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SCM confirms full-season LMP3 program
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emailBy RACER Staff | January 6, 2022 12:14 PM ET

Sean Creech Motorsport (SCM) has confirmed its return to IMSA’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for a full-season campaign in the LMP3 class this year. Four-time Rolex 24 winner Joao Barbosa and Dr. Lance Willsey will make up the full-season line-up in the No. 33 Sean Creech Motorsport Exelixis Ligier JS P320 while 18-year-old Malthe Jakobsen and 21-year-old Sebastian Priaulx are set to make their Rolex 24 debuts with the team on January 29-30.

Barbosa and Willsey raced with SCM in 2021, finishing second at the Rolex 24 and contesting four races in the debut season for LMP3 in WeatherTech competition. Both drivers have lengthy histories with SCM: Barbosa first drove with the team over 20 years ago, while Willsey raced several seasons with the team’s IMSA Prototype Challenge effort and has also partnered with the team in vintage competition as well.

“The team did such a good job last year, so I think there’s huge potential for this year,” said Barbosa, a resident of nearby Ormond Beach who is set for his 20th Rolex 24 start. “We finished second last year and we want to do as good or better. With Malthe and Sebastian, it’s a young and strong team to face the challenge of the LMP3 class. Malthe knows the car and his experience in Europe really helps. I coached Sebastian in a few races last year and have followed his progress, he did a stellar job last year. He has huge potential as well and this will give him great experience. We’ll get them as many laps as we can at the Roar, but we know they’ll have plenty of time to get ready.”

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Newcomers Priaulx, from Guernsey, UK and Jakobsen, from Denmark, share very similar background stories. Both come from racing families, both have enjoyed successful karting careers before moving to junior formula car racing, both have made impressive starts in sports car racing – and both will contest their first 24-hour race at the Rolex 24.

The son of three-time FIA World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx, Sebastian Priaulx parlayed a successful karting career into a two-year stint in the Ginetta Junior Championship, where he finished second in the 2017 title chase. He contested the 2018 British F4 Championship but shifted his focus back to sports cars and finished second in the 2019 British GT Championship. Priaulx made the move to the U.S. in 2019, winning in his IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge debut at Road Atlanta. Priaulx returned to IMPC in 2020 with Multimatic and most recently raced to the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup North America title.

“It’s a dream, to do this race,” said Priaulx. “I’m very excited, it’s my first 24-hour race, and I’m over the moon to be working with these guys. Joao was my driver coach last year so it will be great working with him at Daytona. Sean has such a great history and it’s a good group of guys, so I’m ready to get going!

“I’ve watched a lot of 24-hour races and I know how draining it is, mentally and physically, so I’m doing a lot of training to get my endurance levels up, and a lot of sim work. It’s a very different kind of racing compared to a 45-minute sprint race, or the four-hour race I did at Daytona two years ago. It’s one of those tracks that can be easily underestimated, as it looks like a couple of corners and an oval. But it’s actually quite technical, and finding that last bit of speed is difficult, but I’m excited for the effort.”

Jakobsen grew up at the racetrack alongside dad Lasse, who raced formula cars in Germany. He drove his first kart at age three and won several Danish karting titles before turning to cars in 2018. He won the Danish F4 Championship in 2019 before turning to sports car racing and competing in the European Le Mans Series. Jakobsen competed in the Asian Le Mans Series, ELMS, two Michelin Le Mans Cup events in 2021, and at Petit Le Mans.

“We’d been talking to Sean for some time, and I tested with the team last month at Daytona,” said Jakobsen. “It’s a really great team and I’m glad we were able to put something together. I’m looking forward to working with the engineers and mechanics, and with Joao, Lance and Sebastian. They know the car and the setup so well. It helps that I’ve raced the Ligier in ELMS, but racing with the speed of the DPi cars, and all the traffic, will be different. This is a real endurance race, so I am doing sim work and physical training, so I’ll be ready for it!”

The SCM team, including team principal Sean Creech, brought a successful 30-year racing history to the series, with a racing resume that spans the decades and includes Group C, IMSA GTP, WSC, Grand-Am, SRO World Challenge, and IMSA competition. Creech’s Jupiter, Florida-based team includes a roster of crew and consultants that have worked with him for years and are ready to return to IMSA action.

“I’m glad we could put this effort together for 2022, especially with this outstanding driver line-up,” said Creech. “It’s a great combination — two veterans, including a four-time winner, and two young drivers who are already proven winners. Between myself, the crew, Lance and Joao, we have literally thousands of miles at Daytona under our belts – we’ll get Sebastian and Malthe up to speed quickly at the Roar and be ready to take on the 24. We’d like to return to the podium but obviously, one step higher!”

The Rolex 24 at Daytona event gets underway January 21-23 with the traditional Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway.

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Lundqvist rounds out Alegra GTD endurance line-up

Jake Galstad/Motorsport Images
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emailBy Richard S. James | January 5, 2022 12:24 PM ET

Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing team Alegra Motorsports will contest the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Endurance Cup Championship in the GTD class, beginning with the Rolex 24 at Daytona later this month. 2017 Daytona winners Daniel Morad and Michael de Quesada will be joined by Swedish native Linus Lundqvist, coming from a recent third place overall finish in Indy Lights, and 2021 DMT Champion Maximilian Goetz in the Huski Chocolate Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo for Daytona.

“2021 was our first year with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, and we learned a lot,” said team manager Tony Ditto. “It was a tough season with lots of elbows-out racing, and that allowed us to get to know every part of the Mercedes-AMG; I think that will really pay off for us this year. I’m also excited to have Max and Linus joining Daniel and Michael. We’ve got a lot of winning experience in the car this year.”

More IMSA!

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NTE bringing a new GTD Lamborghini to the IMSA season

Magnussen returns to Ganassi for Daytona

Including the pre-season test and qualifying race at the Roar Before the 24, the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Endurance Championship calendar will see the GTD class participate in five events across North America, spanning the 24 Hours at Daytona, the 12 Hours at Sebring, the 6 Hours at Watkins Glen and the season finale, Petit Le Mans.

“It’s great to be back for another season with Alegra Motorsports with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo,” said Morad. “I’m looking forward to carrying our momentum into 2022 with nearly a full season of understanding of the car. It’ll be great to have a lineup of talent as well with us heading into Daytona.”

Lundqvist, who finished third last year in the Indy Lights series, made his Rolex debut in 2019. The event will be his first with the Mercedes-AMG, however.

“I’m highly excited to be going back to Daytona for a second time, and I really want to thank Alegra Motorsports for giving me the opportunity to race with them,” says Lundqvist. “We have a strong line-up and, even though I’m yet to drive it, I’ve heard many good things about the Mercedes-AMG GT3. I can’t wait to hit the track; there’s no better way to start the year than this!”

Goetz has extensive experience with the car, having just won the 2021 DTM title with Mercedes-AMG Team HRT. Daytona International Speedway and the Rolex 24, however, will be new to him.

“I’m really looking forward to kicking my motorsport season off in Daytona,” said Goetz. “After some days off, it’s time to hit the track with new energies and new targets. After winning DTM last year, I will start the season with a new team and teammates. It has always been a big dream to race in Daytona, to win it even more so. I am looking forward to being part of such a great team Alegra Motorsports, meeting all my mates very soon and getting in touch with such a traditional track.”

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Bell rejoins Vasser Sullivan for Rolex 24

Motorsport Images
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emailBy Richard S. James | January 5, 2022 11:58 AM ET

Townsed Bell will once again complete the Vasser Sullivan lineup in the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, in addition to also handling commentating duties for NBC during both the Roar before the 24 and the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Bell will team with Aaron Telitz, Frankie Montecalvo and Richard Heistand in the Lexus.

More IMSA!

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NTE bringing a new GTD Lamborghini to the IMSA season

Magnussen returns to Ganassi for Daytona

“This is the first time I’ve raced the Rolex 24 with all four drivers having experience in the race and with our Lexus RC F GT3,” said Bell. “That makes me confident. This will be my fourth season with the team and I couldn’t be more proud of the organization that Jimmy and Sulli have built- brick by brick. We have a really strong team now with a few key personnel additions over the off season. When I think about the proven race-winning capability of our Lexus RCF GT3, the VS team, and all of the outstanding support from Lexus Racing, I can’t wait to get going at Daytona. Make no mistake, this will be the most competitive GT field in history, however we have a group ready and eager to compete.“

This will be Bell’s eighth Rolex 24. He is the 2015 IMSA GTD Champion, the 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona GTD winner and the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans winner in the GTE-AM class. In 2019, Bell co-drove the Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 to a second place finish in the team’s Rolex 24 debut. Bell competed in 10 Indianapolis 500’s with a best finish of fourth in 2008 in a Jimmy Vasser-owned car.

The addition of Bell follows prior announcements that Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat will be the full-season co-drivers of the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 GTD PRO entry with Kyle Kirkwood serving as the endurance co-driver while Telitz and Montecalvo will be the full-season co-drivers of the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 GTD Class entry with Heistand co-driving the endurance races.

The 2022 season will mark the fourth year Lexus and Vasser Sullivan have partnered together. During that time, the Lexus RC F GT3 has earned seven GTD class wins, 18 podiums and nine pole positions.

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Gradient Racing set for Endurance Cup run with Acura

Richard Dole/Motorsport Images
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emailBy Marshall Pruett | January 4, 2022 8:59 AM ET

It has taken the team principals behind Gradient Racing 10 years to achieve their long-held dream of entering the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and with a newly announced Michelin Endurance Cup program for the No. 66 Acura NSX GT3, Andris Laivins, Declan Brennan, and Marc Miller have something to celebrate.

In association with Honda Performance Development, the Austin, Texas-based team will open the season at the Rolex 24 and add stops at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Six Hours at The Glen, and Petit Le Mans at Road America with two-time GT Daytona class champion Mario Farnbacher, Gradient veteran Till Bechtolsheimer, and HPD junior open-wheel talent Kyffin Simpson. Miller, who was recently cleared to drive after rehabilitating from a knee injury, will serve as the team’s fourth driver at Daytona.

“It’s awesome to be able to combine our regulars Till and Marc, with Mario’s extraordinary knowledge of the NSX, and our newest Gradient driver, Kyffin Simpson,” Laivins said. “He has already had a bunch of success in the open-wheel world, and we’re eager to have him bring everything he learned in the HPD Academy to our program.

“This will be my 20th season racing professionally, and though I’ve run this race a handful of times, and we made it on the podium last year with one of our clients, this is the first time we’re doing it fully in-house. It’s a big deal for our team. With our hardworking group of women and men, an updated NSX GT3 Evo22, and great technical support from HPD, we are going to Florida with a good package. Daytona is a big race; it feels special every time you get to do it.”

More IMSA!

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Magnussen returns to Ganassi for Daytona

Although this will be Gradient’s first run with its Acura at Daytona, its crew quietly ran the successful SunEnergy1 Racing GTD effort last year at the Rolex 24. The new and stronger IMSA alignment with HPD adds the team’s role as a touring car chassis builder for American Honda’s racing division.

“This program represents a coming together of many members of the HPD family,” said HPD commercial motorsports manager John Whiteman. “Pairing Kyffin Simpson as the FRA Champion and an HPD Academy graduate with two-time GTD Champion Mario Farnbacher authentically demonstrates opportunities for HPD powered drivers.

“Additionally, Gradient is a longtime partner, who has won races with the NSX GT3 but also assembles all of the championship winning HPD Civic Type R race cars. We are all very appreciative of the opportunity to bring honor to Acura Motorsports in such an organic way.”

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AF Corse bringing a Ferrari to the Rolex 24 GTD fight Richard Dole/Motorsport Images
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emailBy Marshall Pruett | January 3, 2022 1:22 PM ET

AF Corse will return to IMSA’s GT Daytona class at the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The factory-affiliated Italian team will field the No. 21 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo in IMSA’s most popular class which features nearly 10 auto manufacturers.

Led by Ferrari veteran Toni Vilander, the twin-turbo V8-powered couple will also feature Simon Mann, Nicklas Nielsen, and Luis Perez-Companc.

At present, AF Corse is only expected to compete at Daytona and possibly one or more of the remaining endurance events, but what the heck, it's one more car and considering the crap that IMSA has used to drive racers away, they are lucky to get anyone.

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Wilson joins Hardpoint’s GTD endurance program

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emailBy Marshall Pruett | January 10, 2022 11:00 AM ET

NTT IndyCar Series driver Stefan Wilson and partner Cusick Motorsports will team with Hardpoint Motorsports to contest IMSA’s four longest races in its Porsche 911 GT3 R. The Briton will start by sharing the car later this month for the Rolex 24 At Daytona with team owner Rob Ferriol, Katherine Legge, and Nick Boulle.

Wilson will return for the other three WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Michelin Endurance Cup rounds at Sebring, Watkins Glen, and Road America’s Petit Le Mans. The same sponsors found on the Wilson/Cusick Indy 500 in 2021, along with a new name or two, will grace the Hardpoint Porsche.

The start will mark Wilson’s first at the Rolex 24, which comes on the 10-year anniversary of his late brother Justin’s overall victory with Michael Shank Racing in 2012.

“We’ve been working hard on putting together a program at the pinnacle of sports car racing and we couldn’t be happier about our partnership with Hardpoint Motorsports,” said Don Cusick. “To field a Porsche at the most legendary sports car events in North America with our partners will be truly special. It will also be incredible to see Stefan making his debut on the 10th anniversary of Justin’s overall win. I’m really excited for this opportunity to grow Cusick Motorsports’ presence, I know we’ve got a great year ahead.”

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It will also mark Wilson’s second WeatherTech Championship start after racing in the former PC class at COTA. Wilson and Cusick also continue to search for a partner team to field a part-time IndyCar campaign.

“I’m really happy with the way things turned out — partnering with Rob Ferriol, Katherine Legge and Nick Boulle is a great opportunity that I’m excited for and want to make the most of,” Wilson said. “This will only be my second IMSA WeatherTech start, and my first Rolex 24, but it’s a series and race that I’ve targeted for many years. I’m just really grateful to Don Cusick and Hardpoint Motorsports for believing in me and giving me this chance.

“It suddenly dawned on me a couple of weeks ago that it’s not only the 60th anniversary of the race, but it’s 10 years since Justin won overall. I have many fond memories of watching him compete in this race, and I hope I can create some good memories of my own there this month.”

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BMW M Team RLL names its driver roster for Rolex 24

BMW Motorsport
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emailBy Richard S. James | January 11, 2022 12:17 PM ET

BMW M Team RLL has announced its line-up for the season opener of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2022, with each new BMW M4 GT3 featuring a quartet of BMW M works drivers doing battle for the podium in the new-for-2022 GTD Pro class.

In the No. 25 MOTUL BMW M4 GT3, Connor De Phillippi, John Edwards (both USA), Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Jesse Krohn (FIN) will take turns at the wheel; in the No. 24 car, Philipp Eng (AUT), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Marco Wittmann (GER) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) will be in action.

“It hasn’t even been two months since we bid farewell to the BMW M8 GTE at Petit Le Mans, and we’re already in the critical phase of preparing for the first major IMSA highlight for the new BMW M4 GT3,” said Mike Krack, head of BMW M Motorsport.

“With our drivers who will be competing in the two BMW M Team RLL BMW M4 GT3s, we have opted for speed and experience – both at Daytona and with the new car. Almost all of our BMW M works drivers have already contested the 24 Hours of Daytona and will be working together to find the perfect set-up for the BMW M4 GT3 at the International Speedway during the ‘Roar before the 24’ already. I am confident that we will be very well prepared going into the GTD Pro premiere of the IMSA series. I’m also looking forward to seeing how Turner Motorsport fares in the GTD class.”

More IMSA!

WeatherTech to sponsor second Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Rolex 24

Wilson joins Hardpoint’s GTD endurance program

Gidley making Daytona return in Prototype Challenge

Six of the eight drivers who will compete at Daytona (USA) also contested the endurance classic in the BMW M8 GTE in 2021. New to the team for the Rolex 24 are van der Linde and Yelloly. However, they have both already been in action in the IMSA series. Van der Linde contested the GTD class of the 24-hour race in 2018, so is familiar with the Daytona track. Yelloly drove Turner Motorsport’s BMW M6 GT3 in Sebring in 2020.

Krohn and van der Linde will only be racing for BMW M Team RLL at Daytona, while the other six drivers will also share the cockpits of the two BMW M4 GT3s at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March.

BMW Team RLL’s two GTD Pro cars will be joined int he GTD category by Turner Motorsport, also campaigning a new BMW M4 GT3. Bill Auberlen, Robby Foley, Michael Dinan and BMW M works driver Jens Klingmann will share the No. 96 car.

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WeatherTech to sponsor second Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Rolex 24

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emailBy RACER Staff | January 11, 2022 10:16 AM ET

WeatherTech will be the title sponsor for a second team Mercedes-AMG GT3 entry in the new IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD Pro Class for the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona.

WeatherTech, with Mercedes of Billings (Montana), will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 15 WeatherTech Mercedes-AMG GT3 entry to be driven by Dirk Mueller, Patrick Assenheimer and Austin Cindric.

More IMSA!

BMW M Team RLL names its driver roster for Rolex 24

Wilson joins Hardpoint’s GTD endurance program

Gidley making Daytona return in Prototype Challenge

“The second Mercedes entry came about with Proton being contracted to prepare the car,” David MacNeil, Founder and CEO of WeatherTech said. “It was also an opportunity for Mercedes of Billings to have a presence in the race as well. The Rolex 24 is a showcase for sportscar racing around the world and is really the only on-track competition going on this time of year. We are excited to have a third WeatherTech liveried car on the grid for the 60th running of this great race.”

The 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season will start with the traditional Roar Before the 24 test at Daytona International Speedway, January 22-24. The 60th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will take the green January 29.

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61 entries on tap for 60th Rolex 24

Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images
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emailBy Marshall Pruett | January 12, 2022 2:15 PM ET


IMSA has accepted 61 entries for the 60th running of Daytona International Speedway’s legendary endurance race. The WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s five classes for the Rolex 24 At Daytona feature DPi (seven cars), LMP2 (10), LMP3 (nine), the brand-new GTD Pro category (13) and GTD (22).

The event is preceded by the Roar Before The 24 from January 21-23, where all 61 entries are expected to appear and take part in the official test and qualifying race that will set the grid for the January 29-30 Rolex 24.

More IMSA!

BMW M Team RLL names its driver roster for Rolex 24

WeatherTech to sponsor second Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Rolex 24

Wilson joins Hardpoint’s GTD endurance program

DPi is a straightforward fight between the defending overall winners at Acura and Cadillac, which earned four consecutive Rolex 24 victories from 2017-20 before Wayne Taylor Racing captured Acura’s biggest IMSA win in 2021. By the numbers, the odds are in Cadillac’s favor with five of the seven cars entered hailing from teams fielding the DPi-V.R model.

LMP2 is an all-ORECA-07 affair, with eight teams responsible for fielding the 10 Gibson V8-powered cars. LMP3 offers more chassis variety among its nine cars, with four Duqueine D08s going up against five Ligier JS P320s. Eight teams are represented on the LMP3 grid.

GTD Pro is the breakout news for the Rolex 24 with a giant 13-car entry for factory programs and ambitious privateers. One Aston Martin, two BMWs, two Corvettes, one Ferrari, one Lamborghini, one Lexus, two Mercedes-AMGs and three Porsches will usher in IMSA’s replacement for the GT Le Mans class.

And GTD, which comprises more than one-third of the field, is loaded with more GT3-based machines with Porsche, Mercedes-AMG, and Lamborghini serving as the most popular models (four cars apiece), followed by Aston Martin (three), Ferrari and McLaren (two each), and Acura, BMW and Lexus (one apiece).

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WTR Acura, Proton Mercedes lead wet third Roar practice

Jake Galstad/Motorsport Images
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emailBy Richard S. James | January 22, 2022 11:44 AM ET

In a half-soaked session that signified little but may have given the teams the opportunity to test the conditions in which qualifying for tomorrow’s 100-minute Rolex 24 qualifying race will be run, Filipe Albuquerque set the quick time for the Wayne Taylor Racing Acura.

The third practice session of the Roar Before the 24 weekend was hit by a sprinkle of rain after most cars had only put in less than 10 laps. That halted any further fast laps. But as teams may face similar conditions for this afternoon’s qualifying session that will set the grid for the qualifying race, it was a chance to get some useful information for the drivers and engineers. Several teams, though, chose to sit the remainder of the session out. Any information gained about running in the wet appears to be of limited use at the moment, as the forecast for tomorrow and and next weekend shows a low chance for rain.

More IMSA!

WTR Acura leads evening practice after incident

Roar Before the 24: Saturday news and notes

Vautier puts JDC-Miller Cadillac on pole for Rolex 24 qualifying race

Mike Rockenfeller was able to turn a quick lap in the No. 31 Action Express Cadillac to split the Acuras, relegating Helio Castroneves and the Meyer Shank Acura to third. The other class leaders were Ferdinand Habsburg-Lothringen in the No. 8 Tower Motorsport ORECA LMP2; Seb Priaulx in the No. 33 Sean Creech Motorsport Ligier in LMP3; Dirk Mueller in the No. 15 Proton USA Mercedes-AMG in GTD Pro; and David Pittard in the No. 98 Northwest AMR Aston Martin in GTD.

The session was marked by several red flags, the most serious for Kyffin Simpson putting the No. 66 Gradient Racing Acura NSX into the wall at Turn 5, after he was caught out on slicks as the rain intensified. The incident damaged the right-rear corner of the car, and the team will miss this afternoon’s qualifying and possibly tomorrow’s qualifying race.