A dramatic series of incidents shattered the halfway mark of the Motul Petit Le Mans, culminating in a violent airborne crash that eliminated Kevin Magnussen from the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Magnussen, behind the wheel of the #25 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8, collided with the rear of Alex Palou’s #93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 entering Turn 3. Palou, returning to the circuit on slick tires on a damp, drying track, was caught on an out lap when the Dane’s GTP car made heavy contact. The impact briefly sent Magnussen’s BMW into the air before it slammed hard into the tire barrier.
Magnussen extracted himself from the wreckage under his own power and was subsequently evaluated and released from the trackside medical center, according to an IMSA spokesperson. Palou, a five-time IndyCar Series champion, suffered rear-end damage in the impact but managed to remain on track, continuing under the race’s seventh full-course caution.
The heavy crash capped a chaotic five-minute sequence for the Meyer Shank Racing squad. Moments prior, the team’s two entries collided while battling for the overall lead. Renger van der Zande, piloting the #93 Acura, made contact with teammate Colin Braun in the #60 car. Race officials ultimately found van der Zande at fault, handing the #93 crew a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility.
Ricky Taylor, driving Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing’s #10 Cadillac V-Series.R, leads at the halfway point.
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