Heinrich Quickest for JDC-Miller in Opening Long Beach Practice

Photo: Perry Nelson/IMSA

Laurin Heinrich was quickest in opening practice for this weekend’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

The Long Beach rookie, aboard JDC-Miller Motorsports Porsche 963, reeled off a chart-topping time of 1:13.240 in the closing stages of Friday morning’s session to dethrone the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 of Tom Blomqvist, who led much of the session.

Filipe Albuquerque in the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Series.R was third, also in a late session improvement.

It bumped Laurens Vanthoor, in the No. 6 Penske Porsche 963 to fourth. However, co-driver Kevin Estre stopped late in the session after brushing the Turn 4 wall, before the Frenchman made his way safely into a track cut-out.

Both of the factory Porsches, which are undefeated in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition so far this season, are carrying 45 kg/99 pounds of additional weight as part of a pre-event Balance of Performance adjustment.

Heinrich’s Porsche is some 40 kg lighter than the works machines.

Jack Aitken completed the top-five in the No. 31 Action Express Racing Cadillac.

GTD was paced by the No. 13 AWA Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, also in a late improvement, bumping the guesting No. 89 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 of Jack Hawksworth to second.

The opening practice ran without a red flag, although there were several spins or run-off excursions, including one by Sheldon van der Linde in the No. 24 BMW, who overshot Turn 1, but continued.

Louis Deletraz had a similar incident but in Turn 8, while Brendan Iribe also went off in Turn 1 in his Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo.

Renger van der Zande’s No. 93 Acura also had a minor incident but also continued.

A second 90-minute practice session is on tap for 1:10 p.m. PST (4:30 p.m. EST).

RESULTS: Practice 1

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John