DETROIT, Michigan (May 30, 2026) – Paul Miller Racing will start Saturday’s Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic from sixth position after a dramatic day that showcased both the unforgiving nature of the Detroit Street Circuit and the determination of the team’s crew.
The day took a difficult turn during Practice 2 when Neil Verhagen made contact with the wall, causing significant damage to the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO and bringing out a red flag.
While Verhagen emerged unharmed, the incident left the team with less than three hours to prepare the car for qualifying.
On a weekend where sessions are tightly compressed and opportunities to work on the car are limited, the challenge facing the crew was substantial.
The damage required extensive repairs across much of the front section of the BMW as well as large portions of both sides of the car. Working against the clock, the Paul Miller Racing crew successfully returned the No. 1 BMW to the track in time for qualifying.
The incident also carried an additional consequence. Under IMSA regulations, any car responsible for causing a red flag during practice loses its fastest qualifying lap.
As a result, Verhagen’s quickest lap of the session, a 1:09.872 set during his 13-lap qualifying run, was deleted.
Despite the setback, Verhagen delivered another strong performance. His next-best lap, a 1:09.961 recorded on lap 12, officially counted and secured sixth on the GTD PRO grid.
The lap matched the time set by the No. 15 Lexus, but because Verhagen posted the time first, the No. 1 BMW was awarded P6. Pole position was claimed with a lap of 1:09.354 by the No. 3 Corvette.
The events of Friday once again highlighted the challenge of racing on Detroit’s narrow 1.7-mile street circuit.
With concrete walls lining the course and little room for error, even the smallest mistake can carry significant consequences. The challenge is amplified during a compressed race weekend where there is little time available between sessions to recover from major damage.
Attention now turns to Saturday’s final practice session from 11:10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. before the green flag drops on the 100-minute Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic at 4:10 p.m. ET.
With overtaking notoriously difficult around the nine-turn street circuit, track position, flawless pit stop execution, and avoiding mistakes will be critical factors in the fight for championship points as Paul Miller Racing looks to close the gap to the GTD PRO championship leaders.
