2018 Sports Car Challenge of Mid-Ohio
The 2018 Acura Sports Car Challenge of Mid-Ohio was a sports car race sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). The race was held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio on May 6, 2018. The race was the fourth of the 2018 IMSA SportsCar Championship.
Background
The race marked IMSA's return to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the first time since 2013 as the track replaced Circuit of the Americas after the 2017 season.[1][2] On April 11, 2018, Acura was announced as a title sponsor for the event.[3] On April 30, 2018, IMSA announced NBC Sports as its broadcasting partner from 2019 onwards.[4] Michael Shank Racing was renamed to Meyer Shank Racing following Jim Meyer becoming a co-owner of the team.[5]
On April 27, 2018, IMSA released the latest technical bulletin outlining Balance of Performance for the prototype class.[6] The Acura ARX-05, Mazda RT24-P, and Nissan Onroak DPi received less turbo boost. The Cadillac DPi-V.R received a 0.6 mm smaller air restrictor while the LMP2 cars didn't get any changes. In GTD, The BMW M6 GT3 received a 20 kilogram weight break and a fuel capacity reduction of 2 liters.[7]
Entries
A total of 34 cars took part in the event split across 3 classes. 14 cars were entered in P, 8 in GTLM, and 12 in GTD.[8] In P, Spencer Pigot subbed for Harry Tincknell in the Mazda Team Joest #55 entry due to a clash with the FIA World Endurance Championship round at Spa-Francorchamps.[9] In GTD, Park Place Motorsports, and Montaplast by Land-Motorsport, CJ Wilson Racing, and Sqaudra Corse Garage Italia were absent. HART skipped due to a lack of funding.[10] Álvaro Parente joined Katherine Legge in the Meyer Shank Racing #86 entry.[11] Wright Motorsports added a second entry featuring Wolf Henzler and Michael Schein.[12] Bill Auberlen joined Dillon Machavern in the Turner Motorsport entry.[13] Maro Engel replaced Thomas Jäger in the SunEnergy1 Racing entry.[14]
Practice
Practice 1
The first practice session took place at 9:45 am ET on Friday and ended with Ricky Taylor topping the charts for Acura Team Penske, with a lap time of 1:13.601.[15]
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Ricky Taylor | 1:13.601 | _ |
| 2 | P | 6 | Acura Team Penske | Juan Pablo Montoya | 1:14.089 | +0.488 |
| 3 | P | 5 | Mustang Sampling Racing | Filipe Albuquerque | 1:14.608 | +1.007 |
| Source:[16] | ||||||
Practice 2
The second practice session took place at 3:00 pm ET on Friday and ended with Juan Pablo Montoya topping the charts for Acura Team Pensken, with a lap time of 1:36.867.[17]
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P | 6 | Acura Team Penske | Juan Pablo Montoya | 1:36.867 | _ |
| 2 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Hélio Castroneves | 1:36.997 | +0.130 |
| 3 | P | 10 | Wayne Taylor Racing | Jordan Taylor | 1:37.215 | +0.348 |
| Source:[18] | ||||||
Practice 3
The third and final practice session took place at 8:35 am ET on Saturday and ended with Dane Cameron topping the charts for Acura Team Penske, with a lap time of 1:12.675.[19]
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P | 6 | Acura Team Penske | Dane Cameron | 1:12.675 | _ |
| 2 | P | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Hélio Castroneves | 1:12.763 | +0.457 |
| 3 | P | 55 | Mazda Team Joest | Jonathan Bomarito | 1:13.767 | +0.566 |
| Source:[20] | ||||||
Qualifying
Qualifying results
Pole positions in each class are indicated in bold and by 
.
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap | Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P | 7 |  Acura Team Penske |
 Hélio Castroneves |
1:11.837 | _ | 1 |
| 2 | P | 6 | Acura Team Penske |
Dane Cameron |
1:11.984 | +0.147 | 2 |
| 3 | P | 77 |  Mazda Team Joest |
 Oliver Jarvis |
1:12.339 | +0.502 | 3 |
| 4 | P | 55 | Mazda Team Joest |
Jonathan Bomarito |
1:12.596 | +0.759 | 4 |
| 5 | P | 10 | Wayne Taylor Racing |
 Renger van der Zande |
1:12.600 | +0.763 | 5 |
| 6 | P | 5 | Mustang Sampling Racing |
 João Barbosa |
1:12.943 | +1.106 | 6 |
| 7 | P | 52 | AFS/PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports |
 Gustavo Yacamán |
1:12.982 | +1.145 | 15 |
| 8 | P | 99 | JDC-Miller MotorSports |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Mikhail Goikhberg |
1:13.035 | +1.198 | 7 |
| 9 | P | 85 | JDC-Miller MotorSports |
Robert Alon |
1:13.156 | +1.319 | 16 |
| 10 | P | 38 | Performance Tech Motorsports |
James French |
1:13.365 | +1.528 | 8 |
| 11 | P | 22 | Tequila Patrón ESM |
Johannes van Overbeek |
1:13.532 | +1.695 | 9 |
| 12 | P | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing |
Eric Curran |
1:13.583 | +1.746 | 10 |
| 13 | P | 2 | Tequila Patrón ESM |
Scott Sharp |
1:14.347 | +2.510 | 11 |
| 14 | P | 54 | CORE Autosport |
Jon Bennett |
1:14.351 | +2.514 | 12 |
| 15 | GTLM | 24 | BMW Team RLL |
John Edwards |
1:17.853 | +6.016 | 13 |
| 16 | GTLM | 911 | Porsche GT Team |
Nick Tandy |
1:17.919 | +6.082 | 14 |
| 17 | GTLM | 25 | BMW Team RLL |
Alexander Sims |
1:17.932 | +6.095 | 17 |
| 18 | GTLM | 912 | Porsche GT Team |
 Earl Bamber |
1:18.021 | +6.184 | 18 |
| 19 | GTLM | 3 | Corvette Racing |
 Antonio García |
1:18.114 | +6.277 | 19 |
| 20 | GTLM | 66 | Ford Chip Ganassi Racing |
Dirk Müller |
1:18.207 | +6.370 | 20 |
| 21 | GTLM | 67 | Ford Chip Ganassi Racing |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Ryan Briscoe |
1:18.333 | +6.496 | 21 |
| 22 | GTLM | 4 | Corvette Racing |
Tommy Milner |
1:18.452 | +6.615 | 22 |
| 23 | GTD | 15 | 3GT Racing |
Jack Hawksworth |
1:19.317 | +7.480 | 23 |
| 24 | GTD | 14 | 3GT Racing |
Kyle Marcelli |
1:19.370 | +7.533 | 24 |
| 25 | GTD | 48 | Paul Miller Racing |
Madison Snow |
1:19.882 | +8.045 | 25 |
| 26 | GTD | 86 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanin |
Katherine Legge |
1:19.933 | +8.096 | 26 |
| 27 | GTD | 96 | Turner Motorsport |
Dillon Machavern |
1:20.339 | +8.502 | 27 |
| 28 | GTD | 93 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanin |
Justin Marks |
1:20.477 | +8.640 | 28 |
| 29 | GTD | 58 | Wright Motorsports |
 Christina Nielsen |
1:20.748 | +8.911 | 29 |
| 30 | GTD | 63 | Scuderia Corsa |
Cooper MacNeil |
1:20.846 | +9.009 | 30 |
| 31 | GTD | 16 | Wright Motorsports |
Michael Schein |
1:21.043 | +9.206 | 31 |
| 32 | GTD | 33 | Mercedes-AMG Team Riley Motorsport |
Ben Keating |
1:21.244 | +9.407 | 321 |
| 33 | GTD | 44 | Magnus Racing |
John Potter |
1:21.379 | +9.542 | 332 |
| 34 | GTD | 75 | SunEnergy1 Racing |
Kenny Habul |
1:21.733 | +9.896 | 343 |
| Sources:[21][22] | |||||||
- 1 The No. 33 Mercedes-AMG Team Riley Motorsport entry was moved to the back of the GTD field after the team elected to change tires after qualifying.
- 2 The No. 44 Magnus Racing entry was moved to the back of the GTD field after the team elected to change tires after qualifying.
- 3 The No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing entry was moved to the back of the GTD field after the team elected to change tires after qualifying.
Race
Results
Class winners are denoted in bold and .
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References
- "IMSA to race at Mid-Ohio in 2018, skip COTA". racer.com. July 28, 2017. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- "IMSA Announces Mid-Ohio Return". sportscar365.com. July 28, 2017. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- "Acura Named Title Sponsor for Mid-Ohio Race". sportscar365.com. April 11, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Pruett, Marshall (April 30, 2018). "IMSA moving to NBC Sports in 2019". racer.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- "Michael Shank Racing To Become Meyer Shank Racing". dailysportscar.com. April 6, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Dagys, John (April 27, 2018). "DPis Slowed for Fourth Consecutive Race". sportscar365.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Lloyd, Daniel (April 6, 2018). "DPis Slowed Again for Long Beach". sportscar365.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Dagys, John (April 25, 2018). "34 Entries for Mid-Ohio; Auberlen Confirmed at Turner". sportscar365.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Dagys, John (April 30, 2018). "Pigot to Sub for Tincknell at Mid-Ohio". sportscar365.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Dagys, John (April 17, 2018). "HART Unlikely for Mid-Ohio". sportscar365.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Dagys, John (April 20, 2018). "MSR Confirms Second Acura for Mid-Ohio". sportscar365.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Dagys, John (April 23, 2018). "Wright Confirms Second Porsche for Henzler, Schein". sportscar365.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Dagys, John (April 16, 2018). "BMW: Auberlen Available to Customer Teams". sportscar365.com. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
- Dagys, John (April 27, 2018). "Engel Rejoins SunEnergy1 for Mid-Ohio". sportscar365.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Myrehn, Ryan (May 4, 2018). "Taylor Leads Acura Team Penske 1-2 in Practice 1 at Mid-Ohio". sportscar365.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- "03_Results_Practice 1.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Myrehn, Ryan (May 4, 2018). "Montoya Fastest in Wet Practice 2 at Mid-Ohio". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- "03_Results_Practice 2.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Myrehn, Ryan (May 5, 2018). "Cameron Tops Mid-Ohio Practice 3". sportscar365.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- "03_Results_Practice 3.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. May 5, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- "03_Results - Amended 2.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. May 5, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- "01_Starting Grid_Race_Official.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. May 6, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- "03_Results_Race_Official.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.