Valkyrie makes an impression around the streets of Detroit

For the only GTP entry within the field being non-Hybrid, this circuit in theory should have been the worst of all situations for the V12 normally aspirated Aston Martin powered car but in fact, it was the reverse with the car being more than capable of maintaining position with their hybrid-based peers in race form.

Roman De Angelis qualified the #23 car earlier on Friday where at the halfway stage he was running as high as midway within the eleven-car entry before inevitably being pushed back to the bottom by the end of session.

Also starting the hundred-minute sprint race, De Angelis made up early ground before the first of what was only to be two FCY periods during the race (both for debris on track) slowed the proceedings.

Like any street circuit, catching is one thing whilst passing is something completely different and whilst a few others in both GTP and GTD Pro elected to risk significant damage with a last-minute muscle their way through approach, De Angelis ran his short stint before pitting for full service and driver change to Ross Gunn after just thirty minutes on the clock.

Getting up to P9 in class, the race was then interrupted with its second but surprisingly quick FCY despite the class split leaving just under half an hour top the end. Pushing the #40 Wayne Taylor Racing GTP hard, Gunn’s reward finally came after they missed their braking point and had to take to the escape road allowing the #23 car to move up to eighth in class.

Then circulating thirteen seconds behind P7 but over thirty seconds in front of P9, Gunn comfortably brought the #23 car home for its best finish of the IMSA season to date as he and the team now move across to Watkins Glen for some more testing before flying back to France for the Le Mans 24hour Test Day this Sunday.

Photo credits – Team / AMR / social media / Michelin Tyre