The No. 67 Ford GT team defied the odds at Long Beach, using a one-pit-stop strategy to perfection that put them on the second step of the podium after qualifying last at the BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix.
Drivers Ryan Briscoe and Richard Westbrook expertly navigated through a caution-filled race, keeping the No. 67 in one piece and positioned for a podium, their sixth IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship podium together since pairing up at Ford Chip Ganassi Racing last season.
“It was a good, clean race for us,” Briscoe said. “We got a bit of good fortune at the beginning. A few cars went out in front of us, so that gave us a little bit of track position. We had a very nice pit stop with a driver change, then a really long stint on our Michelin tires. I think comparing to the other cars on my strategy, we were probably the best car when it came to consistency and performance at the end of the race. It was a crazy finish, with a stack-up at the hairpin. I think this will really shake up the points nicely for us on the No. 67 car. I think this gets us back in the hunt.”
Westbrook started p8 after an aggressive pursuit of extra tenths in qualifying put the rear of the No. 67 into the tire wall. Meanwhile, Joey Hand put the No. 66 Ford GT on the front row in p2. But at the green flag, Hand was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was collected by an accident in front of him that left him no room to avoid it, and caused significant damage to the front of the car. The No. 66 finished p8.
Meanwhile, Westbrook and Briscoe steadily worked their way around the packed street circuit, in pursuit of a podium. It was as much of a victory for the No. 67 crew, who’d already performed an engine change and repairs to the car after qualifying.
“Obviously, starting at the back gave us some options on strategy,” Westbrook said. “We really set the car up for the long run and it really paid dividends today. Had there not been so many yellows at the end, the result could’ve been even better. Ryan really spent a long time working on the fuel number. Thanks to everyone on the No. 67 team for holding patient and working hard. We’re back on the podium.”
The No. 66 was caught in not one, but two on-track incidents. In the second, driver Dirk Müller was spun into the wall in the hairpin turn, causing damage to the rear of the car. The No. 66 Ford GT had finished on the podium at the first two races of the year, winning at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and finishing second at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
The events of the day were not a surprise to Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Managing Director Mike Hull.
“The results were exactly what you expect on city streets,” Hull said. “On city streets, you always wait until the end to see who’s going to blink first. We had a great car today. Both Richard and Ryan did exactly what they knew to do to finish where they did today. I think it’s great for the team, great overall for the program.”
