Meyer Shank Racing Team Wins IMSA Race on Long Beach Streets

Meyer Shank Racing Team Wins IMSA Race on Long Beach StreetsBrandon Badraoui - Getty Images

Meyer Shank with Curb-Agajanian’s No. 93 Acura, with two-time Long Beach winner Renger van der Zande and Nick Yelloly, won the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship race.

Yelloly, who called this course “one of my most favorite street tracks in the world,” said before the race that “last year, we felt like we should have gotten a better result than we did. So, we’ll try to make amends and get Acura at the front and on the podium.” He helped put them at the top of the podium, giving Acura its first victory here since 2019, when it assumed the race title sponsorship.

Cadillac Whelen tandem of Frederik Vesti and Jack Aitken grabbed second place, just 0.818 of a second slower.

“Perfect scenario for me Saturday in Long Beach; we had to work for it,” van der Zande said, surrounded by his family in victory lane. “Cadillac seemed very fast and I was barely holding on. The rear tires were completely gone. But we did it. I was in the zone and pulling away in traffic. Traffic for me in IMSA is where my experience counts. The Cadillac came so close. But man, that was great.”

Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian drivers Renger van der Zande and Nick Yelloly celebrate in victory lane.Michael L. Levitt - Getty Images

Porsche Penske Motorsport’s No. 6 Porsche 963 of Kevin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor finished third.

Acura won overall and Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), and Lexus won here for the second time in the three seasons in the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class.

IMSA’s next race, fourth on the calendar, will be May 3 up the coast at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.