# 2018 BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix

The 2018 BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix was a sports car race sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). It was held at Long Beach street circuit in Long Beach, California on 14 April 2018. The race was the third round of the 2018 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The overall race was won by the #5 Action Express Racing team of João Barbosa and Filipe Albuquerque, the duo's second win of the season. In GTLM, Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner won for Corvette Racing, their second consecutive victory at the event.

## Background

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 it was part of the IMSA SCC, and the eleventh annual running of the race, counting the period between 2006 and 2013 when it was a round of the Rolex Sports Car Series and the American Le Mans Series respectively. The 2018 BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix was the third of twelve scheduled sports car races of 2018 by IMSA, the shortest of the season in terms of distance, and it was the first round not held as part of the North American Endurance Cup. The race was held at the eleven-turn 1.968 mi (3.167 km) Long Beach street circuit on April 14, 2018.
The event was run as a support race to the Grand Prix of Long Beach, the annual IndyCar Series race held at the circuit. The Pirelli World Challenge and Stadium Super Trucks also ran during the weekend. The race was also the joint-shortest of the season, at just 100 minutes, identical to the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.
After the 12 hours of Sebring three weeks earlier, Eric Curran, Felipe Nasr, and Mike Conway led the Prototype Drivers' Championship with 62 points, ahead of Jon Bennett, Colin Braun, and Romain Dumas with 58 points, and Filipe Albuquerque, João Barbosa, and Christian Fittipaldi with 56 points. With 63 points, the GTLM Drivers' Championship was led by Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, and Richard Westbrook with a five-point advantage over Patrick Pilet, Nick Tandy, and Frédéric Makowiecki. Cadillac and Ford were leading their respective Manufactures' Championships while Whelen Engineering Racing and Ford Chip Ganassi Racing each led their Teams' Championships.
The event was run as a support race to the Grand Prix of Long Beach, the annual IndyCar Series race held at the circuit. The Pirelli World Challenge and Stadium Super Trucks also ran during the weekend. The race was also the joint-shortest of the season, at just 100 minutes, identical to the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.

### Entries

A total of 22 cars took part in the event; 14 in the Prototype (P) class and 8 in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class. The GT Daytona (GTD) class did not take part in the event, owing to a lack of garage space at the circuit. Spirit of Daytona Racing withdrew from the event following a late accident in the previous month's 12 Hours of Sebring. BAR1 Motorsports also withdrew after attending Daytona, but skipping Sebring. In GTLM, the lineup remained unchanged, apart from Risi Competizione's exit.

## Practice

There were two practice sessions preceding the start of the race on Saturday, one on Friday morning and one on Friday afternoon. The first session lasted two hours on Friday morning while the second session on Friday afternoon lasted 45 minutes.

### Practice 1

The first practice session took place at 7:40 AM PT on Friday and ended with Felipe Nasr topping the charts for Whelen Engineering Racing, with a lap time of 1:13.582.
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | P | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Felipe Nasr | 1:13.582 | _ |
| 2 | P | 5 | Mustang Sampling Racing | Filipe Albuquerque | 1:13.675 | +0.093 |
| 3 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Hélio Castroneves | 1:13.735 | +0.133 |
| Source: |||||||

### Final Practice

The second and final practice session took place at 4:45 PM PT on Friday and ended with Juan Pablo Montoya topping the charts for Acura Team Penske, with a lap time of 1:13.160.
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | P | 6 | Acura Team Penske | Juan Pablo Montoya | 1:13.160 | _ |
| 2 | P | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Felipe Nasr | 1:13.210 | +0.050 |
| 3 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Ricky Taylor | 1:13.217 | +0.057 |
| Source: |||||||

## Qualifying

Friday afternoon's 35-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 the GTLM entries.

### Qualifying results

Pole positions in each class are indicated in bold and by ‡.
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap | Grid |
| 1 | P | 6 | Acura Team Penske | Juan Pablo Montoya | 1:12.922 | — | 1‡ |
| 2 | P | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Felipe Nasr | 1:13.109 | +0.187 | 2 |
| 3 | P | 55 | Mazda Team Joest | Harry Tincknell | 1:13.156 | +0.234 | 3 |
| 4 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Hélio Castroneves | 1:13.346 | +0.424 | 4 |
| 5 | P | 5 | Mustang Sampling Racing | João Barbosa | 1:13.733 | +0.811 | 5 |
| 6 | P | 10 | Wayne Taylor Racing | Renger van der Zande | 1:13.880 | +0.958 | 6 |
| 7 | P | 77 | Mazda Team Joest | Tristan Nunez | 1:13.929 | +1.007 | 7 |
| 8 | P | 2 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Scott Sharp | 1:14.177 | +1.255 | 8 |
| 9 | P | 52 | AFS/PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports | Gustavo Yacamán | 1:14.622 | +1.700 | 9 |
| 10 | P | 22 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Johannes van Overbeek | 1:14.821 | +1.899 | 10 |
| 11 | P | 38 | Performance Tech Motorsports | Kyle Masson | 1:15.764 | +2.842 | 11 |
| 12 | P | 99 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Misha Goikhberg | 1:15.807 | +2.885 | 12 |
| 13 | GTLM | 66 | Ford Chip Ganassi Racing | Joey Hand | 1:16.869 | +3.947 | 15‡ |
| 14 | GTLM | 912 | Porsche GT Team | Laurens Vanthoor | 1:17.013 | +4.091 | 16 |
| 15 | GTLM | 911 | Porsche GT Team | Patrick Pilet | 1:17.263 | +4.341 | 17 |
| 16 | GTLM | 3 | Corvette Racing | Jan Magnussen | 1:17.293 | +4.371 | 18 |
| 17 | GTLM | 4 | Corvette Racing | Oliver Gavin | 1:17.533 | +4.611 | 19 |
| 18 | GTLM | 67 | Ford Chip Ganassi Racing | Richard Westbrook | 1:17.549 | +4.627 | 20 |
| 19 | P | 54 | CORE Autosport | Jon Bennett | 1:17.672 | +4.750 | 13 |
| 20 | GTLM | 25 | BMW Team RLL | Connor De Phillippi | 1:18.153 | +5.231 | 21 |
| 21 | GTLM | 24 | BMW Team RLL | Jesse Krohn | 1:18.224 | +5.302 | 22 |
| 22 | P | 85 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Did Not Participate | Did Not Participate | Did Not Participate | 14 |
| Sources: ||||||||

## Race
### Post-race

As a result of winning the race, Albuquerque and Barbosa took the lead of the Prototype Drivers' Championship. Jordan Taylor and Renger van der Zande advanced from seventh to fourth. Goikhberg and Simpson moved to fifth after being eighth coming into Long Beach. The result kept Briscoe and Westbrook atop the GTLM Drivers' Championship with 95 points. By winning the race, Gavin and Milner advanced from seventh to second while Pilet and Tandy dropped from second to fourth. Cadillac and Ford continued to top their respective Manufacturers' Championships while Ford Chip Ganassi Racing kept their respective advantage in the GTLM Teams' Championship. Mustang Sampling Racing took the lead of the Prototype Teams' Championship with nine rounds left in the season.

## 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 | 5 | Mustang Sampling Racing | Filipe Albuquerque João Barbosa | Cadillac DPi-V.R | C | 70 | 1:41:03.988‡ |
| 1 | P | 5 | Mustang Sampling Racing | Filipe Albuquerque João Barbosa | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | C | 70 | 1:41:03.988‡ |
| 2 | P | 2 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Ryan Dalziel Scott Sharp | Ligier Nissan DPi | C | 70 | +4.766 |
| 2 | P | 2 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Ryan Dalziel Scott Sharp | Nissan VR38DETT 3.8 L Turbo V6 | C | 70 | +4.766 |
| 3 | P | 10 | Wayne Taylor Racing | Jordan Taylor Renger van der Zande | Cadillac DPi-V.R | C | 70 | +5.249 |
| 3 | P | 10 | Wayne Taylor Racing | Jordan Taylor Renger van der Zande | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | C | 70 | +5.249 |
| 4 | P | 77 | Mazda Team Joest | Oliver Jarvis Tristan Nunez | Mazda RT24-P | C | 70 | +6.748 |
| 4 | P | 77 | Mazda Team Joest | Oliver Jarvis Tristan Nunez | Mazda MZ-2.0T 2.0 L Turbo I4 | C | 70 | +6.748 |
| 5 | P | 6 | Acura Team Penske | Dane Cameron Juan Pablo Montoya | Acura ARX-05 | C | 70 | +10.537 |
| 5 | P | 6 | Acura Team Penske | Dane Cameron Juan Pablo Montoya | Acura AR35TT 3.5 L Turbo V6 | C | 70 | +10.537 |
| 6 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Hélio Castroneves Ricky Taylor | Acura ARX-05 | C | 70 | +15.532 |
| 6 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Hélio Castroneves Ricky Taylor | Acura AR35TT 3.5 L Turbo V6 | C | 70 | +15.532 |
| 7 | P | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Eric Curran Felipe Nasr | Cadillac DPi-V.R | C | 70 | +16.340 |
| 7 | P | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Eric Curran Felipe Nasr | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | C | 70 | +16.340 |
| 8 | P | 99 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Misha Goikhberg Stephen Simpson | Oreca 07 | C | 70 | +19.686 |
| 8 | P | 99 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Misha Goikhberg Stephen Simpson | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | C | 70 | +19.686 |
| 9 | P | 55 | Mazda Team Joest | Jonathan Bomarito Harry Tincknell | Mazda RT24-P | C | 70 | +19.986 |
| 9 | P | 55 | Mazda Team Joest | Jonathan Bomarito Harry Tincknell | Mazda MZ-2.0T 2.0 L Turbo I4 | C | 70 | +19.986 |
| 10 | P | 54 | CORE Autosport | Jon Bennett Colin Braun | Oreca 07 | C | 70 | +1:09.441 |
| 10 | P | 54 | CORE Autosport | Jon Bennett Colin Braun | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | C | 70 | +1:09.441 |
| 11 | GTLM | 4 | Corvette Racing | Oliver Gavin Tommy Milner | Chevrolet Corvette C7.R | M | 69 | +1 Lap‡ |
| 11 | GTLM | 4 | Corvette Racing | Oliver Gavin Tommy Milner | Chevrolet 5.5 L V8 | M | 69 | +1 Lap‡ |
| 12 | GTLM | 67 | Ford Chip Ganassi Racing | Ryan Briscoe Richard Westbrook | Ford GT | M | 69 | +1 Lap |
| 12 | GTLM | 67 | Ford Chip Ganassi Racing | Ryan Briscoe Richard Westbrook | Ford EcoBoost 3.5 L Turbo V6 | M | 69 | +1 Lap |
| 13 | GTLM | 66 | Ford Chip Ganassi Racing | Joey Hand Dirk Müller | Ford GT | M | 69 | +1 Lap |
| 13 | GTLM | 66 | Ford Chip Ganassi Racing | Joey Hand Dirk Müller | Ford EcoBoost 3.5 L Turbo V6 | M | 69 | +1 Lap |
| 14 | GTLM | 3 | Corvette Racing | Antonio García Jan Magnussen | Chevrolet Corvette C7.R | M | 69 | +1 Lap |
| 14 | GTLM | 3 | Corvette Racing | Antonio García Jan Magnussen | Chevrolet 5.5 L V8 | M | 69 | +1 Lap |
| 15 | GTLM | 24 | BMW Team RLL | John Edwards Jesse Krohn | BMW M8 GTE | M | 69 | +1 Lap |
| 15 | GTLM | 24 | BMW Team RLL | John Edwards Jesse Krohn | BMW S63 4.0 L Twin-turbo V8 | M | 69 | +1 Lap |
| 16 | GTLM | 911 | Porsche GT Team | Patrick Pilet Nick Tandy | Porsche 911 RSR | M | 69 | +1 Lap |
| 16 | GTLM | 911 | Porsche GT Team | Patrick Pilet Nick Tandy | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | M | 69 | +1 Lap |
| 17 | P | 52 | AFS / PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports | Sebastián Saavedra Gustavo Yacamán | Ligier JS P217 | C | 68 | +2 Laps |
| 17 | P | 52 | AFS / PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports | Sebastián Saavedra Gustavo Yacamán | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | C | 68 | +2 Laps |
| 18 DNF | GTLM | 912 | Porsche GT Team | Earl Bamber Laurens Vanthoor | Porsche 911 RSR | M | 52 | Suspension |
| 18 DNF | GTLM | 912 | Porsche GT Team | Earl Bamber Laurens Vanthoor | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | M | 52 | Suspension |
| 19 DNF | GTLM | 25 | BMW Team RLL | Connor De Phillippi Alexander Sims | BMW M8 GTE | M | 37 | Did Not Finish |
| 19 DNF | GTLM | 25 | BMW Team RLL | Connor De Phillippi Alexander Sims | BMW S63 4.0 L Twin-turbo V8 | M | 37 | Did Not Finish |
| 20 DNF | P | 22 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Pipo Derani Johannes van Overbeek | Ligier Nissan DPi | C | 32 | Transmission |
| 20 DNF | P | 22 | Tequila Patrón ESM | Pipo Derani Johannes van Overbeek | Nissan VR38DETT 3.8 L Turbo V6 | C | 32 | Transmission |
| 21 DNF | P | 85 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Robert Alon Simon Trummer | Oreca 07 | C | 20 | Did Not Finish |
| 21 DNF | P | 85 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Robert Alon Simon Trummer | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | C | 20 | Did Not Finish |
| 22 DNF | P | 38 | Performance Tech Motorsports | James French Kyle Masson | Oreca 07 | C | 0 | Crash |
| 22 DNF | P | 38 | Performance Tech Motorsports | James French Kyle Masson | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | C | 0 | Crash |
| 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.