Korthoff Preston Motorsports (KPM) entered the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach with determination, ready to take on the challenging street course. After a DNF at Sebring last month, the KPM team arrived with a mission to prove they cannot be stopped. What began as a familiar scene quickly transformed into a remarkable 3rd place finish for the No. 32 Mercedes-AMG.
Despite a setback when contact with a wall in practice one forced the team to miss the second practice, the talented crew swiftly repaired the damage, securing a 6th place qualifying position out of a field of 17 competitors. Navigating through the field, managing a couple of caution periods, and executing a flawless pit stop, Korthoff Preston Motorsports skillfully surged to a 3rd place finish by the time the first sprint race of the season saw the checkered flag.
A weekend graced with beautiful California sunshine, fueled by passionate race fans, and capped with a podium finish turned into a well-deserved outcome for this dedicated team. Following a challenging start to the season, this podium has reignited the fire for KPM as they set their sights on further success, beginning with the Motul Course de Monterey Powered by Hyundai N on the second weekend of May.
When asked about the race, driver Mikael Grenier was pleased with the outcome and proud of the crew’s hard work and determination to get the car back out on track.
“I am happy with P3. It was the maximum we could do this weekend. The guys worked really hard and well this weekend. The pit stop was very good, and that’s a good way to start the sprint championship.”— Mikael Grenier
Co-driver Mike Skeen agreed, noting the incredible bounceback made by the crew after the first practice session:
“The whole crew did a killer job this weekend to recover from the incident in first practice. They gave us a great car, did an excellent stop, and I’m thrilled we were able to capitalize with a podium. The crew definitely earned this one.”— Mike Skeen