Porsche has locked out the front row in qualifying for the Michelin GT Challenge as Fred Makowiecki triumphed in a tight battle with team-mate Laurens Vanthoor.
The two Porsches were generally on a different level in qualifying at Virginia International Raceway and did not appear in danger of losing pole position at any point during the session.
Makowiecki and Vanthoor traded the top time back and forth throughout the session, but Makowiecki decided the fight in the favor of the #911 Porsche 911 RSR-19 with a time of 01:40:389, 0.130s faster than the #912 Porsche of Vanthoor.
BMW and Corvette were not able to match Porsche’s lap times and were instead left to battle over third place. Corvette initially looked to have the battle for the second row sorted, until a late flyer by Connor de Phillippi put the #25 BMW M8 GTE in third. De Phillippi’s best effort of 01:41:095 was seven-tenths removed from the pole time.
Jordan Taylor took fourth in the championship-leading #3 Corvette C8.R with a lap time of 01:41:452, ahead of team-mate Oliver Gavin in the #4 Corvette.
John Edwards momentarily made his way into third place in the #24 BMW M8 GTE, but in the end his time of 01:41:776 proved slowest of the six cars.
Compass Racing ends Lexus qualifying streak
Corey Fergus has brought an end to AIM Vasser Sullivan’s pole position streak in GTD, putting the #76 Compass Racing McLaren 720S GT3 on pole of the second time of the season.
Fergus won out in a tight qualifying battle with a time of 01:45:236. A late fast lap from Robby Foley put the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M6 GT3 in second place, 0.074s behind Fergus.
Frankie Montecalvo still managed to put one of the Lexus RC F GT3s into the top three, with his best effort in the #12 car 0.161s behind Fergus. Matt McMurry was momentarily third in the #86 Acura NSX GT3 Evo, but was knocked down to fourth
Madison Snow put the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo fifth on the grid upon its return to IMSA competition.
Rob Ferriol briefly found the grass in the #30 Team Hardpoint Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo, spinning over the kerb in the closing minutes of the session, but was able to find his way back onto the circuit and continue.
