The MV Skinlab Grand Prix of Long Beach proved to be a nightmare for Kinetic Racing as their #67 Acura suffered a devastating crash, leaving them with their worst finish since 2023. The Auckland-based team, the most successful in VSCA history with seven victories, saw their hopes dashed after an unfortunate collision on lap 34.
The incident unfolded just after the #67 car completed a driver change, with Vincent L'Herbier handing the wheel over to Aedan Campbell. Prior to pitting, L’Herbier had been holding a strong third place, 13 seconds behind the leaders. However, as Campbell exited the pits, he found himself directly in front of GT PRO race leader Marco Silva in the #183 Blocco Motore Porsche.
Approaching the tricky turn three at the fountain, disaster struck. Silva, unable to react in time, made heavy contact with the rear of Campbell’s car, sending the Acura hard into the wall and tire barriers. The damage was catastrophic, forcing Kinetic Racing to call in the tow trucks. The team ultimately finished in a disappointing 15th place, last among classified finishers.
“This one really hurts,” said Campbell. “Everything happens so fast at this track, and that was a good example. I barely got into third gear before our race was over. I don’t think I could have done anything differently. It really looked like Marco [Silva] went too deep or maybe confused his headlight flash with the brake pedal. You’ll have to ask him what happened.”
Silva, for his part, explained that the sudden difference in tire conditions played a major role in the crash. “The 67 pitted and exited right in front of us into turn one, and we were right on their bumper. A light car on warm tires versus a heavy car on cold tires—we just had very different braking points, and unfortunately, it ended in heavy contact. It’s a shame for both teams because we both lost out on a strong result.”
The crash sent shockwaves through the championship standings. After finishing sixth at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the #67 car now finds itself plummeting from fourth to 12th in the standings, trailing by 338 points. It marks a sharp downturn from their dominant 2023 championship-winning form.
Despite the setback, Campbell remains optimistic. “We love racing here and felt like we had a strong car towards the end of the fuel stint compared to the Porsches. This won’t change our approach. These seasons are long, and we know we can still fight back. The competition is as tough as it’s ever been, but we’ll use this as motivation heading into Sebring.”
The team will now turn its focus to repairing their Acura and regrouping for the next round, the historic 12 Hours of Sebring. With the determination and pedigree of a championship-winning team, Kinetic Racing will look to rebound and put Long Beach behind them.