Hannah Grisham and Hannah Greenemeier charge from P17 to P7 to claim first top-10 finish in IMSA Pilot Challenge at Laguna Seca
- RACERS
- May 6
- 4 min read
Hannah Grisham and Hannah Greenemeier secured their first top-ten finish of their rookie IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season with an impressive recovery drive from 17th to seventh in the GS class at Laguna Seca.
Hannah Grisham and Hannah Greenemeier secured their first top-ten finish of their rookie IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season with an impressive recovery drive from 17th to seventh in the GS class at Laguna Seca.
After showing promising pace at the season opener in Daytona, where they ran at the front of the class before narrowly missing out on the top ten with an 11th-place finish, and enduring an unfortunate technical issue at Sebring in round two, the third event of the season represented an important opportunity to reset and capitalize on their potential.
Despite a challenging start to the Laguna Seca weekend, the duo rose to the occasion with a determined performance that showcased both pace and racecraft, as both drivers quickly moved up the field while executing a flawless fuel strategy.
The weekend began with adversity, as a gearbox issue forced the team to carry out a change ahead of qualifying. In a significant effort, the crew managed to complete the work in time to send the car back out on track. Hannah Greenemeier took on qualifying duties and set a 1:30.133 lap to place the #26 Aston Martin in 17th position in the GS class.
Greenemeier started the two-hour race from P17 and navigated the opening laps cleanly as the field made it through the first corners. She quickly began making progress, passing Aurora Straus on the second lap after initially losing out at the start. However, the race was soon interrupted by a major incident when the #67 BSI Racing Toyota of Weisenberg suffered a heavy crash at Turn 2, flipping into the barriers and bringing out a lengthy caution period.
When the race resumed around 20 minutes later, Greenemeier had advanced to P13. The action was again halted shortly afterward following another significant accident, this time involving the #21 Victor Gonzalez Racing Cupra of Tally, which crashed heavily at Turn 1 and also ended up on its roof. With the field neutralized once more, Greenemeier was running in P12.
Racing resumed with 1 hour and 20 minutes remaining, and Greenemeier immediately went on the attack in a tightly packed four-car train. She executed a series of decisive overtakes, first passing a Porsche to break into the top ten, then overtaking Krainz’s BMW for ninth, and continuing her charge by clearing Miller in the Unitronic JDC Porsche to move into eighth. It was an extremely solid stint from Greenemeier, who demonstrated confidence as she carved her way through the field.
Another Full Course Yellow was called with 1 hour and 8 minutes remaining due to debris at Turn 2. Greenemeier pitted from P8, handing the car over to Hannah Grisham, who rejoined the race in 12th position. The pit cycle was multiple penalties issued to other competitors for running the red light at the end of the pit lane, further shuffling the order.
Grisham faced the task of breaking back into the top ten and quickly began making progress. She moved up to 11th on lap 38 after passing a rival, although McAleer briefly reclaimed the position before Grisham continued to push forward. She soon climbed into ninth and then eighth, but her stint was also defined by strategic fuel management, as the timing of stops meant many GS cars were on the limit and potentially required an additional stop in the closing stages.
As the race entered its final phase, Grisham was at the head of a tightly packed group battling for positions inside the top ten, with Kenny Murillo in ninth, Liefhooge and Auberlen also in close contention, all covered by just a few seconds. With ten minutes remaining, the tension increased as teams weighed their fuel strategies.
In the closing minutes, Liefhooge pitted with four minutes to go, followed by Murillo, who also made a late splash for fuel with just three minutes remaining. Grisham, however, managed her fuel perfectly and stayed out, gaining positions as others were forced into the pits. Her calculated drive elevated the #26 Aston Martin to seventh place by the chequered flag.
Grisham’s stint was a masterclass in consistency and efficiency, as she brought the car from 12th to seventh. Together with Greenemeier’s earlier charge, the duo completed a remarkable recovery of ten positions from their starting spot, securing their best result of the season to date and their first top-ten finish in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge.
The result moves Grisham and Greenemeier up to eighth in the GS class championship standings with 580 points, providing a significant boost in momentum as they continue their debut campaign in IMSA. The Heart of Racing all-female lineup now looks ahead to the next round at Mid-Ohio on June 5–7, aiming to build on their strongest performance to date.
