MONTEREY, California (May 4, 2026) – Paul Miller Racing delivered a competitive performance at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, ultimately finishing on P8 after running at the front for much of the race.
Starting from the front row in P2, the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO quickly established itself among the leading group in the GTD PRO field. Neil Verhagen took the start and completed the opening stint, holding second position in a tightly contested field.
Following the first round of pit stops and the driver change with just over 90 minutes remaining, Connor De Phillippi took over for a double stint, with the team rejoining in P2 and continuing the fight at the front throughout the 110-lap race.
Shortly after, a caution period brought the field back together and created new strategic opportunities. Taking the opportunity to make a quick fuel stop under yellow, the team rejoined in fourth position, still within striking distance of the leaders.
As the race entered its final phase, strategy became the defining factor. With energy management playing a key role in the closing minutes,
Paul Miller Racing was forced to make a late splash for fuel with just under ten minutes remaining, dropping out of contention for a podium result after running near the front throughout the race.
Despite the final outcome, the performance marked another strong showing for the team, which continues to build momentum in the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
The race marked the first sprint event of the season and took place under cool conditions, adding another layer of complexity to tire and energy management.
The weekend also stood out for the IMSA Throwback theme, with Paul Miller Racing’s BMW heritage livery drawing significant attention throughout the paddock.
Paul Miller Racing now shifts its focus to the next round in Detroit. Despite the final result, the team now sits second in the GTD PRO championship standings, just 51 points behind the lead, keeping the team firmly in contention as the sprint season continues.
Neil Verhagen
“Lots to learn from today. After a good qualifying, we settled into the race in P2 and had a strong start. I enjoyed the battles with Jack in the Lexus and Harry in the Porsche. Unfortunately, we were a bit unlucky with a yellow, which hurt our strategy. We’ll take a close look internally and come back stronger as a team in Detroit.”
Connor De Phillippi
“Our race today started out great but unfortunately a full course yellow derailed our race strategy. We fought hard to work our way through the field but had to settle for 8th in the end. Thank you to the entire team for a superb job all weekend and now we will reset with everything we learn to focus on Detroit!”
