DETROIT (June 1, 2024) – Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports and its two Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs were dealt cruel hands Saturday as the program’s effort to post a victory on the streets of downtown Detroit came up short.
The No. 3 and No. 4 Corvettes finished 10th and ninth, respectively, in the GTD PRO class of the Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. It brought an end to what had been a fantastic weekend with the Corvettes returning to race in Detroit – and for the first time on the city’s downtown street circuit.
The pair of yellow Corvettes began the race first and second in class with hopes of finishing that way for the Z06 GT3.R’s first win in IMSA.
Disaster struck first and at the start for the No. 3 Corvette. Garcia had to pit at the end of the first lap with an alternator problem. By the time he rejoined the race, he and Sims were well down the order and treated the rest of the race as an extended test session for the first-year Corvette.
That moved Milner to the class lead. He quickly opened a lead of more than two seconds in the opening 20 minutes and set the fastest GTD PRO race lap along the way. He made the No. 4 team’s only pit stop with a little more than hour to go and handed over to Catsburg, who rejoined after taking just fuel but under a full-course caution period.
On the restart, Catsburg was spun from the lead at the end of the Detroit circuit’s long backstretch. The Corvette suffered damage to the front-left corner but was able to continue to the end of the race.
The next IMSA event for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen on Sunday, June 23.
ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “These are never going to be easy events, but it seemed like in practice and qualifying that we were going to have a nice, sensible race at the front of the field. Not long after the start, it became obvious that this wasn’t going to be the case on our car. It was a huge disappointment and tough. Everyone is working hard but we can always find ways to get better.”
