# 2018 Chevrolet Sports Car Classic

The 2018 Chevrolet Sports Car Classic was a sports car race sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). The race was held at the Raceway on Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan on June 2, 2018. The race was the fifth round of the 2018 IMSA SportsCar Championship.

## Background

Similar to the Grand Prix of Long Beach, this event was held in conjunction with the Detroit Grand Prix in the IndyCar series, with one event held on the same day as the IMSA event, and another held a day after as a double-header.
International Motor Sports Association's (IMSA) president Scott Atherton confirmed the race was part of the schedule for the 2018 IMSA SportsCar Championship (IMSA SCC) in August 2017. It was the fifth consecutive year the event was held as part of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and the ninth annual running of the race, counting the period between 2007 and 2013 when it was a round of the Rolex Sports Car Series and the American Le Mans Series respectively. The 2018 Chevrolet Sports Car Classic was the fifth of twelve scheduled sports car races of 2018 by IMSA, the shortest in terms of time, and was the third round not held on the held as part of the North American Endurance Cup. The race was held at the fourteen-turn 2.350 mi (3.782 km) Belle Isle Park on June 2, 2018. After the Sports Car Challenge of Mid-Ohio three weeks earlier, Filipe Albuquerque and João Barbosa led the Prototype Drivers' Championship with 119 points, ahead of Eric Curran and Felipe Nasr with 109 points, and Jordan Taylor and Renger van der Zande with 104 points. In GTD, the Drivers' Championship was led by Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow with 95 points, ahead of Katherine Legge and Álvaro Parente with 87 points. Cadillac and Lamborghini were leading their respective Manufacturers' Championships, while Mustang Sampling Racing and Paul Miller Racing each led their own Teams' Championships.
On May 25, 2018, IMSA released the latest technical bulletin outlining Balance of performance for the GTD class. The Lexus RC F GT3 received a 25 kilogram weight increase. The Mercedes AMG GT3 received a 10 kilogram weight break. No changes made in P.

## Entries

A total of 26 cars took part in the event split across two classes. 14 cars were entered in P, and 12 in GTD. In P, Spirit of Daytona Racing made their first appearance since Sebring. Performance Tech Motorsports skipped to focus on testing before the Watkins Glen round. Harry Tincknell returned to the Mazda Team Joest No. 55 entry. GTD saw a number of driver changes. Robby Foley joined Bill Auberlen in the Turner Motorsport entry while Mario Farnbacher substituted for Álvaro Parente in the Meyer Shank Racing No. 86 entry due to a clash with the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup round at Circuit Paul Ricard. Bernd Schneider joined Kenny Habul in the SunEnergy1 Racing entry. Jeff Segal substituted for Alessandro Balzan in the Scuderia Corsa entry due to a medical procedure.

## Practice

There were two practice sessions preceding the start of the race on Saturday, two on Friday. The first ninety-minute session was on Friday morning. The second on Friday afternoon lasted 110 minutes.

### Practice 1

The first practice session took place at 8:15 am ET on Friday and ended with Ricky Taylor topping the charts for Acura Team Penske, with a lap time of 1:21.909.
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Ricky Taylor | 1:21.909 | _ |
| 2 | P | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Felipe Nasr | 1:22.115 | +0.206 |
| 3 | P | 5 | Mustang Sampling Racing | João Barbosa | 1:22.513 | +0.604 |
| Source: |||||||

### Practice 2

The second and final practice session took place at 1:05 pm ET on Friday and ended with Hélio Castroneves topping the charts for Acura Team Penske, with a lap time of 1:22.363.
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Hélio Castroneves | 1:22.363 | _ |
| 2 | P | 22 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Pipo Derani | 1:22.388 | +0.025 |
| 3 | P | 5 | Mustang Sampling Racing | João Barbosa | 1:22.427 | +0.064 |
| Source: |||||||

## Qualifying

Friday afternoon's 40-minute qualifying session was divided into two groups. Both categories had 15-minute individual sessions, and regulations stipulated teams to nominate a single driver to qualify their cars. The competitors' fastest lap times determined the starting order with the grid arranged to put the Prototype cars ahead of all GTD entries.

### Qualifying results

Pole positions in each class are indicated in bold and by ‡.
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap | Grid |
| 1 | P | 22 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Pipo Derani | 1:22.273 | _ | 1‡ |
| 2 | P | 6 | Acura Team Penske | Juan Pablo Montoya | 1:22.992 | +0.719 | 2 |
| 3 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Hélio Castroneves | 1:23.275 | +1.002 | 3 |
| 4 | P | 5 | Mustang Sampling Racing | João Barbosa | 1:23.278 | +1.005 | 4 |
| 5 | P | 99 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Misha Goikhberg | 1:23.384 | +1.111 | 5 |
| 6 | P | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Eric Curran | 1:23.469 | +1.196 | 6 |
| 7 | P | 10 | Wayne Taylor Racing | Renger van der Zande | 1:23.558 | +1.285 | 7 |
| 8 | P | 77 | Mazda Team Joest | Tristan Nunez | 1:23.969 | +1.696 | 8 |
| 9 | P | 55 | Mazda Team Joest | Jonathan Bomarito | 1:24.566 | +2.293 | 9 |
| 10 | P | 2 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Scott Sharp | 1:24.637 | +2.364 | 10 |
| 11 | P | 90 | Spirit of Daytona Racing | Matt McMurry | 1:24.688 | +2.415 | 11 |
| 12 | P | 52 | AFS/PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports | Sebastián Saavedra | 1:25.371 | +3.098 | 12 |
| 13 | P | 54 | CORE Autosport | Jon Bennett | 1:25.741 | +3.468 | 13 |
| 14 | GTD | 48 | Paul Miller Racing | Bryan Sellers | 1:28.942 | +6.669 | 15‡ |
| 15 | GTD | 86 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanin | Katherine Legge | 1:29.390 | +7.117 | 16 |
| 16 | GTD | 93 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanin | Justin Marks | 1:29.717 | +7.444 | 17 |
| 17 | GTD | 14 | 3GT Racing | Dominik Baumann | 1:29.787 | +7.514 | 18 |
| 18 | GTD | 15 | 3GT Racing | David Heinemeier Hansson | 1:30.114 | +7.814 | 19 |
| 19 | GTD | 33 | Mercedes-AMG Team Riley Motorsport | Ben Keating | 1:30.196 | +7.923 | 20 |
| 20 | GTD | 63 | Scuderia Corsa | Cooper MacNeil | 1:30.282 | +8.009 | 21 |
| 21 | GTD | 16 | Wright Motorsports | Michael Schein | 1:30.717 | +8.444 | 22 |
| 22 | GTD | 75 | SunEnergy1 Racing | Kenny Habul | 1:30.776 | +8.503 | 23 |
| 23 | GTD | 58 | Wright Motorsports | Christina Nielsen | 1:30.878 | +8.605 | 24 |
| 24 | GTD | 96 | Turner Motorsport | Robby Foley | 1:31.640 | +9.367 | 25 |
| 25 | GTD | 44 | Magnus Racing | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | 26 |
| 26 | P | 85 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Robert Alon | no time | no time | 14 |
| Sources: ||||||||
* The No. 44 Magnus Racing entry was moved to the back of the GTD field for starting the race with a different driver than who qualified.
* The No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports entry had its two fastest laps deleted as penalty for causing a red flag during its qualifying session.

## Race
### Post-race

The result kept Albuquerque and Barbosa atop the Prototype Drivers' Championship with 144 points while Nasr and Curran tied them on points. The result kept Sellers and Snow atop the GTD Drivers' Championship with 122 points. Aschenbach and Marks advanced from sixth to fourth. Cadillac and Lamborghini continued to top their respective Manufacturers' Championships while Mustang Sampling Racing, and Paul Miller Racing kept their respective advantages in the Teams' Championships with seven rounds remaining.

### Results

Class winners are denoted in bold and ‡.
Final race classification :
| Pos | Class | No. | Team | Drivers | Chassis | Tire | Laps | Time/Retired |
| Pos | Class | No. | Team | Drivers | Engine | Tire | Laps | Time/Retired |
| 1 | P | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Felipe Nasr Eric Curran | Cadillac DPi-V.R | C | 68 | 1:40.14.245‡ |
| 1 | P | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Felipe Nasr Eric Curran | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | C | 68 | 1:40.14.245‡ |
| 2 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Hélio Castroneves Ricky Taylor | Acura ARX-05 | C | 68 | +1.016 |
| 2 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Hélio Castroneves Ricky Taylor | Acura AR35TT 3.5 L Turbo V6 | C | 68 | +1.016 |
| 3 | P | 6 | Acura Team Penske | Dane Cameron Juan Pablo Montoya | Acura ARX-05 | C | 68 | +14.127 |
| 3 | P | 6 | Acura Team Penske | Dane Cameron Juan Pablo Montoya | Acura AR35TT 3.5 L Turbo V6 | C | 68 | +14.127 |
| 4 | P | 2 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Ryan Dalziel Scott Sharp | Nissan Onroak DPi | C | 68 | +45.698 |
| 4 | P | 2 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Ryan Dalziel Scott Sharp | Nissan VR38DETT 3.8 L Turbo V6 | C | 68 | +45.698 |
| 5 | P | 10 | Wayne Taylor Racing | Jordan Taylor Renger van der Zande | Cadillac DPi-V.R | C | 68 | +49.570 |
| 5 | P | 10 | Wayne Taylor Racing | Jordan Taylor Renger van der Zande | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | C | 68 | +49.570 |
| 6 | P | 5 | Mustang Sampling Racing | Filipe Albuquerque João Barbosa | Cadillac DPi-V.R | C | 68 | +50.664 |
| 6 | P | 5 | Mustang Sampling Racing | Filipe Albuquerque João Barbosa | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | C | 68 | +50.664 |
| 7 | P | 22 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Pipo Derani Johannes van Overbeek | Nissan Onroak DPi | C | 68 | +1:16.531 |
| 7 | P | 22 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Pipo Derani Johannes van Overbeek | Nissan VR38DETT 3.8 L Turbo V6 | C | 68 | +1:16.531 |
| 8 | P | 52 | AFS/PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports | Sebastián Saavedra Gustavo Yacamán | Ligier JS P217 | C | 68 | +1 lap |
| 8 | P | 52 | AFS/PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports | Sebastián Saavedra Gustavo Yacamán | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | C | 68 | +1 lap |
| 9 DNF | P | 77 | Mazda Team Joest | Oliver Jarvis Tristan Nunez | Mazda RT24-P | C | 67 | Out of Fuel |
| 9 DNF | P | 77 | Mazda Team Joest | Oliver Jarvis Tristan Nunez | Mazda MZ-2.0T 2.0L Turbo I4 | C | 67 | Out of Fuel |
| 10 | P | 85 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Robert Alon Simon Trummer | Oreca 07 | C | 67 | +1 lap |
| 10 | P | 85 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Robert Alon Simon Trummer | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | C | 67 | +1 lap |
| 11 | P | 99 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Misha Goikhberg Stephen Simpson | Oreca 07 | C | 67 | +1 lap |
| 11 | P | 99 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Misha Goikhberg Stephen Simpson | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | C | 67 | +1 lap |
| 12 | P | 54 | CORE Autosport | Jon Bennett Colin Braun | Oreca 07 | C | 66 | +2 Laps |
| 12 | P | 54 | CORE Autosport | Jon Bennett Colin Braun | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | C | 66 | +2 Laps |
| 13 | GTD | 86 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanin | Katherine Legge Mario Farnbacher | Acura NSX GT3 | C | 65 | +3 Laps‡ |
| 13 | GTD | 86 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanin | Katherine Legge Mario Farnbacher | Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 | C | 65 | +3 Laps‡ |
| 14 | GTD | 93 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanin | Justin Marks Lawson Aschenbach | Acura NSX GT3 | C | 65 | +3 Laps |
| 14 | GTD | 93 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanin | Justin Marks Lawson Aschenbach | Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 | C | 65 | +3 Laps |
| 15 | GTD | 48 | Paul Miller Racing | Bryan Sellers Madison Snow | Lamborghini Huracán GT3 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 15 | GTD | 48 | Paul Miller Racing | Bryan Sellers Madison Snow | Lamborghini 5.2 L V10 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 16 | GTD | 33 | Mercedes-AMG Team Riley Motorsport | Jeroen Bleekemolen Ben Keating | Mercedes AMG GT3 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 16 | GTD | 33 | Mercedes-AMG Team Riley Motorsport | Jeroen Bleekemolen Ben Keating | Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 L V8 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 17 | GTD | 63 | Scuderia Corsa | Jeff Segal Cooper MacNeil | Ferrari 488 GT3 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 17 | GTD | 63 | Scuderia Corsa | Jeff Segal Cooper MacNeil | Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 18 | GTD | 14 | 3GT Racing | Dominik Baumann Kyle Marcelli | Lexus RC F GT3 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 18 | GTD | 14 | 3GT Racing | Dominik Baumann Kyle Marcelli | Lexus 5.0L V8 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 19 | GTD | 96 | Turner Motorsport | Robby Foley Bill Auberlen | BMW M6 GT3 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 19 | GTD | 96 | Turner Motorsport | Robby Foley Bill Auberlen | BMW 4.4 L Turbo V8 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 20 | GTD | 75 | SunEnergy1 Racing | Kenny Habul Bernd Schneider | Mercedes AMG GT3 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 20 | GTD | 75 | SunEnergy1 Racing | Kenny Habul Bernd Schneider | Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 L V8 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 21 | GTD | 16 | Wright Motorsports | Michael Schein Wolf Henzler | Porsche 911 GT3 R | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 21 | GTD | 16 | Wright Motorsports | Michael Schein Wolf Henzler | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 22 | GTD | 44 | Magnus Racing | John Potter Andy Lally | Audi R8 LMS GT3 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 22 | GTD | 44 | Magnus Racing | John Potter Andy Lally | Audi 5.2L V10 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 23 | GTD | 58 | Wright Motorsports | Patrick Long Christina Nielsen | Porsche 911 GT3 R | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 23 | GTD | 58 | Wright Motorsports | Patrick Long Christina Nielsen | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | C | 64 | +4 Laps |
| 24 DNF | P | 90 | Spirit of Daytona Racing | Matt McMurry Tristan Vautier | Cadillac DPi-V.R | C | 35 | Did Not Finish |
| 24 DNF | P | 90 | Spirit of Daytona Racing | Matt McMurry Tristan Vautier | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | C | 35 | Did Not Finish |
| 25 DNF | GTD | 15 | 3GT Racing | Jack Hawksworth David Heinemeier Hansson | Lexus RC F GT3 | C | 10 | Crash |
| 25 DNF | GTD | 15 | 3GT Racing | Jack Hawksworth David Heinemeier Hansson | Lexus 5.0L V8 | C | 10 | Crash |
| 26 DNF | P | 55 | Mazda Team Joest | Jonathan Bomarito Harry Tincknell | Mazda RT24-P | C | 6 | Drivetrain |
| 26 DNF | P | 55 | Mazda Team Joest | Jonathan Bomarito Harry Tincknell | Mazda MZ-2.0T 2.0L Turbo I4 | C | 6 | Drivetrain |
| Sources: |||||||||
Tyre manufacturers :
| Key ||
| Symbol | Tyre manufacturer |
| C | Continental |
| M | Michelin |

## Standings after the race

* Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.
* Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.
* Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.