Latest news with #PaulMillerRacing
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Dan Harper admits his disappointment as drive-through penalty dents Detroit Grand Prix challenge
The reprimand in the closing stages of the series' Fourth Round – the Detroit Grand Prix – meant Harper and his Paul Miller Racing team-mate Max Hesse crossed the line seventh. It was meted out by stewards after Hesse was deemed to have made contact with one of the Fords as he attempted to find a way past, with the penalty costing them valuable time. Despite struggling to get their BMW M4 GT3 in the right operating window on the low-grip, street-based circuit, they still managed to bag a second-row start for the 100-minute race. That laid the foundations for a potential high points haul and even a silverware challenge – and Harper started in positive fashion as he moved ahead of the sister Paul Miller Racing car when the lights went out. He maintained the position throughout his stint before he handed the reins to Hesse, who kept up his push for a spot in the winners' enclosure. However, the coming-together with the Ford saw both drivers' good work come to nought and leave them provisionally sixth in the standings on 1128 points after four rounds – 170 in arrears of AO Racing Porche duo Klaus Bachler and Laurin Heinrich who lead the table. 'It was a disappointing race to end a tricky few days in Detroit,' reflected the Hillsborough man. 'We struggled through free practice on Friday as we tried to get the car in the right window on the low-grip circuit and could not quite match the pace of our GTD Pro rivals. 'Qualifying in fourth was better than we expected, we were happy with that, and the race started well, getting into the top three, but unfortunately, it slowly unravelled from there. 'Quicker cars were able to jump ahead on pit stop strategy, and then a small mistake from Max led to contact and a penalty. We salvaged some points with seventh, though, and we will push for more next time out,' added Harper, who is next in action across the Atlantic later in June at the 3.4-mile Watkins Glen International circuit in the state of New York. In their own backyard, Ford was handed a popular GTD Pro triumph thanks to the No.46 crew of Seb Priaulx and Mike Rockenfeller. They steered their Multimatic Motorsports-run Mustang GT3 to a 1.623-second win from the No.3 Corvette Racing and Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R co-driven by Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims. Pfaff Motorsports' Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 was the last of the podium finishers.
Belfast Telegraph
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Dan Harper relishes the roar of 150,000 raucous spectators at Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic
The city's streets are the venue for the fourth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and the resumption of Harper's GTD Pro title hunt with Paul Miller Racing. After the Laguna Seca meeting at Long Beach at the beginning of May, Detroit marks the second consecutive 100-minute sprint for Harper and German team-mate Max Hesse. Both are vying for a solid result at the iconic 1.65-mile track, which has two of its 18 corners named after the automotive factories of Ford and Chrysler that are based nearby. For Harper, this will be the first time he has competed there, with approximately 150,000 people comprising die-hard fans and casual spectators set to watch from the grandstands. Interest levels have been heightened further as downtown Detroit is welcoming teams, cars and drivers from IndyCar — one of the country's most followed motorsport series. 'I am looking forward to Detroit,' admitted Harper. 'This is going to be my first time on a proper street circuit, so that is going to be an exciting new challenge to tackle. It will be a steep learning curve at the beginning, but I am confident I will adapt to the circuit quickly. 'Detroit is a big event in US motorsport with IMSA racing alongside IndyCar, so there is going to be a big buzz around the event, with lots of spectators attending — and I am really excited to be a part of it. 'The weather is looking hit or miss, so that could certainly make things interesting and add another layer to the challenge that awaits us.' A total of 11 GTD Pro cars are set to line up on the grid for the sprint contest and, despite rounds one and three not going to plan for Harper and Hesse due to a no-fault accident at Daytona and an early drive-through penalty at Laguna Seca, a second-place finish at Sebring in April has given a glimpse of their race-winning potential. 'I'm looking forward to getting back to work with the Paul Miller Racing crew,' added the 24-year-old Hillsborough man, who is in action from 7.30pm UK time. 'We have consistently been amongst the fastest cars on the GTD Pro grid so far this season, and we showed at Sebring that we are capable of getting on the podium. 'It is just a shame that we have had issues — incidents and penalties — to contend with in the other two rounds, but everyone in the team is determined to continue clawing back points in the Championship so fingers crossed we have a strong weekend.'
