LONG BEACH, CA (Wednesday, April 12, 2023) — Paul Miller Racing head into the first sprint round of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship not only as the most recent 2023 winners—at Sebring International Raceway in March—but as defending two-time race winners of the Long Beach Grand Prix.
Co-drivers Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers stormed to victory from pole in both the 2021 and 2022 Long Beach events, leading a total of 135 of the 142 laps run over the two years. They return this year for the second time aboard the Quartz Engine Oil-backed No. 1 BMW M4 GT3—their 2022 win marked the first North American victory for the then-new M4 GT3 platform—looking to repeat their success of the last two years.
The iconic Southern California event also marks the first round of the IMSA Sprint Cup—a championship-within-a-championship for races two hours, 40-minutes or less which Paul Miller Racing won in 2022. The 100-minute race is the shortest IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race of the season, giving the team no margin for error if they seek to repeat their 2021 and 2022 result and chase down the overall championship lead.
Following their victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Paul Miller Racing team sit just one point out of the IMSA GTD championship lead.
“After the success the last two years, it’s hard to say there’s a race we’re more excited to return for than Long Beach,” Paul Miller Racing team owner, Paul Miller, said.
“I know our team and our drivers are looking to go for three-in-a-row, but this race isn’t easy. With only one pit stop during the event, there’s really no room for any mistakes. And the tight and twisty track makes passing difficult, especially with the level of competition in GTD.
“But, we’ve done it the last two years and I have full confidence that we can challenge up at the front and hopefully leave here with the championship lead.”
Practice at Long Beach kicks off Friday, April 14 at 9:00 AM PT. The 100-minute event will air LIVE on USA Network beginning at 2:00 PM PT (5:00 PM ET). Flag-to-flag coverage will also be available to subscribers on NBC Peacock.
Madison Snow
“Long Beach is the only street course we race at this year which makes it stand out above all the rest. Street courses take a different level of focus and driving. The short weekend makes sure that everyone on the team is bringing their A-game in order to get a good result. I love traveling to SoCal for this one as the time of year makes it a great escape for most people attending it who are coming from colder climates. We’re going to give it our best like always and see where we end up this year!”
Bryan Sellers
“Long Beach is one of Madison’s and my favorite events. There is something truly special about waking up in the morning, walking to the track and driving on that circuit. It’s also an event that is a little bit of a homecoming for the Snow family as Madison’s mom grew up not too far away. It’s an event that you are definitely driven to get the ultimate result for. The competition this season is at an all-time high so we will have to be on our game.”
