the feeling I'm in a Ford city," he commented in the press conference. "I know there's a battle between GM and us, but we race against everyone. It's great to have GM behind us."

García regretted not being able to find a way past the Ford for much of the race: "It's a shame we were behind the #64 for over an hour. We couldn't really pass that car, so it was a lot of time following."

Photo By IMSA

Championship standings

Porsche Penske Motorsport maintains control of the drivers' championship despite losing their perfect streak. Nasr and Nick Tandy keep a 70-point lead over their teammates Campbell and Jaminet.

For Acura, this victory comes at the perfect time after returning with Meyer Shank Racing in 2025. Van der Zande scores his 22nd IMSA victory, his first since last year's Petit Le Mans when he closed his chapter with Cadillac.

Busy schedule for teams

The upcoming commitments present a considerable logistical challenge. Several teams and drivers will travel to France for the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 14-15, returning immediately for the Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen a week later.

This double duty will test the organizational capacity of teams competing on both sides of the Atlantic, particularly those with programs in the World Endurance Championship.

GTP (Grand Touring Prototype)

GTD PRO (Grand Touring Daytona Pro)