Acura on Pole at Road America
QUALIFYING COMPROMISED BECAUSE OF WEATHER; COMPASS RACING MCLAREN 720S THIRD IN GTD
Dane Cameron and teammate Juan Pablo Montoya driving their #6 Acura Team Penske DPi have been at the top of the time sheet in all three practices sessions this weekend and they confirmed their dominance with a pole lap of 1:48.715 from Dane Cameron. It was just enough to beat the other Acura of Taylor/Castroneves who missed Pole by 0.016s. Third place went to #77 Mazda Team Joest of Jarvis/Nunez 0.234s behind the pole sitter.
The GTLM qualifying session started in damp conditions as light rain fell on the track just as the session started. Initially, it looked like Corvette Racing had things under control but in the late stage BMW Team RLL #25 driver Tim Blomqvist lapped the Road America track in a pole setting time of 2:00.334s, 0.319s quicker than the #4 Corvette Racing of Gavin/Milner and 0.423s over #24 BMW RLL of Krohn/Edwards.
Compass Racing looked to be in a very good position to grab pole at one point during the GTD qualifying session having set the pace midway through qualifying. Just before IMSA officials decided to ref flag the session due to severe weather warning with lightning in the area close to the track, Ben Keating driving the Mercedes AMG GT3 Riley Motorsports. That threw away a chance for a good qualifying for AIM Vasser Sullivan who were waiting for the right moment to go out for a lap time.
So GTD Pole goes to #33 Mercedes AMG GT3 of Keating/Bleekemolen with a time 2:05.250s with #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Hurracan GT3(2:05.663) of Sellers/Lewis and third #76 Compass Racing McLaren 720S GT3(2:05.723s) of Holton/Plumb.
Zach Robichon qualified the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R in fourth, #14 AIM Vasser Sullivan of Heistand/Hamwsworth will start seventh and #12 of Montecalvo/Bell in 14th.
1:35pm is the set time for the start of the 2hours 40 minutes race Sunday afternoon.
Image: Patrice Marchessault / PMstills Photography