Whelen Cadillac gets the “win that we’ve been searching for a while” in Detroit
Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber combined to lead 73 of 82 laps en route to Cadillac’s first win of the 2026 IMSA season
#31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, #93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly
Photo by: Geoff Miller / Motorsport Images via Getty Images
After several heartbreaking defeats to begin the 2026 campaign in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Briton, along with co-driver Earl Bamber, were finally able to deliver a breakthrough victory for the Whelen Cadillac on the streets of Detroit last Saturday.
Each of the opening four rounds saw the #31 Cadillac V-Series.R on the podium, including three runner-up results headlined by Aitken’s hard-fought battle with eventual winner Felipe Nasr (Porsche Penske Motorsport) in the Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona.
It was practically a no-contest, however, when the team unloaded on the nine-turn, 1.645-mile temporary street circuit in the metro portion of Motor City, home of General Motors (GM). The Whelen Cadillac topped every practice session, captured pole and was untouchable in the race, leading 73 of 82 laps on the path to victory.
“I think it's a win that we've been searching for a while,” said Aitken, who now has four IMSA wins in 27 starts. “Since this program started, with Detroit being home for GM, Cadillac, so many of the people on the program. It was very meaningful and we've come close with podiums, but yeah, to get the win.”
The hometown win as also bolstered for GM as Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports, the #3 entry driven by Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims, took victory in GTD Pro, which is something Bamber noted during the post-race press conference in addition to Aitken’s closing stint.
“Jack just did a faultless drive to the end, although it was pretty nervous with those yellows watching,” said Bamber, who qualified the #31 on pole and started the race. “It was a long hour to watch, a lot of pacing going on, but yeah, just really happy for Cadillac, and really happy for the Corvette guys also to finally get the win here at our home race.”
Aitken echoed his teammate’s sentiment.
“And like Earl said, on the same day that the Corvettes managed to do the same, it's pretty overwhelming, but amazing,” Aitken said.
“Very grateful to have the team around me that I do from Earl, who was just incredible with his pace this weekend and from his pole position to handing me the car in the race in the lead. Made my life very easy, which is nice. But the car was very impressive as well. You know, we had a very good car from the get go. The Whelen Cadillac guys really, really nailed it and like I said, just feeling very grateful right now.”
Aitken has contested each of the opening five races this season, with either Bamber or Frederik Vesti rotating in as his co-driver, which leaves him sitting alone at the top of the championship standings. Aitken has 1,760 points, 144 ahead of Laurin Heinrich, who is also alone in second after being part of the endurance rounds with Porsche Penske Motorsport before multiple sprint rounds with privateer JDC-Miller MotorSports, including a win at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca last month.
Photos from Detroit - Saturday
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Detroit - Saturday, in photos
Detroit - Saturday, in photos
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